Academic Writing and Editing Checklist
Professor Caroline Strange
Writing – start by planning the overall structure. Then write and refine later.
Keep your writing simple – never use a long word/sentence when a short one will do.
Structure / Writing a sentence / · How long?· Order of the sentence.
· Does the sentence convey what you intended?
· Have you succumbed to journalistic writing, overused clichés?
Writing a paragraph / · Have you used topic, body wrap? Badley (2009)
· How long?
· How should you start the paragraph?
· What about the end of the paragraph?
· Are you making assumptions / drawing conclusions without justifying them?
· Is there some link between the sentences in your paragraph?
What constitutes a section / part of a chapter? / · How long?
· Is there a theme?
· How will you make the section a cohesive piece of writing?
· How will the reader know when they have reached the end of the section?
The complete chapter? / · Start of the chapter: is it clear to the reader what to expect in the chapter?
· Have you structured the chapter so that the reader’s journey through the chapter has plenty of signposts?
· Have you abandoned the reader in a maze of text or run so fast through your ideas that the reader arrives ‘breathless’?
The complete thesis? / · In reading the thesis is the reader always clear where they are in the overall scheme of things?
· The contents page – can you gain an overview of the thesis from your chapter / parts headings?
· Have you provided sufficient signposts?
· Does the abstract truly reflect your thesis?
· Reading the abstract and conclusions - do they make a ‘matched pair’?
· Do your conclusions answer your research question(s)?
· Have you observed the required format for the thesis? - check the Research Degrees Regulations.
· Is the thesis the correct length?
· You have 40,000 – 80,000 words: is the balance of words between the chapters/parts correct?
· The thesis should focus on your research placed in the context of research in this area: does your ‘literature survey’ use too many words?
· Do you need lists of abbreviations / diagrams / figures/ a glossary?
Appendices / · Do I need them?
· Are they referenced in the main text?
Editing / Edit in stages
Check the structure of your thesis, then chapter… / Is the structure logical?
Read your writing afresh / What does it convey? Does the text support your conclusions? Is the text in the relevant section?
In supporting your argument have you used sufficient evidence? / Appropriately referenced? Draws upon your research: data to support – experimental data / simulation to support theory developed, triangulation of data from different approaches/sources. Is it clear why you have used the approach you have adopted?
Are you consistent in your use of tenses? / Mixing present and past tenses?
Is your referencing consistent and accurate? / Are you using an appropriate referencing system for your subject area?
Check grammar, punctuation, hyphenated words? / Apostrophes – have you used them correctly?
Overuse of abbreviations? / All abbreviations given in full?
Writing of numbers? / Numbers up to nine should be written out in full, e.g. nine, except where decimals are involved, e.g. 9.7
Some helpful sources of information
Plain English websites include:
http://www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/plainenglish/?view=uk
http://www.plainenglish.co.uk
Our workshop booklet for Academic Writing – Stage 2B. This includes many writing tips. Download it from the Research Training web page: http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/rdcs/research/training.phtml#stage2b
Badley, G (2009) Editing for academics. http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/rdcs/research/info/Editing%20for%20academics.pdf
For advice on punctuation:
Truss, L (2003) Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. London: Profile Books
October 2009