Proof Reading

Proof Reading Tips

Tips for writing papers:
 

	Make sure you have a clear thesis statement as the last line of your introduction.
	Reread your paper out loud and mark any awkward places.
	Make sure that each individual idea or point relates directly and supports your thesis.
	Check for repetition or missing transition words and tighten any wordy passages.
	Make sure your conclusion recaps your paper and thesis statement.
	Every body paragraph should include at least one quotation or paraphrase, more if you’re analyzing a piece of literature. Be sure to lead into each quotation correctly and cite it accurately.
	Only works you specifically referred to in your paper can appear on your Works Cited page. List additional sources on a separate page and be sure to arrange your sources in alphabetical order.

Proofreading Tips
 

	Proofread backwards. Begin at the end and work backwards through the paper paragraph by paragraph or line by line if needed. This will force you to look at the surface elements rather than the meaning of the paper.
	Proofread for one type of error at a time. If commas are your most frequent problem, go through the paper checking for just that problem. Then proofread again for the next problem.
	Try to take a break between writing the paper and proofreading it.
	Read the paper out loud. This will force you to slow down and hear the difference between what you meant and what you wrote.
	Ask someone else to read over your paper and help you find grammatical errors and sentences that don’t make sense.

Plagiarism:

Quote the source properly for his or her words, ideas, opinions, arguments, and or thoughts.

Use the proper citations for quotes in papers and Works Cited pages.

Below is an example of a plagiarized quote and then the correct way to quote.
 

Plagiarized quote:

Instead of producing work that they are invested in, some writers target what they write to suit a market to the point of sacrificing their own ideas, passions, and dreams. It’s not true that this molding of material is necessary to be published. Some of the most striking and successful books in recent history were clearly born of a writer’s obsession and complete disregard for what, supposedly, sells. These writers forged ahead with their inspired works without thinking about how they could manipulate the manuscript to make it appealing to the public.

Correctly quoted text: