It might seem like a waste of time, but proofreading your work is almost as important as writing the content itself! Here are five reasons why.
1. Easy Marks
Simple spelling and grammar mistakes in your essay could lose you up to 10% of your overall grade! This could make the difference between getting a first or a 2:1. Writing concisely and checking your work for errors are easy ways to achieve the marks you want.
2. A Professional Edge
Your work will look for professional if you proofread it properly. A polished piece of writing can be a pleasure to read and the extra effort pays off in the end.
3. Authority
Even minor grammatical errors can undermine the authority of your arguments, simply because they suggest you weren’t paying attention. For example, a reader might think: ‘If the author couldn’t be bothered to proofread her work, why should I trust that her ideas have been thoroughly researched?’
4. Humans vs. Machines
The in-built spelling and grammar checkers that come with word processors may be helpful, but they are by no means as reliable as a human pair of eyes. Especially if those eyes belong to an editing expert!
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You may think that a lack of red error lines in your Microsoft Word document means that you have a perfect piece of writing, but there are some mistakes that a computer simply cannot recognise.
For instance, a computer will not always notice if you mix up homophones (two words that sound the same but are spelled differently). That’s where humans have the advantage.
5. Know What I Mean?
Having someone else proofread your work can help you identify any parts of your writing that require clarification. You may have a great argument, but this doesn’t count for much unless you can communicate it clearly!
If you are still stuck, give us a shout and we’ll help!