Ultimate Guide to Revising and Editing Research Papers So, you’ve finished writing your research paper? That’s awesome. You are one step away from turning it in. Give yourself a reward and have a rest.
The next step is to edit and proofread your piece of writing so that you are 100% sure it’s flawless, amazing, and easy-to-read. At this stage, you have 3 options:
- The first one is to do it on your own. It’s a good option if you are confident in your editing and proofreading skills.
- The second option is to ask your friends or family for help. However, you need to make sure they are good at editing essays and papers.
- The third option is to turn to a research paper service for professional writing and editing assistance provided by academic writers. In this case, you’ll get peace of mind and can be sure professional research paper editors will take care of the rest.
No matter what option you’d like to choose here’s a checklist of what you need to pay your attention to while revising and editing your research paper.
Is Your Grammar Good Enough?
The harsh reality is that even the slightest grammar error can ruin all your previous efforts. That’s why you need to be very attentive and careful with grammar.
If you have doubts about using some grammatical structures, try to avoid them in your writing. Change them for something simple.
Use simple tenses and make your sentences short. Avoid complex sentences.
It may be a great idea to use Grammarly to check your research paper for errors. Once you upload the text or copy-paste it into the software, it will automatically highlight all the spots that you need to pay your attention to.
Of course, if you have doubts about your grammar, it’s better to hire a professional editor. They will definitely help you make your paper matchless.
Does Your Manuscript Meet All The Formatting Standards?
Did you manage to meet all the APA/MLA formatting requirements? Did you make citations in accordance with the given standards? Do you have a Reference List properly organized?
Again, here you have several options. You can spend hours reading online guides like this one. Alternatively, if you don’t feel like spending tons of your time on this, you can find a professional research paper proofreader who will do it for you.
Is Your Paper Well-Researched?
This is another good question to ask yourself.
Did you put enough effort to find relevant and credible sources to quote in your paper? Is your thesis statement strong enough? Does your research have any true value in the academic world? Are your arguments strong?
These questions are not always easy to answer. You need to be very objective. Otherwise, it can cost you a grade.
Be honest with yourself. If you feel that you can’t cope with this on your own, why not ask a pro editor for help? It can save you time, effort, and reputation.
Is Structure Strong And Appropriate?
Research papers have a set structure for a good reason. Thus, one of the requirements that you need to meet is to make sure the structure you use in your paper is up to par.
The typical outline of a research paper looks like this:
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion/Conclusion
- References
Please, keep in mind that this structure may vary depending on the assignment your tutor assigned to you.
What About Clarity?
Did you choose the best words to express your thoughts? Are they clear and easy-to-understand? Is the overall flow of your writing clear and easy-to-follow?
These questions are difficult to answer if you are dealing with editing your paper on your own. You may use Hemingway app to make it easier for you.
Are There Any Punctuation Issues That You Need To Fix?
Look through your paper again. This time pay attention to punctuation. If you are not sure about your skills, use Grammarly to double-check it.
Also, there are many forums and sites where you can find information about the rules and usage of punctuation.
If you have doubts, you can search for some particular cases or rules on Google or ask a question on forums. If you are short of time and want to be more confident in the results, hire an expert proofreader.
Feel Worried About Typos? Use Spell Checkers
Typos are probably the biggest no-no in the academic world. If your tutor spots at least one, you are in trouble.
So, play safe. Use online spell checkers like Grammarly, Jspell, Reverso, Gingersoftware. You can use even several of them to make sure no typo slipped in your piece of writing.
Congrats! If you answer all these 7 questions, you are good to go. At last, you can turn in your research paper.
Did we miss anything? Feel free to share your own tips and hacks in the comments below.