May 18, 2023 · What is essay editing? Essay editing involves performing grammatical or structural checks in order to improve the readability and coherence of your essay. While most believe that editing an essay simply involves proofreading it, it is actually a much more extensive process. ... Jun 16, 2022 · How to Edit Your Essay. Writing an essay is hard work! Once you put in time researching, outlining, and writing, you want to be sure to turn in a near-perfect essay. Editing your essay to perfection can be done in just a few simple steps. Strengthen Your Thesis Statement. The thesis statement is the backbone of your essay. You can think of your ... ... May 11, 2023 · The essay editing stage is what will help you out. Here, our expert writing services suggest 10 powerful editing tips to help you transform your essay from good to great. ... ">

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Editing and Proofreading

What this handout is about.

This handout provides some tips and strategies for revising your writing. To give you a chance to practice proofreading, we have left seven errors (three spelling errors, two punctuation errors, and two grammatical errors) in the text of this handout. See if you can spot them!

Is editing the same thing as proofreading?

Not exactly. Although many people use the terms interchangeably, editing and proofreading are two different stages of the revision process. Both demand close and careful reading, but they focus on different aspects of the writing and employ different techniques.

Some tips that apply to both editing and proofreading

  • Get some distance from the text! It’s hard to edit or proofread a paper that you’ve just finished writing—it’s still to familiar, and you tend to skip over a lot of errors. Put the paper aside for a few hours, days, or weeks. Go for a run. Take a trip to the beach. Clear your head of what you’ve written so you can take a fresh look at the paper and see what is really on the page. Better yet, give the paper to a friend—you can’t get much more distance than that. Someone who is reading the paper for the first time, comes to it with completely fresh eyes.
  • Decide which medium lets you proofread most carefully. Some people like to work right at the computer, while others like to sit back with a printed copy that they can mark up as they read.
  • Try changing the look of your document. Altering the size, spacing, color, or style of the text may trick your brain into thinking it’s seeing an unfamiliar document, and that can help you get a different perspective on what you’ve written.
  • Find a quiet place to work. Don’t try to do your proofreading in front of the TV or while you’re chugging away on the treadmill. Find a place where you can concentrate and avoid distractions.
  • If possible, do your editing and proofreading in several short blocks of time. Your concentration may start to wane if you try to proofread the entire text at one time.
  • If you’re short on time, you may wish to prioritize. Make sure that you complete the most important editing and proofreading tasks.

Editing is what you begin doing as soon as you finish your first draft. You reread your draft to see, for example, whether the paper is well-organized, the transitions between paragraphs are smooth, and your evidence really backs up your argument. You can edit on several levels:

Have you done everything the assignment requires? Are the claims you make accurate? If it is required to do so, does your paper make an argument? Is the argument complete? Are all of your claims consistent? Have you supported each point with adequate evidence? Is all of the information in your paper relevant to the assignment and/or your overall writing goal? (For additional tips, see our handouts on understanding assignments and developing an argument .)

Overall structure

Does your paper have an appropriate introduction and conclusion? Is your thesis clearly stated in your introduction? Is it clear how each paragraph in the body of your paper is related to your thesis? Are the paragraphs arranged in a logical sequence? Have you made clear transitions between paragraphs? One way to check the structure of your paper is to make a reverse outline of the paper after you have written the first draft. (See our handouts on introductions , conclusions , thesis statements , and transitions .)

Structure within paragraphs

Does each paragraph have a clear topic sentence? Does each paragraph stick to one main idea? Are there any extraneous or missing sentences in any of your paragraphs? (See our handout on paragraph development .)

Have you defined any important terms that might be unclear to your reader? Is the meaning of each sentence clear? (One way to answer this question is to read your paper one sentence at a time, starting at the end and working backwards so that you will not unconsciously fill in content from previous sentences.) Is it clear what each pronoun (he, she, it, they, which, who, this, etc.) refers to? Have you chosen the proper words to express your ideas? Avoid using words you find in the thesaurus that aren’t part of your normal vocabulary; you may misuse them.

Have you used an appropriate tone (formal, informal, persuasive, etc.)? Is your use of gendered language (masculine and feminine pronouns like “he” or “she,” words like “fireman” that contain “man,” and words that some people incorrectly assume apply to only one gender—for example, some people assume “nurse” must refer to a woman) appropriate? Have you varied the length and structure of your sentences? Do you tends to use the passive voice too often? Does your writing contain a lot of unnecessary phrases like “there is,” “there are,” “due to the fact that,” etc.? Do you repeat a strong word (for example, a vivid main verb) unnecessarily? (For tips, see our handouts on style and gender-inclusive language .)

Have you appropriately cited quotes, paraphrases, and ideas you got from sources? Are your citations in the correct format? (See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for more information.)

As you edit at all of these levels, you will usually make significant revisions to the content and wording of your paper. Keep an eye out for patterns of error; knowing what kinds of problems you tend to have will be helpful, especially if you are editing a large document like a thesis or dissertation. Once you have identified a pattern, you can develop techniques for spotting and correcting future instances of that pattern. For example, if you notice that you often discuss several distinct topics in each paragraph, you can go through your paper and underline the key words in each paragraph, then break the paragraphs up so that each one focuses on just one main idea.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process, focusing on surface errors such as misspellings and mistakes in grammar and punctuation. You should proofread only after you have finished all of your other editing revisions.

