Solid editing and proofreading of university assignments can
make a huge difference to grades received. It’s about structure and style as
well as spelling and grammar used.
An editor will ensure that a paper has a clear start, middle
and end. That the message sent is clear and that the main arguments have been
covered. An editor will make certain a student doesn’t make contradictions and
that an argument is convincing. An editor will check that there is a logical flow
and that the question asked is responded to correctly. An editor will safeguard
that your work isn’t too wordy, that the sentences aren’t too long and that you
are writing academically or formally. While each university has varying ideas
about a particular writing style the significant point to remember is that a scholar’s
work can be understood without question.
Sometimes it can be unclear what is acceptable
academically, and ideas about good writing style or good academic writing means being cognisant of not using:
- · Slang, like this fella, use instead, Mr Peters.
- · Jargon, which is language used by a particular group of people, like medical staff or government employees. An example would be a doctor using Rx instead of medication or Code 7 if you are a police officer. The general population doesn’t understand terms that are not generic unless they are in the field themselves.
- · Internet jargon, although widely understood now by many are not known or accepted by others. Things like lol and brb and so on are nonsensical unless written personally.
- · Do not over use abbreviations such as, ASAP.
- · Contractions such as is not instead of isn’t.
- · Avoiding personalisation like I think, I feel. This is obviously different when writing reflective pieces.
- · Clichés should also be avoided at all cost. They depict a lack of original thought. They stink unless written in a novel or when repeating a factual statement another person has used and the using of square brackets around a cliché is a good idea…as in The good professor mentioned last week it was raining [cats and dogs] all day.
When writing academically and therefore based on research,
use language such as tends to, or suggests that rather than it is a fact that, or it is definitely not. In addition, try
not to use verbose wording. A bigger word, does not make it better and there is
the possibility the writer may get it wrong. Avoid the use of the second person
pronoun you. Instead of saying, you will note the difference between…say
instead, the difference can be noted in.
Grammar needs to be consistent in terms of tense all the way
through. Pronoun reference can be fraught with danger in terms of noun usage. It
is ambiguous and may mean rearticulating to ensure precision. Instead of
writing, after grandma put her china in
the cupboard she sold it, write, grandma
sold the china after putting it in the cupboard. The person reading the first line would be unsure if grandma was
selling the china or the cupboard.
A student’s job is huge. It is not just ensuring research is
captured correctly and that the introduction, body and conclusion is answered fittingly; for the student, the constant thought when writing a paper needs to be that you are writing
for the reader.
As Dr Seuss said; the
writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader
who reads.
Freelance editor and proofreader
