HOCs and LOCs

High Order Concerns

1. focus/thesis
2. appropriate tone
3. organization
4. development

Low Order Concerns

1. sentence structure
2. variety
3. punctuation
4. spelling
5. usage

The idea is that the High Order Concerns are dealt with first and in this sequence. If a writer’s focus in a draft is unclear, organization confusing or tone inappropriate, these weaknesses must be addressed before any discussion of spelling or word choice can take place. (Otherwise you are just putting lipstick on a pig, so to speak). The Low Order Concerns are dealt with simultaneously, near the end of the process. Usually we emphasize the HOCs when looking at the first two drafts; punctuation, spelling and usage at the editing stage; and sentence structure and variety somewhere in the middle. Often awkward language dissolves as you attend to the meaning.