Checklist for editing
Clarity
How well do words and sentences convey their intended meanings? Which if any
words and sentences are confusing? Check the paper especially
for these:
Exact words (pp. 127-133)
Parallelism (pp. 113–16)
Clear modifiers (pp. 212-218)
Clear reference of pronouns (pp. 195-202)
Complete sentences (pp. 218-22)
Sentences separated correctly (pp. 222-25)
Effectiveness
How well do words and sentences engage and direct readers’ attention? Where,
if at all, does the writing seem wordy, choppy, or dull? Check the paper
especially for these:
Emphasis of main ideas (pp. 108-113)
Smooth and informative transitions (pp. 44-46)
Variety in sentence length and structure (pp. 116-20)
Appropriate words (pp. 121-33)
Concise sentences (pp. 135-40)
Correctness
How little or how much do surface errors interfere with clarity and effectiveness?
Check the paper especially for these:
Spelling (pp. 265-69)
Verb forms, especially -s and -ed endings and correct forms of irregular verbs
(pp. 159-71)
Verb tenses, especially consistency (pp. 172-79)
Agreement between subjects and verbs, especially when words come between
them or the subject is each, everyone, or a similar word (pp. 183-89)
Pronoun forms (pp. 190-94)
Agreement between pronouns and antecedents, especially when the antecedent
contains or or it is everyone, person, or a similar word (pp. 195-99)
Sentence fragments (pp. 218-22)
Commas, especially with comma splices (pp. 222-226), with and or but (p. 235),
with introductory elements (p. 235-36), with nonessential elements (pp. 236–40),
and with series (pp. 240)
Apostrophes in possessives but not plural nouns (Dave’s/witches, pp.
251–54) and in contractions but not possessive personal pronouns (it’s/its, p.
254)