editing a research paper checklist

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Editing & Proofreading

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This resource covers process and strategy, not correctness rules. For help there, see our many resources on grammar,    mechanics ,  and punctuation .

There are multiple levels of editing, and terminology surrounding editing is often used interchangeably and fluidly. These levels have some overlap between each other, rather than being totally discrete stages; similarly, developmental and substantive editing are more closely related to the "revision" step of the writing process. The four editing levels are:

• Developmental editing: looking at the overall development of the piece, for instance looking for organizational patterns, missing information, inaccurate information, or anything that might confuse a reader
• Substantive editing: making changes to ensure sections (all the way down to paragraphs and sentences) flow logically from one to the next, ensure each paragraph's topic sentence is present and accurate, adding new necessary material to make connections between ideas, removing unnecessary material
• Copyediting: addressing sentence level issues such as style inconsistencies, subject-verb agreement, confusing or wordy phrasing, missing words, missing or inaccurate citations, and any other mechanical or grammatical issues that may be present
• Proofreading: usually the "last pass" before submission or publication; ensuring everything is correct and no lingering errors such as typos, missing words, missing punctuation, etc. remain.

In general, writers should follow this list down in order when revising and editing, from higher order to lower order concerns (in other words, from bigger or more impactful issues to smaller and less impactful issues).

While many writers edit alone at some point during the process, many writers also edit with a partner or writing group. Working with others is strongly recommended when editing; typically, this stage of the writing process comes last or close to last, meaning that writers are more likely to overlook mistakes or potential opportunities (because they have been working on the text for so long). It can be hard for writers to imagine other possibilities beyond what they have already written. A partner or group brings fresh perspective and a real audience who can offer feedback and tell the writer more about what it's like to read their writing. 

If you're intrigued by the idea of a writing group but not sure where to start, you might check out these resources: 

• OWL Vidcast: Writing Groups & How to Form Them
• Writing Groups Toolkit from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Editing Before Submission

When you're ready to edit, it's important to start with higher order concerns and move down to lower order concerns (as stated above). For higher order concerns, see the editing and revision tips on our Organization and Structure page. For lower order concerns (and sometimes higher order concerns — you might realize something about organization while reading carefully for sentence level issues!), here's a list of strategies that our tutors recommend in sessions with graduate writers. They're usually adaptable to different preferences you might have about working digitally vs. on paper, or working alone vs. with a partner or group. Be creative to find what works for you!

• Read aloud. You can do this yourself, get your computer to read your text out, or ask a friend. Hearing your writing read aloud can help identify places where sentences are confusing or difficult to read, highlight missing words, and create some distance between you and your writing so you can more easily evaluate it.
• Color code. You might do this by highlighting or changing font colors on your screen, using markers on paper, or even without color using font styles and sizes. This technique is useful for various applications, including identifying parts of sentences, identifying particular words or phrases you repeat often, or categorizing sentences by idea to check organization.
• Pick individual issues. When you read through with your focus on only one thing, like correcting comma errors or looking for all the places you write "the ways in which," you're less likely to miss instances of that error by getting distracted with other issues.
• Use checklists. Venues such as journals and conferences often have checklists for authors to use when preparing manuscripts; if you don't have a checklist from a professor, you can sometimes use these checklists to help guide your editing for writing for courses as well. You can also keep a checklist of known issues that your writing partners, professors, tutors, or mentors have mentioned on previous writing assignments to help you look for things you know you do (for instance, one former tutor always put her topic sentences at the ends of paragraphs — she keeps this item in a revision and editing checklist and it's one of the first things she addresses when she edits).

Editing with Feedback

Often, graduate students will be writing or editing with some type of feedback. This could be from peers in a class, from an instructor or mentor, or from a peer reviewer at a conference or journal. If you're in this situation, please see our resources on writing with feedback for more strategies and tips.

Research Paper Writing Guides

How To Edit A Research Paper

Last updated on: Mar 21, 2024

How to Edit Research Papers With Precision: A Detailed Guide

By: Betty P.

10 min read

Reviewed By:

Published on: Mar 6, 2024

After you’re done with writing your research paper comes the time for another tedious and time-consuming task, the editing process!

Research paper editing is a mentally challenging task that requires a high level of concentration from the author. 

It goes beyond simply rearranging all elements of the paper in an organized manner. You have to check for grammar, clarity, and logical coherency, and analyze the content of the research document. 

Most research students often skip the editing process, and even some researchers save editing for the last. These common mistakes will always hinder the progress of your research paper.

In this blog, we’ll share practical insights on how to edit your research paper with perfection. Continue reading to understand how you should edit your research paper effectively.  

On this Page

What is Research Paper Editing?

Research paper editing is the process of reviewing and improving a research paper to make it clear, well-organized, and error-free. It involves checking and correcting grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. 

Other than that, the editing process makes sure that the paper follows a logical structure and is written clearly and concisely. Editors also look for consistency in writing style and formatting.

Unlike revising, which primarily focuses on restructuring and refining the content and overall argument, editing hones in on the finer details of language, style, and formatting.

Before learning how to edit your research paper, you should know that there are different types of research paper editing. 

What are the Different Types of Research Paper Editing?

There are different editing processes for research papers. All of them have the same focus, to take the research document toward perfection. You have to use a combination of these editing types to make sure your paper is as close to perfection as it can be. 

Content Editing

• Purpose: Analyze the organization and presentation of the research paper
• Focus: Ensures the paper makes sense, has a good flow, and develops and communicates arguments clearly
• Questions to Address: Does the paper have logical consistency, and are there any major gaps in reasoning?

Copy Editing

• Purpose: Focuses on corrections related to spelling, punctuation, grammar, word choice, and overall writing quality
• Focus: Enhances the overall quality of writing while editing research papers

Line Editing

• Purpose: A 'line-to-line' check focusing on word choice and writing impact, similar to copy editing
• Actions: Involves making changes to strengthen the paper, addressing issues like imitative phrasing and run-on sentences
• Focus: Emphasizes clarity and simplification to ensure the meaning is clear and not overly complex

Mechanical Editing

• Purpose: The final editing step after addressing structure, content, coherence, style, flow, grammar, and word choice
• Focus: Ensures strict compliance with the style guide specified by the chosen journal for publication

Once your paper goes through each strategy and steps in the process of editing one by one, it becomes ready for submission to a journal or presentation. 

