Whether you are writing a term paper or an email to a friend you will want to take time to edit and revise what you write. Revising involves taking a fresh look at a draft, making sure that it includes all the necessary information and that the presentation is clear and effective.

You know what you want to say, but is it clear to your reader?

Fine-tune sentence structure

Attend to details of grammar

Word choice

 Punctuation and spelling

Too often we rush to grab the first words we can think of to describe what we mean to say.  That's fine for the first draft, but the real work--and the fun--comes in finding just the right word.  Consider the following example of careful word choice and the power of a good round of editing.  Did you know that it takes more than one draft to write a good essay?

Example of a First Draft:
 

At the end of the 21st century, the underfunding of higher education has transformed the lives of academics.  The old description of the "ivory tower academic"  is no longer appropriate.  Instead, given the dearth of funding for research, scholars must now become "academic entrepreneurs."  This involves actively seeking out research money from non-traditional sources such as the SSHRCC.  Turning to government departments and the private sector is scary.  However, if academics fail to do so, then they will not have the resources to inquire into new issues and explore alternative ideas. There is one major concern:  if academics receive funding from the private or public sector, what are the implications for academic freedom?  Scientists have had this challenge for years as they receive grants from defence departments or military or pharmaceutical firms.   This puts a whole new twist on the political science phrase:  What are the ties that bind?

Budget cuts have transformed the lives of Canadian academics.  "Ivory tower academics" have been replaced by "academic entrepreneurs."  In a period of fiscal austerity, academics must actively search for research money from non-traditional sources such as the SSHRCC.  That endeavor involves new dilemmas and new skill sets.  For example, if academics receive funding from the private or public sector, what are the implications for their academic freedom?  Are there certain conclusions which the academic will be compelled to substantiate?  Scientists have confronted this challenge for years.  That is, when computer scientists or biologists receive grants from defence departments or military or pharmaceutical firms are there certain constraints placed upon their research agendas?  Studies show that public hydro utility firms have, for example, hired scientists in the past to refute evidence of the physiological effects of high voltage power lines.  New relationship between non-traditional research funding sources and social scientists puts a whole new twist on the political science phrase:  "What are the ties that bind?"
 

Editing for efficiency:

 ELIMINATE unnecessary uses of "that", "the", "which", "a" and other small words.

 ELIMINATE redundant words or sentences.

 COMBINE two sentences into one.

 TAKE OUT sentences or phrases that are extraneous to the flow of the piece.

 PARAPHRASE long quotes.

 USE ONE descriptive word instead of two or more.