Editing and Revision Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real CPW practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Editing and Revision Techniques flashcards as text
A writer discovers they have used three different terms—'client,' 'customer,' and 'consumer'—interchangeably throughout a business report. The best revision strategy is to:
Answer: Choose the most precise term and use it consistently throughout
Consistent terminology prevents reader confusion; interchangeable synonyms in technical or professional writing can imply unintended distinctions.
Which technique helps a writer identify whether their paragraphs are unified?
Answer: Writing a one-sentence summary of each paragraph and checking it relates to the thesis
Summarizing each paragraph in one sentence quickly reveals whether the paragraph contains a single, coherent idea or has wandered off-topic.
During revision, a writer finds the sentence: 'She is a person who loves writing.' The most concise revision is:
Answer: 'She loves writing.'
'She loves writing' eliminates the expletive construction 'is a person who' and delivers the same meaning in three words instead of seven.
What is a 'stet' instruction in manuscript editing?
Answer: A direction to let the original text stand as written
'Stet' is Latin for 'let it stand' and instructs the typesetter or editor to ignore a previously marked change.
A document contains the sentence: 'Walking down the street, the buildings looked beautiful.' What error should a revising writer correct?
Answer: Dangling modifier
The participial phrase 'Walking down the street' dangles because buildings cannot walk; the sentence needs a human subject.
Which revision strategy is most effective for catching missing logical steps in an argumentative essay?
Answer: Having a reader unfamiliar with the topic summarize each paragraph
A reader without prior knowledge of the topic will immediately notice gaps in logic that the writer's familiarity has obscured.
Which of the following is the best definition of 'macro editing'?
Answer: Reviewing the overall structure, argument, and organization of a document
Macro editing (also called developmental or structural editing) evaluates the document's overall architecture, logic, and effectiveness before addressing smaller details.