Dissertation Editing Techniques – 10 Secret Tips For Students


Writing a dissertation is a complex and time-taking process, but the editing of the complete paper is worth contributing no less effort. No matter how interesting and innovative your research is, poor editing and improperly presented data can significantly decrease your chances to succeed. Just as in the case of a writing job, you will manage the editing quicker and more effectively if you follow some basic rules.

Quick Dissertation Editing Guide

  1. Review, criticize, improve.
  2. When writing, you may plunge into your survey totally and passionately. The creative mood helps to produce a vivid and comprehensive material, but it lacks objectivism. That’s, actually, the purpose of editing. Set your mind into quite a different mood, aimed to criticize, improve, check and structure.

  3. Take notes.
  4. It’s convenient to write down the improvements you tend to make in several words while reading. This will ensure you remembering all of them when you start editing your dissertation.

  5. Edit step by step.
  6. Make a couple of sequential drafts of your paper, as it’s impossible to point out all the issues at once in the work of such a large format.

  7. Simplify.
  8. Remove all the duplications, irrelevant information, bulky sentence constructions that make it hard to understand your point. Use clear and concise language, suitable for any audience.

  9. Check the presentation.
  10. Make sure that the writing is done in proper style, that the use of tenses and voices is appropriate through the whole paper.

  11. Mind logical links.
  12. Focus your attention on the connections between dissertation main parts and paragraphs – they should be logical and easy-read.

  13. Proofread.
  14. Check the paper for spelling, contextual, grammar, punctuation, numbering and other mistakes.

  15. Re-read after some time.
  16. As this kind of academic work is one of the largest in format, it’s better to put it aside for some time and then give it a double check. Thus, you can point out additional mistakes that have skipped your attention before.

  17. Employ a fresh glance from aside.
  18. Don’t try to manage it all by yourself. Asking a friend or a family member for swift reading will provide you with an untainted opinion.

  19. Pay keen attention to introduction and conclusion.
  20. As these two parts are essential for making the right impression on your audience, they should be prepared in the most thorough manner possible, taking into account all their features.

Three Common Mistakes You Must Avoid

  • Don’t be in a hurry.
  • Don’t edit while writing.
  • Don’t try to edit the whole work at once.