Grammar, Style and Content: Fixing Problems in a Paper – Simple Steps

You have poured your blood, perspiration and tear and countless hours to write your dissertation and it is close to being done. This is an exhilarating moment for you, of course, as you get closer to your final destination. However, you wish your dissertation to be as strong as possible, and you would like not to overlook any errors that could have been averted. All this means is that you need to proofread your dissertation.

In this article, we have presented some simple tips and tricks to help you make your dissertation error-free. We will focus on dissertation editing and improvement and dissertation structure. You can also use these tips to proofread a research paper. Let’s get began then!

Go on a Little Vacation

Most writers ignore the significance of mental relaxation and plunge into the dissertation proofreading and editing stage right after completing the paper. It is highly recommended to take 1-2 days off with friends or family before starting proofreading.

Chose an Approach to Edit Your Paper

Do you like to work with Google Docs? And what about Microsoft Word? This is the question you may ask yourself many times, but we advise you to discuss it with your dissertation advisor which word editing software you will be using. If you choose a software that your advisor won’t use, you may need to make a change in the midst of the writing process.

It’s not the end of the world, but why not save yourself some time and make the decision now?

Are you familiar with the editing and commenting tools? If not yet, you should get familiar with them. You may This will make it much easier to see what needs to be edited, track what has already been edited and what still needs to be done during the editing process.

Spare Enough Time for Editing and Proofreading

The dissertation editing process can be lengthy, based on the content size, the subject and the rules of submission of your paper.

Check the content for clarity and grammar by reading a single page. Or try to correct a few quotes in the text and the associated references. Isn’t it possible that this will take some time? So, when planning your deadline, remember that you will need at least a few days between the completion of your work and the submission to completely revise your work.

Know Your Department Guidelines and Instructions

You probably remember the advice on exam preparation: “First read the questions carefully. The same goes for the guide to your dissertation editing.

This is not just about choosing between APA and Harvard Referencing styles. Your university may have its own dissertation submission requirements. When it comes to final revisions, there are often very strict formatting and dissertation structure rules that can be time-consuming to follow. It is important that you are aware of these guidelines very well.

Language and Tone of Your Paper

In your subject area, within your academic discipline, there will be some specific languages. Even if we know our vocabulary, one aspect of academic writing can cause problems: constructing sentences that describe technical phenomena in our field. It is a good idea to use research books, academic papers and published dissertations in your discipline as examples of writing.

Similarly, when it comes to tone of your dissertation, in most cases, we are supposed to write in an academic tone that corresponds to the author’s position in the paper.

This usually means that we omit the word “I” from our writing. This creates a barrier between the writer and the facts, allowing us to avoid bias in our work. It also avoids generalized language or jargons in the writing.

Spelling & Grammar check

While different articles may introduce many useful online editing tools, you should start with a basic spelling and grammar check in your word processing software. Then you can use a free online grammar service such as Grammarly, which will catch some of your mistakes.

Bear in mind, however, that such software’s cannot detect everything and may make mistakes in their suggestions. It does not eliminate the need for a spell and grammar check by a human brain!

Content Editing

Reviewing your content at this level will help you spot errors that you may have overlooked when writing the paper. Besides grammatical errors, there are many changes we can make during the editing process to improve the readability and ultimately the impact of our work.

How do we move from one part to the next or from one paragraph to the next? Are there phrases or terms in our content that we use too often. You may identify repetition and improve your word choice with this type of editing.

The recommendation to write in the active voice is a facet of writing that is frequently addressed. Although there is no hard and fast rule that the passive voice must never be used in a dissertation, it can be seen that some disciplines particularly prefer the active style. The natural sciences, on the other hand, do not adhere to this rule because the use of the passive voice eliminates pronouns and makes our words seem objective. This way your content will be more meaningful, flowing and coherent.

You can read more detail about how it works at dissertation proofreading services

Referencing

Everything you cite in your text should also be listed in your bibliography and vice versa. Remove all sources from the bibliography that were not cited in the text of the dissertation. Cite each source correctly. As soon as you have decided on a reference style, make sure to use the necessary online web tools to help you create your citations. The reference list should be in alphabetical order.

Formatting of Your Paper

Fortunately, this is one of the areas where academia is very specific. Follow the instructions, just as you would with citations. If the instructions say that “all subheadings should be set in Arial, underlined and in font size 11”, follow it! In case of any confusion, always consult your department.

If you want to learn more about formatting and structure of the dissertation, follow dissertation structure

Get Yourself a Reader!

Have you got a friend, a parent or a relative who is enthusiastic about your ambition to go to university? A classmate who is willing to help you?

All of these great people are prospective readers of your work and therefore potential dissertation proofreaders. When you have someone else look over your work, you may discover mistakes you missed or small flaws that escaped your sleepy eyes.

Concluding Remarks

As this article shows, dissertation editing involves reviewing many different aspects of the work it is helpful to keep a list of what needs to be done. Tick off all the items you have already worked on and mark what is still outstanding. We trust that these suggestions will help provide you with your dissertation editing that will address some of your major concerns about your dissertation. Your dissertation is ready to be handed in if you carefully and strictly follow the guidelines and directions and use the resources at your disposal.