This strategy is a great first step in learning how to use metacognition as a writing tool.
Hello, Sentence Makers!
An editing paragraph tour is a strategy that asks you to narrate the thinking behind the choices you are making for your sentences, words and punctuation. The more you understand about the thinking behind your writing choices, the more you will understand what is working (or not working) in your sentences.
A fancy word for this kind of thinking about your thinking is metacognition. According to the Meriam Webster Online Dictionary, metacognition is “the awareness or analysis of one's own learning or thinking processes.” Becoming more aware of how you think when you write, punctuate and edit your sentences will help you edit your own writing more effectively.
The idea behind this strategy is for you to tap into your metacognitive powers. Doing so will help you pay more careful attention to why and how you make the decisions you’re making when you write and edit your sentences. I think you will also find this activity helps you realize how much you already know about writing and editing.
Let me show you what an editing paragraph tour looks like. Click on the YouTube video found at the bottom of this post for an editing paragraph tour demonstration. As you watch the video, notice how the writer narrates all her punctuation choices and the decisions she makes as she edits her sentences. You want to do the same when you do your own editing paragraph tour.
Here is how you do your own editing paragraph tour:
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Step 1: Mark or highlight all of the punctuation marks in a paragraph found in one of your college essays. The highlighter tool in Word or Google.docs works well when I do an editing paragraph tour.
Step 2: Read your last sentence first. You will need to find a new way to “see” your sentences, words and punctuation, so when you are ready to do your tour, begin by reading the last sentence in your paragraph first; then work your way up to the top of the paragraph. This will allow you to see each sentence in a new way, which will lead you to detect more of what is working (or not working) in your sentences.
Step 3: Remember to narrate your choices. As you read your sentences aloud, narrate why you are using the punctuation marks you are using, and narrate your reactions to how your sentences work now that you are reading them one at a time. Are they working, or not working? Narrate why they are working or not working, and if you make any edits, be sure to narrate the changes you make and why you are making them.
Step 4: Make your thinking noticeable. It is important for you to make your thinking noticeable as you do your editing paragraph tour. This way, you will be able to reflect on how you are thinking as you edit. Doing so will allow you learn more what you already know about editing your own sentences and what you may want to learn to further develop your writing skills.
The best way to make your thinking noticeable is to make a video of your editing paragraph tour. The demonstration video you see below was made using My Media on Blackboard and Kaltura CaptureSpace. I provide screen shot instructions for using Kaltura CaptureSpace on the Download Lessons Here tab found at the top of this website.
If making a video of your paragraph tour is not appealing to you, you could try one of these other strategies:
Another option is to work with a partner. Do your paragraph tour aloud for your partner. Then have a discussion with your partner about the editing choices you made to improve your paragraph.
Another option is to write notes in the margins of your paragraph that help you record the thinking behind your editing choices. Then you can read and reflect on the editing choices you make to improve your paragraph.
Now that you have read these instructions, what are you waiting for? Start creating your own editing paragraph tour!