That last full-stop when you’re finally done with your essay is such a relief, isn’t it? You worked your butt off to complete this wonderful, well-researched essay within the deadline. But oh wait…it’s dawning on you…. the horrible realization that you aren’t actually done. There could be so much wrong with it! Punctuations, grammar, everything down to apostrophes needs to be perfect. How to ensure that your proofreading doesn’t require proofreading? Let’s find out.

Hey, turn off that phone!

This is also among one of the most important tips for writing an awesome essay. Concentration is one of the most important things when trying to correct something. The reason you made that mistake to begin with was because your brain chose to ignore the error because you couldn’t completely focus. Eliminate all distractions, whether it be a TV playing in the background (I understand some of us like that kinda ambience when we’re working), some music or a ringing cellphone. Try not to pay attention to anything else when you’re proofreading.

• Eliminate all distractions
• Do not get sidetracked with something else. Prioritize your work in an organized manner

I can’t except this…

Title got you a bit confused, didn’t it? Homonyms are words that sound the same (or are sometimes spelled the same), but have different meanings. An error where you use the wrong word would obviously change the meaning of your sentence which would not only be embarrassing, it would impact your grade. Make sure not to just skim through the paragraphs. This is why reading every single word is important.

You always need backup

This isn’t like ordering your essay at UK online essay writing services. Even if you’re the most observant person ever, you’re still human. Get a friend to help you proofread after you’re done doing it a couple of times, when you think there’s nothing left to correct. They might discover mistakes that your brain couldn’t detect. Give them a certain time limit and don’t let them make alterations because that might ruin your work. Give them a certain amount of control, there’s nothing wrong with asking for help.

• Remember your limitations
• Ask your friends to read your work after you’ve checked it a couple of times.

It was $100, not $1000!

Messing up numbers can be deadly. Check and recheck all the numeric values in the essay, you don’t want to give wrong information because that will make it less authentic and thus affect your grade (or have a negative impact on whatever else you’re using this essay for)

Our brains are on autopilot

Your brain may sometimes choose to ignore certain words or phrase, it skips over them or corrects them so you move on without realizing you’ve made a mistake. To avoid making this error, slower your reading pace and carefully read every single word. Then repeat the process. Checking multiple times will most certainly decrease the likelihood of any mistakes remaining in your essay.

• Slower your reading pace
• Check multiple times

These softwares ain’t loyal

Online proofreaders or proofreading softwares might seem like handy tools to help with this, but while you’ll save time, you’ll most likely miss a lot of the things that need to be corrected. These softwares tend to ignore things like homonyms, since technically they are actual words in the dictionary. They won’t tell you that the word isn’t supposed to be there because they cannot check with that much precision. It’s better to trust your own mind.

• Don’t use softwares. They only detect specific kinds of mistakes
• Look up other ways to save time

DIY! (Do It Yourself)

While it’s okay to ask for help, don’t rely completely on another person to do your work for you. Monitor them as they proofread since them making alterations in your work without asking you is a possibility. Other than that, no one can understand your work as well as you can, and especially with writing, the more people that work on it, the worse the quality gets.

• Monitor the person proofreading your work
• Make sure to instruct them not to make alterations

Printing it out might help

Having a hardcopy in front of you when you proofread might be very helpful. It’ll reduce your screen time, potentially making the process less exhausting and you’ll be able to underline things as you go and then correct them one by one. It will also help eliminate distractions because you won’t be using any devices.

Don’t forget punctuation

Punctuations are important! If you aren’t entirely sure about how to punctuate something, look it up online. Don’t assume that you’re correct if you have even a shadow of a doubt about what you’ve written. Always try to verify everything.

• Don’t be overconfident
• Verify everything!

Give yourself a break!

Like every other work that requires constant attention and concentration, you’re quite likely to experience a burnout about halfway through. Repetitive work, especially on something you’ve already read several time over can exhaust you and make you not want to work. Don’t let it get to a point where you just can’t work anymore.

• Take breaks to relax yourself
• Stay hydrated and keep snacks with you

About The Author

Ruby Miller is a 25 year old British theater actress who loves to write scripts for small plays and short stories online. She loves to read and draw as well, and has a passion for writing. As a side business, she runs a professional essay service to help students who need guidance.