Revision,
or reseeing (with its consequent action of rewriting), of the traditional
classroom text is modeled on the process by which experienced writers bring a
text to the point of publication. This process requires the passage of time and
the feedback of several readers, both peer and expert readers. Rewriting thus
incorporates the responses of others as well as the writer's own growing
understanding of his or her topic, possibly informed by additional reading,
research, and reflection.
Revision, or reseeing, of one's point of view within the context of electronic interaction, where feedback is nearly instantaneous, is more like the modification of one's thinking that occurs in ordinary conversation. Initial efforts at statement may be more tentative, clarification more immediate. The focus is on meaningful exchange of ideas, with much lower expectations for adherence to formal conventions, even conventions usually considered necessary to meaning-making such as spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.