The common adage “Rome wasn’t built in one day” is highly applicable to the process of writing papers. A final paper does not come together in one sitting, but instead is a series of rewrites and edits. In the first step of writing a paper, the writer will typically sit down and brainstorm a bunch of different ideas. The writer might also compose a rough outline, highlighting certain key points that the writer would like to touch upon in the paper. After creating a roadmap for the paper, the initial draft of the paper comes together. At this stage, the writer should not be concerned with grammar, spelling, flow, or style. The writer’s main concern should be to create a solid framework from which to further develop the paper.
Once the writer has a full-length first draft, the writer’s work is far from complete. The revising and editing phase is the most time-consuming. During the first round of revisions, the writer should become more cognizant of the audience that the paper is directed towards (Pashoukos, 2006, p. 1). At this time, the writer should re-read the entire time with a critical eye. Sometimes, it helps to read passages aloud. With a finished rough draft, the writer should go through the paper with a fine-tooth comb looking for any grammatical issues, awkward sentences or phrases, and overall organization and structure of the paper. The revision process does not happen overnight and is best done in the course days, weeks, or even months. The writer must be patient and willing to devote the necessary time to polishing the paper and making it as professional as it can possibly be.
Question: I have heard that some writing instructors recommend reading the paper backwards to detect grammar and spelling errors as a proofreading technique. While I have never tried this method myself, I am wondering if anyone else has experience doing this. I would think that reading the paper, starting from the end, would be odd. By reading sentences backwards, it seems like the reader could easily misread or misunderstood the purpose of the passage, which defeats the purpose of proofreading and editing.
Reference
Pashoukos, D. (2006). The Home Stretch: Revising and Polishing the Scholarly Paper. Georgetown University Law Center, 1-5.
