What is the most important component of a successful paper? Focus? Cohesion and coherence? Sentence variety? Appropriate Citation? Strong grammar?
Truthfully, they are all crucial aspects to writing. However, in the revision process, some concerns come before others. The writing center takes a top-down approach in our sessions; this means that we deal with higher-level concerns like focus and organization before moving on to grammar and other surface aspects. Why? Well…if your paper needs several revisions to meet assignment guidelines, the grammar of the sentences will also be changing. Why double your efforts? Work smart, not hard. Of course, sometimes we have to work both smart and hard.