Why proofread? It’s the content that really matters, right?

Content is important. But like it or not, the way a paper looks affects the way others judge it. When you’ve worked hard to develop and present your ideas, you don’t want careless errors distracting your reader from what you have to say. It’s worth paying attention to the details that help you to make a good impression.

Most people devote only a few minutes to proofreading, hoping to catch any glaring errors that jump out from the page. But a quick and cursory reading, especially after you’ve been working long and hard on a paper, usually misses a lot. It’s better to work with a definite plan that helps you to search systematically for specific kinds of errors.

Sure, this takes a little extra time, but it pays off in the end. If you know that you have an effective way to catch errors when the paper is almost finished, you can worry less about editing while you are writing your first drafts. This makes the entire writing proccess more efficient.

Try to keep the editing and proofreading processes separate. When you are editing an early draft, you don’t want to be bothered with thinking about punctuation, grammar, and spelling. If your worrying about the spelling of a word or the placement of a comma, you’re not focusing on the more important task of developing and connecting ideas.

The proofreading process

You probably already use some of the strategies discussed below. Experiment with different tactics until you find a system that works well for you. The important thing is to make the process systematic and focused so that you catch as many errors as possible in the least amount of time.

  • Don’t rely entirely on spelling checkers. These can be useful tools but they are far from foolproof. Spell checkers have a limited dictionary, so some words that show up as misspelled may really just not be in their memory. In addition, spell checkers will not catch misspellings that form another valid word. For example, if you type “your” instead of “you’re,” “to” instead of “too,” or “there” instead of “their,” the spell checker won’t catch the error.
  • Grammar checkers can be even more problematic. These programs work with a limited number of rules, so they can’t identify every error and often make mistakes. They also fail to give thorough explanations to help you understand why a sentence should be revised. You may want to use a grammar checker to help you identify potential run-on sentences or too-frequent use of the passive voice, but you need to be able to evaluate the feedback it provides.
  • Proofread for only one kind of error at a time. If you try to identify and revise too many things at once, you risk losing focus, and your proofreading will be less effective. It’s easier to catch grammar errors if you aren’t checking punctuation and spelling at the same time. In addition, some of the techniques that work well for spotting one kind of mistake won’t catch others.
  • Read slow, and read every word. Try reading out loud , which forces you to say each word and also lets you hear how the words sound together. When you read silently or too quickly, you may skip over errors or make unconscious corrections.
  • Separate the text into individual sentences. This is another technique to help you to read every sentence carefully. Simply press the return key after every period so that every line begins a new sentence. Then read each sentence separately, looking for grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. If you’re working with a printed copy, try using an opaque object like a ruler or a piece of paper to isolate the line you’re working on.
  • Circle every punctuation mark. This forces you to look at each one. As you circle, ask yourself if the punctuation is correct.
  • Read the paper backwards. This technique is helpful for checking spelling. Start with the last word on the last page and work your way back to the beginning, reading each word separately. Because content, punctuation, and grammar won’t make any sense, your focus will be entirely on the spelling of each word. You can also read backwards sentence by sentence to check grammar; this will help you avoid becoming distracted by content issues.
  • Proofreading is a learning process. You’re not just looking for errors that you recognize; you’re also learning to recognize and correct new errors. This is where handbooks and dictionaries come in. Keep the ones you find helpful close at hand as you proofread.
  • Ignorance may be bliss, but it won’t make you a better proofreader. You’ll often find things that don’t seem quite right to you, but you may not be quite sure what’s wrong either. A word looks like it might be misspelled, but the spell checker didn’t catch it. You think you need a comma between two words, but you’re not sure why. Should you use “that” instead of “which”? If you’re not sure about something, look it up.
  • The proofreading process becomes more efficient as you develop and practice a systematic strategy. You’ll learn to identify the specific areas of your own writing that need careful attention, and knowing that you have a sound method for finding errors will help you to focus more on developing your ideas while you are drafting the paper.

Think you’ve got it?

Then give it a try, if you haven’t already! This handout contains seven errors our proofreader should have caught: three spelling errors, two punctuation errors, and two grammatical errors. Try to find them, and then check a version of this page with the errors marked in red to see if you’re a proofreading star.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Especially for non-native speakers of English:

Ascher, Allen. 2006. Think About Editing: An ESL Guide for the Harbrace Handbooks . Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Lane, Janet, and Ellen Lange. 2012. Writing Clearly: Grammar for Editing , 3rd ed. Boston: Heinle.

For everyone:

Einsohn, Amy. 2011. The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications , 3rd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Lanham, Richard A. 2006. Revising Prose , 5th ed. New York: Pearson Longman.

Tarshis, Barry. 1998. How to Be Your Own Best Editor: The Toolkit for Everyone Who Writes . New York: Three Rivers Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

Coming soon: Our Los Angeles Summer School. Register your interest here .

