Some Revision Fun: a review of writing ideas

(http://www.baconsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ric-flair-woo.jpg)

Keep It Simple, Silly

• Why is it important to come back to the thesis and topic sentences? 

• Easy: your essay is nothing without clear points. Even on your trillionth draft, make sure each paragraph makes a clear point, and that your essay goes paragraph to paragraph in the most engaging way possible. 

• Second easy: placement. The thesis ends the introduction paragraph. The topic sentences start the body paragraphs. Their placement in the paragraph puts emphasis on them. Like the moment you meet someone for the first time, or the last time you hear from them--these moments are memorable. 

• What should I do to revise the sentences? Where do I look for help?

• Purpose of essay
• Content
• Theme
• Definition as an organization pattern  
• Accuracy/precision  | denotes/connotes
• Individuality--

• Try to stand out (in the best way)

• Try some figures of speech, try some interesting examples, try to make some creative choices in your language in a draft. How you write it is just as important as what you write. 

• Content Development: Vocabulary and Examples: One of our main focuses for this unit is word choice--making conscious efforts to develop concrete examples and to use specific language. Clearly, quality writing that shows the reader ideas and does not tease the reader is a key objective. 
• Use the Crafting Thesis Statements handout's second page of Analysis Verbs
• Use the entire sheet of words provided by this link, "Verbs List for Literary Analysis," as the author provides other parts of speech words, too.

1. Look for phrases that can be replaced with few words, even just one word
2. Look for places to add some descriptive modifiers (adjectives, adverbs)
3. Look for places to add dependent clauses that further define your subject or object...or both
4. Look for places to use a figure of speech that fits the essay's theme (oh, yeah, and try to look at your language like its a movie with themes)