Writing: Self Editing
WORLD HISTORY PROJECTAP/ LESSON 9.9 ACTIVITYWRITING: SELF EDITINGUnless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “Writing: Self Editing”, OER Project, https://www.oerproject.com/1PurposeIn this final activity in the writing progression, you’ll edit one of your own essays. This is, in many ways, the ultimate editing task. It can be hard to self-edit, as it’s difficult to see your own writing errors. Also, you’re being asked to use the entire rubric to evaluate your essay, instead of just one or two rows. This will help prepare you for your culminating writing assignment in the course as well as the AP® World History: Modern exam.ProcessIn this final activity in the writing progression, you’re going to examine your own essay against the WHP DBQ Writing Rubric,and improve it based on what you find. Start by taking out your graded Unit 7 DBQ, the Writing—Self Editing worksheet, the WHP DBQWriting Rubric, and the Sentence Starters worksheet, if your teacher asks you to use it. Review your graded essay, and then follow the directions on the worksheet.First, address thesis and claim. Identify the thesis or major claim in the essay and add it to the worksheet. Then, rewrite that claim to improve it.The second step is to evaluate how well you contextualized the essay. Find where you incorporated historical contextualization and evaluate that section to make sure it relates the topic of the prompt to broader historical events, developments, or processes that occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question. Then, write the original contextualization section (or an abbreviated version)on the worksheet, and then provide suggestions for improvement.Third, look at how you used evidence in your essay. Make sure you included at least four of the documents and at least one piece of evidence beyond the documents to support an argument relevant to the prompt. Then, find one area you can improve, and write the original and revised statements on the worksheet.Fourth, review how you did on sourcing. Make sure you explained why the source’s historical context, audience, purpose, or point of view is relevant to the argument being made for at least two of the documents. Then, improve upon one area in the essay where your sourcing could be strengthened and add your suggestion for improvement to the worksheet.Finally, examine your essay for complexity. Find one area you can improve upon in terms of the ways in which complexity can be demonstrated according to the rubric and write the original and improved statements on the worksheet.Note: If you feel you’ve done the best you possibly can on any particular part of your essay, write a statement pointing out the features of your writing—connected to specific rubric criteria—that made it exemplary.Once you’re done, be prepared to discuss your revision process with the class!
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT AP / LESSON 9.9 ACTIVITYWRITING: SELF EDITING2Directions: Identify a sentence (or sentences) in your essay for each of the categories below. Copy the text into the space for original text. Then, revise that section of your essay to improve it! If there is any area of the essay you feel does not need revision, instead of providing the original and revised text, provide an explanation, pointing out the specific features of your writing—connected to specific rubric criteria—that make it exemplary.Step 1: Claim and FocusOriginal major claim:Revised major claim:
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT AP / LESSON 9.9 ACTIVITYWRITING: SELF EDITING3Step 2: ContextualizationOriginal contextualization text (provide an abbreviated version if it is lengthy):Revised contextualization text:
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT AP / LESSON 9.9 ACTIVITYWRITING: SELF EDITING4Step 3: EvidenceOriginal evidence text:Revised evidence text:
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT AP / LESSON 9.9 ACTIVITYWRITING: SELF EDITING5Step 4: SourcingOriginal sourcingtext:Revised sourcing text:
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT AP / LESSON 9.9 ACTIVITYWRITING: SELF EDITING6Step 5: ComplexityOriginal text:Revised text: