Self-Editing Checklist: Key Steps To Polish Your Content

Sumra
Jul 16
4 min read

Self-editing is a part of writing; it’s a full-fledged skill. Unfortunately, many writers, students, and those who write regularly are not masters of this art. But the good news is that one can become an expert in polishing content by learning the right strategies. However, the question is, what are those appropriate techniques? Well, worry not; we will reveal everything.

In this article, we will walk you through key editing steps to help you easily polish your write-ups. Whether you are a university student, a beginner writer, or a business professional, the checklist mentioned in this guide is equally beneficial for everyone. That’s why I keep everything aside and come along to explore more.

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Key Steps To Polish Your Content

Refine The Structure First

A well-structured piece of content creates a better impact on the reader. Also, it helps to digest the information easily. So, before starting to review every line, refine the structure first. Ensure that you have divided the topic into sufficient subtopics and that every heading is placed correctly.

Most importantly, evaluate the effectiveness of the introduction and conclusion. Your introduction must grab the readers' attention and encourage them to read the whole content. Similarly, the concluding part must summarize all the details and include a call to action if necessary.

Trim Unnecessary Words

Brevity is the key to effective writing. Unnecessary words and information weaken the impact of your message. So, when editing your document, don’t leave any detail that seems extra or doesn’t add value. In addition to eliminating excessive data, look for filler words that unnecessarily increase the wordiness of text.

Read every line and figure out what can be summed up in a few words. Moreover, check where you have used multiple words to state a single idea and replace them with one or two of the most suitable words. Whatever sentence seems extra long, make it short by trimming the words.

Improve Word Choice

The words you use can make a big difference in the effectiveness of content. Inappropriate phrases can create ambiguity, while the right ones can deliver the message. So, take it as an integral part of a self-editing checklist to improve word choice. Find the areas where you can replace a word with a better alternative.

An effective technique to spot the opportunity for suitable word replacement is reading the text aloud. When you do so, proofreading involves two senses (sight and sound). This increases the chances of finding awkward phrasing, which helps you discover the right areas where you can substitute a synonym.

Simplify Complex Sentences

Sentence complications could be another reason for the lack of clarity in your content. A few poorly structured lines can affect your text's overall readability and understandability. That’s why you must pay close attention to sentence complexity during editing. Again, start from the first line and review every sentence.

Spot the overuse of passive voice and state the identified lines in active voice. Stay vigilant to compound structures, simplify them if possible, or restate them using a simple structure. Additionally, break the sentences where possible to bring further clarity to your content.

Spot And Remove Grammar Issues

Checking the content for grammar issues is the most critical part of self-editing. Even minor grammatical errors can undermine the quality of your writing. So, never ignore linguistic mistakes. Examine every line and look for misspelled words, punctuation errors, typos, sentence fragments, and the blunders you usually make.

However, if your grammar knowledge is limited and you cannot detect complex errors, use an advanced tool like Grammarchecker.com. It will help you spot the mistakes that you might ignore due to a lack of command of grammatical rules. Consequently, your content will become completely error-free and ready to impress the readers.

Check For Coherence In The Content

Sometimes, you fail to maintain coherence in the content in a rush. This minor mistake can break the connection between ideas and hinder readers from understanding the meanings correctly. So, while proofreading your document to make necessary edits, ensure that ideas flow understandably.

Another thing to remember is to confirm that you have used enough transition words. Phrases like “however,” “furthermore,” “next,” and “additionally” help you make smooth transitions in your text. This assists the reader in relating a statement to the previous or next sentence.

Eliminate Redundancy

Redundancy is another element you should focus on while editing your documents. Sometimes, you use the exact words or ideas multiple times in content. This annoying repetitiveness in the text makes the reader bored or frustrated. Therefore, eliminating such phrases or lines must be your top priority.

However, remember that when substituting alternative words with redundant phrases, ensure they fit the context. Otherwise, they will further create complications in your content. The same rule applies to repetitive ideas.

Ensure Consistent Formatting

After eliminating all the issues from the content, the last step is to ensure consistency in the formatting. A well-formatted document presents the information visually appealingly, adding an extra layer of refinement to your text.

In this regard, cite the sources in the required style. Also, your font, margin, and spacing must follow the demanded specifications. However, if there is no particular guideline regarding formatting, you can go with the standard style.

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To Sum Up

In short, self-editing is all about making your content clear, readable, understandable, unique, and engaging. The steps you need for this purpose are listed above. Following this checklist while editing every document can make an ordinary piece of content a masterpiece.