Academic Writing and Editing Checklist

Professor Caroline Strange

Writing – start by planning the overall structure. Then write and refine later.

Keep your writing simple – never use a long word/sentence when a short one will do.

Structure / Writing a sentence /
  • How long?
  • Order of the sentence.
  • Does the sentence convey what you intended?
  • Have you succumbed to journalistic writing, overused clichés?

Writing a paragraph /
  • Have you used topic, body wrap? Badley (2009)
  • How long?
  • How should you start the paragraph?
  • What about the end of the paragraph?
  • Are you making assumptions / drawing conclusions without justifying them?
  • Is there some link between the sentences in your paragraph?

What constitutes a section / part of a chapter? /
  • How long?
  • Is there a theme?
  • How will you make the section a cohesive piece of writing?
  • How will the reader know when they have reached the end of the section?

The complete chapter? /
  • Start of the chapter: is it clear to the reader what to expect in the chapter?
  • Have you structured the chapter so that the reader’s journey through the chapter has plenty of signposts?
  • Have you abandoned the reader in a maze of text or run so fast through your ideas that the reader arrives ‘breathless’?

The complete thesis? /
  • In reading the thesis is the reader always clear where they are in the overall scheme of things?
  • The contents page – can you gain an overview of the thesis from your chapter / parts headings?
  • Have you provided sufficient signposts?
  • Does the abstract truly reflect your thesis?
  • Reading the abstract and conclusions - do they make a ‘matched pair’?
  • Do your conclusions answer your research question(s)?
  • Have you observed the required format for the thesis? - check the Research Degrees Regulations.
  • Is the thesis the correct length?
  • You have 40,000 – 80,000 words: is the balance of words between the chapters/parts correct?
  • The thesis should focus on your research placed in the context of research in this area: does your ‘literature survey’ use too many words?
  • Do you need lists of abbreviations / diagrams / figures/ a glossary?

Appendices /
  • Do I need them?
  • Are they referenced in the main text?

Editing / Edit in stages
Check the structure of your thesis, then chapter… / Is the structure logical?
Read your writing afresh / What does it convey? Does the text support your conclusions? Is the text in the relevant section?
In supporting your argument have you used sufficient evidence? / Appropriately referenced? Draws upon your research: data to support – experimental data / simulation to support theory developed, triangulation of data from different approaches/sources. Is it clear why you have used the approach you have adopted?
Are you consistent in your use of tenses? / Mixing present and past tenses?
Is your referencing consistent and accurate? / Are you using an appropriate referencing system for your subject area?
Check grammar, punctuation, hyphenated words? / Apostrophes – have you used them correctly?
Overuse of abbreviations? / All abbreviations given in full?
Writing of numbers? / Numbers up to nine should be written out in full, e.g. nine, except where decimals are involved, e.g. 9.7

Some helpful sources of information

Plain English websites include:

Our workshop booklet for Academic Writing – Stage 2B. This includes many writing tips. Download it from the Research Training web page:

Badley, G (2009) Editing for academics.

For advice on punctuation:

Truss, L (2003) Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. London: Profile Books

October 2009