What's the difference between revising and editing?

Jack

New member
Joined
Mar 25, 2026
Messages
7
My advisor said: “You've edited, but you haven't revised.” I thought they were the same. A guide explains: Editing fixes grammar, punctuation, word choice. Revising changes structure, argument, evidence. You revise first, then edit.

I've been fixing commas when I should have been rethinking my argument. Now I'm going back to the big stuff: Is my thesis clear? Is my evidence convincing? Are my sections in the right order? For other writers, how do you separate the two processes?
 
Think of it like building a house. Revising is deciding where the walls go, if the kitchen is in the right place, whether you need a second floor. Editing is painting the walls and picking the light fixtures. You can paint all you want, but if the kitchen is in the wrong spot, the house doesn't work. Fix the structure before you worry about the commas.
 
Back
Top Bottom