Editing and ProofreadingResearch Papers

English III

Ocoee High School

First Step: Editing

• Tips for Getting Started:– Get distance from the paper. It is difficult to edit,

or proofread, something you’ve just finished.– Pick your medium and stick to it. Edit online or

on paper—choose what works best for you.– Find a quiet place to edit: distractions, such as TV

or music, can ruin the process.– Try changing the font or type size so the paper

looks different.

Editing and proofreading are two different stages that come after the revision process.

Begin Editing

• Paragraph structure:– Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence.– Look for good transitions from one paragraph to the

next.– Look for any fragmented sentences.

• Clarity:– Is the meaning of each sentence clear.– Is it clear what each pronoun refers to: he, she, it, they,

which, who—check subject/verb agreement. – Check your choice of words—is the meaning clear—

don’t use words if you’re not exactly sure of the meaning.

Begin Editing• Analyze the Style:

– Is the tone appropriate: formal, persuasive, informative.– Does your writing contain many unnecessary or trite

phrases such as “there is,” “there are,” “due to the fact that,” “in terms of.” Rework those sentences

– Is the paper repetitious. Don’t use the same phrases or begin sentences in the same way. Vary the language and sentence length.

• Citations:– Have you correctly cited quotes, paraphrases and ideas

from your sources. – Check the format for your parenthetical citations.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the last phase of the editing process and it should be done on a final draft as well as the paper you plan to turn in.

• Content Isn’t Everything:– Careless errors distract the reader.– How your paper looks and conforms to the

appropriate format will affect your grade.

You’ve spent a lot of time researching and writing your paper, don’t rush through proofreading and miss common errors.

How To Get Started

• Use Similar Techniques as for Editing:– Work on a hardcopy not online.– Get distance from the paper.– Find a quiet place to work.– Try to proofread in short blocks of time to keep

your concentration.– Try to keep the editing and proofreading process

separate. Keep in mind that proofreading is the final phase of the editing process.

Tips for Proofreading• Don’t Rely on Spell Check:

– They are not foolproof.– Spell check does not look at words in context,

e.g., “you’re” and “your” and “to” and “too” have different meanings but may be spelled correctly.

• Don’t Rely on Grammar Check:– This can sometimes be useful for locating run-on

sentences and sentence fragments but can be otherwise misleading.

• Circle Every Punctuation Mark:– Ask yourself if the punctuation is correct.

The Proofreading Process

• Read Slowly and Read Every Word:– Take a pencil and point to each word and move the

pencil along to each word as you read it.– Read out loud—this will help you catch errors that

you may mentally correct when reading silently.– Have a friend read your paper—it’s hard to proof

your own work.– Write your corrections directly on your paper as

you find errors.

Finishing the Paper

• Make Corrections then Proofread Again!– From your hand-corrected hardcopy, make changes

online and then print it out.– You will need to proof more than once to make

sure you’ve caught everything and corrected everything.

When you feel you are finished, proofread your final copy. If there are no more corrections to

make, turn it in.

Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

First: Revision

Second: Editing

Third: Proofreading

Sequence of Events Following a Rough Draft