PrePALS Writing

Completing a draft of writing does not mean that the process is complete.  The writing process goes beyond drafting!  Once you have completed a draft, you are reading to review, revise, edit, and redraft.  Typically, a first draft is a rough draft.  Sometimes, it is a VERY rough draft.  It may take a few rounds of redrafting to turn that rough draft into a work that is ready to be submitted or published.  

There are several ways you can accomplish a revision-either on your own, with a peer, or with an online or in-person service (such as Western's Writing Center).

Attributions:

"Revising and Editing: Proofreading" Youtube, uploaded by WWU Libraries: Teaching & Learning 1 March 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIyMFjl1-wc

Permissions: YouTube Terms of Service

Instructions: Read each statement below regarding ACADEMIC STYLE. Use the video above to help answer the prompts.

1. Identify the tone
   Read the sentence below. Is it appropriate for academic writing? Why or why not?
   "I think this experiment was super cool and it totally blew my mind."
   Answer: _____________________________________________________________
    
2. Rewriting for clarity
   Rewrite the following sentence in active voice and in your own style:
   "The results were analyzed by the research team."
   Answer: _____________________________________________________________
    
3. Conciseness check
   The following sentence is wordy. Rewrite it using fewer words while keeping the meaning:
   "At this point in time, it is necessary for us to consider all the possible alternatives before making a final decision."
   Answer: _____________________________________________________________

Instructions: Read the paragraph below. Use the video above to help answer the prompts.

Paragraph to proofread:
"The data was collected by the students and mistakes was found in the calculations. It are important to check the results careful before drawing any conclusions."

1. Identify passive voice and rewrite the sentence in active voice:
   Answer: _____________________________________________________________
    
2. Spot grammatical errors (subject-verb agreement, spelling, punctuation) and correct them:
   Answer: _____________________________________________________________
    
3. Check for stylistic errors (clarity, conciseness, tone) and revise:
   Answer: _____________________________________________________________
    
4. Apply “read out loud” strategy:
   After reading the paragraph aloud, what sentences sounded awkward or unclear? List them:
   Answer: _____________________________________________________________
    
5. Apply “read backwards” strategy:
   Choose one sentence and read it starting from the last word. Did you find any errors?
   Answer: _____________________________________________________________
    

You may submit your writing to the Online Writing Center via this online Writing Center LINK to have someone revise and edit your writing. The link will bring you to a form.  In the form, type in the name of the course for the COURSE NAME and the instructor's name for INSTRUCTOR.  If you are submitting writing that is specific to this PrePALS LibGuide, enter "PrePALS" for the course name and "None" for the INSTRUCTOR.