Revision is a process in

writing Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a language through a system of physically Epigraphy, inscribed, Printing press, mechanically transferred, or Word processor, digitally represented Symbols (semiot ...

of rearranging, adding, or removing paragraphs, sentences, or words. Writers may revise their writing after a

draft Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vessel ...

is complete or during the composing process. Revision involves many of the strategies known generally as

editing Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...

but also can entail larger conceptual shifts of purpose and audience as well as content. Many writers go through multiple rounds of revisions before they reach a final draft: "Few writers are so expert that they can produce what they are after on the first try. Quite often you will discover, on examining the completed work, that there are serious flaws in the arrangement of the material, calling for transpositions... do not be afraid to experiment with your text." Within the

writing process A writing process describes a sequence of physical and mental actions that people take as they produce any kind of text. These actions nearly universally involve tools for physical or digital inscription: e.g., chisels, pencils, brushes, chalk, di ...

, revision comes once one has written a draft to work with, so that one can re-see and improve it, iteratively. Working at both deeper and more surface levels a writer can increase the power of the text. In an essay, revision may involve the identification of a thesis, a reconsideration of structure or organization, working at uncovering weaknesses,elaborating evidence and illustrations, or clarifying unclear positions. In general, revision of written work can be guided by questions such as: * Is the writing clear? Does it make sense? * Is there enough information to describe ideas? * Is there too much information so that the writing wanders off topic? * Are the ideas or the narrative flow in a logical order? Revision is a larger category of writing behaviors than line-editing or

proofreading Proofreading is the reading of a galley proof or an electronic copy of a publication to find and correct reproduction errors of text or art. Proofreading is the final step in the editorial cycle before publication. Professional Traditional ...

, though writers often make large reorganizations and word-level edits

simultaneously Simultaneity may refer to: * Relativity of simultaneity, a concept in special relativity. * Simultaneity (music), more than one complete musical texture occurring at the same time, rather than in succession * Simultaneity, a concept in Endogene ...

. There are theories such as the three-component model hypothesized by

Linda Flower Linda Flower (born March 3, 1944, in Wichita) is a composition theorist. She is best known for her emphasis on cognitive rhetoric, but has more recently published in the field of service learning. Flower currently serves Carnegie Mellon Univers ...

and John R. Hayes and James Britton et al.'s model of the writing process as a series of stages described in metaphors of linear growth, conception - incubation - production. Here, a review by the writer or a third party, which often give corrective annotations, is part of the process that leads to the revision stage. In educational settings, peer revision or feedback, is a common

collaborative writing Collaborative writing, or collabwriting is a method of group work that takes place in the workplace and in the classroom. Researchers expand the idea of collaborative writing beyond groups working together to complete a writing task. Collaboration ...

practice. In organizational and other workplace settings where

is common, participation of multiple writers facilitates communal revision.Lisa S. Ede, Andrea A. Lunsford (1990). ''Singular Texts, Plural Authors''. Carbondale. Southern Illinois Press. Recently, due to the collaborative capabilities of the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

, there are writers who "

crowdsource Crowdsourcing involves a large group of dispersed participants contributing or producing goods or services—including ideas, votes, micro-tasks, and finances—for payment or as volunteers. Contemporary crowdsourcing often involves digita ...

" reviews from several people, who contribute digital annotations.{{Cite book, last1=Rijlaarsdam, title=Effective Learning and Teaching of Writing: A Handbook of Writing in Education, last2=Bergh, first2=Huub, last3=Couzijn, first3=Michel, publisher=Kluwer Academic Publishers, year=2007, isbn=978-1402027246, location=New York, pages=105 For further reading see the reference guide:
A. Horning & A. Becker (Eds.) (2006). ''Revision: History, Theory, and Practice.''
Parlor Press and WAC Clearinghouse.

References

Writing Textual scholarship Composition (language)