What is a rough draft?

A rough draft is an initial version of a piece of writing, often incomplete and unpolished. It's primarily focused on getting your ideas down on paper (or screen) without worrying too much about perfection. Think of it as a brainstorming session in written form.

• Purpose: The main purpose of a rough draft is to capture the core ideas, structure, and arguments you want to present.

• Characteristics: Expect to see things like:

  • Missing information
  • Grammatical errors
  • Awkward phrasing
  • Gaps in logic

• Focus: Don't get bogged down in editing at this stage. Focus on the content and the overall structure.

• Next Steps: After completing a rough draft, you'll move on to revising, editing, and polishing your work to create a final, polished version. Consider it the foundation upon which the finished piece is built. It allows for revision and allows you to explore different approaches.