The short version: Editing is where a good HL essay becomes a great one: cut what doesn't serve the argument, sharpen the thesis and topic sentences, hit the word count, and self-check against criteria A–D.
The first draft is for getting the argument down; the edit is for making it sharp — and the HL essay gives you time to do both.
Read your draft asking: does every paragraph serve the line of inquiry? Is the thesis as sharp as it could be? Is anything summary rather than analysis? Are you within 1,200–1,500 words? Cut ruthlessly, sharpen the topic sentences, and check each criterion. Redrafting is not optional polish — it's where the essay takes shape.
How to edit
Cut what doesn't serve the argument
Delete tangents, repetition, and any summary that isn't analysis.
Sharpen thesis & topic sentences
Make the thesis and each paragraph's opener as precise as possible.
Check the word count
Trim to 1,200–1,500 words — over-length often means padding to cut.
Self-check the criteria
Does it show understanding (A), analysis (B), focus, organisation and development (C), precise language (D)?
The key move: Redraft by cutting what doesn't serve the argument, sharpening the thesis and topic sentences, hitting the word count, and self-checking A–D — editing is where the essay is won.
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Why it matters in the exam: The HL essay is coursework, so a polished, tightly-argued final draft is expected. So edit your first draft before you hand it in.
Editing directly lifts every criterion
- Cutting summary helps A and B
- Sharpening the argument helps C
- Refining expression helps D
A student has a finished 1,700-word HL-essay draft. How should they edit it down and improve it?
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Watch out: Don't treat editing as just fixing typos. The real edit is structural: cut what doesn't serve the argument, sharpen the thesis, and check the criteria — over-length usually means there's padding to remove.