Find a time when you are feeling alert and ask yourself the following questions:
Is the spelling, punctuation and grammar correct?
Have I missed any words out?
Are any of my sentences over-long? Could they be split to flow better?
Are numerical data and mathematical equations correctly presented?
Am I using the appropriate tone and style of writing?
Is my first use of each acronym used fully spelt out?
Have I confused any words eg, they’re/there/their?
Have I checked that I've used the correct referencing style? And is my reference list or bibliography complete and consistent? You could use resources such as the iCite Guide and Cite Them right Online to help. As noted above, it is important to check the references carefully, even if you have used reference management software such as EndNote.
A critical friend
You might want to ask somebody to read your work for you. The distance that they have from your work can be really helpful. You might ask them
Can you follow my argument?
Is the writing clear even if you don't know much about the topic?
Did you feel you were being guided through the text?
Are there any sentences that are too long or hard to follow?
Is there anything else you noticed?
A final test for being concise
Try this out on your writing:
Try to summarise, aloud, a particular paragraph or section. Does this help you think about a simpler way to express your ideas? You might try telling a friend about your work.
Highlight any words that you think are unnecessary. Do you say the same thing in lots of different ways? Where could you make cuts?
Are there places where clarity could be improved?
Try re-writing one of the sentences. Use fewer words. Compare the two sentences; which is better? Why? Could you apply the same principles elsewhere?