Wrestling with the Draft

Now that we have fought through those long nights of writers block and procrastination to pump out a rough draft the hard part is over! Its time to get down to the "nitty gritty" and edit our paper. When it comes to research papers it can be easy to fall prey to the trap of others ideas, facts, quotes, and sources to shroud our own ideas, analysis,, interpretations and definitions. A good writer with good ideas knows how to balance both, an understanding and an exploratory voice. That's why for this exercise we are going to start by choosing a random page of our draft. you will also need to highlighters or in this case two text colors. First, step is to choose a color and mark the parts where you are a less active author. That is the sentences that report facts, quotes, and sources. Secondly, Highlight in a different color the sentences the represent your ideas, analysis, commentaries, definitions, and claims. Here's my paragraph. Red for their ideas and blue for mine.


Skateboarding has developed over the past sixty years as a prominent sport and form of leisure across the country. Big cities and small tows alike have become flooded with young and old skateboarders alike. Since its inception in the 80s and 90s as an anti-establishment subculture however many places such as big cities have looked down on skateboarding as a destructive and socially unhealthy culture. How has society's view of skateboarders and laws regarding them changed from acceptance into the professional sporting world to laws that have suppressed and even in some places abolished skateboarding? Is there a way to discover skating community roots once again?

It all started in the early 1960s, a decade or so after the unknown spontaneous invention in California known as a skateboard. As the 60s were ushered in skateboarding had hit its peak of popularity with the formation of companies like Jacks, Hobie, and Makaha. These companies started holding competitions consisting of Downhill Slalom and Freestyle and through these competitions professionals arose like Woody Woodward and Danny Berer to pave the way for the future of skateboarding. For several years growth seemed exponential and then mysteriously in 1965 skateboarding seemed to fade away. It was said to have just been a fad that came and that went. No one is quite sure why the “fad” died out. Some blame it on the countless injuries due to dangerously unstable clay wheels and without the evolution of safer wheels and boards skating stayed in the dark. Then miraculously in 1972 a man by the name of Frank Nasworthy developed the urethane wheel in and skateboarding made its comeback. Competitions became more frequent and a skate group known as Zephyr (Z-boys) showed the public that skateboarding could be something exciting and and no longer just a hobby. Then in 1978 Alan Glefland nicknamed “Ollie” invented a maneuver that would revolutionize skateboarding forever. He would slam his back foot down at the tail of the board causing it to leave the ground and soar through the air and thus the Ollie was born. By the 80s and 90s skateboarding had developed into an anti-establishment subculture. Due to high insurance rates on skate parks kids began building there own ramps in their backyards. Not surprisingly this led to many problems with construction companies and with a new mentality of “the whole world is my skate park”. Skaters took to the busy streets and never looked back. As this modern evolution took place boards began evolving also changing styles and types to overcome obstacles previously thought impossible. Even the invention of the VHS played a pivotal role in skateboarding going world wide. A skate group known as the “Bones Brigade” began taping tricks and routines and they even created there own show. One infamous member of this original team, Tony Hawk. Now we find ourselves in the 2000s, where street boarding is much more popular than vert boarding, skate parks pop up everywhere, The X games, a popular extreme sports competition included skateboarding on their roster, and clothing and skate companies are making millions off of the skateboarding culture. Aside from all this however, it still seems many big cities and business have outlawed skateboarding in their area. Street skaters still are seen as destructive gangs taking over the streets. Are these laws suppressing a perfectly respectable art form or keeping in line a dangerous subculture.

Which color dominates? is your voice being overrun by facts and other sources? or are you ignoring them and rattling on about what you think? As you go through your editing process try to balance both facts and your voice.