When I start writing a paper for a school assignment, I review each of the requirements of the assignment, making headings for each in a word processor. Then I try to link each part of the assignment with one or more of the objectives for the instructional unit. For example, in preparation for this assignment, I started with three lines at the top of a blank document in the following manner:
What is my writing process like?
What is your first step in completing a paper?
What is each subsequent step?
Of the four objectives listed for this instructional unit, “recognize and articulate your own writing processâ€, was the only objective to match the components of the assignment. I try to make the link between assignment requirements and objectives to double-check my interpretation of the assignment.
What I do next, in writing a paper, depends on the type of assignment. In the case of this assignment, I am reflecting rather than summarizing results of research, so I started writing immediately after I linked the assignment requirements with an objective. After each paragraph, I read back through what I said in the previous two paragraphs and make revisions.
Had this assignment been to write about the results of research, I would have started by outlining the sections of the paper. Each section would contain a notation of the applicable requirements in the assignment. If any ideas come to mind for things to write about, I add them as short, incomplete notes in the section it belongs. I create a title page with a temporary title. Next, I start a literature review. The literature review almost always prompts me to change the title of my paper more than once. I only start writing the paper for an assignment when I have a solid topic statement or abstract for guiding the rest of the report.
Whether it be subject of the paper is reflection, research, or a topic where I am a subject matter expert, I revise the report in two paragraph chunks as I go. I think it helps confirm the flow between paragraphs. When I finish a complete section, I skim through the section before moving to the next to check flow. At the end of the paper, I walk away from the computer; final revisions are for a fresh sitting. In the ideal situation, I print the paper to edit with a pencil.
In my first critical revision, I check for using the same word to start sentences and grammar. I only read one sentence at a time to see if it makes sense. When I finish the pencil revisions, I make the corrections in the word processor and make my final read-through on the computer screen for the flow of the paper. Sometimes I move large chunks of paragraphs to other parts of the paper. At this point, I coax my wife into using a red pen on a print-out of the paper. For the most part, she revises for content, leaving comments on what I should leave out, expand on, or add. In ideal situations, I give the paper a third read before turning it in. Unfortunately, procrastination often prevents me from having the energy to put into a third reading.