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Writing and Editing: Revising
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 14 hours
  • Course by University of Michigan
  • Offered by

About

This fourth and final course in the “Good with Words: Writing and Editing” series will help you master perhaps the most important step in the writing process: revising. You’ll learn about the difference between editing and proofreading. You’ll practice “un-numbing the numbers” so that data and statistics you use are clear and compelling. And you’ll be introduced to a framework for giving and receiving feedback that helpfully systematizes what should be cut and what should be kept from each draft. As with the other three courses in this series, you will also get access to a wide range of books and other resources you can use even after you finish the course. These include: (1) the readings and exercises provided to the students who have taken the in-person version of this course at the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago; (2) two digital libraries of excellent writing from a diverse collection of journalists, scientists, novelists, poets, historians, and entrepreneurs; and (3) a monthly “Good Sentences” email.

Modules

Introduction

    • 2 Videos
    • 4 Readings
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2 Videos

  • Introduction
  • Ken Burns, Alice Waters, and Ira Glass

4 Readings

  • Teaching Style + Resources
  • Meet Professor Barry
  • Syllabus
  • University of Michigan Survey

Editing and Empathy

    • 2 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
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2 Discussions

  • User-friendly (Helpful)
  • User-friendly (Annoying)

2 Readings

  • Editing and Empathy
  • User-friendly

Proofreading Practice

    • 3 Readings
    • 1 ExternalTool
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1 External Tool

  • Exercise—Proofreading Practice

3 Readings

  • Introduction to the Gamut Workbook Tool
  • Gamut Workbook FAQ: Locked Exercises
  • Gamut Workbook FAQ: Error 403

Sound and Sense

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

1 Readings

  • Good with Words Chapter 4 ("Sound and Sense")

Extra Ear

    • 4 Plugin
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

Edit Our Edits

    • 1 Readings
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1 Readings

  • Edit Our Edits

Punctuation and Professionalism

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Punctuation Practice: Dependent Clauses

1 Videos

  • Punctuation and Professionalism: Dependent Clauses

1 Readings

  • Punctuation and Professionalism: Introduction and Review

Notes on Nuance

    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Nuance Practice: James Baldwin

2 Readings

  • Notes on Nuance: Introduction and Review
  • Nuance Spotlight: James Baldwin

Good Sentences

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 ExternalTool
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1 External Tool

  • Good Sentences (Style)

1 Readings

  • Good Sentences: Introduction and Review

Takeaways

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 ExternalTool
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Weekly Review (Graded)

1 External Tool

  • Exercise—Takeaways

3 Videos

  • Takeaways
  • Student Takeaway: Extra Ear
  • Student Takeaway: Sound and Sense

Previously On

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 ExternalTool
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1 External Tool

  • Exercise—Previously On

1 Videos

  • Previously On

Steve Jobs

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Plugin
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

1 Videos

  • Steve Jobs

The Writer's Diet

    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 ExternalTool
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1 External Tool

  • Exercise—The Writer's Diet (Flabby or Fit?)

1 Discussions

  • The Writer's Diet (Flabby or Fit?)

Uselessly Accurate

    • 2 Readings
    • 2 ExternalTool
    • 2 Plugin
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

2 External Tool

  • 100 Words - Part 1
  • 100 Words - Part 2

2 Readings

  • Good with Words Chapter 6 ("Uselessly Accurate")
  • Experiment ("100 Words")

Punctuation and Professionalism

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Punctuation Practice: Isadora Duncan→Duncan, Isadora

1 Videos

  • Punctuation and Professionalism: Isadora Duncan → Duncan, Isadora

Notes on Nuance

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

1 Videos

  • Nuance Spotlight: William F. Buckley, Jr.

1 Readings

  • Nuance Spotlight: William F. Buckley Jr.

Good Sentences

    • 1 ExternalTool
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1 External Tool

  • Good Sentences (Punctuation)

Takeaways

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 ExternalTool
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Weekly Review (Graded)

1 External Tool

  • Exercise - Takeaways

3 Videos

  • Takeaways
  • Student Takeaway: 100 Words
  • Student Takeaway: Uselessly Accurate

Previously On

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 ExternalTool
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

1 External Tool

  • Activity - Previously On Reflection

2 Videos

  • Previously On
  • Previously On: Clutter

Trying to Sound Smart is a Pretty Dumb Strategy

    • 4 Plugin
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

Writer → Reader

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • Writer → Reader
  • Discipline of Breaks
  • Attention Restoration

Multitasking Sentences

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

1 Readings

  • Multitasking Sentences

Word Choice, Word Confusion

    • 1 ExternalTool
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

1 External Tool

  • Exercise—Word Choice, Word Confusion

Punctuation and Professionalism

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Punctuation Practice: If, Then

1 Videos

  • Punctuation and Professionalism: If, Then

Notes on Nuance

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Nuance Practice

1 Videos

  • Notes on Nuance: "What _____ is to _____"

1 Readings

  • Notes on Nuance: "What _____ is to _____"

Good Sentences

    • 2 ExternalTool
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2 External Tool

  • Good Sentences (Corresponding Clearly)
  • (Optional) Exercise—Credit Check

Takeaways

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 ExternalTool
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Weekly Review (Graded)

1 External Tool

  • Exercise—Takeaways

1 Videos

  • Takeaways

Previously On

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 ExternalTool
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1 External Tool

  • Previously On: Reflection Activity

2 Videos

  • Previously On
  • Previously On: The Discipline of Breaks

Shot Selection

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 ExternalTool
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

1 External Tool

  • Exercise—Shot Selection

1 Discussions

  • Shot Selection

1 Videos

  • Shot Selection

1 Readings

  • Shot Selection

Un-Numb the Numbers

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice: Un-numb the Numbers

1 Videos

  • Un-numb the Numbers

1 Readings

  • Un-Numb the Numbers

Keep/Cut

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • Keep/Cut

E-D-I-T

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Discussion
    • 1 ExternalTool
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Low-Stakes Practice

1 External Tool

  • Exercise—"E-D-I-T"

4 Discussions

  • "E-D-I-T" (Eliminate)
  • "E-D-I-T" (Decrease)
  • "E-D-I-T" (Increase)
  • "E-D-I-T" (Try)

1 Videos

  • E-D-I-T

Good Sentences

    • 1 ExternalTool
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1 External Tool

  • Good Sentences (Habits and Habitats)

Takeaways

    • 4 Videos
    • 1 ExternalTool
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Weekly Review (Graded)

1 External Tool

  • Exercise—Takeaways

4 Videos

  • Takeaways: Premortem
  • Student Takeaway: Premortem
  • Student Takeaway: Un-numb the Numbers
  • Student Takeaway: Keep/Cut

Book Recommendations

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 ExternalTool
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1 External Tool

  • Course Discussion

1 Discussions

  • Book Recommendation (Memoir)

1 Readings

  • Book Recommendations (Memoir)

Course Wrap-up

    • 2 Readings
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2 Readings

  • Course Feedback
  • "Good with Words: Speaking and Presenting" and Michigan Online

Auto Summary

"Writing and Editing: Revising," a Coursera course led by experts from the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago, focuses on mastering revision in writing. This foundational personal development course differentiates between editing and proofreading, offers strategies to make data compelling, and provides a framework for constructive feedback. With 840 minutes of content, learners get access to extensive resources, including readings, exercises, digital libraries, and a monthly "Good Sentences" email. Ideal for those seeking to refine their writing skills, the course offers a comprehensive learning experience.

Patrick Barry
Instructor

Patrick Barry