Strategies for Editing Your Research Paper

Here are the vital strategies that your research paper editing process should go through. Follow these, and you'll have a well-polished paper ready for submission.

Double-Check the Outline

“ How to edit a research paper outline?”

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of editing your research paper, take a moment to double-check your outline. The outline serves as the roadmap for your paper. It guides both the readers and yourself through the logical progression of ideas. 

Here are some key considerations:

Confirm Structural Coherence

The structure of your paper should align with the outlined plan. Each section should naturally lead to the next, creating a natural progression of ideas.

Check Transitions

Review transitions between paragraphs and sections. Smooth transitions enhance the readability of your paper. This makes it easier for readers to follow your thoughts.

Outline Accuracy

Verify that your outline accurately represents the content of your paper. Each point in your outline should encapsulate the essence of the corresponding section in your research paper.

You should never skip checking the outline in editing research papers. An accurate outline lays the foundation of polished and well-presented academic work.

Edit in Stages

Editing research papers becomes very tedious if you try to edit different aspects of the paper without a plan. 

For example, while reviewing your paper for mistakes, you discover a logical error in the outline. You jump straight to correcting it and after that, you notice a factual error. You start working on correcting that as well. This is the wrong approach! 

• This approach takes too much time, and you might lose track of what you’re actually doing
• It is always a great practice to break down the editing process into phases
• You should devise a plan that breaks down what issues to fix first

As a result, editing research papers will be much easier, and you’ll have a focused approach throughout.

It's a personal preference whether you want to tackle grammar or punctuation first, or focus on the overall logical structure of your research paper. 

Make Your Paper Logically Sound

With a solid outline in place, shift your focus to verifying the overall logic of your research paper. It's important for a reader to understand something logically. 

Here's how you can enhance the logical coherency of your paper:

• Organize Your Paper Effectively

Start by looking at how your paper is organized. Make sure your research paper introduction , literature review, methodology , discussion, and results follow a clear and logical order. Each part should fit together smoothly.

• Establish Logical Connections Between Ideas

Think about how your ideas connect. Check that each point logically leads to the next. Your paper should read like a coherent story, with one idea naturally flowing into the next.

• Maintain a Consistent Tone

Throughout the writing process, maintain the same tone in your paper. Avoid sudden changes in tone that might confuse your readers. Make sure your tone matches the formal nature of academic writing.

One thing to note here is that each sentence in your paper should somehow support the thesis statement . There should be no contradictions in your writing. 

Edit Out any Grammatical or Punctuation Issues

To make your writing clear and professional: 

• Focus on fixing grammar and punctuation issues. Check each sentence for problems like wrong verb use or confusing structure
• Pay attention to using commas, periods, and other punctuation marks correctly, and keep the style consistent
• Make sure each sentence is easy to understand and says what you mean
• Use spell check to catch any misspelled words, especially in technical terms

Tools like Microsoft Word can significantly improve your grammar by offering built-in features such as grammar check, style recommendations, and thesaurus as well. 

Verify Adherence to Guidelines 

One of the vital steps in editing research papers is to make sure that your paper aligns with the required research paper format and guidelines. Check the instruction manual provided to you by the concerned publication or the journal. 

Verify Source Accuracy

Verifying that your research paper sources are accurate. Make sure that your in-text and bibliographical citations are correct, and that they follow the required formatting guidelines 

(e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).

• All references should follow a consistent formatting style throughout your paper
• Double-check that your in-text citations accurately correspond to the sources you've referenced
• Confirm that all necessary details are included in each reference, such as authors' names, publication titles, and publication dates
• Cross-verify against your sources to guarantee accuracy and completeness

Seek Feedback

Don't hesitate to ask others for their thoughts on your work. Seeking feedback is like having a fresh pair of eyes on your paper. It helps you catch things you might have missed and gives you different perspectives. 

Share your paper with peers, colleagues, or mentors and ask for their opinions. Are your ideas clear? Does your argument make sense? Feedback helps you improve your paper before submitting it, making sure it meets the expectations of your audience. 

Do a Final Analysis of Your Research Paper

The final step is to analyze your paper for one final time. In this step, you should look out for the following key points: 

Think about changing sentences that have extra describing words.

• Use Active Voice and Step-by-Step

Make sure everything has been described by using an active voice. 

• Keep It Short

Rephrase any sentences that seem too long. Break them to enhance the clarity of your text.

Now that we have addressed every strategy to edit a research paper, following a checklist always comes in handy. An editing checklist makes sure that you never miss out on even the smallest of details. 

Here is a great video that brilliantly explains and simplifies how to edit research papers effectively:

Research Paper Editing Checklist

For precise editing, a research paper checklist will always help you out. Below is a comprehensive checklist to follow:

Check out our blog on research paper examples if you want to get help from perfectly edited research documents.

How to Edit a Research Paper - Examples

Look at the following examples of how to edit a research paper for a better understanding.

How to Edit a Research Paper

How to Edit a Research Paper Introduction

How to Edit a Research Paper in APA Style

How to Edit a Scientific Paper

How to Edit a Research Proposal

How to Edit an Academic Paper

To conclude, the journey of editing, from content to mechanical details, transforms your research paper into a polished and cohesive masterpiece. Each step addresses distinct aspects and guarantees clarity, precision, and compliance with publishing standards. 

By following this guide, you can be sure that your edited research paper possesses the quality to meet the highest academic standards. We hope that now, you feel confident about editing your research paper.

However, letting professionals handle your research papers is also a great idea!

You may not have the time to edit your research document, or you might be having a difficult time trying to make your paper error-free. This is where SharkPapers.com will lend you a helping hand.

