Writing Is Just the Beginning

So, you have finished writing your essay, and you think it's ready. Congratulations are in order—but not quite yet! Just like in woodworking, putting together your creation is only the beginning—you have to sand, polish, and paint it before it becomes sellable. In essay writing, you also have to polish your work. Editing your paper is essential to ensure that you turn in a high-quality essay!

One of the biggest mistakes students make in English is turning in their first draft. You have to review your essay and make a few revisions until it’s something you can be proud of. Once you have the base down, it is time to edit your work. No matter how careful you have been during the writing process, you still could have missed a few misspellings or grammatical errors. It’s important to edit your work so you can send an essay that you are proud of.

Here are a few tips on how to edit your essay:‍

1. Get the Structure Right

Analyse your essay and assess the points you’ve made. Are they coherent? Are your arguments consistent, or do some parts oppose each other? Does your essay help get the point across, or is it just confusing?

Map out the structure of your essay. Determine which paragraphs should be moved, revised or deleted. Create a sensible order that helps support your argument and builds towards a logical conclusion.‍

2. Cut Your Sentences

An essay must be easy to read. If some of your sentences or paragraphs turn out to be too long, the thought can get lost within the words, and you might end up having written a whole lot of nothing.

The number of words does not equal quality. After all, what use is your essay if no one can understand it? Your essay should be easy to read and pleasing to the eyes. Keep your sentences to a maximum of three clauses and leave spaces between paragraphs.

3. Reduce the Use of Highfalutin Words

Complex words don’t always make you look intelligent. Sometimes, they just make it seem like you love reading the thesaurus. Synonyms may have a similar meaning, but sometimes, they aren’t the most appropriate for the situation.

The goal of an essay is not to make you seem smart but to help get your point across. Prioritise making your sentences clear and concise, so choose the words you think are suitable for the sentence.

Conclusion

Essays can be scary and hard to manage at first, but like all things, it takes practice. Young Growth Academy tutors are here to help. We give you top-notch 24/7 feedback and show you how to refine your drafts into the beautiful finished product.

We offer high school tutoring in Penrith for not only English but for Math and Science, too. Our incredible tutors and our great Penrith HSC courses can help you have a better and enjoyable learning experience. Visit our website to book your risk-free trial today!