UNIT- 4
PLANNING, DRAFTING AND EDITING
Writing is a process that involves several key stages: planning, drafting, and editing. Each of these
stages plays a crucial role in producing clear, effective, and polished writing.
PLANNING
(Prewriting)
Purpose of Planning:
Planning is the foundation of any writing project. It helps to organize thoughts, clarify ideas, and
decide the direction of the work before starting to write the first draft.
Key Steps in Planning:
1. Understanding the Purpose and Audience:
Define the purpose of your writing. Are you informing, persuading, entertaining, or explaining
something?
Identify your target audience. Consider their level of knowledge, interests, and what they need from
your writing.
2. Topic Selection and Narrowing:
Choose a broad topic and then narrow it down to a specific angle or aspect. For example, instead of
writing about "Global Warming," focus on "The Impact of Global Warming on Coastal Cities."
Brainstorm ideas or concepts related to your topic to determine which are the most relevant and
manageable.
3. Research:
If the topic requires, gather relevant information from books, articles, websites, or interviews.
Take notes and record sources to ensure accuracy and avoid plagiarism.
4. Creating an Outline:
Organize your ideas into a logical structure. This will serve as a roadmap for your writing.
Use bullet points, numbers, or mind maps to visually structure your ideas.
Common outline structures include:
Introduction: Set the context, introduce the thesis.
Body Paragraphs: Main points, arguments, or evidence.
Conclusion: Summarize the main points and restate the thesis or main argument.
5. Setting a Writing Goal:
Decide on the scope and length of your writing. Setting limits can help focus your ideas and make
writing more manageable.
Drafting
Purpose of Drafting:
Drafting is the stage where the actual writing begins. It’s about getting your ideas down on paper (or
screen), without worrying too much about perfection. The aim is to express your thoughts clearly,
though refinement will come later.
Key Steps in Drafting:
1. Write the Introduction:
Start with an attention-grabber (a question, quote, or interesting fact) to engage the reader.
Clearly state your thesis or main argument. This is the core message or purpose of your piece.
2. Develop the Body:
Each paragraph should focus on one main point. Start with a topic sentence, followed by supporting
details or examples.
Use logical transitions between ideas and paragraphs to maintain coherence.
If you're writing an argument, make sure each body paragraph presents a clear point that supports
your thesis.
For informational writing, provide sufficient evidence and explanation for each point.
3. Conclude Effectively:
Summarize the key points discussed in the body.
Reiterate the main thesis or provide a final thought that leaves a lasting impression or offers a call to
action.
4. Don't Worry About Perfection:
The goal of drafting is to get your ideas out in writing. Don’t focus on grammar, spelling, or style at
this stage.
Allow yourself to write freely and explore ideas. You can always revise later.
Editing
A. Purpose of Editing
The primary purpose of editing is to ensure that the final version of a text is clear, effective, and free
of errors. It improves the readability and precision of the writing by focusing on:
1. Grammar and Mechanics: Correcting errors in grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
2. Clarity and Coherence: Enhancing readability and logical flow of ideas.
Style and Tone: Ensuring the writing is consistent with the intended voice and audience.
3. Consistency: Ensuring consistency in formatting, terminology, and citation style.
4. Precision: Eliminating vague language and making the writing more specific and accurate.
OR
B. Steps in the Editing Process
1. Review the Structure
Check for Logical Flow: Ensure that the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion are logically
organized. The ideas should flow smoothly from one to the next.
Paragraph Structure: Each paragraph should focus on a single point or idea. The first sentence (topic
sentence) should introduce the main idea, followed by supporting sentences with examples or
evidence.
Transitions: Ensure that transitions between paragraphs and ideas are clear. Use transitional words
and phrases (e.g., "however," "for example," "in addition") to guide the reader through the text.
2. Sentence Structure and Clarity
Vary Sentence Length: Avoid monotony by varying sentence length and structure. Use a combination
of simple, compound, and complex sentences to maintain reader interest.
Eliminate Run-on Sentences: Break up long or overly complicated sentences into simpler, more
manageable ones.
Active vs. Passive Voice: Generally, use the active voice for clarity and directness. In the active
voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action (e.g., "The researcher conducted the study").
The passive voice can be used when the focus is on the action rather than the actor (e.g., "The study
was conducted").
3. Word Choice and Conciseness
Be Specific and Precise: Avoid vague terms. For example, instead of saying "a lot of," be specific
about the quantity ("many," "numerous," "several").
Eliminate Redundancy: Avoid repeating the same idea in different words. For example, "free gift" is
redundant because gifts are, by definition, free.
Cut Unnecessary Words: Review the text for wordiness or overly long phrases. Shorten sentences
without losing meaning (e.g., "due to the fact that" → "because").
4. Grammar and Mechanics
Punctuation: Check for proper use of commas, periods, semicolons, colons, question marks, and
quotation marks. Correct punctuation ensures clarity and flow.
Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensure that the subject and verb agree in number (singular/plural). For
example, "He is going" vs. "They are going."
Pronouns: Make sure pronouns agree with their antecedents in number and gender (e.g., "The teacher
lost his keys" if referring to a male teacher).