We have professional academic writers who provide research paper editing services for cheap! Our skilled experts exactly follow the required guidelines, and they’ll edit your research documents to be flawless.  

Give our paper writing service online a visit, tell us what sort of edits you require, and leave the rest to us!

Betty is an experienced writer and researcher who will work tirelessly to provide you with the best writing services possible. A voracious reader, Betty loves learning new things, which allows her to serve clients from a variety of academic disciplines. She has a taste for helping her students, so her work always results in positive feedback.

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A Quick-Start Guide to Editing Research Papers

• 6-minute read
• 23rd February 2023

Introduction

Proofreading/editing research papers comes with a number of additional considerations. These are documents with a particular structure and register, and writing for academia involves adhering to various conventions. If you don’t have a background in writing/editing research papers and are unfamiliar with these conventions, take some time to read this quick guide, which will point you in the right direction.

The abstract

Following the title, the first thing you’ll generally see in a research paper is an abstract. This is basically a summary of the paper. It allows the reader to get an overall picture of what the study is about, how it was conducted, and what its main conclusions are. Some things to note:

• The abstract should predominantly be in the present tense; however, if actual results or observations are reported, these can be in the past tense.
• The abstract may or may not have sub-headings related to the different sections of the paper. This is fine, and not something you need to worry about in general. The exception may be if you have been asked to follow the guidelines of a specific journal, in which case you should check that the way the abstract is presented fits the guidelines and alert the author if it does not.
• The abstract may or may not be followed by keywords. As above, this is usually fine, but you may need to check if you’re working to specific journal guidelines. In this case, if keywords are missing, don’t add them—just alert the author to the omission. Ensure consistency in the punctuation and capitalisation of the keywords. Full terms, rather than abbreviations, should be used as keywords.
• When it comes to acronyms/initialisms in the abstract itself, treat it as a separate document. In other words , no abbreviation is needed if the term is only used once in the abstract, and any acronyms/initialisms given in the abstract must be introduced again the first time they are used in the main body of the paper.

Tense use throughout the paper

How tense is used in a research paper, depends on which section we’re dealing with, but also on what the sentence is referring to. Some basic guidelines are given below.

• Introduction and literature review—present tense (Smith and Jones (2020) note that…)
• Methods—past tense (The participants completed the survey instrument…)
• Results—generally past tense (There was a significant increase in the level of…)
• Discussion—If summarizing findings, past tense may be used, but if discussing the significance of the findings, use present tense. Future tense may be used for future research recommendations.
• Figures/tables—refer to these in present tense.
• Avoid sudden, unwarranted tense shifts, especially within sections/paragraphs.

Acronyms/initialisms

Research papers often contain a lot of abbreviations, so some things to remember:

• An abbreviation is not needed if the term only appears once.
• On first use, the full term should appear followed by the abbreviation in parenthesis.
• Do not add missing full terms/abbreviations unless you are 100% sure they are correct. Even then, leave a comment asking the author to confirm your addition.
• Abbreviated forms should not generally be used in table/figure captions or table/figure legends.
• Abbreviated forms should not be introduced for the first time in headings.

Names of organisms, genes and proteins

There are conventions for the Latin genus and species names of organisms ( Lactobacillus acidophilus , Homo sapiens , Ursus deningeri , etc.).

• They should always be italicized. 
• The genus name should always have a capital letter, even when used without the species name, i.e., “Many Canis species display traits similar to…”
• After the first use, the abbreviated version of the name should be used ( L. acidophilus , H. sapiens, U. deningeri , etc.)

For genes and proteins, use the full name on first use, followed by the symbol in parenthesis . Use the symbol thereafter. The symbols for genes should be italicized, but the symbols for proteins should not. If there appears to be inconsistency, and you are unsure whether something relates to a gene or a protein, leave a comment rather than making changes. 

There are complex conventions relating to which letters in a gene symbol are capitalized. Unless you really know your stuff, if you see inconsistency, alert the author with a comment rather than effecting changes yourself.

Italicization

There are various conventions in academic writing about what should and should not be italicized.

Do italicize:

• Latin genus and species names ( Canis lupus, Panthera leo, Escherichia coli, etc.)
• variables represented by an English letter. ( P -value, t -test, etc.)
• the abbreviated names of genes ( HTT, AFP, etc .)

Do not italicize:

• variables using Greek letters
• the abbreviated or full names of proteins
• common Latin terms, such as in vivo, in vitro and et al.

Units of measurement

Measurements are also common in research papers. The bare essentials are given below.

• Do include spaces between numerals and units (e.g., 5 nM).
• Do not repeat units in a list (e.g., 20, 40, and 60 kg).
• Do not add spaces between numerals and symbols (e.g., °C and %).
• Do repeat symbols in a list (e.g., 74ºC, 85ºC, and 100ºC).
• Watch for consistency in the capitalisation of unit symbols. If you’re not sure whether a symbol should be upper or lower case, leave a comment.

Citations and references

Pay attention to how citations (and references if they are to be worked on) are presented and whether this fits the referencing system you have been asked to work to. We won’t go into details here, but be sure you are familiar with how citations and references should be formatted in a given referencing system or have a reference guide open to refer to.

Use the style guide

We’ve highlighted some of the particular conventions when it comes to research papers, but the information here is not exhaustive, and is intended only to draw your attention to potential issues if you’re unfamiliar with the genre. Always consult the appropriate style guide in detail when working on research papers.

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EDITING: TIPS FOR REVISING AND POLISHING YOUR RESEARCH PAPER

Editing is an integral part of the writing process that improves the quality of drafts by making the content clear, precise, accurate, and impactful. The editors will assess your manuscript and research paper on the basis of language quality, clarity, and information presentation.

The editing process includes correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors along with improving the overall writing style and structure so that the target audience can comprehend the content.

The question is how will you edit your research paper? Here are four strategies to help authors edit their drafts from a technical perspective.

1. Purpose of editing

2. maintain logic and coherence, 3. edit in phases, 4. content analysis.

