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When revising a draft, how can you make sure it achieves the purpose you planned?

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Final answer:

To make sure a draft achieves the planned purpose, one must revise the structure, consult a checklist, revisit and align the thesis statement with the paper's content, consider the rhetorical situation, and be open to feedback from peer review. These steps may need to be repeated for optimal refinement of the draft.

Step-by-step explanation:

To ensure your draft achieves the purpose you planned for it, you can employ several strategies during the revision process. Begin by considering your initial purpose and compare it to what the current draft accomplishes. If the draft veers from the initial intent, identify the main areas that need refocusing. Reference any feedback you've received, as a fresh perspective can often identify areas of ambiguity or confusion that you might have missed.

Revising the structure of your draft is crucial. You must be willing to rearrange, remove, or enhance parts to create coherent and impactful storytelling or argumentation. Make use of a checklist to examine structural elements like the introduction’s effectiveness, background knowledge, coherence, and whether the content is consistent with your thesis statement. Remember to also consider reader engagement and logical flow.

Revisiting your thesis statement upon completing your draft is essential. Ensure that your thesis mirrors the paper's content. Should there be a disconnect, revise the thesis or the draft content accordingly. Also, scrutinize the conclusion of your work; it should not introduce new ideas but should echo what has been discussed while also connecting back to, or reaffirming, the thesis statement.

Throughout the revision process, consider the rhetorical situation, asking how well the draft addresses aspects like the audience's needs, the context, and your purpose. This bird's-eye view may highlight aspects of content and structure that require adjustment. Finally, by engaging in peer review, you can gain valuable feedback which might point out areas requiring refinement. Peer review often leads to more targeted and effective revisions, so be open to the suggestions provided.

Remember that revision is a recursive process, and you may have to iterate through these steps several times to achieve a polished and purposeful final draft.

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