Editing Summaries
After revising your summary, you need to make little changes (editing) to correct any remaining errors. You'll look for problems with sentences, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and spelling. The following instructions will help you edit and publish your writing.
Editing in Action
When you edit, you check to make sure your paragraph is correct.
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Paragraph Before Edits
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A proper noun was capitalized and a usage and agreement error was fixed.
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Paragraph After Edits
Edit with a checklist.
Read each line. When you can answer each question with a yes, check it off.
Checking Grammar and Usage
- Do my subjects and verbs agree (he takes, not he take)?
- Are words used correctly (your/you’re, their/they’re, its/it’s)?
- Are prepositional phrases used well?
- Are sentences complete (no fragments or run-ons)?
Checking Capitalization, Punctuation, and Spelling
- Are first words in sentences capitalized?
- Are proper names of people, places, and things capitalized?
- Do compound sentences have commas before and, but, or or?
- Are words correctly spelled?
Publishing Summaries
When you publish your summary, you make it public, sharing it with others. First, you need to make a clean final copy of your work. Then you should find ways to share what you have written with classmates, your teacher, your family, and your friends.
Publishing a Final Copy
Create a final copy of your summary.
Include your revising and editing changes and read over your work a final time. (If you are working on a computer, spell-check your work.)