§Revision Exercises)

3x5 card exercise

Get into small groups.  Hand out 10-15 3x5 cards to each group.  One member will use his or her essay as the basis for this exercise.  Write down the content of each paragraph in a sentence or phrase on an index card.  Arrange and rearrange the cards in logical order.  Fill in any gaps with fresh ideas written onto blank 3x5 cards.  This allows them to see what is actually written in the paper.  They may discover that there are too many gaps, or perhaps information that is not pertinent to the essay.

 

Cut and Paste Method     

This is a revising method the students can do at home.  When they have finished a draft of their essay, have them print it out and cut it up paragraph by paragraph.  Instruct them to arrange the paragraphs so that they flow together nicely.  Are there pieces of information that are irrelevant?  Do all the pieces support the thesis?

 

Revision Checklist

Design a revision checklist that you can distribute to your class.  Explain that the list consists of a few things they might want to double check in their papers, and that this list is not the final say in whether or not their paper is perfect.  It is a guide to get them searching for places that need revising and rethinking.

 

Personal Example

Let’s face it. Our students look up to us.  What better way to bring us off the pedestal then to bring in an essay we have written that needed more revising?  Bring in a “B” or even a “C” paper that you never revised and work on it as a class.  Show them that revising is a never-ending process.  A paper can always be improved.  Most importantly, show them that it is not a personal failure to remove ideas, and start fresh with a paper!

 

Group Writing:

As a class write a brief story based on a prop you have brought into class.  You can use a snapshot, a picture from a magazine—you get the picture.  Discuss a story line as a class.  Produce a 2-3-sentence lead to introduce the story, then break off individually and write a paragraph furthering the story.  When each student has finished the paragraph, (approx. 10 minutes) then reconvene back into your regular small groups and make all the paragraphs fit together in a logical way.  Finally as a group make a 2-3-sentence conclusion to your story.  At the end of class each group will read their story out loud.

 

Cutting Out

After assigning an in class writing session, have students cut out fifteen words per page.  Once they are done, have them swap papers with a classmate and each will pretend they are editors looking to see if the right amount of words, as well as the appropriate words were cut

 

 Download an RTF version of Revision Exercises.