Writing an academic paper is always just the halfway of having your assignment done. Without having revised, edited, and proofread your document, it remains a mere draft. A thorough revision and a scrupulous proofread is the key to a well-polished immaculate college paper. Here in this article, we\u2019ll explain why editing and proofreading requires so much time and attention, as well as explore the ways in which you can improve your papers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First of all, let\u2019s see how editing is different from proofreading. Mainly, editing refers to making substantial changes to a paper we are working on. You don\u2019t just check minor issues, but review the entire document, see that its structure is solid and logical, pay attention to the way your sentences are constructed. On the other hand, proofreading refers to checking such things as grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Being more of a cosmetic clean-up, proofreading usually follows editing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You must have noticed that it\u2019s harder to review and amend our own text than that of our peers. There is an explanation for this. Our brain reads the text we have written as we were supposed to write it, rather than as it appears in the document. The structure flaws simply slip our mind because we don\u2019t see the way the sentences are written, but rather recall the way we intended to write them. The same applies to argumentation: we don\u2019t need to convince ourselves, as we already believe our own statements \u2014 this makes it hard for us to track our logical fallacies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have a lot of trouble doing a good job when proofreading our own papers. We tend to overlook typos and mistakes simply because they don\u2019t exist in our minds. We often miss mistakes in the text that we read for the first time simply because we don\u2019t have to read every letter to perceive the information. With a familiar text, we do a lot worse job than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In spite of the above, we still can (and also must) do as thorough editing and proofreading job as possible when it comes to our own academic papers. To do this well, we need two things \u2014 practice and attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some General Tips<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before we view the techniques for editing and proofreading, let us see what we can do to make our papers shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make it your habit to review and proofread all your papers before submitting them. This might be time-consuming, but it\u2019s never wasted time. Editing is also a skill: the more you practice, the better your skills get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn to distinguish between the two processes. Editing should come before proofreading and concern the entire document, its logic, structure, and style. Proofreading comes after and involves a series of spell- and grammar checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like said above, dedicate some time first to review and reconsider the structure of your paper. Then move to the paragraphs, and then view individual sentences. After you\u2019ve made the necessary amendments, see if your grammar in right and your commas in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This tip is especially useful for beginners, but can be also considered by seasoned editors. Turn on the \u201crevision\u201d mode if working in Microsoft Word or the \u201csuggesting\u201d mode when dealing with Google Docs. This way, you will easily track your corrections and suggestions, and will be able to discard certain changes in one click if necessary. This will also help you see your common mistakes and make it easier to avoid them in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t edit or proofread your paper right after you\u2019ve finished writing. Let it to \u201ccool down\u201d for some time. This way, you\u2019ll distance from it a little, so that you\u2019ll be more attentive to the fallacies, mistakes, and typos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use grammar checking instruments, such as built-in correction tools or standalone apps like Grammarly. However, don\u2019t rely on them completely. Be sure to double-check everything yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make it a rule to review your papers multiple times. You\u2019ll likely to miss some mistakes during the first revision. Besides, editing and proofreading are separate processes: don\u2019t mix them for the better result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you are tired, you cannot stay really focused. Be sure that you\u2019ve rested your eyes and brain before you continue with the proofreading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your worst enemy is your common mistakes. We are all likely to miss them when editing our documents. Consult grammar manuals and guides to boost your proofreading skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Punctuation is as essential as grammar. Pay attention to every punctuation mark. Make sure that you don\u2019t have comma splices in your sentences, that you use colons and semicolons correctly, and that you distinguish n-dashes from m-dashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another great tips would be to simply ask another person to view your paper. Maybe they will provide a valuable feedback on the general look and feel of your paper, or maybe they will notice your common errors to which you\u2019ve been inattentive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, you always need to keep your academic style guide (MLA, APA, Chicago, or other) at hand. In it, you will find answers on how to deal with the most tricky punctuation and structure-related issues, as well as on how to tackle the references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Above, we\u2019ve overviewed the essentials of editing your academic papers and some tips regarding the editing process. Now, let\u2019s move on to some good techniques that you can apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After you have applied a number of editing and proofreading techniques and used some helpful tips, what\u2019s there left to do? See the checklist below to make sure you\u2019ve covered everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve answered these checklist questions positively, then you are ready to submit your paper. Good luck with the grade and keep up with the good work editing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photo by Andrew Neel from Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Writing an academic paper is always just the halfway of having your assignment done. Without having revised, edited, and proofread your document, it remains a mere draft. A thorough revision and a scrupulous proofread is the key to a well-polished immaculate college paper. Here in this article, we\u2019ll explain why editing and proofreading requires soContinue reading “Editing Techniques for College Students”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":19315339,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"download_url":"","custom_update_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13,3,119,101,39,15,7,9,11,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19313919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-writing","category-essay-writing","category-essay-writing-tips","category-essayshark-writing-guides","category-letter-writing","category-presentation-writing","category-research-paper-writing","category-reviews-writing","category-speeches-writing","category-term-paper-writing"],"psp_head":"