Identify the purpose of editing and revising the document. Is to organize the sections? Do you want to make the content more engaging and convincing? Or is it to fix English language errors? Identifying the areas that need improvement will help adopt a more precise approach.

Editing tips for beginners:

• 1. Identify the major areas of concern in the draft and work on it first
• 2. Create an editing checklist to ensure you have followed the journal guidelines
• 3. Have a second look at the sentence while adding or deleting any word

There is a  possibility that your ideas may no longer be clear and well-defined as you continue to write. It is important that all the ideas are interlinked with each other and make sense. There should be a continuity and smooth flow of ideas within the paragraphs.

Tips for maintaining logic and coherence:

• 1. Read the paragraphs aloud, which will help you identify the problem areas
• 2. Use transition words and phrases carefully to establish a link between sentences and paragraphs
• 3. Focus on explaining one idea at a time

Work on one section at a time instead of editing the entire paper in one go. Create a schedule and edit the sections based on their length and word count. This will help you focus on the core elements and content of your manuscript.

Tips for editing in phases:

• 1. Pick one section at a time while editing the document and look for common language errors
• 2. Ensure each section conveys the original meaning intended
• 3. Remove unnecessary information and redundant words

Once you are done with the final draft, analyze the content and ensure that it matches with the formatting and styling guidelines of the journal. Review the content for redundancy, wordiness, and accuracy.

Tips for analyzing content:

• 1. Re-write sentences with modifiers
• 2. Use active voice to describe the methodology and adopt a step-by-step process
• 3. Keep the sentences short and to the point

Checklist to help you edit your next research paper:

• 1. Correct the run-on sentences
• 2. Check sentences for subject–verb agreement
• 3. Use a spell check for identifying spelling mistakes
• 4. Check abbreviations and punctuation marks
• 5. Avail professional editing and proofreading services

Source: https://www.authorassists.com/blog/editing-tips-for-revising-and-polishing-your-research-paper/

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Expert Tips for Editing a Scientific Paper

Preparing Your Journal Manuscript for Publication

After completing your scientific study and writing your research paper, it is time to submit your manuscript for publication in journals. But how do you know that your research is ready for publication?

According to a 2016 study of 5,633 journals indexed in the MEDLINE medical database, the rate of rejection for many top journals approaches 90%. While there are many reasons for journal rejection, two of the main issues leading to rejection of submitted manuscripts are poor writing quality and incorrect formatting. It is therefore crucial to consider receiving scientific manuscript editing services after finishing your research paper if you want journal editors to seriously consider your work for publication.

However, for many research authors, understanding how to correctly prepare a research paper is a painstaking effort that can take years. Learning to apply the most appropriate scientific writing style and formatting rules often means drafting several research manuscripts. But time spent revising language, proofreading the work, and applying correct formatting can take away from the more central work of researchers: conducting and presenting critical research.

An expert scientific paper editor can alleviate this time constraint and help researchers efficiently publish their academic papers in a reputable journal. But before sending a paper to a professional English editing and proofreading service , read these tips that all scientific research authors can apply to both prepare their work for publication and enhance their academic writing and editing skills in future work.

Proofreading and Editing Tips from Scientific Editors

Research authors likely already understand that editing a research paper is quite different than editing an email or a blog post. Issues with grammar, punctuation, formatting, terminology, style, and expression all have an impact on publication success and need to be revised accordingly. But not all scientific manuscripts follow the same rules, so reading many journal manuscripts published in your target journal will help you understand which formatting and style rules to follow.

Differences Between Editing and Proofreading?

Before we discuss revision tips, we should understand the distinction between “editing” and “proofreading”—this will be important when it comes time to choose a freelance editor or editing service.

Scientific paper editing and proofreading are two parts of the same process. For a more detailed breakdown of these two steps in the revision process and to decide which is best for you, see our article on editing versus proofreading.

In short, during the editing process editors revise the content, language, and organization of your research work. This can take the form of content editing or substantive editing (which are done during or immediately after the drafting process), or language editing, which focuses on using consistent vocabulary terms and revising terms, phrases, and sentences so they read more naturally and follow the high academic standards of a journal.

While proofreading, editors find and correct mistakes in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and formatting. Proofreading is the final step in the revision process and should be performed by an English-speaking editor with extensive knowledge of both the English language and academic writing rules and conventions.

Review the Organization of Your Manuscript

Applying the correct manuscript structure is essential to getting a study published in your target journal. This means ensuring that all your content is placed in the correct section and order.

First, check that your manuscript contains all the necessary sections in the right order. Most journals follow the standard IMRD (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion/Conclusion) format, but there are often deviations from this section order depending on the journal.

Some common organization issues in scientific papers include:

• Insufficient background information included in the Introduction section
• Methods/Materials section not ordered properly (chronological or another logical ordering)
• Results sections that do not follow the order of the Methods section
• Discussion sections that do not include study implications or study limitations
• Conclusions that simply repeat information without providing new insights

Again, the best way to ensure that your manuscript has all the right content in the correct order is to carefully read articles published in your target journal. See our article and video on the parts of a research paper to understand what information to include in each section of your research paper.

Review Your Paper's Vocabulary and Language

For many research authors (especially ESL authors), the most difficult about academic writing is choosing the correct academic terms and phrases. This includes choosing correct key technical terms, academic verbs, and natural English expressions. While it is not possible to write a “perfect” research paper without having considerable knowledge of English-language conventions, there are some writing resources that can help:

• 100+ Verbs for Academic Writing
• Effective Transition Terms in Academic Papers

Use a Human Paper Proofreader

There are several useful free AI essay editors available to writers. And while it is perfectly fine to use these programs to catch errors during the drafting process, human proofreading and editing is the best way to ensure a flawless manuscript.

Expert proofreaders and editors with extensive knowledge of the English language can understand the nuances in mechanics and usage that lead to many of the writing errors found in rejected manuscripts.

Scientific Editing and Proofreading Checklist

As you can probably tell by now, there are far too many potential writing issues to cover in a single article. But asking yourself the following questions BEFORE receiving editing and proofreading for your scientific paper will help ensure that your manuscript is well written and ready to send to journal editors after receiving final language editing.

