Having a proofreading service review your academic essay can be the difference between a good essay, and an excellent one. However, many students neglect the importance of a proofreading service as a key step in writing their essays. Proofreading is an essential step in the writing process and can be instrumental in ensuring your ideas and thoughts are communicated clearly and cohesively.
Proofreading should only be completed once the essay or document
has been finalised. This means that the essay has already been through a
rigorous editing process, where the argument has been thoroughly developed and
organised. During this editing process, it is important to assess the structure
of the essay. For example, could paragraphs be rearranged to improve your argument?
Do the ideas you present follow each other in a logical and comprehensible way?
During the editing process, you should also take the time to
rewrite any sections of the essay that you aren’t completely happy with, or
that don’t add to the overall argument. The editing process allows you to
revise aspects of the essay that may be weaker, or not as convincing as other
sections. It is okay to add or change the content of your essay at this stage,
as long as it relates to and supports your argument, and stays within the
prescribed word limit.
The best practice during the editing process is to save each draft
of your essay as a new file. This means that you will have a complete record of
your progress and can refer back to older versions of the text if there is an
idea you wish to revisit. When you are happy that the editing process is
complete and the content of your essay is finalised, you can begin the
proofreading stage.
Proofreading involves checking the content for errors in
punctuation, spelling and grammar. It provides the opportunity to fix any
errors or mistakes that may take away from the overall argument of the essay. Whilst
many computers have software that can spell-checka document for you, they are
not capable of checking for correct word choice or complex grammar.
An experienced proofreader can spot and fix grammatical errors,
particularly as they will have a much greater understanding of the overall
meaning of the sentence. Something as simple as incorrect punctuation can
change the entire meaning of a phrase or sentence, so it is important to have
your work reviewed by an expert.
Grammar, spelling and punctuation are key aspects of the academic
grading process, and if unsatisfactory, they can bring the grade of the paper
down. It is essential to have every error checked, regardless of how unimportant
you think it may be. Proofreading can improve the clarity and understanding of
your argument. A proofreading service can also check the format and clarity of
the citations and references in the essay, another common mistake that impacts
the grade.