Chapter 17- The Bedford Researcher

Chapter 17 of The Bedford Researcher examines the topic of revising and editing. Revising and editing is a key part of ensuring the effectiveness of your draft, and making necessary changes in order to improve it. As you revise your document, The Bedford suggests you imagine how your readers might react to your writing. Question whether or not your readers will trust what you have to say, whether your readers will have other ideas about how to address your issue, and whether or not your readers will find your evidence appropriate and accurate. While revising, is it important you keep in mind how well you've supported you arguments and ideas, your use of sources, the structure and organization of your paper, and the genre and design of your document. When you go over your draft multiple times, it will become difficult to easily spot problems, or errors within your paper. This is why it is always important to ask for feedback from your peers.

Unlike revising, which focuses on the overall structure of your project, editing your document involves checking the effectiveness, and accuracy of the words and sentences in your paper. According to The Bedford, in order to check for accuracy you should check your facts and figures, check every quotation, and check the spelling of every name.  Focusing on the “economy” of your paper is also an important part of the editing process. This basically means to eliminate unneeded words. The Bedford emphasizes the importance of consistency throughout your paper. In order to present information in an organized way, you must use concepts, numbers, sources, and formats consistently.