Writing your assignment
Proofread and edit your assignment
Now it is time to proofread and edit your assignment to a professional standard. Proofread your writing with fresh eyes to avoid missing any careless mistakes and do this on several occasions, each time paying particular attention to a specific aspect of your writing. Give yourself plenty of time to proofread so that you can ensure you have produced a well-structured paper which is relevant, developed, supported and convincing.
Watch the video
Video length: 6 minutes, 57 seconds (Griffith University 2018)
Key points from the video
- Do a spelling, punctuation and grammar check before printing a copy for further proofreading.
- Set your writing aside for a while and read with fresh eyes later.
- Read your writing out loud so that you can hear it.
- Ensure your argument is relevant by checking the task instructions and marking criteria.
- Make sure your evidence is relevant, credible and sufficient.
- Look at one aspect at a time, for example:
- relevance
- structure (overall and at paragraph level)
- development of ideas in each paragraph
- paraphrasing and in-text referencing
- cohesion and flow
- academic language
- grammar, spelling and punctuation at sentence level
- the reference list.
Note: Before submitting your assignment, use the Editing your final draft resource to help you check your assignment before you submit it.
Need further tips on proofreading for different aspects of your assignment?
Refer to:
- the Interpret the task section when proofreading for relevance of your argument and ideas
- the Write your essay or Write your report sections when checking your overall structure, paragraph development and expression
- the Integrate references in your writing section and the Referencing website when checking your paraphrases, format and integration of references in your paragraphs, and when editing your reference list
- the English section on the Study Help site for guidance on grammar.
You can also submit your assignment draft to Studiosity or book a face-to-face appointment with a Learning Adviser to receive general feedback and advice before finalising and submitting your essay.