Drafting (writing)

For Drafting on Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Drafts.

"First draft" redirects here. For von Neumann's 1945 report, see First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC.

Drafting is the process by which preliminary forms of a written work are composed. Separate from other steps of the writing process, such as revision and editing, drafting involves the initial creation of the main content, structure, and style of a work. The preliminary forms of a written work are referred to as draft documents or simply drafts. Drafting is the very first step of the writing process; it gives the writer a base to expand and improve upon their work via later steps.

A draft of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Infamy Speech, including the President's handwritten annotations.

Drafting almost always involves rounds of cumulatively adding onto and expanding a work. The initial complete draft is known as the first draft or rough draft. Typically, 'snapshots' of the draft at certain points are taken, these snapshots often being called the drafts; alternatively, the work as it currently is can be referred to as the draft. This distinction is unclear. In an essay writing environment, such as school, drafting often involves rounds of individual brainstorming, collecting evidence, and writing individual paragraphs, along with deciding on the approach to which the essay is written.

Method

Drafting relies primarily on free writing to operate. While drafting, a writer is generally not immediately concerned with grammar or spelling but rather getting their ideas into the page in a physical form. As such, a writer's first draft may not even be prose; it could potentially be a list of disconnected ideas or phrases. Writer's block is commonly considered to be a major roadblock in the drafting process.

Drafting in Academic Writing

Forming a Draft

Starting a draft is often the most important step. Since there is no concrete structure on how to form a draft, putting all the main ideas and substance of the work is what is looked for in a draft. A common strategy for drafts is the use of an outline to help organize ideas for future formatting. Refining the structure of the outline and the contents inside is important so when the piece is written out, it's not unorganized. After finalizing an outline, writing out the full work in the correct format is next so that revisions can be made. Things to look out for when converting ideas into parts of paragraphs can be transitions, connections, contrast, and writing mechanics are just a few things to look out for when writing drafts. Constantly lookout for revisions is key to writing a good draft.

Drafts In Research and Medical Writing

Drafts in research and medical writing are different from the typical essay or paper. These works often require specific formats and inclusions that should be present in drafts. For most of these research and medical articles, inclusions such as the abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, results, conclusions, acknowledgements, and references are often required for a draft to be considered for review.

Review and Revision of Drafts

Reviewing and revision are some of the main reasons on why drafts are important. Having a draft that is ready for review can help boost how productive reviews can be. By having a formatted and complete piece of work can help review be focused on improving the quality of the work. Constant revisions are needed for drafts because of how incomplete they tend to be. There is always room for improvement in writing so there is always revisions to be made.

Feedback or reviews from others can be useful for finding ways to revise. A common review practice is for a tutor or someone who is knowledgeable in how the piece is graded / judged be the one reviewing. Having an outside perspective can help eliminate bias and also catch any mistakes that the writer does not see themselves. Often writers unknowingly write in ways that don't fit the genre of writing so having someone catch those mistakes often helps writers submit improved work. With more eyes on a piece of work, more revisions can be found and implemented which increases the quality of the work as it nears it's final draft.

In research and medical writings, review is mandatory and drafts are submitted with the intention of getting feedback on missing details.These missing details are often those that help the readers understand the subject clearly.

Effects of Outside Review

Outside review of drafts is commonly done and it's affects can very based on how it was done. Effective review can greatly increase the quality of the work while the opposite can actually harm the writer. Generally, outside feedback has had a positive impact towards work that has been submitted leading to grade increases. Increase confidence in writing skills can also be found when feedback is received and overall confidence for an assignment is seen.

The impact of drafting on the writing process

Drafting isn't just the first step in writing. It's a major part in how writing gets better. It helps writer's play around with ideas, moving things around, and make their message known. Doing more than one draft helps improve the way something is written, making it easier to understand and more organized. It also takes away the pressure to do everything right and perfect the first time, letting writers feel ok about making changes and learning as they go

Writing by hand vs computer drafting

People can draft by hand or computer, and each way feels different. Writing by hand takes more time, which is a way to think things through or remember an idea better. Using a computer can make it easy to fix any errors and move things around. Both methods shape the way writers connect with their work.

Mindset and metacognition in drafting

Writing researchers highlight the importance of metacognition, thinking about one's own thinking during the drafting process. Writer's who know who their writing is directed to are more likely to create affective drafts. Metacognitive strategies, such as reflecting on progress, asking guiding questions, and evaluating ones own's work have been found to enhance both the writing process, and the quality of the final product.

Drafting and youth development

The drafting process plays a key role in the development of young writers. It helps students organize their ideas, gain confidence, and improve writing fluency. Studies indicate that creating and initial or zero draft can reduce writing related anxiety and support the generation of ideas, even in early stages of composition.