Looking for a method to follow when you’re editing for cohesion? If you haven’t developed your own system yet, you can experiment with the tried-and-tested Diagnose-Analyze-Revise process.
How It Works
Diagnose. The diagnosis process involves underlining the first few words of each paragraph (first three to five words). Skip introductory and transitional phrases, such as “of course,” “as you may have heard” and “for the most part.”
Analyze. Now that you’ve got the paper marked off, the next step is to read through the underlined portions of text. Do the underlined parts hint at the use of related subjects throughout the piece? Are those connections easy to understand? Read it per paragraph, gauging how tightly-focused on a single topic each one is.
Revision. If any part of the text appears to detract from the cohesiveness of the piece, it’s time to perform some revisions. Underlined parts that don’t appear to supplement the topic can usually be improved by rewriting them, such that the subject appears right on the first part of the sentence.
Post-Revision
After revising your piece, make sure to put it through an English writing software. The last thing you want is to put all that editing work in, only to leave your paper with grammar and spelling mistakes. You’ve done the hard part on your own. Make sure the writing doesn’t suffer for something that is numerous times less complicated.
