Before you submit your assignment, you must proofread your work. I can assure you that you will earn higher marks! A lot of students lose easy marks through careless mistakes such as spelling errors, typos and grammatical issues.
This article offers some simple tips and advice to help you carry out the necessary steps before your final submission.
- Briefly Read through your Assignment
Print off your assignment, as it will be easier for you to read and you may pick up on mistakes that you wouldn’t notice on a computer screen. Read through your assignment from beginning to end as if you were you tutor reading it. Does your assignment make sense? Are all your ideas and arguments put across effectively? If the answer to either of these questions is no, you may need to re-arrange your assignment or re-write some sections.
(TIP: It is a good idea to have a friend or relative read through your assignment, they will be able to offer an opinion from a fresh perspective.)
- Read through your Assignment Line by Line
Once you are happy with your assignment, you now need to proofread it. Again, read the hard copy of your assignment as it is likely you will be able to read this more easily (it is also a fact that we read faster on paper than on a computer screen).
First, read through your assignment carefully for any spelling errors. Look for mistakes that your computer won’t pick up on, for example if you use the wrong ‘there’, ‘their’ or ‘they’re’.
Remember – never use contractions in academic writing. For example, always write ‘do not’ instead of ‘don’t’ and ‘is not’ instead of ‘isn’t’.
- Check your Formatting
Lastly, check that the formatting of your assignment meets your course guidelines. This includes using the correct typeface, font size and spacing.
Make sure that you have formatted all of your references correctly, both in the body of your assignment and in your reference list/bibliography.
If your assignment requires an abstract or contents page then make sure to include these.
A correctly formatted assignment will look much more professional. It will also show your tutor that you have read the guidelines very carefully and have put a lot of effort into your assignment.
Ivory Research is passionate about helping students with their academic writings and has many years of experience in the field. They offer help in many areas from proofreading to editing.
