Greetings!
On Monday evening, our team discussed some recommendations we made for a paper of substantial size. Since we need to minimize the essay by almost a dozen pages, Abigail and I suggested that revisions to the historiography and additional comparative statistics might help the author maintain the essence of the paper as well as attain the most desirable page length. Hopefully sometime in November we will get the chance to work with the authors one on one or in a group setting over Zoom. Dr. Farless proposed the idea of allowing the writers choose which option they are most comfortable with since we will be dissecting their work. While I do look forward to working with fellow students, I want them to know that I am on their side and that critiques are aimed at the paper, not them personally. With that said, I have approached the papers as though they are not connected to people –for better or worse- but an opportunity to sharpen skills. This has helped me to focus on what the author is saying and offer ways for them to make an essay even better while maintaining their own style. The large paper has been a fun project to tackle since we needed to do numerous read throughs in order to shorten the content.
In addition to our discussion of the large project, Abigail and I decided on a new paper to edit. Although this particular essay is not one that will require as much reduction, I look forward to the process. During the first read through, I make changes to any formatting issues that stand out. Then I go back and verify each of the sources and make sure they are cited correctly. Further read throughs will focus on claims, evidence, and grammar. We plan to meet next Monday evening for an hour and go over both papers. Dr. Farless will provide us with feedback regarding our “tracked changes” on the last document. The feedback should help to ensure that we are on the right track moving forward.
While this experience is new to me, I would like to mention a citation “fun fact” that I encountered this semester… According to Mary Lynn Rampolla, author of A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, Ninth Edition, an extensive bibliography can be separated into sections such as “Primary Sources” and “Books and Articles,” as well as “manuscripts or other unpublished sources.”[1] A subdivided bibliography not only makes it easier to read but proves beneficial if the reader is interested in a specific type of source (especially for a research project 😊!). Here’s to a new week and new paper!
Happy Editing!
[1] Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing History, 9th edition (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2018), 121.