The Ultimate Guide for Proofreading Academic Essays
After composing an outstanding essay, there is still something you can do to make it a bit better. You may think that to review your text properly, you need to have a broad experience in editing. Yet, it is much easier to do than it seems.
In this article, we will give you a couple of tips on how to revise your essay. They will help you to review your paper accurately and to polish your writing.
So, before you show your work to your teacher, do the following:
1. Put your essay aside for a while
Though this may sound unexpected and strange, it really works. When you already have a draft version of your essay, take a break and relax for 15-30 minutes. Have a cup of tea, call a friend, or go for a walk. Then, come back and refine your text. After this short pause, have another look at your paper. As a result, you will notice more errors in it.
2. Make a checklist for editing your essay
Include such points as grammar, style, punctuation, citations, capital letters, repetitions, the spelling of names, etc. Due to this, you won’t forget to pay attention to any important aspect of your writing.
3. Read your essay slowly
Though you may want to go over your writing as soon as possible, try not to do this. When it comes to editing, you shouldn’t be quick but very attentive. So, don’t rush while editing your text. Read every sentence a couple of times and try to focus on every word. Such a deliberate approach will let you increase the quality of your revision.
4. Print your essay out
It is much better to edit your essay when it’s on paper than when it’s on a screen. Thanks to this, your eye will likely notice misused letters or punctuation marks.
5. Use a ruler for editing your text
This simple object can become rather helpful when you revise a text. Place it below every new line you are reading. Move through the whole essay in this way. By doing so, you won’t skip a sentence or even several of them.
6. Edit major errors, then come to minor ones
At first, check if the structure of your writing is properly organized and has an introduction, body, and conclusion.
Then, have a look at whether you have managed to elaborate on the main idea of your paper. Ensure the arguments and facts you have chosen correspond to your topic and help understand it in a better way.
Finally, pay attention to word choice, capital letters, misspelt words, etc.
7. Review your essay several times
It is not enough to revise your paper once. Professional editors suggest taking at least three sessions to make your revision accurate. So, after you edit it for the first time, check it two more times.
8. Use a color pen
By using a green or red pen, you will make your corrections more noticeable. You definitely won’t miss your suggestions when preparing the final version of your essay.
9. Ensure each sentence expresses one idea
By following such an approach, you will present your thoughts precisely. Also, it will be easier for your teacher to comprehend the message of your research.
10. Maintain coherence between thoughts
Regardless of what type of essay you write, add linking ideas between paragraphs. This will make your text sound logical.
11. Avoid plagiarism
When the topic of your essay is a complicated one, you should base your study on the opinions of famous authors, scholars, and other experts. Using reliable sources will add extra points to your essay. Yet, you should cite relevant ideas correctly or paraphrase them to prepare a unique paper.
12. Keep the language of your writing simple
Complicated grammatical constructions will make your teacher get stuck while reading. Also, try to avoid using jargon, difficult metaphors, as well as clichés. Even when you analyze specific issues in fields, like technologies, statistics, or civil engineering, make the text easy to read. A simple way to do this is to ask yourself after reading a particular passage, “Does it sound clear enough?” If you realize you stumble over the writing yourself, opt for a simpler word choice and syntax.
Also, keep each sentence no longer than 15 words.
13. Write your essay in an active voice, not passive
Try to present your findings in an active voice. Thanks to this, your text will sound more human-like, but not like a manual for the latest phone or an article from a reference book.
14. Ask your friend for help
Getting a second pair of eyes is likely to make your essay better. So, some of your friends or relatives can find inaccuracies you have missed.
15. Use specialized software
Online tools like Hemingway Editor, Grammarly, or Ginger will prompt you how to polish your paper. With their help, you will be able to improve such aspects of your text as grammar, style, punctuation, word choice, length of sentences, etc.
16. Double-check the arguments in your research
Ensure the facts and stats in your essay correspond to your topic, discuss it in full, and make the whole analysis realistic. For this reason, consult the sources of literature you have used one more time to avoid inconsistency.
Hopefully, our recommendations will help you cope with editing your essay without any difficulties. Yet, if you want to get trustworthy custom writing assistance with your assignment, you can always use a top-rated academic essay writing service with a team of highly qualified writers.