Other languages

  • 13 Essential Editing Tips to Use in Your Essay Writing

when editing an essay

The good student strives constantly to achieve a better essay each time they write one.

It can be a challenge to find ways to keep improving, but one way of making your essays instantly better is effective editing. Editing your essay before you submit it could mean the difference between a good grade and a brilliant one, so it’s worth taking fifteen minutes or so before you send it off just checking through it to make sure that the structure and wording is as good as it can be. In this article, we give you some tips to think about when you’re editing your own writing. Keep these tips alongside you to use as a checklist and you can’t go far wrong!

1. Start by getting the structure right

If you have time, try to leave a bit of time between finishing your essay and starting the editing process. This gives you time to approach it feeling reasonably fresh; if you edit immediately after spending a long time on something, you might find that you’re so close to it that you’re unable to spot errors. When you do sit down to look through it, start by looking at its structure. Think about the overarching shape of the argument you’re developing and check that the points you’ve made help build your essay towards a logical conclusion. You may have written an essay with the points in order of when they occurred to you, but is this really the most sensible order? Does one point follow logically on from the other? Would it make the essay more interesting to include a certain point near the beginning to tease the reader, or are you revealing too much in the opening, meaning it would be better to move some points nearer the end? These are just a few of the ways in which it might be possible to improve the structure, so it helps to keep in mind your overall argument and ensure your structure puts it across as effectively as possible. With word processors now the primary means of writing essays, it couldn’t be easier to rearrange paragraphs into a more logical structure by dragging and dropping or cutting and pasting paragraphs. If you do this, don’t forget to reread the essay to ensure that the wording works with this new order, otherwise you may end up with a sentence leading into the wrong paragraph.

2. Prune long sentences and paragraphs

Whether you’ve exceeded your word count or not, long sentences and paragraphs should be edited because they can be trickier to read, and risk being boring or hard to follow. Try, therefore, to keep sentences to a maximum of two or three clauses (or segments). Avoid long paragraphs by starting a new one if you find one getting longer than three or four sentences: a wall of text can be off-putting to the reader. Leave a space between paragraphs if you’re typing your essay, as we’re doing in this article. Another way of keeping sentences to a reasonable length is to go through what you’ve written and tighten up the wording. If you find yourself writing long sentences, try to look for ways in which you can reword them to express what you’re trying to say more concisely. You’ll probably find numerous instances of phrases that take many words to say what could be said in two or three.

3. Keep overly complicated language in check

It’s going to look obvious if you’ve had a thesaurus next to you while writing, just so that you can replace all the simple words with more complicated ones. The thing is, it doesn’t always make you look intelligent; you may, for instance, inadvertently choose the wrong synonym, not realising that even close synonyms can have subtly different meanings or connotations. Sometimes using big words where simple ones would suffice can seem contrived and pompous; aim for clear, concise language to avoid being verbose or pretentious. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use more complex words at all – just choose the situation carefully and don’t overdo it.

4. Watch for repetition of ideas and words

It’s easy to repeat yourself without realising it when you’re writing, but the editing process is there to enable you to spot this before your teacher or lecturer sees it. As you read through your essay, keep a look out for ideas you’ve repeated and delete whichever repetitions add nothing to your essay (don’t forget that the first instance of the idea may not be the most appropriate place for it, so consider which is the best moment to introduce it and delete the other mentions). On a related note, look out for instances in which you’ve laboured the point. Going on about a particular point for too long can actually undermine the strength of your argument, because it makes you look as though you’re desperately grappling to find supporting facts; sometimes a simple, clear statement with a brief piece of evidence to back it up is all that’s needed. You should be equally wary of repetition of words within the same sentence or paragraph. It’s fine to repeat common words such as “the”, obviously, but it’s best to avoid using the same connecting words, such as “also”, more than once in the same paragraph. Rephrase using alternative expressions, such as “what’s more”. More unusual words should be used just once per paragraph – words such as “unavoidable”, for example – unless it’s for emphasis.

5. Don’t rely on the spellcheck

It’s a tip we’ve told you before, but it’s worth repeating because it’s very important! The spellcheck will not pick up every single error in your essay. It may highlight some typos and misspellings, but it won’t tell you if you’ve inadvertently used the wrong word altogether. For example, you may have meant to write the word “from”, but accidentally mistyped it as “form” – which is still a word, so the spellchecker won’t register it. But it’s not the word you meant to write.

6. Spotting typos

It’s said that if you read through your work backwards, you’re more likely to spot typos. This is probably because it’s giving you a new perspective on what you’ve written, making it easier to spot glaring errors than if you read through it in the order in which you wrote it and in which you know what to expect. So, start with the last sentence and keep going in reverse order until you get to the beginning of your essay. Another tip is to print out your essay and take a red pen to it, circling or underlining all the errors and then correcting them on the computer later. It’s often easier to read a document from a printed version, and it also means that you can follow what you’re doing by touching each word with the end of your pencil to make sure you’re not skimming over any errors.

