Writing a research paper might take more time and energy, but the real work lies in editing. This is because editing an academic paper can make or break it. Have you ever come across an information-rich article or story, got invested, only to abandon it halfway because the structure, grammar, or choice of words was too boring or complicated? I have. And no amount of curiosity could make up for the fact that the material was badly edited and incoherent. So I just stopped reading and moved on to other things.
You don’t want that to happen with your research paper. After all, you’ve done the most, researching your ideas in depth and stringing them together to create your paper. The worst that could happen is a professor or instructor tossing the paper in the trash or piling it with the rest of the other mediocre papers collecting dust in their office because they were badly edited. But how do you prevent that? This post examines how to edit a research paper like a pro. We also included a free editing checklist to help you create a clear, concise, and coherent research paper.
Research Paper Editing: How to Edit a Research Paper Like a Pro
Editing is the revision and evaluation of a manuscript or the first draft to make it readable and ready for submission. It varies from simple acts such as spellcheck and correcting grammar, to more complicated amendments like changing the sentence structures and tone. Whether you’re submitting the research paper to a journal for publishing or your course instructor/professor, editing is essential and an integral part of academic writing.
Why Edit a Research Paper?
Editing a research paper offers various benefits. These include:
- It ensures clarity by eliminating errors, complex word choices, and ambiguous sentence structures
- It makes the paper more persuasive and comprehensible
- Enhances the credibility and impact of the paper
- It ensures the content agrees with the thesis statement and research question
- It improves reader engagement and attention
Without further ado, let’s discuss how to edit a research paper like a pro.
How to Edit a Research Paper Like a Pro
To edit a research paper like an expert, you need to understand the different types/stages of editing. Each stage plays an important role in the outcome of your edited paper. The various types of editing in academic writing are:
Content Editing
This is the first line of revision, which checks whether the content is in line with the thesis statement, research question, or intended message. What are your main ideas and arguments? Are they substantial and logical? In short, content editing looks at your research paper’s big picture. What are you addressing? How well have you addressed it? For example, if your research paper seeks to show how social media affects mental health, does your content logically address this subject? Or did you go off topic?
Copy Editing
When most people think of editing, they are thinking about spelling mistakes, punctuation, grammar, syntax, style, and consistency. This is what copy editing is all about. Copy editing seeks to improve the overall readability of your content by fixing grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes.
Stylistic/Line Editing
We are now entering the more complex stages of editing. Line editing is all about how you express your ideas; the style, flow, tone, word choice, name it. How can you improve these aspects without altering the core message of your paper? Examples of line editing include removing redundancies, using better synonyms, and simplifying complex phrasing of words.
Mechanical Editing
One of the factors that makes academic writing so demanding is the need to use a specific style guide or formatting. These style guidelines dictate aspects like capitalization, page numbers, titles and headings, tables and figures, references, citation style, spacing, etc. Popular ones include MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard style guides. Mechanical editing ensures your paper meets the requirements of a chosen style guide. If your target journal, instructor, or professor recommended the APA format, edit your paper to ensure it follows this format. The same goes for other style guides. Now that we’ve learned the various editing types and stages, let’s look at the tips and tricks on how to edit a research paper like a pro.
Research Paper Editing Tips: How to Edit Like a Pro
Follow the tips below to self-edit your research paper like a professional editor:
Create an Editing Checklist
The best way to ensure you don’t miss anything is to create an editing checklist. This checklist ensures all editing stages are covered, including content, copy, line, and mechanical editing. Here’s our free checklist for research paper editing:
Content Editing
- Is the research question, thesis, or main argument clearly stated?
- Is the paper flow logical from the introduction to the conclusion?
- Are all necessary sections like introduction, body, methodology, and results covered?
- Are all arguments and claims supported with evidence?
Copy Editing
- Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation check.
- Language consistency, present and past tense, UK and US English, etc.
- Capitalization, proper nouns, numbering, etc
- Sentence, paragraph, and content quality.
Stylistic/Line Editing
- Clear, easy to read, and sentences with varying structures.
- Are there complex, confusing, and ambiguous word choices or phrases?
- Formal and professional tone for academic work.
- No redundancy, repetitive phrases, and passive voice
Mechanical Editing
- Is the formatting consistent with the recommended style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, etc)?
- Formatting of headings, subheadings, figures, tables, etc.
- In-text citations and references.
- Consistent fonts, spacing, text alignment, numbering, etc.
Others
- Is every source in the reference list cited in the text?
- Are the sources recent and credible?
- Have you read the research paper aloud to catch awkward phrases and word choices?
- Plagiarism check
Identify Areas of Concern
Read and understand your draft, including the misses and hits. With a visual idea of areas that need improvement, you can divide your editing into the various stages according to the purpose of editing. For instance, if you notice a lot of grammatical and spelling errors, you can start with copyediting. Be sure to check off the checklist after completing every editing stage.
Edit in Phases (Take Breaks)
Depending on the length of your research paper, editing can take hours, days, or even weeks. How well you edit your paper relies on how fresh you are and your ability to concentrate on the details. Exhaustion and boredom can get in the way of this. That’s why you should edit your draft in phases. For instance, you can focus on content editing and copy editing on one day, then shift to line editing the next day. The goal is to be as fresh and attentive as possible for every editing session. Take breaks and come back with a fresh set of eyes.
Think Like a Critic or Reviewer
Another secret to quality editing is to disown your manuscript or draft. In what way? Instead of thinking of the paper as your best work yet and feeling proud, look at it from a reviewer’s perspective. A critic even. Assume this is the first time you are coming across this text, and you want to find the paper’s weaknesses. This way, you’ll catch all the possible errors, issues, and inconsistencies.
Get Fresh Eyes and Perspective
We are our biggest cheerleaders, which is a good thing. After all, being confident in your abilities and accomplishments surpasses any compliment from a third party. However, this also means you may overlook your flaws and weaknesses. Self-editing is great. However, if you want to upgrade your academic paper from good to excellent, you need a fresh set of eyes and an unbiased perspective on your paper. You can request your peers or a mentor to read your paper and identify anything that needs amendment. If you don’t have anyone to ask, consider hiring a professional editor. Professional editing services are better because an expert is making your paper better. Also, you are paying them to do it, so it doesn’t feel like a burden.
Final Thoughts
Editing is the bridge between an unfinished draft and a polished research paper. It’s the force that will transform your raw ideas into a coherent academic paper worth reading. While self-editing is crucial and a first step towards polishing your paper, professional editing makes all the difference.
Professional editors ensure your content is clear, your citations are correct, and the paper meets the required academic standards. If you’re looking for a reliable professional research paper editor, look no further. At Paperial, we specialize in academic assistance, including writing, editing, and proofreading research papers, dissertations, and essays. Our professional editors are the best in the game. They are:
- Detail oriented
- Knowledgeable about different academic style guides
- Possesses excellent grammar and language skills
- Respectful of your voice as the author, only making necessary changes
- Deadline-conscious
Are you ready to maximize your research paper’s potential? Contact us for a free quote. We will ensure your research paper meets all the academic standards provided by your professor, giving you peace of mind. Don’t let the pressure overwhelm you. We can lend you our expert and detail-oriented eyes.
