BLOG #8 Editing

 Having edited a research paper of a student from English 101, I have realized an impact of subjectivity, both as a challenge in editing an individual’s paper and as an important material to improve my own paper.

As for editing, I found criticizing and editing someone’s paper much easier than doing so with my own paper. This is because when I review my own paper, I do so, mostly unconsciously, with my subjective lens and with all the background knowledge and information in my mind. I don’t really know much about editing but I just kept three things in my mind; what is a problem, why it is, and how it can be improved. I think that students usually know what they are good at, or their strengths. So I thought focusing solely on what can be improved was practical and effective. This person’s paper was written eloquently with decent organization and development. Just the unclear thesis and absence of an essay map made it difficult for me to follow his argument. He probably knows what he wanted to say about the topic. But it seems like somewhere between his mind and paper, the idea fails to be rephrased appropriately and objectively.

    Putting this editing experience into practice, I, too, must make a conscious effort to review my paper objectively. In writing a paper, I know what I want to say about a topic and I know details and information to support my thesis.  But the problem is that I am hardly aware of what other people may not know. I sometimes assume, or tend even not to assume, that some of the information I put in my paper is to be understood by all readers. Research paper is mostly on something quite specific or highly intellectual. Therefore, it is very important how to start and develop arguments. They have to be written in such a way as readers can follow smoothly these specific facts or complicated ideas that are being discussed. In my paper, there are paragraphs that start with terms, which can possibly get readers confused.    I need to pay close attention to the beginning sentences of each paragraph to see if they appropriately introduce the points and if they are simple and clear enough for readers to understand. Also I need to revise some unclear words, sentences and maybe examples that I use, as well as to start working on citation.