Having constructed your essay or exam answer, the job is not finished. Where possible, you need to edit, clarify, cut and polish your words. This doesn’t mean that you have to write, write again, rewrite and endlessly reconstruct an essay. The chance of it getting much better during such an assault is unlikely. The best written compositions tend to be the originals, and once heavy editing starts the original flavor can soon be lost. But there is always room for judicious pruning and clarification, and this depends on a careful re-reading of your work. Or rather two or three re-readings.
1. Re-read for sense, logic and coherence. Check that the facts are in order, the argument flows progressively, the conclusion is supported by the material in the middle, the detailed content, the facts.
2. Re-read and chop out all the unnecessary words, phrases or sentences that clutter up your meaning and intrude on clear thought. You will be amazed at how much superfluous verbiage you can edit out.
3. Check spelling, punctuation and presentation – the agreement of tense etc.
Check that your summary really does list all the key points dealt with in the detail. Ask yourself honestly at the close whether you believe you have made out a strong enough case to persuade your reader either that you know your stuff or that your proposition, your argument, has been sustained.
Writing that is enjoyable to read was, for the writer, a joy not chore. A tedious and mundane piece of writing invariably comes from a student who was bored and uninterested in the topic. If the writer is fascinated by the facts and intrigued by the subject, his or her enthusiasm and ‘fire’ will illuminate the reader.
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