• 3-minute read
• 9th September 2014

The Days Before Hand In: What You Should Be Doing

The culmination of months, possibly years, of hard work is suddenly upon you and your hand in date is approaching.

Once all of the hard writing work is out of the way, however, there remains a number of tasks that must be completed. Here are some of the things you should think about in the days and weeks before hand in.

Re-read Your University’s Style Guide

Hopefully you’ve already read this document and have formatted your essay appropriately. However, it is a good idea to double check a few key elements before you submit your final essay:

• Referencing
  Check that you have referenced your sources, including each different source type (book, journal article, etc.) in the style required by your university.
• Word Count
  Make sure you’re within the word limit set for your essay. This might involve checking whether your references and/or appendices are included in the total word count.
• Structure
  Make sure your document includes all sections required by your university. This often includes a cover page, an abstract, a contents page and a list of abbreviations.
• Formatting
  Check whether your university uses a particular formatting style. Sometimes institutions have specific requirements regarding fonts or double-spacing your work.

Many of the above may seem like minor details, but sticking to the rules set out by your university is all part of academic discipline.

Stay Calm and Organised

When a deadline is approaching, it’s tempting to rush putting the final touches on your essay. Try not to let this happen.

Last-minute tasks might include double-checking your references or making small adjustments to the flow of your argument. But rushing this can lead to mistakes creeping in. Staying calm and organised will therefore ensure you avoid unfortunate errors, as well as decreasing your stress levels!

Re-reading and Editing

Give yourself enough time to read through your essay several times to look for errors. Taking a break before proofreading is a good idea, as you can return to it with fresh eyes and will be more likely to notice mistakes.

You could also send your essay to a proofreading company, such as Proofread My Essay, to have it read by professionals. A human proofreader will also spot mistakes to do with syntax and awkward phrasing which a computer program misses.

Handing In!

So you’ve finished an essay and it’s time to hand in your work. Well done!

However, for peace of mind, make sure you leave enough time before the deadline to sort out any small tasks you need to complete. This is especially important if you’re working on a longer PhD thesis that requires binding, as you may have to wait 24 hours or longer before you can pick it up. Once you’ve submitted the final essay, go celebrate.