Suggest these tips to turn your teen into a better editor:

Cut the fat. Have your teen make a point using fewer words.

Read it aloud. Listen for areas that are awkward and need rearranging.

Check for overused words. Did your teen use “really” in five of six paragraphs? Constantly using the same words makes writing boring.

Check the logic. Does the paper make sense? Does it move smoothly from one idea to the next? Is the meaning of every sentence and paragraph clear?

Give credit where it’s due. It’s fine to use someone else’s words or ideas in a paper—but not to pass those off as your own. Make sure sources are given proper credit.

Proofread. After all other editing is complete, read the paper carefully one more time. Check for misspelled words. (Spellcheck won’t catch everything.)

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