Editing & Proofreading
Learning Objectives
• To understand and appreciate the importance of
proofreading and editing as part of the writing process
• To understand and identify the four areas of the proofreading and editing stage: logic & reasoning, structural, grammatical and technical
• To review common grammatical errors with a view to enhancing writing quality
Question?
• Would you take seriously a book or article full of careless errors? If you were to hand a manager a report full of
Quiz Question?
• T / F Editing and proofreading can tend to have a large impact on your marks
Why is necessary?
• Lecturers and employers may not always talk about such things as grammar, spelling, punctuation and
presentation. But they notice them. And they may look harshly on work that does not meet acceptable
standards of style and literacy.
• Look at the assessment criteria for each assignment: there is always a mark for language &/or expression.
Quiz Question ?
• T / F Editing and proofreading are two terms for the one thing
Editing and Proofreading
Editing and proofreading are not the same.
• Editing has a different function to proofreading as it takes place at a different stage in the writing process.
• The writing process involves several drafts. You will aim to proofread the second-to the last version of your
Why is editing
necessary?
•
Editing
is necessary because:
•
it is a form of ‘quality control’
•
eliminates errors in logic or reasoning
Quiz Question ?
• T / F Microsoft Word has functions which can help you edit and proofread effectively
Computers
•
If y
our computer can help you proofread, then
what is wrong with the following poem
Spell checker
Spell Chequer Pome
I have a spelling checker It came with my P.C.
It clearly marks for my revue Mistakes I cannot sea.
I’ve run this poem threw it
And I’m shore your please to no
Using Spell checker
Spell Chequer Checker Pome Poem I have a spelling checker,
it came with my P.C.
It clearly marks for my revue review Mmistakes I cannot sea.see
I’ve run this poem threw through it
Aand I’m shore sure you’re pleased to no know,
Iit’s letter perfect in its weigh way,
Discussion Questions
•
What steps do you follow to proofread/edit your
written work?
Plan of Attack!
•
Check for
Structural Aspects
•
Check for
Logic & Reasoning
•
Check for
Grammatical Aspects &
Punctuation
Structural Features
•
Ensure that your assignment has achieved the
purpose of the genre
of writing you are required
to produce (e.g. essay, report, literature review,
reflective piece of writing) in terms of
sections
Logic and Reasoning
• Hasty generalization
• Definition: Making assumptions about a whole group or range of cases based on a sample that is inadequate (usually because it is
atypical or too small).
• Stereotypes about people (“librarians are shy and smart,” “wealthy people are snobs,” etc.) are a common example of the principle
Logic and Reasoning
• Missing the point
• Definition: The premises of an argument do support a particular conclusion—but not the conclusion that the arguer actually draws.
Logic and Reasoning
• Example: “The seriousness of a punishment
should match the seriousness of the crime. Right now, the punishment for drunk driving may
simply be a fine. But drunk driving is a very
serious crime that can kill innocent people. So the death penalty should be the punishment for drunk driving.”
• The argument actually supports several
conclusions—”The punishment for drunk driving should be very serious,” in particular—but it
doesn’t support the claim that the death penalty, specifically, is warranted.
Logic and Reasoning
• Example: “Gay marriages are just immoral. 70% of
Americans think so!”
• While the opinion of most Americans might be
relevant in determining what laws we should have, it certainly doesn’t determine what is moral or
immoral: there was a time where a substantial
number of Americans were in favour of segregation, but their opinion was not evidence that segregation was moral. The arguer is trying to get us to agree
with the conclusion by appealing to our desire to fit in with other Americans.
Appealing to emotion
• The sentence ‘… the legal case for a treaty is
underpinned by the contempt and scorn expressed by the panel of judges…’
• implies the writer’s disdain for the judiciary. Obviously, the words contempt and scorn are both subjective and emotional and are not considered good scholarly form.
