Ratiocination

Instructions: A final draft is never really final it can always be improved. Ratiocination is the formal process of coding and decoding a draft, using the results to revise it. Follow the steps in the order given, working them completely and thoroughly; NO SHORTCUTS. Then, type a fresh, new, and improved draft for tomorrow! Step One The problem - Circle all the linking verbs in your draft (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been). The diagnosis -These words are weak and simple; overusing them robs your essay of sophistication The cure - Count how many linking verbs you have; revise or rewrite to eliminate half. Step Two The problem - Put brackets around the first word of every sentence. Then, in the margin, make a list of those bracketed wordsALL of them...even if they are the same. You may write some words down more than once. The diagnosis - You might notice that you start too many sentences the same way. The cure - If you started any sentences with it, CHANGE IT! Then, revise any areas where you started two or more consecutive sentences with the same word. Step Three The problem - Highlight all your pronouns (he, she, him, her, it, they, this, his, hers, their, etc.) The diagnosis - Too many times, pronouns are used without their nearby antecedent (the word the pronoun truly refers to). The cure - Draw an arrow from each pronoun to the word before it that the pronoun is replacing. If you cannot do this, the pronoun must be revised. Step Four The problem Underline all of your sentences in alternating colors (odd sentences one color and even sentence another color). The diagnosis -Possible lack of sentence variety. The cure - Check to see that you do not have a series of short, choppy sentences do some combining if you do. Check that you do not have a series of long, rambling sentences break some up if you do.

Step Five The problem - put a box around the sentence(s) that contains a quote. The diagnosis - The possibility exists that the quote is standing alone, without any context. The cure - Make sure that any quoted material is woven into some kind of context. This means you should introduce the quote before you provide it.