The main task for today's class was to create an editing checklist. Takeaway points:
- everyone looks for different things (there are no absolutes)
- BUT, there are certain things that everyone values
What do/should we look for when we edit our papers?
- *flow
- *clarity (word choice, message, organization)
- *so what? (significance)
- *concise
- good support/evidence
- cohesion
- good transitions
- coherence
- compelling
- matches expectations of task
- strong conclusion
- makes sense
- necessary and sufficient
- sentence variation
- assumptions are explicit
- thesis sentence
- aware of audience
- appropriate scope
What is the audience looking for?
- A lot of of the same elements that we should look for when editing our papers, but always be aware of what your audience needs.
- Can be tricky to decide what type of language to use (simpler vs. more jargon)
- Tip for writing papers/presentations - write it to convince the most knowledgeable person in the room, but make sure that the least knowledgeable person will be able to understand it
Giving feedback
- Understand what type of feedback they're asking for and give them that. Make sure to clarify expectations.
- Pick one thing to work on and one thing that's really strong.
- Don't be overzealous in editing.
- Editing in the workplace is not about perfection, it's about interpersonal communication.
- "Read it and tell me what you think" can mean a lot of different things.
Peer review
- They always see things you didn't see.
- You tend to work harder on a piece when you know someone else is going to review it.
--Alicia Godlove
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