©Rachel Wilson, UWIC Academic Skills Team, November 2009

Editing Checklist

To check for Checked? Notes?

Overall Does the writing fit the brief?

Is it format-specific? (e.g. Does it take account of

difference between printed page and screen)

Has all the key information been included?

Is it focused and to the point?

Is it professionally written and presented?

Structure Is the structure logical?

Does it make overall sense?

Does the writing flow?

Style

Is the tone appropriate to the context?

Does it target the audience effectively?

Does the piece ‘show instead of tell’?

Is it free of cliché and hackneyed phrases?

Is it interesting? /Is it entertaining?

Is it original?

Is it intelligent?

Meaning

Is the meaning crystal clear?

Is the writing concise?

Are the language choices precise? (E.g. Use strong and specific verbs instead of vague or generalised ones) Remember to use a thesaurus

Is it free of clutter? (E.g. Free of repetition and unnecessary qualifiers)

Grammar: Common errors to check for include:

Fused or run-on sentences

Fragment sentences

Incorrect subject-verb agreement

Switching between active and passive voice

Punctuation and spelling: Proofread for:

Incorrect use of commas/semi-colons/colons

Incorrect or inappropriate use of contractions

Extra or missing apostrophes

Accidental typos (Use a dictionary and spellchecker)

Words with same sound but different meaning (e.g. formerly/formally etc)

Commonly confused words (E.g. affect/effect etc)