Editing Checklist for Academic & Non Academic Writing

Researching, group action, and drafting are crucial for writing an economical paper; but, the distinction between an appropriate paper and a wonderful paper is proof-reading and writing.

By cultivating correct writing techniques, students will learn from their own mistakes, refine their writing talents, enhance their argumentation skills, and ultimately earn higher grades.

Introduction

1. Does your paper contain a thesis that’s a clear outline of your paper’s main purpose or argument?
2. Is your thesis debatable? Your thesis shouldn’t merely be the statement of a truth as a result of an announcement isn’t arguable.
3. Does your thesis match your assignment? A thesis for a compare-contrast paper is made otherwise than a thesis for a non-public narrative or a look paper.
4. Is your thesis placed correctly? commonly the thesis ought to be the last sentence of your introductory paragraph.
5. Does your thesis give a clear define for everything of your paper?
6. Does your thesis answer a question? confine mind, a thesis ought to ne’er be written as a question.

Body

1. Does the topic sentence of each body paragraph summarize everything of the points that paragraph covers?
2. Does every sentence correspond along with your thesis statement?
3. Does all of the data in your paragraph support your sentence
4. Does every body paragraph seem among an equivalent order given in your thesis statement or preview statement?
5. Is the final sentence in every body paragraph a sentence that either summaries the paragraph or transitions to ulterior purpose

ENTIRE PAPER

Sentence Composition

1. Have you ever removed unnecessary words that don’t increase the sentence like very or a lot?
2. Have you ever varied your vocabulary by utilizing a synonym finder and wordbook once necessary so as to avoid repetition or incorrect word choices?
3. Are your sentences of assorted lengths and complexities? A paper is stronger once it’s a combination of sentences versus all short sentences or all long sentences.
4. Are all transitions from one plan to a special sleek and clearly explained, thus the reader doesn’t need to build any leaps in logic
5. Has all slang and colloquial language been removed? The exception is once writing a private narrative wherever this kind of language might even be acceptable.
6. Have you removed any offensive language, like gender-based or biased language

Verbs

1. Do your verb tenses match the academic discipline of the assignment ? past is used for History, gift for Literature, and gift for several sciences except within the strategies section of research lab reports wherever past is used .
2. Are your verb tenses consistent?
3. Are you victimization ‘active’ verbs? Passive verbs area unit acceptable solely the factor needs stress throughout a sentence

Formatting

1. Are the margins, page numbers, titles, line spacing, listing info, etc. formatted properly as such as by MLA, APA, or a way indicated by your instructor?
2. Have you selected a title which can interest and engage the reader? Hint: a statement of the assignment, like “Argumentative Essay,” isn’t a wise selection.

Integration of Composition

Are all of your quotes and paraphrases properly cited among the assigned citation vogue, each in-text and through a final Works Cited, Reference, or list page?
Is all of your info, like quotes and information, pertinent to your topic?
Does your info correspond with the topic sentence of your current paragraph?

Grammar and Mechanics

Check all of the lists among sentences to create positive they’re parallel. things among the list should all be nouns, verbs of identical tense, adjectives, etc.

1. Do your pronouns settle for as true with the antecedents they’re replacing? (See function word Antecedent Agreement handout.)
2. Is your paper properly punctuated? If you’d wish to be clear regarding the thanks to use a particular punctuation mark, raise our useful Handouts.
3. Is your paper free of orthography errors?
4. Have you ever ever scan through your paper out-loud (slowly) thus on catch errors that you just simply would miss otherwise?