Does Your Dissertation Really Need Proofreading? Taking Your Dissertation from Blah to Ah

 

I was working on the proof of one of my poems all morning and took out a comma. In the afternoon, I put it back again. – Oscar Wilde

 

You’ve likely been writing your dissertation for months, possibly years.

While you’ve spent significant time crystallizing your thoughts, these ideas must be conveyed to your professor or dissertation chair. Sharing your thoughts on paper is a labor-intensive process. It involves stringing together the right words into sentences, then connecting these well-constructed sentences into coherent paragraphs and chapters.

Knowing the writing process takes significant effort, proofreading your work may seem like common sense. Yet, many doctoral students skip this step before submitting their dissertation due to limited time, lack of energy, or simply being unaware of their mistakes. Regardless of the reason, failing to proofread your work is unacceptable to most professors. And, at what cost?

The quality of your writing indirectly says many things about you – and even your work. Written communications riddled with errors can shine the spotlight on your lack of attention to detail and tarnish your reputation. Something as seemingly insignificant as spelling and grammar can determine how your professor distinguishes the competent from the incompetent. Think about that. Your professor may disregard the first or second misspelled word. However, multiple misspellings and typos can diminish your credibility.

In addition, most grammar faux pas often leave the reader confused. Without clarity of thought, your professor may ignore your dissertation regardless of the valuable information in it. A bullet point ending with a period but not the others appears sloppy. A decimal point in the wrong place can turn your findings from significant to insignificant. If these small errors appear in your work, ask yourself, “Will my committee members believe my research? Sadly, the answer is likely “no,” and it may cause your committee to reject your hard work.

The bottom line: Pay attention to the small details. Following the rules of spelling and grammar can help get your message across effectively – more clearly, concisely, and accurately.

Proofreading your dissertation is a strategic exercise. It requires more effort than simply checking your document for correctly spelled words. The English language uses several punctuation marks such as commas, colons, dashes, ellipses, exclamation marks, and more. When inserted into your writing correctly, proper punctuation can add flair to your writing.

 

Editing Your Own Work

A stigma is associated with doctoral students asking for editorial assistance with their dissertations. Some chairs, committees, and/or professors view the use of outside editing services as an unfair advantage or a form of literary cheating.

Doctoral students, who are often first-time writers, are expected to objectively review their own writing. Interestingly, this is the opposite of what one finds with seasoned professionals. For instance, consider the infamous phrase, ”A doctor who treats himself has a fool for a patient.” Interestingly, doctoral students are treated differently. These novice writers are expected to submit well-written, well-organized dissertations spanning hundreds of pages. However, here’s the truth. Best-selling authors, leading researchers, and those who have “arrived” all benefit from professional editors before their work reaches their intended audience.

So, what’s a doctoral student to do? Many options are available. One option is to get help on your writing projects at the university’s writing center before submitting them. Another option is to ask your English-savvy friends and family if they will proofread your work, especially if you’ve been writing over extended periods. If nobody in your immediate circle qualifies, then seek outside help. Many dissertation coaches offer proofreading and editing services. If time and budget allow, take advantage of them.

When circumstances force you to take written matters into your own hands before turning in your work, here are some tips to follow as you act as your own editor.

• • • Check grammar for proper use and location of commas, periods, and quotation marks. In the U.S., commas and periods are placed inside the quotation marks, except when the parenthetical reference follows.
  • • Verify the facts in your dissertation. Submitting accurate information in your dissertation is essential to establishing your credibility as a budding researcher.
  • • Give special attention to formatting, including proper names, bullet placements, and use of headers and subheads. Use the Style feature in Microsoft Word to ensure you’re using consistent formatting throughout your document.
  • • Use the computer spell check function. Spell check is an excellent tool that should always be used before submitting your work. Although the intended use of this tool is for reference, it’s not your only source for catching mistakes. Your spelling skills are needed to catch errors that spell check overlooks, especially homophones such as two and to, paws and pause, site and sight, and more.
  • • Ensure numbers and captions for images, charts, tables, and graphs are in sequential order and referenced appropriately within the text.
  • • Delete unnecessary words. Consider each word, then each phrase, and then the context of your thought. If words or phrases add confusion, consider eliminating the unnecessary words or rewrite the phrase.
  • • Review transitions. Make sure the writing flows smoothly from paragraph to paragraph. Reword content that lacks a clear connection between thoughts or bogs the reader.
  • • Remove crowding or extra spacing between letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs to ensure your document appears professional.
  • • Print your dissertation. While it may be more costly to print a hard copy, this will give you a fresh perspective on your writing.
  • • Remove distractions. Proofreading is a task that requires a suitable environment that allows you to focus.
  • • Take your time. Don’t speed through reading your dissertation. Errors are easily missed because you are so familiar with the text.
  • • Read your dissertation backward. Begin reading the conclusion first, followed by the discussion, then the analysis, and so on. Because you’re reading the dissertation chapters in a different order, you’re likely to read the content more deliberately.
  • • Read your work aloud. Hearing your thoughts can change your perspective of how the words fit together and help identify flaws.

Attempting to locate all of your spelling and punctuation errors is a challenge faced by even the best writers.  To be an effective proofreader of your own writing, you have to work hard to read every word carefully. Knowing the best proofreading requires multiple readings and ongoing edits, even JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, claims to have written 15 drafts of the opening chapter of her first book. The key to the entire process is discipline.

 

Looking Good Helps Make the Grade

Quality proofreading is only possible when you know what to look for. This means having a grasp of all the intricacies of proper grammar and punctuation as well as a solid knowledge of spelling and formatting. If you fail in any of these areas, you need to work on them or find help. If you aim to sway the opinion of your professors, then proofreading is but a small and crucial last step in the writing process that can make a huge difference in the quality of your final submission – and your outcome.