College argumentative essay assignments demand attention to detail and considerable research. In this type of writing, students are typically required to take a position on an issue or topic and justify it logically. This writing also demands credible sources to strengthen arguments.
Essay editing is the process of reading through and revising your text for content, formatting, logical organization, citations, and punctuations. It is intended to ascertain that your work meets all the assignment requirements and guarantees a good grade. Here are some notable tips for finetuning your argumentative essay.
Edit for Formatting Consistency
A crucial element to look out for when editing your document is formatting. When your paper is formatted correctly, it looks professional. Teachers have tons of assignments to grade and may judge some papers based on their looks. Remember, the objective of formatting is to make your work neat and presentable.
Argumentative writing follows the five-paragraph rule. It contains an intro with a thesis, well-argued points, and a precise conclusion. Of course, your writing needs to be flexible, following the directions given in the assignment prompt.
When editing the layout of your paper, ascertain that the text utilizes consistent spacing throughout the document. Most professors prefer essays to be double-spaced. So, ascertain to stick to your professor’s instructions. You should also follow the rules for choosing the right font type and size. Your font should be easily readable and professional, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
Edit the Essay for the Proper Writing Style
In this type of academic scholarship, students are obliged to pick and investigate a topic, gather and investigate evidence, and take a stand on an issue. Your instructor will expect you to use a professional but persuasive writing style, offering credible material to reinforce your points.
Once you have finalized your initial draft, please spend some time revising your paper to ensure that the style used allows your writing to attain its objectives. Here, your writing style implies how you express your thoughts in the text. Style is what distinguishes your voice from those of your peers. Ensure that your style is tailored to your context, purpose, and character. Also, avoid using too much jargon and eliminate ambiguous words and phrases.
Another issue to examine when refining the quality of your scholarly writing is the syntax or sentence structure. Understand that the intricacy and length of your sentences will determine the effectiveness and clarity of your arguments. Check how the different clauses in your text are arranged and how the parts flow. This will allow you to manipulate the coherence and rhythm throughout your text.
Edit the Logical Organization of the Text
To get a good grade on your project, it is imperative to edit your text to develop the logical flow of ideas. Remember, in argumentative texts, you will be expected to provide a reasoned opinion reinforced and elucidated using credible evidence. As you edit your paper, check to ensure that your ideas are presented logically.
Ascertain that your writing starts with a clear opening with a thesis. The opening prepares your addressees for the discussion that is to follow and presents your general topic. You can open your paper with a catchy hook or memorable statistic that will capture your audience’s attention.
When editing your introductory paragraph, make sure that an arguable thesis sets the stage for the rest of the text. The thesis is your perspective and indicates the main idea you intend to argue in the text. Experts suggest that students should avoid creating thesis statements based on negative claims.
The opening ought to be followed by well-argued paragraphs containing one key idea and linked using transitional phrases. As you edit your paragraphs, ascertain that each contains a topic sentence, followed by supporting reasoning and proof. It would help if you also acknowledged opposing ideas and limitations to your arguments.
You should also check your conclusion to ensure that it brings together all the crucial points of your essay. A successful conclusion follows the discussion and leaves readers with a final thought about the essay. Ensure that your conclusion does not introduce ideas or points not discussed in the essay. Don’t be afraid to ask expert editors to proofread essay papers for you.
Edit for Coherence
Another element to consider as you edit your argumentative paper is coherence. You know your essay has attained unity when all the parts work together and focus on the same objective — to prove the thesis. As you edit, ascertain that each element of your text links to the next. Eliminate extraneous information or anything that does not contribute to the thesis.
Editing for coherence means checking to ensure that your workflows seamlessly. Remember that each final sentence in your passage ought to relate to the next topic sentence. So, ensure that your conclusion brings closure to your writing by restating your thesis and reassessing the evidence provided.
As you edit, remember that transitions bring flow to your writing, making the text easy to read and understand. Other than checking for transitions, revise your text:
- The existence of a clear and arguable thesis;
- The use of examples and evidence to support assertions;
- The proper citation of sources;
- The logical organization of ideas.
