Communications Tip: Editing Checklist

Last year, our ESM 437 class compiled a quick reference checklist for general editing, an ideal resource as you finish final papers and prepare for internships, new jobs, or a relaxing summer. Feel free to adapt our list to your next writing effort.

Here is an editing checklist to get you started. Let us know if we're missing anything and we'll add it to future iterations.
--Matches expectations of task
--Clear objective/thesis statement
--Compelling introduction and conclusion
--Demonstrates flow/logical order
--Makes relevant and appropriate recommendations
--Easy to find critical points
--Addresses significance: answers “so what?”
--Supportive and well-integrated evidence
--Assumptions are explicit

--Overall clarity
--Cohesion/ connectivity between paragraphs
--Appropriate scope
--Precise language
--Avoid redundancy
--Sentence/word variation
--Audience-appropriate evidence (e.g., statistics, observations, examples);
useful charts/tables/visuals, where applicable
--Tense/verb agreement

Thank you to our ESM 437 students for their contributions!
--Monica Bulger