Editing & Proofreading

Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.

~Mark Twain

Editing and proofreading, although clearly related, are not the same thing. Editing is a broader process concerned with content, clarity and logic of argument, structure and style. Proofreading, on the other hand, is the final 'micro' process in which you read for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. There are some concerns that apply to both:

• Leave enough time to gain some distance from your paper. If you try to edit or proofread immediately after writing, you are likely to actually 'read' what you think you wrote rather than what is on the page. If you've been organised enough through the research and writing phase, you should have plenty of time to set the paper aside for a day or two before the first edit.
• Decide whether you edit and proofread best on screen or on paper and then stick to that.
• Work somewhere quiet and uninterrupted. When editing, you will need to be seeing the overall picture you've constructed, and when proofreading, you'll be focusing on minute details that could be easily missed if you're distracted.

Editing

Ideally, you will begin editing as you're still writing your paper. However, when you've 'finished' writing, taken a day or two off and returned to the paper with fresh eyes, there are a few main points to consider. First of all, don't proofread at this stage - look for the big issues in content and structure.

• Content

  • Is your thesis statement clear and logically responding to the topic?
  • Do you have clear arguments to support your thesis?
  • Have you used compelling evidence to support your arguments and cited it appropriately?
  • Are there any logical gaps or absences in your argument?

• Structure

  • Does the introduction include your thesis statement and primary arguments?
  • Do your arguments follow a logical sequence, perhaps building on each other throughout the paper?
  • Is your evidence clearly linked to arguments in the same paragraphs?
  • Are your paragraphs coherently linked by a single main idea in each?
  • Do you have a clear conclusion (that doesn't introduce any new arguments)?

• Clarity

  • Have you defined your keywords?
  • Is the meaning of each sentence clear?
  • Have you chosen the most meaningful words to express your ideas?

• Style

  • Is the tone of your paper appropriate and consistent? (eg formal or informal, persuasive or descriptive)
  • Is your language gender sensitive and free of stereotypes?
  • Have you varied the length of your sentences, and is there a mix of active and passive voice?
  • Have you checked for wordiness? (eg "Due to the fact that..." becomes "As..." or "Because...")

• Citations

  • Have you acknowledged your sources and used your department's preferred citation style?
  • When you've paraphrased, have you sufficiently changed the words from the original yet maintained the ideas and cited your source?

Proofreading

You're happy with the essay or report - the content is commendable, arguments infallible and structure sound. Now it's time for the final proofread. Here are a few tips for effective proofreading:

• Don't rely on spell check or grammar check. Always double check the suggestions. Trust that you write better than a multinational monopoly's minions.
• Again, don't rely on spell check or grammar check! The computer cannot (yet?) replace the human's appreciation of idiom and style. Always double check the suggestions.
• Read through the paper slowly. Actually pause at each full stop in order to ensure you've made meaning of each sentence.
• Keep a dictionary by your side to check both spelling and meaning if you have any doubts.
• Look for mistakes you know you've commonly made, such as those picked up by your lecturers in previous work.
• Watch for sentences that start with 'It is...' or 'There are...', which often end up rambling along in the passive voice.
• Replace colloquialisms such as "Freud was spot on with his theory of the Oedipal complex..." with "Freud's compelling theory of the Oedipal complex..." See more on academic style.

Finally, if for no other reason, edit and proofread so that you never see this written on an assignment:

I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone has printed gibberish all over it and put your name at the top.

~English Professor, Ohio University