Edit for Content Quality
When editing your argumentative essay, you also need to ascertain that your content covers the objective of the assignment. Often, instructors provide prompts where they outline project expectations and learning outcomes. These instructions will be useful as you edit your paper.
For instance, consider whether your topic is appropriate for the task and whether it allows you to answer all the elements of your research question. The best topics are narrow, interesting, and relevant.
Editing for content also means going through your opening passage and ascertaining that it is linked to the subject of the assignment. Your argumentative essay should try to persuade your readers by incorporating tools like evidence, background information, opposition, and some definition.
When editing the paper, check to ensure the reliability of your sources. Your sources should contain authoritative information. Ensure that all your sources are accurately cited to allow those who want to verify the evidence to do so.
Your sources should come from varied materials, including peer-reviewed journals, books, and reliable websites. If you need specialists to finetune your assignment, websites like Professional Essay Editors can help.
Revise for Grammar Mistakes
After spending days working on your argumentative essay, you should make sure that nothing diminishes the excellence of your writing. Experts warn that grammar blunders and typos can lessen the overall worth of your text. When you make grammar errors, you risk altering the connotation of your sentences and misleading your readers.
When editing your paper, spend some time reading backward and amending grammar errors. One of the commonplace oversights to be on the lookout for is the overuse of adverbs. Although the use of adverbs in your text is okay, too many show a weak choice of verbs.
Remember, overusing adverbs shows lazy and cluttered writing. They make your verbs seem redundant and contribute to wordiness, leading to messy prose. Your professor may assume that you don’t have confidence in your writing abilities.
Another grammar mistake to eliminate when editing your paper is the existence of squinting modifiers. This is a type of misplaced modifier that makes the sentence ambiguous. In most cases, readers cannot decide whether the modifier moderates the word before or after it.
Also, be on the lookout for the following grammar mistakes:
- Sentence fragments;
- Run-on sentences;
- Inflated and wordy sentences;
- Misspelled word;
- Pronoun disagreements;
Revise for Stylistic Mistakes
It helps to be thorough when editing your argumentative essay. This means ascertaining that your text follows the proper writing style. The secret to editing your paper is ascertaining that your writing style is clear. You will need to balance original and creative arguments with the use of credible verification and arguments.
Read through your text, getting rid of redundancies and clichés. Your writing style should be imaginative and should show evidence of careful brainstorming. The ideas used in your paper should be original but relevant. Avoid overusing direct quotes as they make your work appear inauthentic.
Even if your paper is well-written and formatted, it may still produce a negative picture on readers if you don’t use the right style. A common mistake that authors make when writing argumentative papers is word duplication. When they utilize identical philological words or phrases repeatedly, their writing appears dull and poorly edited.
The excessive use of passive structures also makes academic papers boring and impersonal. Of course, you have heard that passive voice makes your paper more objective. However, overusing passive writing makes your text harder to read. Instead, prefer a more direct and clear style. This means eliminating passive voice as much as possible.
Make certain to produce sentences that are just the right length. When your prose is too lengthy, readers will find it hard to comprehend your content. At the same time, too brief sentences damage the logical progression of your thoughts and ideas. Consider balancing lengthy and brief sentences while ensuring that your paper flows logically.
Revise for Punctuation Mistakes
One of the key elements to prioritize when refining the quality of your prose is how the text is punctuated. These marks can easily alter the meaning of an essay if not used appropriately. Academic texts ought to be detailed and accurate and do not allow room for freedom when punctuating sentences.
Remember, punctuation marks help to disambiguate your sentences and organize your arguments. When used correctly, punctuation marks emphasize the tone you are employing on your copy and where readers should pause when going through the text.
So, it makes sense to spend some time when editing to look at how you have used them. Take care to eliminate extraneous apostrophes. You could also spend some time searching for professional essay editors online.
Verify Your Word Count
The best argumentative essays as short and precise. Try to eliminate wordiness and stick to the recommended word count as you edit your paper. Of course, the length of the essays varies, but they seldom go beyond three pages. Check the assignment promptly for the instructions on the word limit and adhere to them.
When tasked with writing an argumentative essay, you need to remember that each project accounts for a considerable portion of your grade. As such, you need to spend time perfecting your final draft before the work is ready for submission.
