Student's guide to writing college papers, Fourth edition - Kate L. Turabian 2010

Let your draft cool, then paraphrase it
Revising your draft
Writing your paper

If you start your project early, you'll have time to let your revised draft cool. What seems good one day often looks different the next. When you return to your draft, don't read it straight through; skim its top-level parts: its introduction, the first paragraph of each major section, and conclusion. Then based on what you have read, paraphrase it for someone who hasn't read it. Does the paraphrase hang together? Does it fairly sum up your argument? Even better, ask someone else to read and summarize it: how well that person summarizes your report will predict how well your readers will understand it.

QUICK TIP

Don't Ignore Your Teacher's Comments

If your teacher comments on your draft, always revise in light of that advice. Otherwise, you will miss an opportunity to improve your paper. And you will annoy someone who took time to read your work to help you, only to see you ignore their efforts. You don't have to follow all or even most of the suggestions, but your revision should show that you considered each one seriously.

Almost as irritating as students who ignore a teacher's suggestions are those who follow the minor editorial suggestions (grammar, spelling, etc.) but ignore all comments that ask them to rethink larger issues. No teacher wants to be treated as a proofreader.