6 Revising for Clarity Free Online FlashCards

In what order should you revise, edit, and proofread?

Revise meaning and organization first, edit sentences and mechanics next, and proofread for remaining errors last.

What four areas should you check when revising a draft as a whole?

Check purpose, audience, support, and order: whether the main idea is clear, readers have needed context, claims are supported, and ideas flow logically.

How can paragraph summaries reveal organizational problems?

Summarize each paragraph in a few words. If its job does not connect to the main idea, or duplicates another paragraph’s job, reconsider the organization.

What makes a word choice precise?

Choose words that express the meaning accurately. Strong vocabulary is precise, not necessarily complicated or impressive-sounding.

How should writers handle necessary technical terms?

Keep technical terms that are necessary, but define them for readers who may not know them.

When is active voice especially useful, and when can passive voice help?

Use active voice when it helps identify who did what. Passive voice can be useful when the actor is unknown or less important than the action.

What should you check about pronouns during revision?

Make each pronoun’s reference clear by naming the specific person or thing it refers to when needed.

How can the order of familiar and new information improve clarity?

Place familiar information before new information when that order helps readers follow the connection.

What kinds of wording should you cut to reduce clutter?

Remove repetition, details that add no value, and delays to the main point. Replace wordy phrases with direct verbs when the meaning remains accurate.

What should you preserve when making writing more concise?

Do not shorten just for the sake of brevity. Keep details readers need and vary sentence length so the writing stays natural.

What is tone, and what contributes to it?

Tone is the attitude readers hear in writing. Word choice, sentence structure, and level of formality all contribute to it.

How can criticism be made constructive?

Be respectful and direct. State what is missing and what action is needed instead of attacking the reader.