Is your dissertation proofreading finished? You’ll need certain help and guidance to finalize this undertaking.

You need to polish the text and ensure that all tables and figures are inserted successfully.

You must review that it formats correctly according to the style guide and your university department’s guidelines.

This is where a dissertation editor comes in. Having a PhD and academic expertise, academic editors comprehend precisely what is thought to be necessary for your final paper that your committee and examiners will evaluate.

Here are some helpful hints on how to make certain that your thesis or dissertation proofreading is the best it can be.

You really should start with the fundamentals—does your thesis conform to your college or university’s formatting policy?

Check Your Style Guide

Verify which style guide your school wants you to use. The most common are APA, MLA, and Chicago, and they have websites (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01, http://www.mla.org, www.chicagomanualofstyle.org).

The one from Purdue offers clear and concise guidelines and recommendations on the best way to format according to the newest editions of the appropriate style guides. For those who have no guidebook, at least be certain that headings, references, page numbers, and so on are consistent.

However, it’s an excellent idea to get a copy of the latest style manual that you should reference when writing and formatting your paper.

Check for Spelling and Grammar

Another tip is to review your spelling and grammar carefully. Review your sentences, paragraphs, and sections. Some will probably be correct, while others will need work.

Most of the major substantial dictionaries have completely free websites, so use them when needed, like when your software’s spell-check doesn’t tell you the best way to spell your word. This applies particularly to medical terms or other field-specific terminology and jargon.

Reference your Figures and Tables

If your first draft or revised paper or thesis contains figures or tables, ensure that these are referenced explicitly inside the text. Do not create, “The figure around the following page shows…” Rather, write, “Figure two shows…” This rule also applies to tables.

Make sure they have captions that clearly and concisely explain what’s in the figure; otherwise, your reader won’t appreciate the full importance of them.

Proofread your Dissertation in Print Preview Mode

Finally, view the paper or dissertation in print preview mode. Doing so may present any formatting or page layout troubles you’ve missed. I use this to make certain that page breaks, segment breaks, page numbers, headings, and so forth are in the correct location—it can be quick and fruitful.

Our dissertation and paper editors at FirstEditing.com will do all of this and much more by polishing your essay in a way that is speedy, useful, and stress-free.