Revising

Step 8. Revising: content, structure, and mechanics of the paper
	Thorough revision is the key to producing a polished, well-documented paper. First of all, examine the content of the paper. Make sure that each point substantiates your central idea. Using your notecards, verify each fact and quotation. Check to see that all ideas and opinions are supported and clarified with specific examples. Next, look at the structure of the paper. Make sure that your three or four main points stand out as units and contribute to the purpose of the paper. Transitions should link your paragraphs together and lead your reader from point to point. Last of all, examine the sentence structure and mechanics of the paper. Strive for effective word choice and sentence variety, and carefully edit for accurate spelling and punctuation.