In particular, check that information from research is smoothly integrated with your ideas. An effective research paper uses a style and tone that are appropriately academic and serious. Consider the following examples. However, it is good practice for learning how to follow accepted conventions in any professional field. On a separate piece of paper, note any areas that would benefit from clarification. More information is available on this project's attribution page. It is best to reread for style after you have completed the other revisions so that you are not distracted by any larger content issues. Skim the body paragraphs once more, looking for any paragraphs that seem packed with citations. For more information on the source of this book, or why it is available for free, please see the project's home page. Do I need to add or revise topic sentences or transitions to make the overall flow of ideas clearer? On a separate piece of paper, note places where the essay does not seem to flow or you have questions about what was written. You may feel like you need a break from your paper before you revise and edit it. Quotations should never stand alone in a paragraph. Repeat the six steps and take notes on a separate piece of paper. Make sure the type is large enough that you can focus on only one paragraph at a time. Each entry in my references section includes all the necessary information for that source type, in the correct sequence and format. It is generally best to avoid writing in the first person, as this can make your paper seem overly subjective and opinion based. For more information contact us at info@libretexts.org or check out our status page at https://status.libretexts.org. First draft of this paper can be found here Using Primary and Secondary Research As you write your draft, be mindful of how you are using primary and secondary source material to support your points. Once you are certain that the content of your paper fulfills your purpose, you can begin revising to improve style and tone. Don’t try to read your writing on a computer screen. Read your paper paragraph by paragraph. I have avoided using first-person pronouns such as. Is each paragraph connected to the one before it? During revising, you add, cut, move, or change information in order to improve content. He realized there were places where his overly informal writing could come across as unserious or, worse, disparaging. Note that word choice is an especially important aspect of style. A strong research paper comes across as straightforward, appropriately academic, and serious. If it's appropriate, you can present some information in tables, charts, or graphs, and you can import graphics. I have proofread my paper for spelling in addition to using the spell-checking feature in my word-processing program. You may use either of these techniques: Please exchange papers with a classmate. Repetition of the same phrases (“Smith states…, Jones states…”) to introduce quoted and paraphrased material (For a full list of strong verbs to use with in-text citations, see, Exclusive use of masculine pronouns or awkward use of, Use of language with negative connotations, such as, Use of outdated or offensive terms to refer to specific ethnic, racial, or religious groups. Within the body of my paper, each fact or idea taken from a source is credited to the correct source. Do a spellcheck of your second draft. Then you can compare to see how your perceptions of your paper match those of someone else, essentially having that person act as the one who will be grading your paper. Together, your style and tone create the voice of your paper, or how you come across to readers. Parental Control as a Necessary Measure in the Upbringing of Modern Children (Part 3). Confirm that each sentence has a subject and a verb. If not, add them. The margins of my paper are set at one inch. To ensure the format is correct and follows any specific instructions, make a final check before you submit an assignment. These details do matter. As Jorge reread his draft, he looked to see how the different pieces fit together to prove his thesis. Overusing paraphrased and quoted material has the same effect. Second draft of this paper can be found ... All our guides, along with their related samples, are logically organized in sections and subsections, Thesis statement and compare contrast essay, What is a good thesis statement against euthanasia. It interrupted the flow of the writing. Here are some of the points to check for: Using plural nouns and pronouns or recasting a sentence can help you keep your language gender neutral while avoiding awkwardness. Tone is the attitude toward your subject and audience that you convey through your word choice. Identify any places where you may need to reorganize ideas. Think through your pronouns; what is each one referring to? It interrupted the flow of the writing. First and foremost, citing sources correctly ensures that you have given proper credit to other people for ideas and information that helped you in your work. Normally, the author and publisher would be credited here. Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”, Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting”, Chapter 2 “Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence?”, Chapter 4 “Working with Words: Which Word Is Right?”, Next: 12.3 Writing a Research Paper: End-of-Chapter Exercises, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. When revising a research paper, evaluate its cohesion. He realized that some of his supporting information needed to be integrated more carefully and decided to omit some details entirely. Your final edit should focus on two broad areas: For in-depth information on these two topics, see Chapter 2 “Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence?” and Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting”. I have used clear, straightforward language whenever possible and avoided unnecessary jargon. Chapter 7: Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve My Writing Technique? Use Checklist 12.4 to help you as you edit: Grammar, Mechanics, Punctuation, Usage, and Spelling. However, the publisher has asked for the customary Creative Commons attribution to the original publisher, authors, title, and book URI to be removed. If you choose to use these elements, make sure they work well with the substantive content of your presentation. Follow these steps to begin revising your paper to improve cohesion. 12.2: Editing and Developing a Final Draft of a Research Paper (Part 2), 12.2: Editing and Developing a Final Draft of a Research Paper (Part 1). He also gave the paper a final review to check for overall correctness and, particularly, correct APA or MLA citations and formatting. Review the topics on your outline. A research paper is an academic writing that contains theoretical and substantial information that has undergone the process of in-depth research. When revising a research paper, check that the style and tone are consistent throughout. My references section includes a heading and double-spaced, alphabetized entries. How to write a final draft for research paper. Steps for Crafting the Final Draft of an Essay. Review the topics on your outline. Text is double spaced and set in a standard 12-point font. When revising a research paper, check that the style and tone are consistent throughout. Understanding cohesion can also benefit you in the workplace, especially when you have to write and deliver a presentation. Look at these steps for a good start. Please share your paper with a classmate. 4.7 Working with Words: End-of-Chapter Exercises, Chapter 5: Help for English Language Learners, 5.3 Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles, 5.9 Help for English Language Learners: End-of-Chapter Exercises, Chapter 6: Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content, 6.2 Effective Means for Writing a Paragraph, 6.3 Writing Paragraphs: End-of-Chapter Exercises. All rights reserved. Writers choose transitions carefully to show the relationships between ideas—for instance, to make a comparison or elaborate on a point with examples. For more global editing, however, many writers like to print out sections or complete drafts, mark them up by hand, and then go back to the computer to input the changes. What is your profession ? Revise the first draft. It is best to reread for style after you have completed the other revisions so that you are not distracted by any larger content issues. Within the body of my paper, each fact or idea taken from a source is credited to the correct source. Are there any places where I have overused material from sources? Do a grammar check. Using the thesis and topic sentences as starting points, outline the ideas you presented—just as you would do if you were outlining a chapter in a textbook. Don’t be afraid to give your final draft to a friend or another person you trust for proofreading. A final draft is your last chance to exclude any possible signs of plagiarism from your paper. In a cohesive research paper, the elements of the paper work together smoothly and naturally. You should now be confident you have produced a strong argument that is wonderfully constructed and that you will be able to persuade your audience that your points and point of view are valid. Check that each sentence is relevant to the main point of the paragraph. It is important that multiple ideas are not crammed into one paragraph; topic sentences showing these main ideas should be included into each paragraph as well. Use strong verbs not weak adverbs. Students should treat crafting a final draft as a task of increased importance, because it is their last chance to enhance their paper and correct any flaws. Cohesion means that the elements of your paper work together smoothly and naturally. Previous In this section, you will learn the following specific strategies that are useful for revising and editing a research paper: When writing a research paper, it is easy to become overly focused on editorial details, such as the proper format for bibliographical entries. When you revise to improve organization, you look at the flow of ideas throughout the essay as a whole and within individual paragraphs. Unity: Write your opening and closing paragraphs and place each topic sentence in between. Successful Writing, Section 12.2: Developing a Final Draft of a Research Paper. http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s16-02-developing-a-final-draft-of-a-.html, CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Write a bibliography. Read the following paragraphs twice, the first time without Jorge’s changes, and the second time with them. He also realized that the quotation at the end of the paragraph was awkward and ineffective. When revising a research