Writing a formal paper for school can be pretty tough but even after you’re finished writing, you might still have one thing left to be done. To make sure your paper is in the top shape and deserves the highest grade possible, it’s important to edit it properly. Now, while this task is certainly not as challenging as writing, it can still be pretty heavy, especially if you need to edit your paper fast and thoroughly.

Polishing Like a Pro

Essentially, the process of an academic paper editing aims to make it perfect and lacking anything unnecessary that might have been inserted during the creative process. And that’s what makes editing a challenging process in the first place. It’s another creative process that requires you to look at your work cold-eyed as if you haven’t written it at all. Although that’s not the easiest feat for sure, there are a couple of tricks from the real pros that can make this task much easier.

Do several readings. Editing a paper is a multi-layered process that doesn’t allow you to focus on all aspects at once. You’ll probably need to review your work several times before you can call it a day. So, the first thing you must do is not expect to edit your work fast. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Make sure the style of the paper is consistent throughout. It’s very unlikely that you write your paper in one sitting. It’s also very unlikely that you’re writing a completely unopinionated paper. You either make breaks or have different opinions on different issues you bring up in the paper. That’s why the experts from GrabMyEssay recommend starting with paying attention to this factor. Once the paper is consistent, it meets the minimum requirements, in fact.

Proofread, proofread, proofread. A paper written by a perfectly literate person is more credible and taken more seriously. No matter how interesting and insightful your thoughts are; if the paper contains silly spelling or grammar mistakes, nobody will pay attention to your ideas. That’s why you might need to reread your paper a few times to proofread it well and get a higher grade.

Avoid wordiness. A common mistake of many students is that they try to meet the wordcount requirement first and get to the point later. But when they get there, the word count becomes suddenly too tight. And the paper is mostly just beating around the bush. Make sure to include the necessary parts only and cut down if you see anything odd.

Show, not tell. Just like with fiction, academic papers also don’t like bold claims and unchecked facts. Cite everything that have several meanings for different people and try to express your opinion only if required and only in concluding parts and sentences.

Getting to the Highest Grade

Writing an academic paper is not a simple task indeed. It requires a lot of persistence, patience, and attention. Still, it’s a manageable task if approached properly. It’s always important to understand that no paper can be written in just a few hours, so might want to consider several sittings at least. And at least one of them should be dedicated to editing.