Student Editing for Content
Note to teacher: Feel free to add/delete steps depending on what you would like to emphasize. You probably
do not want to do all 10 steps on a single paper! Students in earlier grades can begin with just one or two steps
and build to more than three. This process is easiest if students have double-spaced when typing or skipped
every other line when writing. Students may edit their own or someone else’s paper.
One version: Clockwise editing – Put students into groups. The size of the group depends on the
number of areas being edited. For example, if you are having them edit 3 of the following, put them in groups
of 3. If they are editing 6 of the following, put them in groups of 6. (If you have some groups that aren’t even,
it will not matter.)
Students should do corrections before turning in the final draft of their essay.
(Erase paragraphs above before distributing to students.)
First reader:
1.) Introduction – Write “who,” “what,” “when,” “where” above any words or phrases that answer those w’s
in the introduction before the thesis statement
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Second reader:
2.) Thesis statement – Circle the thesis statement
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Third reader:
3.) Topic sentences for body paragraphs – Circle each topic sentence and draw an arrow back from the topic
sentence to the part of the thesis that gives that topic
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Fourth reader:
4.) Evidence – Choose one color of highlighter or pen and highlight or underline the evidence
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Fifth reader:
5.) Analysis/explanation/commentary – Choose a different color of highlighter or pen and highlight or
underline the writer’s original explanation and analysis of the evidence
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Sixth reader:
6.) Support of thesis – Put a wavy line underneath any phrases that do not support the essay’s position as
stated in the thesis.
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Seventh reader:
7.) Clarity – Read through the entire essay quickly. Write a ? anywhere you are not clear
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Eighth reader:
8.) Conclusion – Write an ! where the conclusion answers the question, “So what?” Then circle the
restatement of the thesis.
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Ninth reader:
9.)
* - Quickly scan the entire essay. Whenever the essay makes you think, “Wow!” write an *
Switch essays clockwise around the circle. Tenth reader:
10.) Transitions – Put brackets [ ] around any transition words or phrases
Transitions for Linking Paragraphs
(from AVID’s Write Path II)
Chronological Transitions
(describe changes over time)
 At first…Next…Then finally…
 For years…After that…and then…
 Beginning with…next came…This finally led to…
Cause-and-Effect Transitions
(explain why)
 At first…Adding to this…Finally…
 One factor explaining…Then there was…Also…
 To begin with…Also…Together, all these factors…
Compare-and-Contrast Transitions
(describe similarities and differences)
 To begin with…Moreover…However…Finally
 On one hand…in contrast…
 It is true that…But nevertheless…Also…
Order of Importance Transitions
(describe important factors)
 The most important factor…Also significant…Then finally…
 One more reason…more importantly…But most of all…
 First of all…Another factor…And in addition to…