After you have researched and written your assignment and completed the reference list, there is still one process to go before your paper is ready for submission. It is a major process, which all too often is thought of as a minor add-on that will only take a few extra minutes – an hour or two at best. Yet, this process is one of the most deceptive processes with regard to time. The process is editing – your paper must be edited.
To many, meticulous editing seems like a tedious and unnecessary act. However, the way you present your paper, which includes the care you have taken in editing the paper, is a reflection of who you are. If you are putting in a submission for a major job, and the decision gets down to two people/organisations – you and another tenderer.
Your submissions are equal in all respects, except that your submission is badly edited, and the other is well edited. Who do you think will get the job? Most likely, the other organisation. The rationale being that if you are happy to submit a sloppy tender document paper, then there is a risk that your on-site working performance will also be sloppy. Editing is another of those academic hoops that you have to get used to.
And so you must allow time to edit your paper, not once, but several times. This is because there are many aspects of your paper that need to be checked before your assignment is submitted, and it is impossible to focus on all of these things with the one read-through. Cloake and Noad (nd:40-43) suggest that you edit the paper four times starting with a macro focus on issues such as content and evidence, and then move
3 Unless otherwise stated, the material in this section on editing is based on Cloake and Noad (nd: 40-43)
logically down to a micro focus on aspects such as spelling and punctuation. However, by beginning with a general, overall edit the time taken to do the subsequent, more specific edits may be reduced. As such, the process described below will consist of five edits. And whether you do the five edits as five separate processes, or combine several edits is up to you. The main thing is that all editing processes listed are completed before the submission of your paper. And that takes time.
The importance of allowing sufficient time to edit properly cannot be stressed strongly enough. For an average 2500 word term paper you will need to allow approximately 9-15 hours to complete the editing process. So if you are still typing your paper at 4 am to meet a 9 am deadline the same day, you’re not going to make it. This is why good time management is vital.
Editing time is just as much a part of the assignment writing process as is your research.
Consequently, if you are consciously well aware of what needs to be done then you can add that time into your assignment writing schedule. In this section, an overview of the different editing tasks has been presented as five separate processes. The approximate times given for each edit are based on an average term paper that is about 2000-2500 words in length.
Edit Number 1
After you are satisfied that there is nothing more you need do to your paper print up that first draft. Then read through the paper out aloud. This first read-through is to correct anything obvious. Therefore, as you read aloud through your paper mark any obvious mistakes in grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, sentence transitions, paragraph and section sequencing, and anything else that is prominent. Having marked the obvious mistakes make the changes required and print up a new draft and start on edit number 2.
Edit Number 2
In your second edit you should check for the following:
• Have I answered the question asked? Go through the original question, and any supplementary information, given to you by your lecturer. Study it. And go through the question piece by piece checking that you have included all of the
• Content, as it affects your argument and your choice of evidence. You may need to add or delete evidence at this point.
• Balance: Check to ensure that the presentation of your argument is not one sided.
Do you have arguments both for and against your thesis? Have you overcome the objections? Have you supported all arguments with evidence?
• Logical Order: Check that the sections and main points are in a logical order so that the arguments flow.
• Have you answered the lecturer’s question? You must check that all the question requirements and general instructions have been fulfilled. Have you critically analysed, or discussed, or applied the theory, or whatever you are required to do?
Have you written the appropriate number of words for each aspect of the writing task? Have the course objectives been taken into account along with any appropriate tips or hints that were given out in lectures or tutorials?
• Accuracy of the references: Check that all of your references are complete and have the correct information in terms of date and page. Are your references relevant to the subject and your argument? Have you included something from your assigned textbook, if appropriate?
The combined time to complete the first and second edit will be about 5-10 hours.
However, if you need to do any major re-writing or research new evidence it could even take longer.
Edit Number 3
For this edit, allow 2-3 hours correction time plus the time it takes to organise and have someone else read the paper.
• Topic Sentence: Check that each paragraph has a topic sentence by asking the question: ‘What is the point of this paragraph and how does it fit into the writing task?’
• Re-arrange Paragraphs: Where necessary rearrange your paragraphs so that they are logical in their presentation.
• Flagging: Have you lead the reader through the paper by continually telling them what you are doing next and why you might have included or excluded certain material but not other information. This includes mini introductions and conclusions at the beginning and end of sections and, where appropriate, sub-sections.
• Readability: Whilst this is especially important for students whose first language is not English, it nevertheless applies to everyone. You may wish to get someone else to read your work and bracket the sentences that don’t make sense to them – either grammatically or logically. You need to plan the appropriate amount of time for this; and give your reader clear directions of what you want them to do – what you want them to look for. Choose a good reader and chances are that the sentences they have trouble with would also be the ones that concern the marker. Correct these unclear sentences by adding examples and explanations or re-wording for clarity.
• Printing: If you are not going to print up the paper yourself make arrangements, or bookings, if necessary.
Edit Number 4
Allow about 2 hours for this edit.
• Transition Words: Check the use and appropriateness of transitions words like:
afterwards, furthermore, in addition, however, nevertheless, therefore, and so on.
• Links: Check that whenever possible, but as appropriate, paragraphs are linked one to another. Sometimes these links can be as simple as a good transition word. Other times it might require an entire sentence. Check that sections are also linked and that the entire paper is tied together by continually linking back to your aim or theme.
• Strengthen verbs where appropriate by replacing passive voice with active voice.
• Sentences: Check that the topic sentences are short and to the point, whilst sentences containing evidence are longer.
• Jargon and ‘Buzz’ Words: Be careful of the over use, and the inappropriate use, of jargon, ’buzz’ words or colloquialisms. Any special effect is destroyed with overuse.
• Creative Sentence Beginnings: There is nothing worse than to read a paper where every paragraph over a page or two, or even more, begins with: According to…”
According to…”. Or “This report…”; “This report …”. Try to start every paragraph and as many sentences as possible on any one page with a different beginning.
• Generalisations and Ambiguities: Check the paper for any gross generalisations or ambiguities.
• Check Punctuation.
Edit Number 5
Allow approximately 1-2 hours for this final edit.
• Vocabulary: Check the dictionary for the precise use of vocabulary. Look for any word that might be out of place.
• Formatting of Reference List: Ensure that the reference list has been properly formatted.
• Visual Attractiveness: Check the layout and format of your paper, the margins, double line spacing, sections, headings, consistency throughout, and that there are no orphaned headings, and so on.
• Special Instructions: Check your assignment details to make sure that any specific presentation instructions have been adhered to.
• Spell Check your paper.
• Do a Word Count
• Checklist Chapter 5 – Style: Go back to chapter 5 in this booklet and use that chapter as a final, overall checklist.
Final Read-Through
Having completed everything, if it is at all possible, set your paper aside for about a week and then come back to it for another read-through. Unfortunately, I can almost guarantee that when you come back to the paper you will find a whole range of mistakes that you completely overlooked with all the previous edits. Obviously, if you have to produce thirteen term papers in thirteen weeks this might be a luxury that you cannot afford. However, if the paper you are writing is very important, or a dissertation, or thesis, setting your paper aside for a day or two between the minor edits and at least a week or more after the final edit is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.
Having made the final corrections and completed a final read-through: