Classroom Application of Round Table Editing

Kambria Witschi from Higgins ISD created this assignment to use with her students during a Round Table Editing session. Perhaps you could use it as well? 

Round Table Editing

After each phase, give students class time to make corrections before moving on to the next step.

Phase 1: Basic Edits

Allow 5 minutes per step.  First, students are to READ the essay and THEN edit.

1.      * by the hook sentence

2.      Underline thesis

3.      Highlight the 3 reasons in body paragraphs

4.      Box the explanations of reasoning

5.      Intro basic editing (spelling, grammar, punctuation, wording)

6.      1^st body paragraph basic editing

7.      2^nd body paragraph basic editing

8.      3^rd body paragraph basic editing

9.      Conclusion basic editing

Phase 2: Make necessary corrections

Phase 3: Hard Edits –

Allow 10 minutes per step for students to edit the whole essay.  First, students are to READ the essay and THEN edit.

1.      redundancies/repeated reasoning

2.      gaps in logic: places where more explanation is needed

3.      Opinions

4.      Irrational/incorrect information

5.      Organization: moving around paragraphs, reworking, or eliminating parts of text

·         Introduction

·         1^st body paragraph

·         2^nd body paragraph

·         3^rd body paragraph

·         Conclusion

Phase 4: Make necessary corrections for final draft