Proofreading a thesis can be difficult. Most writers may easily miss mistakes as they read their own work despite even the strongest proofreading skills. There are many tips to minimize mistakes on a final draft so they don’t detract from the author’s points. These include proofreading in sections, involving other editors, proofreading for specific types of mistakes, and reading in ways that detach the author from the text. Writers could benefit from thesis writing guides and style and citation guides for their particular discipline.
It’s not advised that students attempt proofreading a thesis in a single sitting. Since many theses are naturally sectioned, paying attention to one section at a time makes sense. Looking at 20 pages instead of 100 is easier, keeps the mind sharp, and is likely to result in more careful reading. It’s always important to bear in mind each edited section should be proofread several times.
After a preliminary read and correction of any noted mistakes, writers should plan to go back and re-edit. Planning at least a day or two between edits of the same section may be useful because people may catch more when they have a fresh look at something. If editing occurs all in one or two days, many writers will miss problems.
Involving other readers can be useful when proofreading a thesis. Consider any friends, family or classmates with strong grammatical or writing strengths. Many students trade editing services to each other, which is very useful. Those who can’t access other readers may work with a dissertation or thesis consultation company, but must check if using a professional company violates school honor rules.
When the student is still proofreading a thesis alone or after receiving input from others, he needs to look for certain types of problems. One of the biggest issues is incorrect citation of material. With a style guide in hand, students should check every citation to be certain that all aspects of it are correct. Students can also read for common grammatical and writing problems like shifting tense, comma splicing, disagreeing plural and singular pronouns, and repetition of words.
Students can also try proofreading a thesis in a manner that disrupts its natural flow. This gains distance from the text so that a person becomes more observant and doesn’t naturally correct errors mentally without realizing it. One manner of doing this is to read pages backward, going sentence by sentence and evaluating each one for mistakes. Reading aloud slowly often catches errors writers miss. Anything that creates distance from the text may help writers see it in a more objective light.
Those having challenges proofreading a thesis may be assisted with some thesis writing or editing guides. These can give reminders on what to look for and might even offer pointers on organization or structure. Students can find general or major-specific guides and campus libraries may have some of these available. College departments may also publish a guide or list of requirements, which students can use to ascertain they’ve met all expectations in the finished work.