7. Omit unnecessary words and eradicate weasel words

Without even realising it, you’ve probably used plenty of unnecessary words in your writing – words that add to the word count without adding to the meaning – and you’ll find that your writing works just as well without them. An example is the word “very”, which almost always adds nothing to what you’re trying to say. As Mark Twain said, “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be”. Weasel words are worse, as they are used to hide weak or objectionable arguments. A study of Wikipedia found that these tend to fall into three different categories: numerical vagueness (such as “many people say” without specifying who these people are), the use of the passive voice to distance the writer from what they’re saying (“it is often said”, for example, without saying by whom it is often said), and the use of adverbs designed to soften a point (such as “probably”). Look out for these in your own writing and rephrase to remove them; they are disingenuous and your essay will be stronger without them.

8. Remove tautologies

A tautology is a stylistic error involving redundant words, in this case the use of two consecutive words that mean the same thing, such as “the big giant” (referring simply to a “giant” would have been sufficient to convey the meaning). Students often use them when they’re trying to make their writing wordier, not realising that they simply make their writing worse.

9. Watch the commas

People tend either to put too many commas into a sentence, or too few. Too many, and the sentence sounds broken and odd; too few, and the reader has to read the sentence several times to figure out what you’re trying to say, because it comes out in a long, jumbled mess. The secret is to put commas in where you would naturally pause when speaking aloud. If it helps, try reading your writing aloud to see if it flows. Where you would pause for slightly longer, a semi-colon might be more appropriate than a comma. Use a semi-colon to connect two independent clauses that would work as two separate sentences.

10. Consistent spelling

Some words have more than one correct spelling, and the important thing is to be consistent with which one you use. You could, if you wanted to make your life a little easier, delve into the settings on your word processor and manipulate the spellcheck so that it highlights the version you decided against – or even autocorrects to the right version. If you’re writing in the UK, ensure that your word processor’s default language is set to UK English so that you don’t end up inadvertently correcting English spellings to US ones (“colour” to “color”, for example).

11. Get rid of exclamation marks and ellipses

In virtually every case, you don’t need to use an exclamation mark, and – at least in academic writing – your use of one may result in your writing not being taken quite so seriously. Only use them in exceptional circumstances when you really want to convey a feeling of surprise or outrage. Ellipses (“…”) should also be avoided except when you’re indicating the truncation of a quote from another writer (that is, where you left a bit out).

12. Attribute quotations

Quotations from authors or academic writers should be attributed to them. As you read through your essay, keep a look out for any quotations you’ve mentioned and make sure that you say where they’re from. If you’re writing an essay for university, a footnote would be an appropriate way of citing another writer. If you are using footnotes, this gives an extra area on which to focus your editing skills; ensure that all footnotes are consistently formatted, and don’t forget to put a bibliography containing all the books you’ve used at the end.

13. Consistent formatting

The appearance of your essay matters, too – and the formatting should not be neglected when you’re in editing mode. This means being consistent with your use of fonts, using italics or underline for emphasis rather than using them interchangeably, ensuring that the spacing between lines is consistent throughout, and other such minor aesthetic points. This may not sound very important, but consistent formatting helps your essay look professional; if you’ve used different fonts or line spacing or anything like that, your essay will look a mess even if what you’ve said in it is good. You could make use of the pre-populated formatting options in your word processor to ensure consistency throughout, with header 1 for the title, header 2 for subheadings and ‘normal text’ for the body of the document. If you find that there are too many things on this list to think about in one go when you’re reading through your essay, you could read through it several times looking out for different things each time. All this may seem a lot to think about when you’ve already put in so much effort to write the essay in the first place, but trust us: it will pay off with a sleek and polished piece.

Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts

Editing & Proofreading

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This resource covers process and strategy, not correctness rules. For help there, see our many resources on grammar,    mechanics ,  and punctuation .

There are multiple levels of editing, and terminology surrounding editing is often used interchangeably and fluidly. These levels have some overlap between each other, rather than being totally discrete stages; similarly, developmental and substantive editing are more closely related to the "revision" step of the writing process. The four editing levels are:

  • Developmental editing: looking at the overall development of the piece, for instance looking for organizational patterns, missing information, inaccurate information, or anything that might confuse a reader
  • Substantive editing: making changes to ensure sections (all the way down to paragraphs and sentences) flow logically from one to the next, ensure each paragraph's topic sentence is present and accurate, adding new necessary material to make connections between ideas, removing unnecessary material
  • Copyediting: addressing sentence level issues such as style inconsistencies, subject-verb agreement, confusing or wordy phrasing, missing words, missing or inaccurate citations, and any other mechanical or grammatical issues that may be present
  • Proofreading: usually the "last pass" before submission or publication; ensuring everything is correct and no lingering errors such as typos, missing words, missing punctuation, etc. remain.

In general, writers should follow this list down in order when revising and editing, from higher order to lower order concerns (in other words, from bigger or more impactful issues to smaller and less impactful issues).

While many writers edit alone at some point during the process, many writers also edit with a partner or writing group. Working with others is strongly recommended when editing; typically, this stage of the writing process comes last or close to last, meaning that writers are more likely to overlook mistakes or potential opportunities (because they have been working on the text for so long). It can be hard for writers to imagine other possibilities beyond what they have already written. A partner or group brings fresh perspective and a real audience who can offer feedback and tell the writer more about what it's like to read their writing. 