• Is the manuscript title concise and relevant? The title is the first element of your manuscript that journal editors and readers will see. Crafting the perfect title for your manuscript can be difficult. Use as few words as possible to relay the topic of your research—this makes it easier for researchers to find your study in journal databases. For more information, read our comprehensive article on how to write a research paper title.
• Are the objectives of your study relevant to your intended audience? Consider the nature and goals of your research. Do they align with the readership of your target journal? Is your work intended for a very specific subset of researchers or a more general readership? While these are questions best asked before or during the drafting process, it is best to identify any potential incongruencies before submitting to your journal.
• Does your Discussion section address your research question(s)? The Discussion section is perhaps the most difficult research paper section to compose. It must address the research question(s) you asked in your Introduction section while also interpreting the Results and discussing the implications of your research. Be sure to remind your readers which gaps in scientific knowledge your study sought to fill and whether your research achieved or failed to achieve this goal.
• Are the materials and methods explained concisely and accurately? The items in the Methods/Materials section should be arranged in a logical order—either chronologically or in order of importance. Readers should be able to clearly distinguish each individual part of this section and understand how they fit together. Use headings (if allowed by your journal’s guidelines) and paragraphs to separate different methods, materials, and participants involved.
• Are the figures and tables relevant and clear? All figures, tables, charts, and graphs should clearly express data and results to readers without the use of explanatory text. However, each figure in the Results section should also be mentioned in the text.
• Are the proper voices and verb tenses used in each section? Using appropriate voice (passive or active) and verb tenses (present, simple past, and perfect) is crucial when writing a manuscript that journals will seriously consider publishing. Different situations call for different voices and tenses. Read more about how to apply passive and active voice and verb tense correctly in research papers.

Using Scientific Paper Editing Services

Because of all the potential language, formatting, organization, and punctuation issues that tend to arise in submitted manuscripts, receiving editing and proofreading is key to preparing your manuscript. Scientific paper editing thus involves both language editing for style and flow, and research paper proofreading to catch remaining grammatical and typographical errors in the text.

Wordvice’s professional editing services , including scientific paper editing services , are an excellent solution to satisfy your manuscript proofreading and editing needs. Our 500+ English editors have expertise in hundreds of academic subject areas and thousands of subdisciplines, so your work is guaranteed to be revised by an expert in your paper’s specific academic field. Our editors also provide extensive feedback, explaining their in-text revisions and providing suggestions to improve your writing.

So before submitting your work to a journal, be sure to read through this scientific paper editing checklist and then entrust your important research to a professional journal manuscript editing service like Wordvice to improve your chances of publication success.

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• Research paper

How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide

A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research.

Research papers are similar to academic essays , but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in scholarly research. Writing a research paper requires you to demonstrate a strong knowledge of your topic, engage with a variety of sources, and make an original contribution to the debate.

This step-by-step guide takes you through the entire writing process, from understanding your assignment to proofreading your final draft.

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Table of contents

Understand the assignment, choose a research paper topic, conduct preliminary research, develop a thesis statement, create a research paper outline, write a first draft of the research paper, write the introduction, write a compelling body of text, write the conclusion, the second draft, the revision process, research paper checklist, free lecture slides.

Completing a research paper successfully means accomplishing the specific tasks set out for you. Before you start, make sure you thoroughly understanding the assignment task sheet:

• Read it carefully, looking for anything confusing you might need to clarify with your professor.
• Identify the assignment goal, deadline, length specifications, formatting, and submission method.
• Make a bulleted list of the key points, then go back and cross completed items off as you’re writing.

Carefully consider your timeframe and word limit: be realistic, and plan enough time to research, write, and edit.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

There are many ways to generate an idea for a research paper, from brainstorming with pen and paper to talking it through with a fellow student or professor.

You can try free writing, which involves taking a broad topic and writing continuously for two or three minutes to identify absolutely anything relevant that could be interesting.

You can also gain inspiration from other research. The discussion or recommendations sections of research papers often include ideas for other specific topics that require further examination.

Once you have a broad subject area, narrow it down to choose a topic that interests you, m eets the criteria of your assignment, and i s possible to research. Aim for ideas that are both original and specific:

• A paper following the chronology of World War II would not be original or specific enough.
• A paper on the experience of Danish citizens living close to the German border during World War II would be specific and could be original enough.

Note any discussions that seem important to the topic, and try to find an issue that you can focus your paper around. Use a variety of sources , including journals, books, and reliable websites, to ensure you do not miss anything glaring.

Do not only verify the ideas you have in mind, but look for sources that contradict your point of view.

• Is there anything people seem to overlook in the sources you research?
• Are there any heated debates you can address?
• Do you have a unique take on your topic?
• Have there been some recent developments that build on the extant research?

In this stage, you might find it helpful to formulate some research questions to help guide you. To write research questions, try to finish the following sentence: “I want to know how/what/why…”

A thesis statement is a statement of your central argument — it establishes the purpose and position of your paper. If you started with a research question, the thesis statement should answer it. It should also show what evidence and reasoning you’ll use to support that answer.

The thesis statement should be concise, contentious, and coherent. That means it should briefly summarize your argument in a sentence or two, make a claim that requires further evidence or analysis, and make a coherent point that relates to every part of the paper.

You will probably revise and refine the thesis statement as you do more research, but it can serve as a guide throughout the writing process. Every paragraph should aim to support and develop this central claim.

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A research paper outline is essentially a list of the key topics, arguments, and evidence you want to include, divided into sections with headings so that you know roughly what the paper will look like before you start writing.

A structure outline can help make the writing process much more efficient, so it’s worth dedicating some time to create one.

Your first draft won’t be perfect — you can polish later on. Your priorities at this stage are as follows:

• Maintaining forward momentum — write now, perfect later.
• Paying attention to clear organization and logical ordering of paragraphs and sentences, which will help when you come to the second draft.
• Expressing your ideas as clearly as possible, so you know what you were trying to say when you come back to the text.

