Editing and proofreading are some of the most neglected parts of academic writing. Often students focus more on completing the task and spend only a few minutes editing their work. Some go as far as submitting essays that haven’t been thoroughly proofread and end up with average or poor grades.
Editing an academic paper is more than just correcting typos or deleting some sentences. Here are strategies to use to ensure you revise your essay or any other academic paper thoroughly.
Use the Correct Proofing Dialect
Students often use an online tool or the proofing option available in MS word documents to ensure written text is error-free. The problem is that sometimes these tools can be in another language.
For example, you are writing for a US audience, but the tool or app is set to check in Australian English. In such a case, you might miss simple mistakes. Besides, it’s important to use the right language because the wrong dialect can undermine your argument and damage your credibility as a young scholar.
When the proofing is correct, the content and main idea will be clear and convey the intended message. To better understand the language and tone used in academia, read papers written by an expert from an essay writing service.
Use Practical Approaches
After writing an essay, you must use specific strategies to increase readability. For starters, make it a habit to read the text in reverse to catch errors, especially after reading the document several times. Next, revise the paper slowly to avoid rushing and missing common mistakes that will lower the essay quality. Finally, use a ruler or pen to enhance focus and move smoothly through each section.
Have a Checklist
While some mistakes are common, others are unique to the writer. Once you are adept at recognizing the mistakes you often make, note each one down. That way, every time you complete the writing process, you will use the checklist to weed out the errors. Having a list ready is a great strategy because often, our minds can’t remember all the blunders we tend to make in our writing. You should also have resources to guide you with formatting and style. When you have a style guide, you will be able to check font and paragraph or line spacing. Then, for a thorough revision, check one concern at a time.
Perfect Your Proofreading Technique
Revising your academic papers is essential as it can make or break your chances of getting good grades. But as with any skill, to perfect proofreading, you must practice consistently. So make it a habit to never review your document on the same day. Instead, keep a distance, preferably for a day or a few hours after the writing process is complete. Also, vary the proofreading time as it increases the chances of catching any mistakes missed earlier. Don’t hesitate to revise your essay more than once if you feel it can be better. You can also hire a professional editor to be your second pair of eyes.
You should also make it a habit to read your academic papers aloud to confirm that every word sounds right. Be on the lookout for run-on sentences that make the content difficult to comprehend and confusing. Additionally, give your brain time to reset so that it can prepare for a different process.
Check References
Accurate citations are a mandatory requirement in most academic papers. When the written text is incorrectly formatted, you can lose crucial points and score poorly. In worst-case scenarios, you can be accused of plagiarism which affects your credibility in academia.
So when revising your assignment, check footnotes, in-text citations, and the formatting for your bibliography. Double-check that any information that isn’t yours is properly cited, and the reference style is the one requested by your teacher.
Check the font, line spacing, and page layout. Ensure headers are well written in proper length and are consistent throughout the composition. Proofread all aspects of the essay, including graphs, footnotes, and visual elements.
Finally, remove any unnecessary formatting such as underlined words or those in bold and revise the paper’s content over again one paragraph at a time. That way, you will ensure the paper’s structural integrity is maintained, and all the necessary components are included in the correct paragraphs.
Revising is an essential part of achieving excellent academic writing. Without it, a student has less chance of attaining high academic performance. So develop a habit of proofreading your papers before submitting them to a teacher to ensure it is of the highest standard.
