Researchers writing in a language that is not their native tongue can face particular challenges. Even if you are proficient in a second language, it can still be difficult to spot mistakes, and to find the words to convey what you really want to say.<\/p>\n
Ideally, you might find a native-speaker colleague or friend to check your work for you. However, all researchers are busy \u2013 and even native speakers are not necessarily good editors! One alternative could be to find to do this for you.<\/p>\n
Table of Content:<\/h4>\n\n- Be Your Own Editor<\/a><\/li>\n
- Tips for Editing Your Own Work<\/a><\/li>\n
- Where to Get Help<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
Be Your Own Editor<\/strong><\/p>\nThe ability to edit your own work is a valuable skill for all researchers. While journal editors will of course edit your paper, you should try to make your work as \u201cfinished\u201d as possible before you submit it.<\/p>\n
Where should you start? It is helpful to have a plan to follow when you proofread<\/a> and edit your own work. This will ensure that you do not miss anything out. It could even increase your chances of a successful submission.<\/p>\nWhile editing may feel like a lengthy process at first, once you get used to it you will get faster \u2013 and it is definitely a worthwhile investment.<\/p>\n
\n\n![](\"https:\/\/www.trinka.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/folder-icon-small.png\")
<\/li>\n- \n
Upgrade your writing skills<\/h3>\n
Trinka helps you write confidently<\/li>\n
- Write with Trinka<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Every writer takes a slightly different approach to editing their own work. However, there are some important steps you should always try to remember.<\/p>\n
Tips for Editing Your Own Work<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Take a break<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
It might seem strange that the first thing you should do is take a break! But it is important to give yourself time away from your writing, once you have completed the first draft. Then, when you return, you will be able to look at it with fresh eyes. This means you will be able to spot mistakes you missed before. You can also check the overall structure of your work \u2013 does it make sense? Have you repeated yourself? If so, now is the time to fix those things.<\/p>\n
\n- Read aloud<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Read your work aloud; to yourself, or to a friend or colleague (be brave!) This makes it much easier to spot mistakes or parts that are not clear. If you find yourself struggling to read out a sentence, a reader will likely struggle with it, too.<\/p>\n
\n- Remember your reader<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
This is something that is very important for researchers. Sometimes, we can forget that our readers might not know as much about our subject as we do. For your work to have an impact, it needs to be understood. Have you made your writing too complex? Can it be simplified? Do you need to explain anything in more detail? Which leads neatly to our next point\u2026<\/p>\n
\n- Limit jargon<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Jargon \u2013 specialist words or phrases that are difficult for others to understand \u2013 can weigh heavily on your work. While some jargon is unavoidable in academic writing, make sure you only use it when it is necessary. Consider whether there is a simpler way to say something, without losing meaning. The same goes for clich\u00e9s \u2013 phrases that are so stale, they no longer have an impact. Avoiding jargon and clich\u00e9s will make your work much more readable.<\/p>\n
\n- Be active<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Wherever possible, try to avoid using passive voice. The passive voice \u2013 where you make the object of an action into the subject of the sentence \u2013 tends to drain energy from your writing. Occasionally, the passive voice is the right choice \u2013 but it is usually much better to re-phrase your sentence to make it active. Most standard grammar checkers<\/a> can help you to identify the passive voice in your work.<\/p>\n\n- Be brave<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
As a writer, one of the hardest things to do is to cut your own work \u2013 something that is often described as \u201ckilling your darlings.\u201d When you have finished your first draft, you will probably find that you have written too much, rather than too little. Now is the time to be ruthless. Words, sentences, paragraphs: if it isn\u2019t necessary, or doesn\u2019t add anything to your article, cut it out. This makes your writing far more impactful.<\/p>\n
One final thing: when you have tackled all the above steps, take a break, then read through your work one more time. Check that the structure flows, and run a final spelling and grammar check.<\/p>\n
Where to Get Help<\/strong><\/p>\nEditing your own work can be daunting, especially if you are not working in your first language. Don\u2019t worry \u2013 there are to help you.<\/p>\n
Be Your Own Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n The ability to edit your own work is a valuable skill for all researchers. While journal editors will of course edit your paper, you should try to make your work as \u201cfinished\u201d as possible before you submit it.<\/p>\n Where should you start? It is helpful to have a plan to follow when you proofread<\/a> and edit your own work. This will ensure that you do not miss anything out. It could even increase your chances of a successful submission.<\/p>\n While editing may feel like a lengthy process at first, once you get used to it you will get faster \u2013 and it is definitely a worthwhile investment.<\/p>\n Trinka helps you write confidently<\/li>\n Every writer takes a slightly different approach to editing their own work. However, there are some important steps you should always try to remember.<\/p>\n Tips for Editing Your Own Work<\/strong><\/p>\n It might seem strange that the first thing you should do is take a break! But it is important to give yourself time away from your writing, once you have completed the first draft. Then, when you return, you will be able to look at it with fresh eyes. This means you will be able to spot mistakes you missed before. You can also check the overall structure of your work \u2013 does it make sense? Have you repeated yourself? If so, now is the time to fix those things.<\/p>\n Read your work aloud; to yourself, or to a friend or colleague (be brave!) This makes it much easier to spot mistakes or parts that are not clear. If you find yourself struggling to read out a sentence, a reader will likely struggle with it, too.<\/p>\n This is something that is very important for researchers. Sometimes, we can forget that our readers might not know as much about our subject as we do. For your work to have an impact, it needs to be understood. Have you made your writing too complex? Can it be simplified? Do you need to explain anything in more detail? Which leads neatly to our next point\u2026<\/p>\n Jargon \u2013 specialist words or phrases that are difficult for others to understand \u2013 can weigh heavily on your work. While some jargon is unavoidable in academic writing, make sure you only use it when it is necessary. Consider whether there is a simpler way to say something, without losing meaning. The same goes for clich\u00e9s \u2013 phrases that are so stale, they no longer have an impact. Avoiding jargon and clich\u00e9s will make your work much more readable.<\/p>\n Wherever possible, try to avoid using passive voice. The passive voice \u2013 where you make the object of an action into the subject of the sentence \u2013 tends to drain energy from your writing. Occasionally, the passive voice is the right choice \u2013 but it is usually much better to re-phrase your sentence to make it active. Most standard grammar checkers<\/a> can help you to identify the passive voice in your work.<\/p>\n As a writer, one of the hardest things to do is to cut your own work \u2013 something that is often described as \u201ckilling your darlings.\u201d When you have finished your first draft, you will probably find that you have written too much, rather than too little. Now is the time to be ruthless. Words, sentences, paragraphs: if it isn\u2019t necessary, or doesn\u2019t add anything to your article, cut it out. This makes your writing far more impactful.<\/p>\n One final thing: when you have tackled all the above steps, take a break, then read through your work one more time. Check that the structure flows, and run a final spelling and grammar check.<\/p>\n Where to Get Help<\/strong><\/p>\n Editing your own work can be daunting, especially if you are not working in your first language. Don\u2019t worry \u2013 there are to help you.<\/p>\n\n
<\/li>\nUpgrade your writing skills<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n