The entire writing process is complex, which makes it challenging for many students, including you, at some point. From brainstorming to editing, you will feel overwhelmed if you do not know how to write well. However, you can try to improve your skills by learning tips and putting them into practice. Schools include this in their curriculums for your benefit, so you should strive to improve on this craft.
Because writing is an activity that requires utmost attention and time, many students seek help from other people. For example, they ask their friends and classmates to give them ideas or feedback before editing. However, some prefer to get help from professionals working for custom writing companies, like Perfect Essay. They acknowledge that professionals have the expertise and experience that enable them to deliver high-quality outputs. But if you do not have the means to pay for them, you can improve your skills on your own. Below are some helpful editing tips that you can use in your essay writing.
Get The Structure Right First
After drafting your essay, you might want to proofread and edit your work right away. However, it would be best to pause for some time and take a break before editing. It is one of the essay writing tips that can help you in the long run. Of course, because you want to get it over with, you might miss out on parts affecting your paper’s overall structure. But taking a break will allow you to look at the work with a refreshed mind. As a result, you can spot the mistakes in grammar, structure, and reasoning properly.
Afterward, you can strategize on how to do the editing process. Because you have already spent a lot of time drafting, you want to finish this as soon as possible. However, it would be best if you also took time for editing. Therefore, it would be best to budget your time for the step by making a schedule.
Read Per Error Type
As mentioned above, it would help to take the editing process step-by-step. Even though you are tempted to finish it immediately, this step is also crucial and time-consuming. If you want to submit an excellent output, you must consider reading and checking your work per error type. It includes errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, conciseness, word choice, organization, and arguments.
This is one of the essential editing tips for students that may seem tedious but actually beneficial. Editing per error type allows you to have a specific focus while looking for mistakes. You can start from the basic ones like spelling, punctuation, or grammar. Afterward, you can proceed with the tricky ones. But this time, you will not be bothered by the simple mistakes anymore because you have already edited them. Doing this will reduce the anxiety that can affect your concentration and the outcome of your work.
Change The Format
At some point, you will grow accustomed to the screen where you are editing your essay. However, your eyes will also feel tired and strained from looking at the screen for extended periods. Because of these, you will become less efficient in spotting some mistakes. Therefore, it would be best to change the format for the proofreading step by printing the document on paper.
Doing this will allow you to make annotations for faster essay editing. Because your work is already printed, you are free to write notes or comments. You can also use different pen colors to mark the mistakes. Afterward, you can easily make edits on your computer. Furthermore, your eyes have already rested from the screen time you spent, making you work more efficiently.
Watch For Repetition of Ideas and Words
There are several useful phrases for essays, but they can be ineffective if used multiple times. For example, you might want to show off the new words or phrases you have learned recently. But your teacher will not perceive it that way. For them, they will be considered repetition that can be omitted. So, you must be careful not to use them too often.
If you think you did, you can always remove them while editing. However, it is best to spot them as early as possible to modify them and suit the flow of ideas. Moreover, you must watch out for common phrases that may level up your work. But in reality, they do not contribute that much to the overall quality of the paper. If you tend to repeat words, you can try to use pronouns and synonyms to show variety.
Spellcheck
Because of the advancements in technology, the standard word processing software is capable of doing spell checking. This feature is convenient for those students who consider spelling as not one of their strongest suits. However, while it is beneficial to spot simple errors, you must not rely on them completely. Sometimes, they miss out on some mistakes or use the British English version instead of the American English spelling.
This can cause some problems because many words differ in spelling under British English. Words like color and humor turn into colour and humour, while words like center and theater turn into centre and theatre. In addition, you must consult the dictionary for the accurate spelling of tricky and compound terms. It would also help to look for a list of commonly misspelled words for future references.
Remove Tautologies
Tautology is a stylistic error evident when the author uses redundant and similar words, usually placed side by side. Basically, they repeat the same idea in different ways. Because of this, tautology is something you must avoid to create a well-written paper. Even though they seem to put emphasis, they do more harm than good in the essay’s overall structure. So while editing, you must work on removing them. Below are some examples so that you can avoid them.
- My friend thinks she is good at making predictions about the future.
- I hope to read someone’s autobiography telling about his own life and experiences.
- At least three years of experience is a necessary requirement for this job application.
In conclusion, proofreading and editing are crucial steps in essay writing. There may be several essay editors these days, but it would be best for you to edit independently. If you feel that your skills are lacking, you can apply the tips shared above. These include getting the structure right, reading per error type, and changing the format. Moreover, it would help if you watched for repetitions, tautologies, and misspelled words. When in doubt, you can always consult professional editors for better results.