Editing

1. You should always edit a piece of work before handing it in. Removing any small mistakes will improve what you write.

2. Checking what you have written might improve your marks. Read through your work carefully and correct any errors.

3. Correct any sloppy writing. If something seems weak or unclear, take the trouble to put it right. If this isn't possible, be prepared to get rid of it.

4. Check for missing words. If you are using a word- processor, a grammar-checker might help you here. Check for sentences which are grammatically incomplete. Look out for those which might lack any part of the Subject-Verb-Object minimum for grammatical coherence.

5. Check that you have the correct spelling for any names, technical terms, or lesser-known words. If in doubt, look them up in a dictionary. Use the spell-checker if your word-processor has one.

6. Check that your punctuation is consistent, accurate, and legible.

7. Check the layout of your pages.

8. If your final draft contains a lot of mistakes, be prepared to re-write it. This will probably gain extra marks.

Checklist

• eliminate any awkward turns of phrase
• split up any sentences which are too long
• re-arrange the order of your paragraphs
• eliminate any repetitions
• correct spelling mistakes or bad punctuation
• create smooth links between paragraphs
• add anything important you have missed
• delete anything which is not relevant
• check for weak grammar
• run the grammar-checker and spell-checker