Document Review for Reviewers and Writers

Topics Readability Document Review Structured Reading

Readability

Characteristics of Writer-based writing  Inductive  Many ideas  Few transitions  Own voice  Repetitive  Gaps Reader-based writing  Message-driven  Organized  Reader cues  Organizational voice  Genre format  Only significant info included  Answers “so what”  Accessible

Characteristics of High Readability Message up front One main topic per paragraph/section Clear relationships among ideas Visuals support and explain data Conclusions directly related to data and findings Strong sentence cores Active voice verbs

To increase readability, writers can: Articulate the goals, readers, arguments/message, conventions, and expression of writing tasks (GRACE) Evaluate the clarity of their writing Assess the organization of their writing Check paragraphs for unity and coherence Eliminate sentence problems such as inappropriate voice, prepositional overuse, and wordiness Listen openly and respond appropriately to a discussion of their writing

To increase readability, reviewers can: Be aware of the skills needed to communicate successfully Respond constructively and specifically to other people’s writing

Document review

Why we review documents To ensure quality To check usefulness To train staff to be better writers To meet company standards such as accuracy, objectivity, clarity

Reviewing Styles Reviewer rewrites Reviewer makes vague comments Reviewer inserts checks in margin and holds conference Reviewer writes detailed comments and holds conference Reviewer as teacher can tell someone how the document fits into goals and style of unit

The Review Process Preparing – deciding level of attention the document warrants (and what the writer asks for) Reading – using a structured process Following-up – giving comments that train the writer, including strengths and weaknesses

Structured Reading

A carefully designed system for reading and then responding to a document. Structured reading produces responses that a writer can use to improve the document.

Structured Reading Topics Background Content Structure and Organization Paragraphs Sentences Overall Effect

Background: The Writer Introduces the Document if Needed What type of document it? For example, is it part of a report? Is it a fact sheet or memo? At what stage of drafting is the writer? Who is the primary audience? Name them as specifically as possible. What is the purpose of the document? What action does the writer want the reader to take?

Topic #1: Message – Reviewer Questions Message clearly stated? Where? Vague terms or phrases that could force a reader to guess their meanings? Message adequately supported? Support developed with details, examples, or illustrations? Report answers reader’s questions? Counters probable objections? Report contains details not directly related to its message?

Topic #2: Structure & Organization – Reviewer Questions How is information organized? Is there an overview, intro, or exec summary? Can you easily find information? Are there organizers such as headings? Do headings have verbs that express the controlling idea? Can you suggest some headings? Is there a pathway from beginning to end? Should sections be re-ordered? Is each section linked logically to the one before and the one after? Why or why not?

Topic #3: Paragraphs - Reviewer Questions Skim paragraphs for visual effect. Do they look like manageable blocks of info? Do you sense an orderly succession of points? Could a busy reader read the first sentence of each paragraph and get an overall idea of the document’s development ?

Topic #4 Sentences – Reviewer Questions Do sentences have unnecessary modifiers? Are main ideas in the independent clauses? Are verbs mostly active, precise verbs, or frequently forms of the verb “to be”? Is passive voice used appropriately? Are there empty constructions, such as “there are,” or “it is”? Is parallel structure used to express related items or ideas? Does the document use “this” as the subject of a sentence without an accompanying noun?