Editing & proofreading - Writing - UniSkills - Curtin Library Search UniSkills Search all of Curtin UniSkills home Assignment Explore Assignment skills Analysing Unpack and understand your assignment question Finding Learn how to search effectively Reading Explore reading and note taking techniques Citing Master paraphrasing, summarising and quoting Writing Find out how to write with confidence and clarity Referencing Discover the details of referencing Study Explore Study skills Critical thinking Refine your critical thinking skills Study habits Explore effective ways to study and learn Group work Learn about group work and working in teams Oral presentations Polish and perfect your presentation Tests and exams Ace your assessments and written exams LANTITE Prepare for sitting LANTITE Digital Explore Digital skills 23 Things Enhance your digital skills and knowledge EndNote essentials Get started with EndNote EndNote extras Discover advanced functionality for researchers EndNote online Collaborate with EndNote Online Qualtrics Learn how to create a web-based survey NVivo Discover qualitative analysis software NVivo SPSS Learn how to use SPSS for statistical analysis Microsoft Word Explore the key features of Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Discover the fundamentals of Microsoft Excel Numeracy Explore Numeracy skills Fundamentals Learn or refresh key numerical concepts Algebra Discover the fundamentals of algebra Statistics Learn how to calculate and interpret statistics Referencing Explore Referencing skills APA 7th Learn to cite in the APA 7th style Chicago 17th B Learn to cite in the Chicago 17th B style AGLC Learn to cite in the AGLC style Vancouver Learn to cite in the Vancouver style Writing with integrity Integrate referencing into your writing Help Writing Assignment Writing Editing & proofreading Introduction Toggle Dropdown What is your writing style? Assignment type and purpose Essays Toggle Dropdown Essay structure Paragraph structure Reports Toggle Dropdown How to write a report Structure of a report Writing style Test your knowledge - comparison of essays and reports Report writing checklist Reflective writing Toggle Dropdown How to write reflectively Reflective writing structure Models for Reflective Writing Reflective writing scenarios Case studies Toggle Dropdown How to write a case study Literature reviews Toggle Dropdown How to write a literature review Structure & mechanics Toggle Dropdown Sentences explained Test your knowledge Active and passive sentences Cohesion and transition Punctuation Test your knowledge - punctuation Editing & proofreading Toggle Dropdown Final Tips The final thing you should do before submitting any assignment is to edit and proofread your work. Editing focuses on refining the content and structure of your assignment, whereas proofreading is more of a final check for any typos or formatting issues. Ideally you will be editing and revising your writing as you go, but a few final checks will ensure you are submitting your best possible draft. Plan to have enough time to read over and edit your assignment multiple times. Editing your own work generally works best if you have set your assignment aside for a while and come back to it with a fresh perspective. We recommend leaving it overnight but, regardless of how much, some space will always help. Reading your work out loud is a helpful way to identify any awkward or confusing sentences, or any gaps in your assignment. Getting someone else to read over your writing is also a great way to pick up on any areas you may have missed. Just remember that any editing (including grammar and spelling) is your responsibility, and should not be undertaken by anyone else. Download the Editing/proofreading checklist [PDF, 225 KB] to use when doing the final check of your assignment (note: not all items will be applicable to every assignment type). It helps to have this list handy alongside your marking rubric, to ensure you are meeting all of your assessment requirements. You may want to add your own items to the list as well. You can also work your way through the following activities to test your understanding of this part of the assignment process. Final Tips There are a few online tools (with free and paid versions) that may help you to edit and proofread your writing). Grammarly online The Hemingway Editor Don’t forget that most word processing software have an in-built spelling and grammar checking function. To use the tool in Microsoft Word: Go to the Review tab Click Spelling & Grammar Go through the suggested corrections from Word, and either ignore or accept the changes (Word is not 100% accurate, so you will need to check the suggestions carefully). For more tips on using Microsoft Word, head to our Microsoft Word essentials program. Previous: Structure & mechanics Now: Editing & proofreading Next guide: Referencing Library academic support suite Research Toolkit Makerspace 23 Things About UniSkills UniSkills site map Library Home Help News Campuses Australia Dubai Malaysia Mauritius Singapore Teaching areas Centre for Aboriginal Studies Business and Law Health Sciences Humanities Science and Engineering Copyright Disclaimer Privacy UGC Statement Accessibility Contact ABN 99 143 842 569. CRICOS Provider Code 00301J. TEQSA PRV12158 Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.
