Throughout your school career, you will have to write numerous papers. It isn’t easy, after compiling all the pertinent research, making your outline, and writing the actual paper, to remove yourself from the process in order to self-edit your work. Unfortunately, it must be done, as every writer (no matter how seasoned) makes mistakes.  Especially when you have a grade riding on the outcome of your work, it is important to go back over your completed paper with a cautious eye to ensure that your submission is of the highest caliber. Follow the steps to self-edit your academic writing, and this professional editor guarantees that you will see an improvement!

First and foremost, utilize your computer’s software, for example Microsoft Word’s spell or grammar check. It won’t catch everything, but it will catch the glaring errors in both spelling and usage. It is available to you and costs you nothing; take advantage of it, and your academic writing can only improve.

After you have used the capabilities of your publishing software, and while you’re still on the computer, another easy self-editing solution is to sign onto the Internet.  These days, the Internet is a writer’s best friend. Do you have a question as to whether a word should be capitalized? Use Google! Enter your question and up pops grammar guides and writing forums to assist you!  You can even save the sites that answer questions that you often have to your “Favorites.” Then, the next time you have a question about capitalization, or the use of a hyphen, your answer is in your list, waiting for you!

However, the Internet doesn’t just answer grammar questions. It functions as an academic style-guide checker for you. Every single style guide on the market today (APA, MLA, CS, AP, Turabian, Harvard, etc.) has guides available online to assist you with everything from basic formatting of the paper to more specific questions about references and in-text citations. Purdue University’s online writing lab (search for Purdue OWL) is one of the most helpful academic editing resources available on the Internet today.

Still not certain? Enlist the services of a professional editor! You will be amazed at what a fresh pair of eyes can do for your academic writing, not to mention the fact that academic editors are style guide specialists! All you have to do when you place an order is tell the editor what style guide governs your paper, and in return you receive a polished piece of academic writing. The professional academic editors at First Editing are always available to help you with your academic writing. Contact us today!

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