Beat the Block: Editing

Dd yu knw tht th hmn brn cn rd evn wth n vwls?

Did you catch that? The human brain is amazing. It can read sentences with missing words, words with missing letters, phrases with missing punctuation, etc. This amazing feature of the brain allows us to understand when others are trying to communicate with us. But, it can also make us miss errors in our writing.

When you are reading what someone else wrote, you are reading these thoughts for the first time. Naturally, we will then spend more time processing what is being communicated to us because we cannot automatically fill in the gaps. Like watching your favorite movie for the fifth time, you do not need to pay as close attention when you’ve already spent time processing the information. Editing your paper can be tricky for this reason. You might read right through your own mistakes because your brain knows where the text is going and has already processed the thoughts. That’s why it might even feel like you can read at super-sonic speeds when you are proofreading.

Even if you are meticulous, sometimes all a paper needs are some fresh eyes. For this reason, it is an excellent idea to have a friend, family member, co-worker, or tutor quickly glance at your paper. Another set of eyes seeing the information for the first time will be able to pick out errors faster and more efficiently than your eyes can. Not only are you ensuring that you’re not missing any errors, but you may also be able to find these errors faster. Not to mention they will ensure that the writing is clear.

Many people chose to avoid having others read their work because they are nervous about judgment. However, academic papers are meant to be judged. Submitting it to another not only improves your chances of a higher grade, but it allows you to gain confidence in the subject. If you are unable to ask another to read, you should attempt to read your entire paper as if it is one you have never seen. Do not rush through the process. Editing and proofreading are not a race but a marathon. You want to be the tortoise, not the hare. If you so desire, we offer editing and proofreading services at betterthanbooks.org. See you there!

Erin Bitinaitis

M.S. Psychology

Better than Books LLC