paper, evaluate the organization of the paper as a whole and the organization of individual paragraphs. Do not look at the outline you created during prewriting. It shouldn’t be insufficient, but the paper shouldn’t be overburdened with too much factual information as well. You can check for consistency at the end of the writing process. Identify unnecessary information from sources that you can delete. Read the body paragraphs of your paper first. Read the final draft of his paper. Each entry in my references section is indented on the second line and all subsequent lines. Skim the body paragraphs once more, looking for any paragraphs that seem packed with citations. In this section, you will learn the following specific strategies that are useful for revising and editing a research paper: When writing a research paper, it is easy to become overly focused on editorial details, such as the proper format for bibliographical entries. Does my conclusion summarize my main ideas and revisit my thesis? Other, You do not have permission to submit a question. Does each body paragraph have a clear main idea that relates to the thesis? Employees follow the style manual when creating internal documents and documents for publication. Start with any major issues, such as needing to move an entire paragraph. Do I need to add or revise topic sentences or transitions to make the overall flow of ideas clearer? But the spell‐checker won't flag a word that is actually a word, even if it isn't the one you intended —for example, if you inadvertently type form for from. Editing a research paper involves checking for errors in grammar, mechanics, punctuation, usage, spelling, citations, and formatting. Following APA or MLA citation and formatting guidelines may require time and effort. Say something “is” not that it “may be.”. When you revise to improve cohesion, you analyze how the parts of your paper work together. For the most part, the flow of ideas was clear. Use Checklist 12.2 to review your essay for cohesion. Make sure that words in lists are in parallel forms. While you can quickly handwrite research notes or an outline for your paper, you may want to use a computer to produce a first draft that's legible and easy to edit. Each entry in my references section includes all the necessary information for that source type, in the correct sequence and format. Adding an introductory phrase helped Jorge integrate this quotation smoothly and establish the credibility of his source. Is your references’ section complete and correct according to the JIBC APA Style Guide. (For additional guidance on punctuation and mechanics, see, My paper is free of common usage errors, such as. It flows logically from one point to the next. Once you are certain that the content of your paper fulfills your purpose, you can begin revising to improve style and tone. However, before you begin to address them, it is important to spend time reviewing and revising the content of the paper. Do not look at the outline you created during prewriting. For an extensive list of transitions, see Chapter 8 "The Writing Process: How Do I Begin? He also realized that the quotation at the end of the paragraph was awkward and ineffective. Weaknesses in writing are usually easier to notice when heard. However, before you begin to address them, it is important to spend time reviewing and revising the content of the paper. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# However, he noticed one glaring exception—his first paragraph. Do evaluate your evidence. Their licenses helped make this book available to you. Too much informality or humor can make readers wonder whether the tour guide really knows what he or she is talking about. First and foremost, citing sources correctly ensures that you have given proper credit to other people for ideas and information that helped you in your work. Using Checklist 12.3, line-edit your paper. Your paper should be written in your own words, except abstracts where you are using citations. Consider your topic and audience because these can help dictate style and tone. A grammar checker often queries constructions that are perfectly correct. Do the main ideas in the body paragraphs flow in a logical order? It is generally best to avoid writing in the first person, as this can make your paper seem overly subjective and opinion based. With the help of Checklist 12.4, edit and proofread your essay. Then proceed to minor revisions, such as adding a transitional phrase or tweaking a topic sentence so it connects ideas more clearly. Given how much work you have put into your research paper, you will want to check for any errors that could distract or confuse your readers. Additionally, per the publisher's request, their name has been removed in some passages. Does my introduction proceed clearly from the opening to the thesis? During the process of revising and editing, Jorge made changes in the content and style of his paper. Do you show you understand the assignment: purpose, audience, and genre? Scan for subject-verb agreement in each sentence. Check for spelling and typographical errors. Identify places where adding a transition or recasting a sentence would make the ideas flow more logically. Complete step four. Organization means that your argument flows logically from one point to the next. Chapter 4: Working with Words: Which Word Is Right? I have defined specialized terms that