Reviewing the Document

• Author: Elizabeth D. Mullin
• Pages: 25-27

25

CHAPTER 3:

Reviewing the Document

You now have a copy of the document and have, following the exhorta-

tion in Chapter 2 (“Preparing to Comment”), completed your prepara-

tion. It is time to begin the review.

e rst step is to gather your materia ls: the document itself, your check-

list, and any materials you collected during the preparation stage.

Step One: Review the Table of Contents and Skim the

Document

Begin by reviewing the table of contents or organizational structure of the

document. en skim the entire document to get a sense of what it does

and does not contain. As discussed in Chapter 2 (“Preparing to Comment”),

your schedule may be so busy, or your bil ling rate so high, that you cannot

spend much time on reviews. A quick scan allows you to plan and schedule

a s ystematic review of rele vant sections so that you ca n spend your time

on the par ts of most concern. It may also help you identify early on any

additional infor mation, g uidance, or expertise you may ne ed. If you will

need a rept ile expert, it is bet ter to lear n that on Day 3 than on Day 27 of

a 30-day review per iod.

Step Two: Read the Document

To review the document, you will have to read it. No way to get a round

this one.

For a basic review, take t he steps listed below. e detail and amount of

time spent on the various steps will vary depending on your role in the review

process and the time available. You may do a quick rev iew to spot anything

egregious or a thorough rev iew to ma ke sure the whole document is sound

and well written. You may be interested in a single issue, or you may simply

want to check for legal suciency. Tailor your review accordingly.