Editing your assignments
OR, HOW TO GET A BETTER MARK!
RACHEL MAISSAN
RMAISSAN@JMC.EDU.AU
There are a variety of things you
can do...
UNSW says:
•LEAVE YOUR DRAFT A FEW DAYS BEFORE BEGINNING TO
EDIT, THEN CHECK:
1.STRUCTURE – CLEAR INTRODUCTION, BODY AND
CONCLUSION
2.PARAGRAPHS – EACH WITH A CLEAR MAIN POINT THAT
RELATES TO THE ARGUMENT AND ARRANGED IN A
LOGICAL ORDER
3.SENTENCES – WORDS MEAN WHAT YOU THINK THEY
MEAN, CORRECT PUNCTUATION AND SPELLING (USE A
GOOD DICTIONARY)
4.TRANSITION SIGNALS – CAN THE READER FOLLOW THE
IDEAS FROM SENTENCE TO SENTENCE AND PARAGRAPH
TO PARAGRAPH?
Essay Writing for Students
says:
•‘DOES IT LOOK CONVINCING? IF THERE ARE ANY SIGNS
OF INACCURACY AND CARELESSNESS AT THE SURFACE
LEVEL OF YOUR ESSAY, THESE WILL INVITE SUPERFICIAL
CRITICISM FROM YOUR READER – AND MAY WELL
DISTRACT HIM OR HER FROM A MORE SERIOUS
CONSIDERATION OF THE REAL ARGUMENT ’ (1997, P. 81).
1.DEPARTMENT/JMC OFFICIAL GUIDELINES – HAVE YOU
FORMATTED THE ASSIGNMENT CORRECTLY?
2.SURFACE LEVEL – SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, GRAMMAR
3.QUOTATIONS – ACCURATE, ACKNOWLEDGED,
REFERENCE FORMAT, GRAMMATICALLY INCORPORATED
4.REFERENCE LIST/BIBLIOGRAPHY – CORRECTLY SET OUT
5.TITLE PAGE/SYNOPSIS – CORRECT
Brilliant Writing Tips for
Students has:
•HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING STYLE – A
CHECKLIST:
1.READ YOUR WORK OUT LOUD – ‘THE EAR WILL
HEAR WHAT THE EYE DOES NOT SEE ’ (2009, P. 93).
2.USE ROLE-PLAY – IF YOU’RE HAVING A HARD TIME
PUTTING A CONCEPT INTO WORDS, THINK ABOUT
HOW YOU WOULD EXPLAIN IT TO SOMEONE ELSE
3.STICK TO THE FAMILIAR – AVOID COMPLEXSOUNDING WORDS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON ’T FULLY
UNDERSTAND THEM.
Brilliant Writing Tips for
Students cont:
4.BE CONCISE – CUT OUT MEANINGLESS, REPETITIVE AND
LONG-WINDED WORDS AND PHRASES
5.VARY RECURRING WORDS AND PHRASES – USE A
THESAURUS
6.WATCH OUT FOR SIMILAR-SOUNDING WORDS – E.G.
AFFECT/EFFECT, THERE/THEIR/THEY’RE,
PRINCIPLE/PRINCIPAL, COMPLEMENT/COMPLIMENT, ETC.
7.AVOID CONTRACTIONS – DON’T USE THEM, IT’S LESS
FORMAL
8.BEWARE OF THE COMPUTER SPELL/GRAMMAR –
CHECKER – IT’S NOT ALWAYS CORRECT
My tips for higher quality
writing:
•VARY YOUR SENTENCES – SHORT SENTENCES AT THE
BEGINNING OR END OF A PARAGRAPH MAKE AN EXTRA
IMPACT.
•KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE AND CONVENTIONS – KNOW
THE PERSON MARKING YOUR ASSIGNMENT, AND
FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH EXPECTED THE STYLE.
•READ SAMPLES OF EXCELLENT WORK OF THE TYPE YOU
HAVE TO WRITE – YOU’LL GET A FEEL FOR THE
STRUCTURE, LANGUAGE AND POSSIBLE CONTENT.
More tips for higher quality
writing:
•ASK SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE FOR HELP – AN
ACCOMPLISHED FRIEND, THE LECTURER OR ACADEMIC
SUPPORT PERSON.
•START EARLY – THIS GIVES YOU TIME TO GET MORE
RESEARCH AND REVISE.
•READ YOUR WORK OUT LOUD – YOU’LL FEEL SILLY, BUT
YOU’LL CATCH LOTS OF MISTAKES.
•THINK ABOUT PAST MISTAKES – CHECK
YOUR OLD RUBRICS.
Check Moodle for more:
References
CLANCY J & BALLARD B 1997, ESSAY WRITING FOR
STUDENTS, 3RD EDN, ADDISON WESLEY LONGMAN
AUSTRALIA, SOUTH MELBOURNE.
COPUS J 2009, BRILLIANT WRITING TIPS FOR STUDENTS,
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN, HOUNDMILLS, HAMPSHIRE.
THE LEARNING CENTRE 2013, ESSAY WRITING: THE
BASICS, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, VIEWED ON
3 APRIL 2013,
<HTTP://WWW.LC.UNSW.EDU.AU/ONLIB/ESSAY.HTML>.
Finally,
•I F Y O U W A N T T O L E A R N M O R E A B O U T E D I T I N G ,
IT’S PROBABLY BEST TO BOOK A ONE-ON-ONE OR
SMALL GROUP APPOINTMENT WITH AN ACADEMIC
SUPPORT PERSON (AND BRING A SAMPLE OF
WRITING WITH YOU).
•E M A I L M E A T R M A I S S A N @ J M C . E D U . A U O R C O M E T O
THE LIBRARY TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT.
Editing...
questions,
comments,
suggestions?