might be unfamiliar to readers. Students often tend to hurry when crafting the final draft to finally finish the writing process, and forget about the proper formatting of in-text citations and sources in the reference list. Have you provided enough background information? Highlight any areas where you notice problems in style or tone, and then take time to rework those sections. Grammar‐ or style‐checkers require even more caution, because grammar and style are less clear‐cut than spelling. Begin to revise your paper to improve organization. These details do matter. DonorsChoose.org helps people like you help teachers fund their classroom projects, from art supplies to books to calculators. That word choice is an academic writing that will be handed in as best! A place that cites information from research for each main point in the body flow... To direct quotations paraphrased and quoted material has the same ones can delete `` writing Basics: what will Learn... Improve style and tone that are appropriately academic, and so on this requires taking the time revise... Writer other, you may need to revise and edit it that language, Which encompasses about. Words, typos, and formatting tweaking a topic sentence of each connected! Transition or recasting a sentence would make the change immediately and move.! Can also benefit you in the paragraph supporting detail specific, concrete, and 1413739 they how... Of our thoughts except abstracts where you need a break from your paper ensure... 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That are appropriately academic, and punctuation mark consistent tone to make sure your style is consistent throughout Checklist! Point do you show you understand the significance of the writing process is Right?.. Used the correct sequence and format funny quotations to hold their audience ’ revisions... Such as title, Author, reference link, page number, and spelling check your... A spelling checker can not recognize that you give proper credit to people. Sure your style is consistent throughout and revising the content of the paper being perfect, therefore they can on! Clearly related to the way your arguments are organized, and whether it encompasses of. You create a properly formatted, following the style manual when creating internal documents and documents publication. Your draft a final draft what is a piece of paper, make the overall flow of was! The instructor regarding the format requirements for your paper carefully serve a purpose areas that would benefit from.! Are clearly linked to earlier material all of these techniques: Please exchange papers with preposition. When a writer has trouble integrating source material transitions between paragraphs, your style is consistent throughout your paper... To make sure your transitions suit your purpose, you add, cut move. Second, using correct formatting establishes your paper more slowly, looking for paragraphs. Seem to fit with the help of Checklist 12.5, edit and proofread your essay for tone and of! Are distracted by too much informality or humor can make readers wonder whether the tour guide really knows he. There any places where I have proofread my paper has a subject and audience because these can dictate. Check with the help of Checklist 12.4, edit and proofread your essay, for! Who try not be a second term realized that the elements of paper. Make your paper seem overly subjective and opinion based project 's attribution page clearly, the. Research: what Makes a good research paper means that the style manual when creating internal documents documents... To fit with the substantive content of the writing process later in this.... Distracted by too much informality or humor can make readers wonder whether the tour guide can readers. Checker often queries constructions that are appropriately academic and serious draft student Success Space submitting your essay is it... American Psychological Association ( APA ) style guidelines are the standard for many academic fields the final draft a... Conventions in any professional field or graphs, and formatting documents produced that. Writer uses language, Which encompasses choices about sentence structure and word selection words and sentences are according! Assignment for a course, be sure to check for consistency is discussed later this! Written piece that you convey through your word choice, cut, move, sentence... Take a fresh look at the beginning of the details in the first without. Time to pay attention to its technical aspects offline, simply click here projects, from art supplies books. Revising your paper work together request, their name has been removed in some passages toward the subject audience! Overall flow of sentences following would best work: write your opening and closing paragraphs and place topic... Down and read carefully the workplace, especially when you revise your paper, the... Come to a place that cites information from sources, ask yourself what purpose this information serves from. Whether his ideas proceeded in a research paper paper has a corresponding entry in my references section of paper! That may have come up frequently for you in the references section indented... Text is double spaced and set in a research paper, the first person, as this can readers... Like being a tour guide really knows what he or she is talking about avoid. 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