Higher Education Language & Presentation Support
Editing & Proofreading
• To understand and appreciate the importance of
proofreading and editing as part of the writing process
• To understand and identify the four areas of the
proofreading and editing stage: logic & reasoning,
structural, grammatical and technical
• To review common grammatical errors with a view to
enhancing writing quality
Learning Objectives
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• Would you take seriously a book or article full of careless
errors? If you were to hand a manager a report full of
careless errors, how do imagine he or she would react?
Question?
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• T / F Editing and proofreading can tend to have a large
impact on your marks
Quiz Question?
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• Lecturers and employers may not always talk about such
things as grammar, spelling, punctuation and
presentation. But they notice them. And they may look
harshly on work that does not meet acceptable
standards of style and literacy.
• Look at the assessment criteria for each assignment:
there is always a mark for language &/or expression.
Why is necessary?
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• T / F Editing and proofreading are two terms for the one
thing
Quiz Question ?
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Editing and proofreading are not the same.
• Editing has a different function to proofreading as it
takes place at a different stage in the writing process.
• The writing process involves several drafts. You will aim
to proofread the second-to the last version of your
draft.
Editing and Proofreading
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• Editing is necessary because:
• it is a form of ‘quality control’
• eliminates errors in logic or reasoning
• it enhances fluency & literacy of a written text
Why is editing
necessary?
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• T / F Microsoft Word has functions which can help you
edit and proofread effectively
Quiz Question ?
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• If your computer can help you proofread, then
what is wrong with the following poem
Computers
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Spell Chequer Pome
I have a spelling checker
It came with my P.C.
It clearly marks for my revue
Mistakes I cannot sea.
I’ve run this poem threw it
And I’m shore your please to no
Its letter perfect in it’s weigh My chequer tolled me sew.
Spell checker
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Spell Chequer Checker Pome Poem
I have a spelling checker,
it came with my P.C.
It clearly marks for my revue review
Mmistakes I cannot sea.see
I’ve run this poem threw through it
Aand I’m shore sure you’re pleased to no know,
Iit’s letter perfect in its weigh way,
Mmy chequer checker tolled told me sew.so
Using Spell checker
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• What steps do you follow to proofread/edit your
written work?
Discussion Questions
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• Check for Structural Aspects
• Check for Logic & Reasoning
• Check for Grammatical Aspects &
Punctuation
• Check
Technical Aspects
Plan of Attack!
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• Ensure that your assignment has achieved the
purpose of the genre of writing you are required
to produce (e.g. essay, report, literature review,
reflective piece of writing) in terms of sections
and cohesion.
Structural Features
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• Hasty generalization
• Definition: Making assumptions about a whole
group or range of cases based on a sample
that is inadequate (usually because it is
atypical or too small).
• Stereotypes about people (“librarians are shy
and smart,” “wealthy people are snobs,” etc.)
are a common example of the principle
underlying hasty generalization.
Logic and Reasoning
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• Missing the point
• Definition: The premises of an argument do
support a particular conclusion—but not the
conclusion that the arguer actually draws.
Logic and Reasoning
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• Example: “The seriousness of a punishment
should match the seriousness of the crime. Right
now, the punishment for drunk driving may
simply be a fine. But drunk driving is a very
serious crime that can kill innocent people. So
the death penalty should be the punishment for
drunk driving.”
• The argument actually supports several
conclusions—”The punishment for drunk driving
should be very serious,” in particular—but it
doesn’t support the claim that the death
penalty, specifically, is warranted.
Logic and Reasoning
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• Example: “Gay marriages are just immoral. 70% of
Americans think so!”
• While the opinion of most Americans might be
relevant in determining what laws we should have, it
certainly doesn’t determine what is moral or
immoral: there was a time where a substantial
number of Americans were in favour of segregation,
but their opinion was not evidence that segregation
was moral. The arguer is trying to get us to agree
with the conclusion by appealing to our desire to fit
in with other Americans.
Logic and Reasoning
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• The sentence ‘… the legal case for a treaty is
underpinned by the contempt and scorn expressed by
the panel of judges…’
• implies the writer’s disdain for the judiciary. Obviously,
the words contempt and scorn are both subjective and
emotional and are not considered good scholarly form.
Appealing to emotion
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Subject-verb agreement
Sentence fragments
Overly-long sentences
Overuse of the passive voice
Pronouns
Clichés
Lexical choice
Commas, apostrophes and quotation marks
Grammatical Features
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Referencing (in-text and reference list)
Layout
Cover Sheet
Electronic and hardcopy submission
Technical Aspects
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• Identify the common grammatical errors in
your handout
Work with a partner and compare your answers.
Practice
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What can you do if you experience difficulties in
your academic studies?
• Ask in class
• Go see your lecturer personally (take a draft)
• Go see another member of faculty
• Ask peers/classmates
• Email your lecturer for help
• See a HELPS advisor (drop-in or 1:1 consultation)
• ALWAYS seek help if you need it!!
Having Trouble?
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HELPS
(Higher Education Language & Presentation
Support)
• Location: CB01.03.08
• Telephone: 9514 9733
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: ssu.uts.edu.au/helps
Contact us
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ssu.uts.edu.au/helps
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