You do not need to start by writing the introduction. Begin where it feels most natural for you — some prefer to finish the most difficult sections first, while others choose to start with the easiest part. If you created an outline, use it as a map while you work.

Do not delete large sections of text. If you begin to dislike something you have written or find it doesn’t quite fit, move it to a different document, but don’t lose it completely — you never know if it might come in useful later.

Paragraph structure

Paragraphs are the basic building blocks of research papers. Each one should focus on a single claim or idea that helps to establish the overall argument or purpose of the paper.

Example paragraph

George Orwell’s 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language” has had an enduring impact on thought about the relationship between politics and language. This impact is particularly obvious in light of the various critical review articles that have recently referenced the essay. For example, consider Mark Falcoff’s 2009 article in The National Review Online, “The Perversion of Language; or, Orwell Revisited,” in which he analyzes several common words (“activist,” “civil-rights leader,” “diversity,” and more). Falcoff’s close analysis of the ambiguity built into political language intentionally mirrors Orwell’s own point-by-point analysis of the political language of his day. Even 63 years after its publication, Orwell’s essay is emulated by contemporary thinkers.

Citing sources

It’s also important to keep track of citations at this stage to avoid accidental plagiarism . Each time you use a source, make sure to take note of where the information came from.

You can use our free citation generators to automatically create citations and save your reference list as you go.

APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator

The research paper introduction should address three questions: What, why, and how? After finishing the introduction, the reader should know what the paper is about, why it is worth reading, and how you’ll build your arguments.

What? Be specific about the topic of the paper, introduce the background, and define key terms or concepts.

Why? This is the most important, but also the most difficult, part of the introduction. Try to provide brief answers to the following questions: What new material or insight are you offering? What important issues does your essay help define or answer?

How? To let the reader know what to expect from the rest of the paper, the introduction should include a “map” of what will be discussed, briefly presenting the key elements of the paper in chronological order.

The major struggle faced by most writers is how to organize the information presented in the paper, which is one reason an outline is so useful. However, remember that the outline is only a guide and, when writing, you can be flexible with the order in which the information and arguments are presented.

One way to stay on track is to use your thesis statement and topic sentences . Check:

• topic sentences against the thesis statement;
• topic sentences against each other, for similarities and logical ordering;
• and each sentence against the topic sentence of that paragraph.

Be aware of paragraphs that seem to cover the same things. If two paragraphs discuss something similar, they must approach that topic in different ways. Aim to create smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and sections.

The research paper conclusion is designed to help your reader out of the paper’s argument, giving them a sense of finality.

Trace the course of the paper, emphasizing how it all comes together to prove your thesis statement. Give the paper a sense of finality by making sure the reader understands how you’ve settled the issues raised in the introduction.

You might also discuss the more general consequences of the argument, outline what the paper offers to future students of the topic, and suggest any questions the paper’s argument raises but cannot or does not try to answer.

You should not :

• Offer new arguments or essential information
• Take up any more space than necessary
• Begin with stock phrases that signal you are ending the paper (e.g. “In conclusion”)

There are four main considerations when it comes to the second draft.

• Check how your vision of the paper lines up with the first draft and, more importantly, that your paper still answers the assignment.
• Identify any assumptions that might require (more substantial) justification, keeping your reader’s perspective foremost in mind. Remove these points if you cannot substantiate them further.
• Be open to rearranging your ideas. Check whether any sections feel out of place and whether your ideas could be better organized.
• If you find that old ideas do not fit as well as you anticipated, you should cut them out or condense them. You might also find that new and well-suited ideas occurred to you during the writing of the first draft — now is the time to make them part of the paper.

The goal during the revision and proofreading process is to ensure you have completed all the necessary tasks and that the paper is as well-articulated as possible. You can speed up the proofreading process by using the AI proofreader .

Global concerns

• Confirm that your paper completes every task specified in your assignment sheet.
• Check for logical organization and flow of paragraphs.
• Check paragraphs against the introduction and thesis statement.

Fine-grained details

Check the content of each paragraph, making sure that:

• each sentence helps support the topic sentence.
• no unnecessary or irrelevant information is present.
• all technical terms your audience might not know are identified.

Next, think about sentence structure , grammatical errors, and formatting . Check that you have correctly used transition words and phrases to show the connections between your ideas. Look for typos, cut unnecessary words, and check for consistency in aspects such as heading formatting and spellings .

Finally, you need to make sure your paper is correctly formatted according to the rules of the citation style you are using. For example, you might need to include an MLA heading  or create an APA title page .

Scribbr’s professional editors can help with the revision process with our award-winning proofreading services.

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Checklist: Research paper

I have followed all instructions in the assignment sheet.

My introduction presents my topic in an engaging way and provides necessary background information.

My introduction presents a clear, focused research problem and/or thesis statement .

My paper is logically organized using paragraphs and (if relevant) section headings .

Each paragraph is clearly focused on one central idea, expressed in a clear topic sentence .

Each paragraph is relevant to my research problem or thesis statement.

I have used appropriate transitions  to clarify the connections between sections, paragraphs, and sentences.

My conclusion provides a concise answer to the research question or emphasizes how the thesis has been supported.

My conclusion shows how my research has contributed to knowledge or understanding of my topic.

My conclusion does not present any new points or information essential to my argument.

I have provided an in-text citation every time I refer to ideas or information from a source.

I have included a reference list at the end of my paper, consistently formatted according to a specific citation style .

I have thoroughly revised my paper and addressed any feedback from my professor or supervisor.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (page numbers, headers, spacing, etc.).

