Instructions for Editing Practice/Peer Review Sessions.

1) Authors should have already run their first drafts through a spell check and a grammar check program and have one copy for all of their editors. The written comments of your editors are handed in by the author in the two-pocket folder with the Final Draft and the editing practice/peer reviews are graded by the instructor for effort, content, accuracy, and completeness. Editing is work and good writers and good editors are in high demand in most professions. If there are 5 people sitting at a table, editors can mark on the extra instructors copy until an extra copy can be made for the instructor. One copy of the first draft goes to the instructor. There are coin operated photocopiers on most floors of Lind Hall.

2) Editors should use a red pencil or red pen and circle errors that are found.

3) Roles should be rotated with each paper that is collaboratively edited. Don't be the "spell checker" for all the papers.

3) The Reader: Someone (other than the author) should read the paper out loud to the group. Readers can usually easily spot any choppy sentences, awkward phrases, missing words, and run-on sentences and make suggestions about flow and changes that might make the writing more pleasing to the ear and the eye. Is the manuscript neat and tidy?

4) The Spell Checker and Grammar and Punctuation Checker: Someone should especially look for any spelling and punctuation errors, including any missing words or misused words e.g. effect and affect, which and that, who and whom, etc.

5) The Organization Checker: Someone should look to make sure there is a title, a thesis statement, ideas are organized into paragraphs (check all the paragraph breaks) , make sure that there is a topic sentence starting each paragraph, and transitions and that there is an ending or conclusion (The conclusion does not need to be labeled as a "Conclusion" as long as there is some kind of satisfactory ending to the writing).

6) The Style Checker: Someone should focus on the writer's style and persuasiveness. Are active verbs being used? Is there anything that can make the writing more interesting and "sparkle." Specifically, how can the writing be made clearer and more interesting? Do the ideas make sense and is a significant or interesting point being made for the writer's audience?