Mid-Level Revision and Editing
There is no clear border where higher-order structure-level revision ends and lower- order sentence-level editing begins, as both exist on a spectrum. As you work your way from revising to editing, you will find that recurring choices on the sentence level impact the overall content and structure of your document. While distinguishing structure-level revision and sentence-level editing is helpful, it is also helpful to recognize where they overlap in some specific concepts, rather than trying to categorize them solely into one level or another.
Paragraph Length
While there is no specific rule as to how long your paragraphs should be, in technical and professional writing you will more often rely on short, focused paragraphs as opposed to overly long ones. When determining paragraph length, consider the genre of your document, the content you are presenting, and how your reader will be interacting with any information you provide. This flexible approach will help you determine the “right” paragraph lengths for your document.
As you move from the structural level to the sentence level, check for paragraph breaks. A paragraph break is where one paragraph ends, and a new one begins. Insert paragraph breaks where there is a shift in topic or subtopic, or a shift in the way a topic is being discussed.
Here are some suggestions for paragraph length:
- If your technical document needs a great deal of expository writing and will be printed in hard copy, you can probably use relatively long paragraphs. A single- spaced page full of text will probably contain one to four paragraph breaks.
- If your technical document does not require long blocks of text, consider breaking it up into very short paragraphs. Three sentences per paragraph is a widely accepted average.
- If your technical document will be posted online, use short paragraphs. People generally find it easier to read short paragraphs online than to read long paragraphs online.
When you are faced with particularly long blocks of text, think about breaking them up into smaller, distinct portions. This practice is sometimes referred to as chunking your information. Each “chunk” should include a specific and clear topic sentence, followed by 2–3 sentences that elaborate on that topic with more details and specificity. The next paragraph could take the idea into a next level of specificity, either by elaborating on one of the ideas or concepts presented in the latter part of the previous paragraph or introducing a consecutive idea at approximately the same level of specificity.
Transitions
As you transition from one paragraph to the next, you should clearly convey the relationships between the ideas in each paragraph. Just as topic sentences immediately clarify a paragraph’s subject for the reader, transitions help the reader understand how the arrangement of content reflects and/or amplifies the writer’s purpose. For the writer, transitions can also serve as a litmus test regarding the intuitiveness and fluidity of inter- paragraph transitions. In other words, the more difficult it is to articulate the relationship between two paragraphs’ content, the more likely the paragraph sequence needs to be rearranged. Ultimately, smooth transitions help writers frame content in terms of their purpose and facilitate readers’ comprehension (and even appreciation) of content.
| Addition | Comparison | Contrast | Cause and Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| also
and in addition in fact indeed so too as well as furthermore moreover
|
along the same lines
in the same way similarly likewise like
|
although
but in contrast conversely despite even though however nevertheless whereas yet while on the other hand |
accordingly
as a result consequently hence it follows, then since so then therefore thus
|
Here are some additional transitional phrases to consider.
| Conclusion | Example | Concession | Elaboration |
|---|---|---|---|
| as a result
consequently hence in conclusion in short in sum it follows, then so therefore thus |
as an illustration
consider for example for instance specifically a case in point
|
admittedly
granted of course naturally to be sure conceding that although it is true that…
|
by extension
in short that is to say in other words to put it another way to put it bluntly to put it succinctly ultimately
|
Transitional words and phrases show the connection between ideas and show how one idea relates to and builds upon another. They help create coherence. When transitions are missing or inappropriate, the reader has a hard time following the logic and development of ideas. The most effective transitions are sometimes invisible; they rely on the vocabulary and logic of your sentence to allow the reader to “connect the dots” and see the logical flow of your discussion. Below are some common transitional strategies to link ideas.
- Repeat a word or phrase from the previous sentence (or use a synonym, related word, or antonym) to show that the same idea is still being discussed, but is being developed further
- Use the pronoun “this + noun” to show continued discussion of the idea
- Use one of the above transitional words or phrases to show HOW you are developing your idea (are you showing contrast? Are you using an example to develop your idea? Are you showing a cause-and-effect relationship? Are you concluding? Are you conceding a point?).
