Checklist for refining your work

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26 May 2023

Before you hand in your assignments, you should spend some time going over them, making sure that they are submission ready.

Here are some things to look out for when editing and proofreading your assignments.

1. Have you included everything that was asked of you?

To have full access to the marks available, check that you have addressed the specific tasks required of you in your assignment guidelines. After you have completed your work, compare your work to the guidelines and go back and include anything you may have excluded.

2. Is every point relevant to the question being asked?

As you will be writing with the restriction of a word count, you want to make sure that every word counts. Avoid including irrelevant points that do not contribute towards answering the question/brief and be selective of the points to include within your work.

3. Have you supported your arguments with relevant evidence?

In academic writing, your opinion will only take you so far. For every idea or point that you have raised, make sure that you have evidence that can back it up. This evidence comes in the form of a citation/reference. If you cannot find relevant evidence to back up your point, you may want to consider removing the point from your work.

4. Have your work logically structured?

The order that you structure your work needs to make sense to the reader and the reader should be able to draw a logical connection between the different sections of your work. Spend some time reviewing each paragraph and reorganising them if they do not flow well.

5. Have you formatted your work according to your guidelines?

Pay attention to your guidelines and any instructions on formatting. Check that you are using the correct and appropriate font size and type. Also, check that your citations and references are in the correct style.

6. Does your work make sense?

Sometimes your language and grammar can act as a barrier for understanding. Make sure your grammar and spelling has been checked and corrected. Whilst spell check on Word is quite useful for identifying spelling and grammar mistakes, you still need to double check any changes you make.

Need some more help or advice? Then contact the Study Support Team who offer a whole range of support including 1-2-1 advice sessions