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Peer editing

Peer editing can be done during class time or electronically outside of class, as the documents below--from Northwestern instructors--illustrate.  The questions that students respond to can vary according to the nature of the assignment and the purpose of the peer review.

peer editing sheets for drafts Peer editing sheets for two essay assignments in a freshman seminar.  Providing very specific questions helps the editors give useful feedback and suggestions. 

peer feedback form literature seminar Students exchange drafts in class, complete the peer feedback form, and then discuss their written comments with one another.  Students submit the forms with their drafts so that I can read them.  I frequently refer to their peers' comments when I am writing my own comments on their drafts.   

peer review Asian diaspora freshman seminar Students do a close reading of one another's drafts to provide insight into what has and has not been conveyed by the draft.

research draft peer review Prompts peer reviewers to comment on key pieces of information, logical organization, and conclusion

research paper introduction peer response Prompts peer editor to comment on introduction, and prompts author to respond to those comments

research paper peer evaluation of claims Prompts peer editor to evaluate the paper's effectiveness in supporting claims and addressing counter-arguments

peer editing science papers Prompts peer editor to complete a checklist on the paper's content, structure, and grammar

getting the most out of peer reviews A link to NU's Writing Place that explains how to make sure you benefit from sharing your writing with peers

peer review guidelines for a personal essay These guidelines from a freshman seminar are aimed at pairs of students who are exchanging drafts before meeting individually with the instructor. 

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Title: video editing via factorized diffusion distillation.

Abstract: We introduce Emu Video Edit (EVE), a model that establishes a new state-of-the art in video editing without relying on any supervised video editing data. To develop EVE we separately train an image editing adapter and a video generation adapter, and attach both to the same text-to-image model. Then, to align the adapters towards video editing we introduce a new unsupervised distillation procedure, Factorized Diffusion Distillation. This procedure distills knowledge from one or more teachers simultaneously, without any supervised data. We utilize this procedure to teach EVE to edit videos by jointly distilling knowledge to (i) precisely edit each individual frame from the image editing adapter, and (ii) ensure temporal consistency among the edited frames using the video generation adapter. Finally, to demonstrate the potential of our approach in unlocking other capabilities, we align additional combinations of adapters

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The 70+ Best Deals From Amazon's Big Spring Sale (And Across the Internet) This Week

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale kicked off on Wednesday and lasts through Monday, March 25.

The introduction of yet another Amazon-manufactured sale event sees the online retail giant promising savings on cleaning gear, outdoor essentials, electronics, clothing, and home goods.

But does the sale live up to the hype? We’ve assessed the deals on offer (so far). Most didn’t make the grade, so we dug in to find those that are truly worth the spend.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best deals from Amazon and other retailers offering competing sales, including REI, to find you only the best spring deals on our expert-approved picks.

The best deals on:

Lawn and garden, outdoor, camping, and hiking, kitchen and appliance, tech, laptops, and tv, spring clothing and shoes, home and furniture.

Roborock Q5+ Robot Vacuum — Our Pick Roborock deal price: $370 with code ROBOROCKS ; street price: $550

What we like: Our self-emptying robot vacuum pick. Better battery life, app navigation, mapping, and voice command response to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant than other bots. Large bin. Excels at cleaning hard floors and low- to medium-pile carpets.

Other things to know: Comes with a charging station that empties debris into a disposable bag. Like nearly all bots we tested, it struggles with debris near thresholds and baseboards. A new low price, but not by much. Use coupon code ROBOROCKS .

Read our review of the best robot vacuums .

Roborock Q5 Robot Vacuum — Our Pick Roborock deal price: $210 with code ROBOROCKS ; street price: $430

What we like: Our pick for the best robot vacuum. Offers better mapping, easier app navigation, a longer battery life, and more reliable voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant than other models we tested. Excels on low and medium-pile carpet and hard floors.

Other things to know: Doesn't come with a self-emptying charging station like the "plus" model. Like almost all bots we tested, struggles with debris near thresholds and baseboards. One-year warranty, but few replacement parts. New low price, but not by much. Use coupon code ROBOROCKS .

Eley 5/8-inch Polyurethane Garden Hose (50 Feet) — Upgrade Pick Eley deal price: $103 ; street price: $122

What we like: Our upgrade garden hose pick. Much lighter, easier to loop, more durable, and resists folding or kinking compared to other options. Large brass fittings at the ends are easy to tighten by hand or wrench. Absolutely hosetastic—the best we’ve ever tested.

Other things to know: Pricey—even when on sale—but if you want a hose that's better in every way and are willing to pay for it, this is the one to get. 10-year warranty. Deal price is for the 50-foot length.

Read our review of the best garden hose and hose reel .

Fiskars 28" Power-Lever Bypass Lopper — Also Great Amazon deal price: $20 ; street price: $23

What we like: A larger variant of the lopper pick in our guide to lawn and garden gear to get your yard cleaned up. A lopper cleanly cuts branches too big for pruners, and because it requires just one simple snip, it works far faster than a saw. It’s great for dealing with low-hanging limbs.

Other things to know: Might not be necessary if you already have a pruners and saw. This 28-inch version is good for bigger and harder-to-reach branches. Shipping is delayed.

Read our review of the best lawn and garden gear to get your yard cleaned up .

Ego LM2135SP Power+ 21″ Select Cut Lawn Mower with extra battery — Runner-Up Lowe’s deal price: $600 with store pickup ; street price: $950 Amazon deal price: $600 ; street price: $950

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best lawn mower, bundled with an extra Ego battery. Battery-powered self-propelled mower can run for about an hour on a single battery charge. No need for gas, oil checks, or fuel storage, and no noxious emissions. Considerably quieter than gas mowers.

Other things to know: First deal we’ve seen since Black Friday. Minimal maintenance compared with gas models. A little less powerful and shorter run time than our top pick, but additional battery easily makes up for primary battery’s capacity. Extra Ego BA2800T battery has 56-volt, 5 Ah, 280 Wh capacity, usually between $200 and $300 when purchased separately.

Read our review of the best lawn mower .

Ego ST1511T Power+ 15″ Powerload String Trimmer — Top Pick Deal price: $153 ; street price: $220

What we like: Our top pick for the best string trimmer. Outperformed the other brands’ trimmers in run time and power. Telescoping shaft and handle are easy to adjust and make the tool comfortable to use.