If you're intrigued by the idea of a writing group but not sure where to start, you might check out these resources: 

  • OWL Vidcast: Writing Groups & How to Form Them
  • Writing Groups Toolkit from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Editing Before Submission

When you're ready to edit, it's important to start with higher order concerns and move down to lower order concerns (as stated above). For higher order concerns, see the editing and revision tips on our Organization and Structure page. For lower order concerns (and sometimes higher order concerns — you might realize something about organization while reading carefully for sentence level issues!), here's a list of strategies that our tutors recommend in sessions with graduate writers. They're usually adaptable to different preferences you might have about working digitally vs. on paper, or working alone vs. with a partner or group. Be creative to find what works for you!

  • Read aloud. You can do this yourself, get your computer to read your text out, or ask a friend. Hearing your writing read aloud can help identify places where sentences are confusing or difficult to read, highlight missing words, and create some distance between you and your writing so you can more easily evaluate it.
  • Color code. You might do this by highlighting or changing font colors on your screen, using markers on paper, or even without color using font styles and sizes. This technique is useful for various applications, including identifying parts of sentences, identifying particular words or phrases you repeat often, or categorizing sentences by idea to check organization.
  • Pick individual issues. When you read through with your focus on only one thing, like correcting comma errors or looking for all the places you write "the ways in which," you're less likely to miss instances of that error by getting distracted with other issues.
  • Use checklists. Venues such as journals and conferences often have checklists for authors to use when preparing manuscripts; if you don't have a checklist from a professor, you can sometimes use these checklists to help guide your editing for writing for courses as well. You can also keep a checklist of known issues that your writing partners, professors, tutors, or mentors have mentioned on previous writing assignments to help you look for things you know you do (for instance, one former tutor always put her topic sentences at the ends of paragraphs — she keeps this item in a revision and editing checklist and it's one of the first things she addresses when she edits).

Editing with Feedback

Often, graduate students will be writing or editing with some type of feedback. This could be from peers in a class, from an instructor or mentor, or from a peer reviewer at a conference or journal. If you're in this situation, please see our resources on writing with feedback for more strategies and tips.

How to Edit an Essay

Krystal Craiker headshot

By Krystal N. Craiker

how to edit an essay

The work isn't done when you finish writing your essay. To get the best grade possible, you'll need to edit your paper.

Editing academic writing can be tricky, and good editing involves more than just running your work through an essay checker .

Here are our six top tips on how to edit an essay, so you can get a top grade every time.

How to Edit Your Essay

Where to find essay editing help.

Writing an essay is hard work! Once you put in time researching, outlining, and writing, you want to be sure to turn in a near-perfect essay.

Editing your essay to perfection can be done in just a few simple steps.

6 steps to edit an essay

Strengthen Your Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the backbone of your essay . You can think of your thesis statement as the answer to the question or prompt.

If someone asks, "What is your essay about?" the thesis statement would be the one or two sentence response to that question.

The thesis guides the rest of your paper. It's the main idea of your essay. Generally, a thesis statement is just one sentence. That's a lot of work for one little sentence to do in your essay.

When you edit, be sure your thesis statement is strong. A strong thesis will answer the prompt or guiding research question, but it will also be succinct. It should be clear, so eliminate any wordiness.

essay writing tip

You should also ensure it aligns with the rest of the essay.

If you wrote your thesis at the beginning of your writing process, your essay might have taken a slightly different track from what you intended. If this is the case, adjust your thesis statement accordingly.

Note that a thesis can be longer than just one sentence, but this isn't typical for a regular term paper–style essay.

If your essay is much longer than average, or it's a write-up of an original experiment or study, you might need more than one sentence.

Your thesis also doesn't have to be a long sentence, although it can be. Rather than worrying about the length of your thesis, focus on whether it is clear and answers the question.

Make Sure Every Argument Supports the Thesis

Every argument or point in your essay should support the thesis statement. In essays, the main arguments make up the body paragraphs.

Sometimes, an essay draft might feature weak arguments or points that oppose the thesis. Perhaps you've included a paragraph that doesn’t fit the topic at all.

Edit without mercy. Look for weak or unnecessary arguments. As you analyze every point, ask yourself if it supports the thesis. If it doesn't, remove it entirely.

But what if cutting out a paragraph affects your word count? You should not have anything in your essay just to add words.

A well-developed and cohesive essay with a strong argument is always more important than hitting the requisite word count or page number.

In fact, if your essay is strong enough, your professors probably won't even notice if you're a hundred words shy. You will, however, lose marks for unnecessary information.

Essay writing tip

Double-Check Your Citations

Use citations to avoid plagiarism. When you write an essay, it's important that you attribute every fact or idea that you didn't come up with yourself. You must cite it whether it's a direct quote or a paraphrase.

Your professor probably gave you a specific style guide to follow, such as MLA or Chicago.

Not only do you need to be sure you've cited everything, you must cite properly according to the style guide.

Be sure you've added the appropriate spaces and correct punctuation to your in-text citations. Check requirements from your style guide.

