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The number one mistake made by college students
at all levels of study is about to cost you approval of your dissertation
proposal – lack of effective proofreading.
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How to Proofread a Dissertation Proposal
After years of college classes and countless hours, days,
weeks, and months researching your discipline, the dissertation proposal is
complete! Or, is it? The number one mistake made by college students at all
levels of study is about to cost you approval of your dissertation proposal –
lack of effective proofreading. As simple as it sounds to correct, most
students are so tired of the topic and can virtually quote their proposal from
memory they forget this critical step. There are several easy tips that will
insure that your academic advisory committee does not needlessly penalize you.
Let it
Rest. You must put some time and distance between your written work and
your editing efforts. Again, the dissertation proposal is so familiar that
you will likely read what you think you see instead of the words that are
actually there. Wait a couple of days or even weeks before proofreading.
Do not look at it at all during this time. If you have ideas, jot them
down, but do not read the dissertation proposal.
Find a
Quiet Corner. Turn off the music, TV, and video games. Editing for your
dissertation proposal is brain labor intensive. Give it the attention it
deserves. Regardless of your personal study styles, noise will distract
you from the details you need to correct at this point.
Read
Out Loud. Many professional writers use this technique to check their
work. Words, phrases, sentences and even paragraphs sound
differently than they look. This can help catch redundancies, inconsistencies,
verb tense problems, and a host of other “unforgivable” mistakes in your
dissertation proposal.
Mark
It Up in Color. Use the old fashioned idea of correcting your work with
colored ink. This, of course, can be the virtual highlighted on the computer
screen or a real pen – your choice. Don’t use red – be more creative with
your colors and this can actually help the creative aspect in your mind.
Perhaps is the visual stimulation? In any event, it works.
Get a
Second Opinion. Just like a visit to the doctor, a dissertation proposal
is an important deal. Get someone (qualified) to proof it again. This can
be a trusted colleague or professional writer. This is perhaps the best
advice since they are not as “invested” and will give you accurate and helpful
feedback.
Jon Ginsburg is a partner with PowerPapers.com, an
innovative academic writing company that specializes in providing
custom-written, original model papers on all topics and in all formats.
PowerPapers firmly believes that a quality model paper can be a key learning
tool for almost any student. Check them out at http://www.powerpapers.com.
