Editing Guidelines

1) Proper Heading: Your Name, My Name, Class, Date
2) Times New Roman, 12 pt font
3) Creative Title
4) Tools: Spelling and Grammar

HOW to edit:
1) Read through the essay for each type of common error
2) Read essay aloud
3) Read the essay in chunks—edit a paragraph and take a break, repeat
4) Read essay backwards
5) Have a partner read essay

WHAT to edit:
1) Capitalize first word of every sentence and proper nouns AND use a punctuation mark at the end of every sentence
2) Variety of sentence structure and word use
3) Look for fragments and run-ons
4) Watch for subject/verb agreement
5) Watch for pronoun agreement
6) Commas where necessary (compound, some complex, and compound-complex, introductory clauses
7) Eliminate 2nd person (you, we, us)
8) Eliminate contractions (can’t = cannot)
9) Eliminate vague words (things, stuff, ideas…specifics)
10) Eliminate unnecessary words or wordiness