Things to Check Before Submitting an Essay

Finished your essay, thinking it is ready for submission? Think again. The higher your level of education, the more complex your essay structure will be. Whatever the type may be, there are always some common mistakes that students make when writing their essays. All these mistakes can be tracked back to a lack of proper proofreading. 

Here is a list of the essential things to check before submitting your essay. 

1. Check Your References

Give credit where it’s due. Whenever you provide information or ideas that are from another source, you need to cite the source. Take note that there are different styles of citation formats, such as MLA, APA, and others. Make sure that you are following the format that your professor would like to have the citations in. Your marker will be looking for individual voice, original ideas, and engagement with secondary sources. This is why it is important to carefully differentiate them through references. Your own opinions should be clear to the marker, as well as paraphrased sources and quotes. 

Check if your bibliography is in the right order, and check that there is no incomplete information such as missing dates or publishers, as this will be considered incomplete referencing as well. Make sure that you have included your primary sources in your reference as well – these include an artefact, document, diary, manuscript, autobiography, recording, or any other source of information that serves as an original source of information about the topic you are writing about. 

2. Grammar and Punctuation

It is essential to look over your essay multiple times to spot any spelling or grammatical errors. These errors can cause you to lose valuable marks and compromise the quality of your argument. Such mistakes make it difficult to understand a piece of writing. To ensure that your writing is free of grammatical errors, you can use the handy inbuilt grammar checker feature in Microsoft Word. Look out for the zigzag underlines under words or sentences and correct them. Read the essay aloud and see if the sentences flow. If the links between the sentences are not logical and clear, it can weaken your argument. 

Next, you can have a friend review the essay for you,, or better yet, use Inkmypapers’ professional proofreading services done by professional proofreaders based in Singapore. Leave it in our trusty hands to ensure your paper has correct grammar, punctuation and vocabulary before handing it in. 

Re-read to Make sure You Make Sense 

Yes, the conclusion of your essay is the moment you can heave a sigh of relief, but it does not indicate the end. Now comes the re-reading. However, this should be done after you take a break. This way, you can come back to see your work with a fresh point of view and spot obvious mistakes you may not have spotted before. 

Analyse the flow of your essay and check if your stand has been made clear from the start. Rearrange and edit sentences so there are no running sentences that make it hard for the readers to follow. Re-read the introduction of the essay and ensure that it has been kept at a good length, about 300-500 words depending on the overall length of the essay, then re-read your conclusion. The conclusion is the culmination of your argument – your essay has to come together here. It’s your chance to leave your reader with a good impression. Depending on the topic, choose a closing line that will leave your reader with a fresh perspective on the topic.

Once you have double-checked your essay, check it again. You need to check your writing a third time, so you’ll never leave things to chance.

Having a second pair of eyes at this time will always be helpful – to spot the mistakes you did not find and to give you a new perspective. Choose inkmypapers’ professional proofreading services as your helping hand today. Alternatively, we can also help you with essay writing. 

Find out more on our website today.