Editing Archive - Online Writing Lab

Revising Your Engineering Text

admin — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 13:11:04 +0000

Revise texts systematically

The Bietschhorn Model:

Ask yourself the following questions for each point, and revise your text accordingly.

1. Content

Are content, topic, and research question relevant and aligned?
Is the content factually and technically correct, and supported by literature or your own research?

2. Thematic development

Is the thematic focus clear and consistent?
Is the topic developed and structured in a comprehensible way?
Are titles and headings meaningful and consistent?

3. Information density and references

Does the assumed level of prior knowledge match the target group?
Are references to the literature precise?
Are assumptions clearly marked and claims identified as such?

4. Reader guidance

Are text-structuring tools used effectively, such as cross-references or interim summaries?
Are there enough signals so that readers understand how the individual text parts relate to one another?
Are terms clearly introduced, defined if necessary, and used consistently?

5. Language

Are the sentences understandable, concise, and clearly formulated?
Is the choice of words appropriate?
Have grammar, spelling, and punctuation been checked and corrected?

6. Text-type specific requirements

Are your own contribution and your interpretation of the results clearly visible?
Have you followed formal requirements regarding design, length, citation, and bibliography?
How do you refer to yourself in the text (impersonal style?) – does this match the requirements of the text and those of your instructors?

Obtain text feedback

To be able to check independently, your supervisors will usually never read through the entire work in advance. Therefore, in the last three to four weeks before submission, a coordination meeting with the examiners will often not take place. Instead, you may be allowed to submit a reading sample early on.

Get support for revising your text from subject experts as well as non-experts.

Fellow students, teachers, and colleagues in companies can check factual accuracy, logic, and coherence, while non-experts can focus more on comprehensibility and formal aspects. In the end, however, you decide which revision suggestions you want to accept.

Give your feedback providers concrete instructions on what they should pay particular attention to when reviewing.

Clarify in advance when they have time for it and how much time per correction is needed. You should also ask in which form the person would like your work (printed or electronic).

Typically, three to seven full revisions are necessary. Each revision can take at least one week (in addition to other work). So plan enough time for this as well.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Bietschhorn Model help me with my revision?

The Bietschhorn Model provides six categories by which you can systematically revise your text. If you carefully check your own text against these points, revisions by others will take less time.

Can non-experts support me with my revision?

Subject experts check your text for factual accuracy, logic, and coherence. Non-experts focus on comprehensibility and formal aspects. Often, non-experts find it easier to check spelling and punctuation.

What should I consider when asking for feedback?

Clarify with your feedback providers what their specific task is, how much time is needed for the correction, and in what form you want to submit your work (e.g. printed or digital).

How much time does a good revision take?

Typically, three to seven full revisions are necessary, each of which can take at least one week.

Der Beitrag Revising Your Engineering Text erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.

Formulating and Revising Your Draft Text

Anna Lindenmeier — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 11:29:32 +0000

When writing scientific papers, the first step is often the hardest. Rather than waiting for everything to be perfect, you should view writing as an open process. Just start with what you already know, whether it’s a rough outline, fragments of thoughts, or individual sentences – just get something down on paper.

Consider writing as a tool for thinking: Through writing, you develop your ideas further. What’s important is that you start early, write regularly, and allow yourself to revise texts rather than expecting perfection from the start.

Pro Tip

“Struggling to formulate your draft? Correcting every sentence immediately without making progress? Don’t fear the blank page! I recommend writing things down emotionally first.”

– Prof. Dr. Christine Niebler

This might sound like:

“The stupid measurement setup failed. Some idiot unplugged the device while it was running. After that, the calibration was lost, and it took me two hours to get everything back up and running.”

Remove all emotional/personal content during revision. The text already sounds more scientific:

“The measurement setup failed. During a power outage, the device lost its calibration.”

This text is revised again to highlight connections and conclusions:

“The measurement setup lost its calibration due to a power outage, which prevented a safe shutdown of the system. The cause was identified as the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) only maintaining power for 20 min.. Due to system upgrades, the shutdown process (see Table XY) took an average of 22 min. – therefore, the UPS or shutdown procedure must be adjusted.”