Clean Up Your Sentences and Paragraphs

It's easy to add unnecessary words when you're writing. But when you're editing, you want to clean up anything that makes your writing feel wordy.

Being verbose isn't the best approach to writing an essay.

Students often fall into the trap of wordiness in order to sound "smart" or to reach the required number of words. But you'll sound smarter if you can explain your position with tighter sentences.

One area to look at is your connecting words . These are words that help you connect ideas and transition from one point to another.

Keeping transitions to one or two words is a good idea. Instead of saying, "as a further example," you can just say, "furthermore." Say "next" instead of saying, "The next argument is."

Unnecessary words also show up when you over-explain or repeat an idea. Are you saying the same thing with different wording?

Pay attention to your paragraph structure. A good paragraph structure for an essay is:

  • A topic sentence
  • A piece of evidence (quote or paraphrase)
  • A fresh perspective on the evidence
  • Closing sentence

You can also have more than one piece of evidence and commentary per paragraph. This general structure will help cut down on wordiness.

You don't need to quote something, paraphrase it , add commentary, and then reword that commentary. Say each thing once.

well structured paragraph contents

Check Your Spelling and Grammar

Spelling and grammar errors can make an otherwise great essay get a failing grade. Grammar mistakes affect how clear your writing is.

Don't feel bad if spelling and grammar aren't your strong suit. Many professional writers struggle with the mechanics of a language.

Read through your essay to look for obvious errors, then use an editing software to find more mistakes.

If your university has a writing center, you can also have someone look over your essay to find additional mistakes. This is usually a free service.

A final step you can use for editing your essay is reading it aloud. This technique is a great way to catch errors that slipped past you and an editing program.

You'll be surprised how many errors you can find when you read aloud a final draft. Often, these mistakes are typos, strange syntax, and missing words.

Reading aloud helps you find sentences that are unclear, even if they're grammatically correct.

ProWritingAid is here to help with all your essay editing needs. We're more than a grammar checker.

Our app will help you find unnecessary words, poor syntax, and transition issues. It will point out vague word choices, passive voice, and readability issues.

ProWritingAid correcting the passive voice

Unlike other editing programs, you get access to all of our editing reports for free. If you're worried about plagiarism, you can also run a plagiarism check on your essay for a nominal cost.

Want to improve your essay writing skills?

Use prowritingaid.

Are your teachers always pulling you up on the same errors? Maybe you're losing clarity by writing overly long sentences or using the passive voice too much.

ProWritingAid helps you catch these issues in your essay before you submit it.

ProWritingAid for Students

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Krystal N. Craiker

Krystal N. Craiker is the Writing Pirate, an indie romance author, editor, and book mentor. She sails the seven internet seas, breaking tropes and bending genres. She has a background in anthropology and education, which brings fresh perspectives to her romance novels. When she’s not daydreaming about her next book or article, you can find her cooking gourmet gluten-free cuisine, laughing at memes, and playing board games. Krystal lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, child, and basset hound.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Visit our Help Center or let's stay in touch via:

Essay Editing Tips to Strengthen Your Writing

when editing an essay

How to Edit an Essay: 10 Best Tips to Consider

Ever written an essay and felt like something just wasn't quite right? You poured your heart into the content, but the flow feels clunky, or maybe your argument could be stronger. The essay editing stage is what will help you out. Here, our expert writing services suggest 10 powerful editing tips to help you transform your essay from good to great.

How to Edit an Essay: 10 Best Tips to Consider

Tip #1: Strengthen Your Thesis

When editing an essay, make sure your thesis statement summarizes your main argument and tells the reader exactly what you'll be proving. A strong thesis is clear, specific, and debatable.

Weak Thesis Example: "Video games can be fun."

This statement is too general and doesn't make a clear claim. It doesn't tell the reader what specific point you'll be arguing about video games.

Strong Thesis Example: "While video games offer entertainment value, their excessive use can negatively impact a person's social development and academic performance."

This revised thesis is specific (discusses excessive use) and debatable (someone might argue the benefits outweigh the drawbacks). It clearly outlines the main argument the essay will explore.

Also, highlight the "So What" factor. Your thesis should make the reader curious about your argument. "Fast food restaurants are popular" doesn't pique much interest. However, "Despite their convenience and affordability, the widespread consumption of fast food contributes to a rise in obesity and preventable health problems."

Tip #2: Combat Redundancies

Redundancy can weigh down your writing, making it sound repetitive and unclear. So, while essay editing, here’s how to ensure your message hits home:

  • Eliminate Unnecessary Phrases: Scrutinize phrases like "in a very unique way" or "absolutely essential." These add little value and can often be replaced with simpler words.
  • Vary Sentence Structure: Don't get stuck in a rut of subject-verb-object sentences. Mix it up with different sentence lengths and starting points to keep your writing engaging.
  • Find Stronger Synonyms: Instead of constantly using "very" or "really" to emphasize points, swap them for more impactful verbs or descriptive adjectives.

Weak Example:

"The historical significance of the invention of the printing press is very important. It had a significant impact on the spread of knowledge and ideas throughout the world in an extremely efficient way."