Tense Consistency: Ensure that the tenses (past, present, future) are consistent throughout the piece
unless a shift is necessary for clarity.
Spelling and Typos: Correct any spelling errors. Utilize spell-check tools, but also read carefully, as
spell-check doesn’t always catch homophones (e.g., "their" vs. "there") or other subtle mistakes.
5. Style and Tone
Voice Consistency: Maintain a consistent voice throughout the writing. This includes consistency in
tone (formal, informal, academic, conversational) and narrative perspective (first-person, third-person,
etc.).
Audience Awareness: Ensure that the style and tone are appropriate for the intended audience. For
example, formal academic writing should avoid colloquial language and contractions, while a blog
post might allow for a more casual tone.
Clarity of Expression: Avoid ambiguity by ensuring that sentences are clear and direct. Ambiguous or
vague writing can confuse readers.
6. Formatting and Consistency
Document Formatting: Ensure consistent use of font type, size, margins, and line spacing, particularly
for academic papers, reports, or professional documents.
Headings and Subheadings: If applicable, check that headings and subheadings are clearly defined
and follow a consistent style.
Citations and References: Verify that all sources are properly cited and referenced according to the
required style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Ensure all in-text citations match the corresponding
references on the bibliography or works cited page.
C. Common Editing Focus Areas
Spelling and Typos: One of the most basic yet critical aspects of editing. Even minor spelling errors
can undermine the professionalism of your writing.
Punctuation Errors: Misplaced commas, semicolons, and apostrophes can change the meaning of a
sentence or make it harder to understand.
Wordiness: Overly long sentences or phrases can make writing cumbersome. Condense unnecessary
phrases while preserving meaning.
Inconsistencies: Check for inconsistencies in terminology, date formats, or citations that could
confuse the reader.
Tone and Voice: Ensure that the tone is appropriate for the genre, audience, and purpose. For
example, an academic paper should have a formal tone, while a personal blog can be more
conversational.
Conclusion
Editing is essential for transforming a draft into a polished, professional document. It involves careful
attention to detail in areas like grammar, sentence structure, tone, and clarity. By following a
structured editing process and utilizing tools and strategies to catch mistakes, you can ensure that your
writing is clear, concise, and error-free. Editing is not just about correcting mistakes, but about
improving the overall quality and effectiveness of the writing.
Technical definitions and descriptions
Technical definitions and descriptions exist all around us. Many documents for work and for leisure
come with terms, mechanisms, and processes that are unfamiliar to readers. Consumer products
provide user documentation that defines technological terms; scientific articles describe mechanisms
that form the natural world; government documents explain processes of voting procedures. Defining
these terms and describing these mechanisms and processes are necessary for readers to understand
information and solve problems.
Technical Definitions
Technical definitions describe and explain technical terms and concepts in text and visuals. A
technical definition can not only explain what a term means, but also where it comes from, what it is
made of, and what distinguishes it from similar terms. It helps readers understand and differentiate
unfamiliar or specialized terms in order to read a technical document and perform tasks
Technical Descriptions
Generally, technical descriptions explain how an object functions, how a mechanism works, or how a
process takes place. An e-commerce website explains a new microwave oven for customers; a trade
magazine describes the mechanism of carbon emissions for professionals; a government brochure
describes the process to apply for a passport for the public. Technical descriptions not only inform
readers about technical concepts but also educate the public about important issues.
Definition and Description of
Solar Cooker
Definition:
A solar cooker is a device that uses solar energy—the radiant light and heat from the sun—
to cook food or pasteurize water, typically without the use of conventional fuels or
electricity. It operates on the principle of solar thermal energy conversion, where sunlight
is absorbed and converted into heat energy.
Description:
Solar cookers are designed to concentrate, absorb, and retain solar energy to achieve the
temperatures required for cooking. There are three main types of solar cookers:
1. Box-type solar cooker: It consists of an insulated box with a transparent glass cover
and reflective mirrors to focus sunlight into the box. The box is painted black inside to
maximize absorption. Temperatures up to 100–150°C can be achieved, suitable for
boiling and slow cooking.
2. Parabolic solar cooker: It uses a parabolic reflector to focus sunlight onto a central
point where the cooking pot is placed. It can reach higher temperatures (up to 300°C),
enabling faster cooking and frying.
3. Panel solar cooker: It combines reflective panels and a dark cooking pot enclosed in
a transparent cover. It is simple, low-cost, and suitable for light cooking.
Working Principle:
Concentration: Mirrors or reflective surfaces direct sunlight to a focal point or area.
Absorption: The cooking vessel, often blackened, absorbs sunlight and converts it
into heat.
Retention: Insulation or transparent covers trap the heat, reducing losses and
maintaining cooking temperatures.
Advantages:
Eco-friendly and renewable
Cost-effective (no fuel needed)
Safe and easy to use in sunny areas
Limitations:
Dependent on weather and daylight
Slower than conventional cooking
Ineffective during night or cloudy days
Conclusion:
Solar cookers are an effective and sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel-based cooking,
especially in sunny and resource-limited regions. Their design and efficiency vary based on
intended use, material, and solar availability.