Frequently asked questions

How do I start my writing process?

Allow yourself to first formulate your thoughts in a draft text and organize them before refining the text into its proper form in several revision loops.

How do I revise my draft text?

First, remove all personal or emotional content. In the next revision, focus on clarifying connections and drawing conclusions.

Der Beitrag Formulating and Revising Your Draft Text erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.

Rewriting & Revising

Maria Noll — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:43:15 +0000

Contents and structure

Macrostructure. The macrostructure of a text refers to its division into chapters, subchapters, sections and paragraphs. Ask yourself the following questions to improve the macrostructure of your academic text:

Are the research question, results, and objective of the work clear and comprehensible throughout the entire text? Is the topic sufficiently narrowed down?
Structure: Is the sequence of chapters logical and self-explanatory? Are the research question, results, and objective of the work clear, comprehensible, and visible in the outline? Where is the common thread?
Are the chapter titles self-explanatory? If there are subpoints, are there at least two?
Has the current state of the art as well as the state of knowledge and research been taken into account?
Check scientific quality: What is the unique selling point of the work – is there a gain in knowledge? Is the work objective – are different perspectives, conflicting positions, and results addressed? Is the relevance of the work described and proven?
Sources: Readers must be able to classify the source and find it themselves. How many sources does the bibliography contain? Are all sources academic, reliable, and up to date? Are citation style and bibliography consistent?

Microstructure. The microstructure of a text refers to the logic of the argumentation. Ask yourself the following questions to improve the microstructure of your academic text:

Are the main statement and argumentation each clear and comprehensible?
Is the connection between intermediate results, final results, and the research question clear? Is the objective in each main chapter explicitly recognizable?
Are there cross-references, back-references, and transitions?
Are the chapters clearly separated from each other? Which ones may be unnecessary or could be combined? Is the order logical and comprehensible?
Are main chapters, subchapters, and paragraphs each logical and comprehensible in themselves?

Language

Sentence structure:

Are all sentences clear? If necessary, split overly long sentences and avoid nested or inserted subordinate clauses.
Avoid excessive nominalizations and passive constructions (instead of The implementation of the research led to exciting results try Implementing the research led to exciting results).
Check your grammar.

Word choice:

Look at your word choice. Have you used common technical terms?
Remove filler words and repetitions such as “of course”, “naturally” etc.
Do you remain neutral and specific? If necessary, remove judgmental and vague words.
Either choose to use “we”,
Make a conscious decision to use “we” or “I” – or deliberately avoid them.
Check your spelling and punctuation.

Formal requirements

Does your work meet these requirements?

Is the bibliography available, complete, and consistent?
Does the chosen citation style match your supervisor’s preferences or the conventions in your field?
Is the layout appealing and understated? Have you followed the guidelines regarding line spacing, justified text, page numbers, margins, etc.?
Are the cover page, appendices, and all required lists (abbreviations, figures, etc.) available?
Does your work contain a declaration of authorship? If required, have you included a data carrier?

Frequently asked questions

How often do I need to revise my academic paper?

How often you need to revise your academic paper depends on your working style and standards. It is not unusual to work through a text in its entirety three to seven times. Try to set a different focus for each round – for example, by paying attention to content, structure, language, and formal requirements in turn.

How do I know when I have revised enough?

Time and energy are often limited. Set clear priorities: First, revise the key content and arguments, and then focus on the details that often complete the text. Also get feedback from others, as you can quickly become blind to your own text.

How can I use AI tools effectively during the revision phase?

Use AI tools strategically to find, for example, grammar mistakes or unclear wording. They can also help you improve sentence structures and style. However, keep control of your text: Review the suggestions and adapt them so the text remains true to your arguments and voice. Also find out in advance whether and how you are allowed to use AI tools and how their use must be disclosed.

Der Beitrag Rewriting & Revising erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.