The process of writing essays does not end once the texts are written, encoded and printed. Contrary to the prevalent student practice of just submitting their papers posthaste, the grunt work is just about to reach its climax.
Most
essays end up getting mediocre grades despite the brilliant ideas because students neglect to edit and proofread their work.
Editing is an important stage in essay writing as this part ensures the quality of the paper. Unfortunately, students and some professionals alike, do away with this portion.
Here are some useful tips that students and writers can adopt when it’s time to proofread their essays:
1.Begin with the basic: Spell Check and Grammar Check. Albeit the word processor’s software is not fool proof, using it can help facilitate proofreading.
An ideal tactic is to run the copy with a spell or grammar software first in order to eliminate the obvious errors.
However, do take note of the corrections and suggestions that the computers make. It is, after all, an inanimate object and does not take into consideration the context of the words.
2.Be on a vigilant watch for common errors. After the software test, it is time to subject the essays to further scrutiny. This means that students need to go over each page, each paragraph, and each word.
When it comes to proofreading there are no short cuts, but students can zero in on common errors to make the task easier. For instance, be on the lookout for grammatical lapses like subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.
It is also imperative that students watch out for possible ****nym errors like using where instead of were and common word misuse like affect and effect.
3.Check word choice. Apart from its denotative or lexical meaning, words also carry connotative meanings. This means that although two words may be synonymous to each other, the perception of the people about either word can alter the meaning.
For instance, thrifty has a positive effect while miserly connotes an unfavorable meaning. Other noteworthy connotations include inquisitive vs. nosy, prudent vs. cowardly, and perseverance vs. stubbornness.
4.Start the proofreading at the end. Studies show that the brains and the eyes tend to overlook misspellings, especially once you have seen the text several times. A case in point, the eyes tend to read braverly as bravely and wrod as word, except of course when the trusty spell check puts red lines underneath.
To ensure an effective proofreading session, print out the text and then proofread backwards. This way, misspellings will not be automatically corrected.
5.For effective proofreading, read the essays aloud. By doing so, it would help the students not just to see but to hear their ideas as well. The rationale behind this is that it forces the students to slow down and really focus on the contents of the paper.
6.Check the documentations. Proofreading does not end on the text alone. Students also need to proofread the parenthetical and bibliographical citations on their essays.
What students, and most people, do not know is that incorrect citation is also a form of plagiarism and so is ordering
custom essays.
Authors and writers worked hard on their research, books, journals, or thesis and it is but fitting to acknowledge their contribution correctly.
