So you finally managed to wrap up your dissertation to the point where all that is left is for you to edit and proofread your work. But what most students fail to realise is that writing your dissertation is not the only hard part of this academic journey. Editing and proofreading are their own mammoth tasks that should not be compromised on. But what exactly is the importance of dissertation editing and proofreading and why should it be a priority for you?
Before you consider submitting your dissertation, or any document for that matter, it is critical that you carefully scan your entire document to make sure that mistakes are not abundantly present. If you fail to do so then, under most circumstances, you will face some drawbacks to your business or personal image.Spelling mistakes and poor grammar and punctuation are small time issues which can be resolved with a quick look over, and this is very telling of how carefully company or person is in their private or public dealings. It may even be seen as incompetence.
Also, using a spell checker in most cases is not something that our professional dissertation writers would advise as these applications for checking are not always reliable. Many times, spellchecker applications can change the meaning of the sentence that you are writing and make them nonsensical. So the better way to go about editing your document for errors would be to slowly and steadily read through your entire text.
So now that we have talked about the importance of dissertation editing and proofreading, let’s take a look at some of the tried and tested methods of proofreading.
Try not to use spellchecking applications!
These applications are quite useful if you are editing a small email or essay, but with larger texts and documents like theses and dissertations, we would wholly recommend against using them.
As we discussed above, spellcheckers can change the meanings of the sentences that they are applied to. You might not even realise it as you simply hit the correction button and do not read what has been changed, but a combination of good proofreading and spellchecking can be a blessing in disguise.
Break the text into pieces which you can manage easily!
Reading through an entire 10,000-word document while looking for errors might end up causing more harm than good. You should consider dividing up your text into portions which are easier to manage.
For example, if you were to divide the introduction and the abstract of a dissertation into 4equal halves then you would not be stressed or overwhelmed about the remaining part that you need to read as you know exactly how much is left.
You can also use this approach to minimise the time that you have set aside just for proofreading, a division of the work can help you set daily and weekly goals.
You could aim to read 2,000 words in 2 days by giving intense focus to 1,000 words in one day.
Read out loud!
In some cases,even if a sentence that you have written is reading right on your paper, it is not necessary that this sentence is actually correct. You should consider reading out loud when you are doing dissertation proofreading. This will allow you to slowly read the words you have written and understand exactly what the issue is.
Try reading your work backward!
This may sound like a strange thing to do at first, but it will help you attain perfection in your dissertation. Reading your work backward will force you to focus on every word individually. In most cases, you will probably read each sentence twice while reading it back just to make sure that it looks and sounds right.
Take a step back from your desk!
Staying chained to your desk is usually not the most effective way to ensure that your dissertation turns out as perfect as you want it to be. Your brain can become overloaded with all of the information that comes as a part of reading and re-reading the same thing many times.
The stress on your mind could cause headaches and restlessness, so it is important that you step away from your desk sometimes, if only to stretch your legs.
Get some help from a friend!
What good are your friends and peers for they cannot help you in dissertation editing and proofreading when your will to live becomes imaginary? Try to take help from your friends who are willing to see you suffer just a little bit less! This might also give you a well-deserved break away from your dissertation.
So these were just some of the essential tips that our professional writers detailed with their years of expertise. If you are still having some problems in dissertation proofreading then you should consider our online affordable dissertation writing services and get in touch with our company.