‘Operation GTFO’- Last minute edits.

Scrambling to finalise a draft to send out to your supervisor(s) can be hectic, as there are often so many minor details we forget to address until the very last minute. These are my tips and reminders for this very scenario:

• Hand edit. For my final draft I always hand edit. I don’t know why, but I find old fashioned pen and paper allows me to pick up on a few minor errors that editing on the computer doesn’t.
• Use Control F to search for certain words which you have had to change (e.g. titles of a concept) to ensure that they are consistent throughout. Also check for errors like ‘conversation’ instead of ‘conservation’ or ‘spilt’ instead of ‘split’.
• Check your references. Make sure that all your intext references are in your reference list and vis-versa.
• Check that your figure and table numbers are in chronological order. We often move things around which can change the numbers. Also ensure that you are referring to the right numbers in your text.
• Check for formatting issues. Two full stops, weird spacing, and page breaks are all sneaky formatting issues that arise. This should be one of the last things you do as it continually changes while you are editing.
• Read it out a loud. For me, the best way to determine if my writing makes sense is to read it out a loud!