Stronger Example:

"The invention of the printing press stands as a landmark moment in history. Its efficient mass production revolutionized the spread of knowledge and ideas, forever altering the course of global communication."

If this sounds too daunting, request - ‘ do my essay ’ - for us to make sure your writing is spotless! 

Tip #3: Focus on Structure

A well-structured essay will guide the reader through your argument in a clear and logical way. While editing essays, ensure your structure has a strong foundation by considering the following:

  • Distinct Sections: Your essay should be divided into clear sections – typically an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each section plays a specific role.
  • Logical Flow: Ideas should flow seamlessly from one paragraph to the next. Use transition words and phrases (e.g., "however," "furthermore") to connect your arguments and create a smooth reading experience.
  • Topic Sentences: Each body paragraph should begin with a strong topic sentence that directly connects back to your thesis statement and introduces the specific point you'll be discussing in that paragraph.

Tip #4: Verify Facts and References

Credibility is key! This tip ensures your essay rests on a foundation of accurate information. Here's how to solidify your research and avoid factual errors:

  • Don't rely solely on memory or a single source. Verify all statistics, quotes, and factual claims with reliable sources like academic journals, reputable news outlets, and scholarly books.
  • When possible, compare information from multiple sources to ensure accuracy and avoid perpetuating misinformation.
  • Evaluate the credibility of your sources. Look for established organizations or authors with expertise in the field you're researching. Be cautious of websites or articles with a clear agenda or vested interest.

A recent study (source not provided) claims that spending time outdoors can significantly reduce stress levels.

According to a 2023 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, spending time in nature can significantly reduce cortisol levels, a key stress hormone, in participants.

when editing an essay

Wednesday Addams

Mysterious, dark, and sarcastic

You’re the master of dark humor and love standing out with your unconventional style. Your perfect costume? A modern twist on Wednesday Addams’ gothic look. You’ll own Halloween with your unapologetically eerie vibe. 🖤🕸️

Need a Hand in Polishing Your Paper?

Choose our professional essay editing service and relax knowing your paper has exceptional grammar, spelling, style, and clarity!

Tip #5: Double-Check Your Citations (and Avoid Plagiarism)

Academic integrity is paramount! This tip ensures you're giving credit where credit is due and steers clear of plagiarism. 

  • Distinguish Between Quotes and Paraphrases: Direct quotes require quotation marks and proper in-text citations. When paraphrasing, cite the source but rephrase the information in your own words.
  • Avoid Patchwriting: Don't string together quotes or paraphrases from different sources without proper integration and analysis. Your essay should showcase your understanding, not just a compilation of borrowed ideas.

Shakespeare once said, "To be or not to be, that is the question" (source not provided). This famous quote is very relevant to my essay.

In Hamlet's famous soliloquy, Shakespeare ponders the existential question of life and death: "To be or not to be, that is the question" (Hamlet, III.i.56). This contemplation reflects the play's central theme of mortality and the human condition.

Consider using Essaypro's citation generator to ensure all your citations are formatted correctly, including in-text citations and the reference list.

Tip #6: Eliminate Logical Fallacies

Logical fallacies are flaws in reasoning that can weaken your argument. Here's how to identify and eliminate them from your essay:

  • Understand Common Fallacies like hasty generalizations (conclusions based on limited evidence), ad hominem attacks (attacking the person, not the argument), and slippery slope fallacies (suggesting a small step will lead to a disastrous outcome).
  • Scrutinize Your Reasoning , looking for places where your logic might be flawed. Are you making assumptions without evidence? Are you relying on irrelevant information?
  • Strengthen Your Arguments to be more logical. Provide solid evidence to support your claims and avoid emotional appeals or irrelevant connections.

Everyone loves pizza, so it must be the best food ever invented.

Stronger Example (Avoiding Hasty Generalization):

Pizza is a globally popular food enjoyed by people of all ages and cultures. However, taste preferences are subjective, and there are many other delicious culinary options to explore.

Tip #7: Consider Counterarguments

A strong argument anticipates potential objections. When you edit an essay, here's how to address counterarguments effectively:

  • Briefly acknowledge and explain why someone might disagree with your thesis. This shows you've considered different perspectives.
  • Don't shy away from opposing viewpoints. Briefly explain why your argument holds more weight, provide additional evidence to counter the objection, or acknowledge the limitations of your argument.
  • Don't misrepresent the opposing viewpoint to make it easier to defeat. Engage with the actual counterargument fairly.

Video games are a great way to spend leisure time. They offer entertainment and relaxation.

Video games can provide entertainment and relaxation, offering a welcome escape from daily pressures. However, some might argue excessive gaming can negatively impact social interaction and academic performance. While video games can be enjoyed responsibly, it's important to maintain a healthy balance with other activities.

Tip #8: Use Active Voice Construction

Active voice injects energy and clarity into your writing. Here's how to edit an essay by leveraging it for more impactful writing:

  • In an active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. "The scientist conducted the experiment" is stronger than "The experiment was conducted by the scientist."
  • The active voice often uses stronger verbs, making your writing more engaging. "The evidence supports the theory" is more forceful than "The theory is supported by the evidence."
  • Active voice creates a more direct and engaging reading experience. It keeps the focus on the actor and their actions.

A study was conducted by researchers to investigate the effects of social media on mental health.

Researchers conducted a study to investigate the effects of social media on mental health.

Tip #9: Tailor Your Tone

The right tone sets the stage for your essay. College essay editing will require you to:

  • Consider who will be reading your essay. Is it a professor, a general audience, or a specific professional field?
  • Maintain a formal tone. Avoid slang, contractions, and excessive informality.
  • Strive for objectivity in most academic writing. Express your ideas clearly, but avoid stating opinions as facts.
  • Consider the purpose of your essay. Is it to inform, persuade, or analyze? Tailor your tone to achieve the desired impact.

Weak Example (Informal Tone in a Research Paper):

Social media is super addictive. It's crazy how much time people spend on it.

Stronger Example (Formal Tone):

The widespread use of social media platforms raises concerns about their addictive potential. Research suggests excessive social media engagement can negatively impact mental health and productivity.

Don't forget that you can buy research paper from our team of professionals to polish your work!

Tip #10: Beware of Confirmation Bias

During research, objectivity is key. Here's how to edit an essay well by avoiding confirmation bias:

  • Seek Diverse Perspectives: Don't just seek information that confirms your existing beliefs. Actively search for opposing viewpoints on gun control and address them fairly.
  • Evaluate Sources Critically: Consider the source's credibility and potential bias. Look for a variety of sources, including academic journals, reputable news outlets, and scholarly books presenting different viewpoints on the history of the Internet.
  • Openness to New Ideas: Be receptive to new information that might challenge your initial assumptions about the benefits of renewable energy. A strong essay acknowledges complexities and avoids oversimplification.

Weak Example (Confirmation Bias):

Fast food is unhealthy because it's high in calories and fat (based on a single source promoting a plant-based diet).

Stronger Example (Open to Different Perspectives):

The impact of fast food on health is a complex issue. While some studies highlight potential risks for obesity and heart disease, others suggest fast food can be a convenient and affordable option in moderation. A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices are crucial factors.

Final Reflections

Writing a great essay takes work, but editing is where your writing truly comes alive. These 10 tips on how to edit an essay will help you take your essays from good to amazing.

  • Ensure a strong thesis statement
  • Cut out unnecessary words
  • Clear organization
  • Double-check your facts
  • Proper citations
  • Catch weak arguments
  • Consider other viewpoints
  • Use active voice
  • Match your writing style to your audience
  • Be open to new information

With these editing skills under your belt, you can tackle any writing project with confidence. Alternatively, you can always rely on our expert essay editing service .

Are You Ready to Level Up Your Writing?

Let our expert writers improve your grades by always delivering top-quality, plagiarism-free papers in no time!

What are the 5 C's of Editing?

What is the best way to edit an essay, what are the common mistakes while editing.

Daniel Parker

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

when editing an essay

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Updated editing steps and FAQs

  • Bartram, J. (n.d.). Library: Essay writing: Revising & editing . Libguides.hull.ac.uk. Retrieved July 12, 2024, from https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/essays/edit
  • Pavic, H. (2023, September 29). Editing Your Essay: Do’s and Don’t’s . Lakewood University. https://lakewood.edu/2023/09/editing-your-essay-dos-and-donts/#/  

National Honor Society Essay

COMMENTS

  1. Editing and Proofreading - The Writing Center

    Make sure that you complete the most important editing and proofreading tasks. Editing. Editing is what you begin doing as soon as you finish your first draft. You reread your draft to see, for example, whether the paper is well-organized, the transitions between paragraphs are smooth, and your evidence really backs up your argument.

  2. 13 Essential Editing Tips to Use in Your Essay Writing

    In this article, we give you some tips to think about when you’re editing your own writing. Keep these tips alongside you to use as a checklist and you can’t go far wrong! 1. Start by getting the structure right. If you have time, try to leave a bit of time between finishing your essay and starting the editing process.

  3. Editing & Proofreading - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University

    There are multiple levels of editing, and terminology surrounding editing is often used interchangeably and fluidly. These levels have some overlap between each other, rather than being totally discrete stages; similarly, developmental and substantive editing are more closely related to the "revision" step of the writing process.

  4. Guide to Essay Editing: Methods, Tips, & Examples - PaperTrue

    May 18, 2023 · What is essay editing? Essay editing involves performing grammatical or structural checks in order to improve the readability and coherence of your essay. While most believe that editing an essay simply involves proofreading it, it is actually a much more extensive process.

  5. How to Edit an Essay - ProWritingAid

    Jun 16, 2022 · How to Edit Your Essay. Writing an essay is hard work! Once you put in time researching, outlining, and writing, you want to be sure to turn in a near-perfect essay. Editing your essay to perfection can be done in just a few simple steps. Strengthen Your Thesis Statement. The thesis statement is the backbone of your essay. You can think of your ...

  6. Essay Editing Tips: 10 Best Strategies

    May 11, 2023 · The essay editing stage is what will help you out. Here, our expert writing services suggest 10 powerful editing tips to help you transform your essay from good to great.