Other things to know: New low. The charger can deliver a full battery in about 40 minutes.

Read our review of the best string trimmers .

The North Face Wawona 6 Tent (2023) — Upgrade Pick REI deal price: $350 in select colors ; street price: $500

What we like: Our upgrade pick camping tent. Dome-style with nearly vertical walls, high ceilings, and a single mudroom-sized vestibule. Straightforward to pitch, and made with sturdy, light materials.

Other things to know: Expensive, but you get value for your money. The Wawona 6’s footprint, or protective groundsheet, is sold separately. We recommend setting up with two people, but one person can manage in about 15 minutes. Limited lifetime warranty. Available in orange/tan. Deal ends March 25.

Read our review of the best camping tents .

Yeti Tundra Haul Hard Cooler — Our Pick Moosejaw deal price: $340 ; street price: $425

What we like: Our pick for the best cooler with wheels. Easy to haul across long distances. Durable wheels. Thick-gauge welded aluminum handle won't strain or bend. Feels similar to wheeling around high-end luggage.

Other things to know: No internal divider. Contents may shuffle a bit when tipped at an angle. Available in six colors. You have to sign in with your free Dick's ScoreCard account to get the discount on a single full-price item from Moosejaw. Shipping is free.

Read our review of the best coolers .

Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 (18 Ounces) — Our Pick Supergoop deal price: $54 ; street price: $68

What we like: One of our chemical sunscreen picks that's available in bulk. Good for face and body. Rubs in easily and is nearly transparent once applied. Light, pleasant scent. SPF 50 rating offers a high level of protection. User-friendly pump bottle.

Other things to know: None of Wirecutter’s testers experienced a white cast, but some reported that it left them feeling greasy. The 18-ounce jug is the most affordable size on a per-ounce basis. Use code WC24.

Read our ode to Supergoop sunscreen .

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Carry-On Travel Backpack — Our Pick REI deal price: $160 with single-use promo code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $200 Moosejaw deal price: $160 with single-use promo code and free Dick's ScoreCard account ; street price: $200

What we like: Our pick for the best small carry-on travel backpack for most situations. Easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps. Has handles on all four sides. Protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon and includes a rain fly.

Other things to know: Minimal amount of administrative organization. We’d love to see a permanent all-nylon alternative to the TPU-lined front panel, which can flake over time. On sale for REI members with single-use promo code MEMBER24 (only the color river remains in stock at REI) or for the public at Moosejaw with a single-use promo and free Dick's ScoreCard account (four colors available).

Read our review of the best carry-on travel backpacks .

Thermacell EX90 Mosquito Repellent — Also Great REI deal price: $40 with single-use code MEMBER24 ; street price: $50

What we like: Our more rugged spatial mosquito repellent pick for camping or other outdoor activities. Odorlessly keep a bedroom-size area mosquito-free. Same nine-hour battery life and repellent qualities as our top pick with a more compact design, rubbery grip areas on the sides, a lanyard and carabiner, and a locking lid.

Other things to know: Wind can drastically affect performance. Only works against mosquitos. Takes about 15 minutes to protect an area. On sale for REI members with single-use promo code MEMBER24 .

Read our review of the best mosquito control gear for your patio or yard .

NiteRider Swift 300 Bike Light — Budget Pick Deal price: $24 with single-use promo code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $30

What we like: Our headlight budget pick for the best commuter bike light is small and sturdy, with a swiveling strap and decent side visibility. Can emit 300 lumens for up to two hours and flash for 12. Adjusts to fit most sizes and shapes of handlebars.

Other things to know: Not suited to longer or darker routes. Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, one-year warranty on its rechargeable battery cells. Already affordable but rarely sees discounts. On sale for REI members with single-use promo code MEMBER24.

Read our review of the best commuter bike lights .

Blundstone Original 500 Series Boot — Staff Favorite Deal price: $168 with single-use promo code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $210

What we like: A casual leather boot loved by Wirecutter staff and many others around the world. Pull-on, ankle-high, with an elastic panel. Comfortable, durable rubber sole. Uppers made of extra-thick leather. Ergonomically engineered to reduce fatigue. Can last for years with daily wear.

Other things to know: Exceptionally light for a pair of boots, about 14 ounces per pair. Unisex. Best price and size availability is for the stout brown color. On sale for REI members with single-use promo code MEMBER24.

Read our ode to the Blundstone boots .

Panel Sound USAPA Approved Fiberglass Pickleball Paddles — Staff Favorite Deal price: $20 in select colors ; street price: $35

What we like: A staff-favorite pickleball paddle set. Lightweight and comfortable to hold. Grippy handles and rubbery faces absorb some of the ball’s velocity. Good for beginners.

Other things to know: Set includes two paddles, four indoor balls, a carrying case, and two cooling towels. Deal is for the red paddle set.

Read our review of the best pickleball equipment for playing at home .

Vasque Breeze Waterproof Hiking Boot (Men’s Sizes) — Also Great REI deal price: $96 with single-use code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $140

What we like: Our more flexible hiking boot pick. Offers all the comfort of a trail-running shoe with the ankle support of a hiking boot. Lighter weight (just over 2 pounds per pair) is good for longer hikes. Substantial enough to support you while carrying a heavy pack.

Other things to know: Runs narrow—we recommend ordering at least a half-size up from your street-shoe size. Takes longer to break (about 10 miles) in than our top pick. On sale in nutria color for REI members with single-use promo code  MEMBER24 .

Read our review of the best hiking boots .

Snow Peak Ti-Single 600 Cup With Hotlips — Staff Favorite REI deal price: $34 with single-use code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $43

What we like: A larger version of an ultralight titanium mug we like for campfire cooking and making coffee on the go. Durable, smooth titanium design. Roomy flip-out handle. Attach to a carabiner for external storage. Food-grade silicone HotLips help mitigate potential scorching.

Other things to know: Cup may be too hot to drink from on its own at first pour. Can also be used as a single-serving pot for boiling water. Hotlips only fit on Snow Peaks mugs. Use single-use coupon code MEMBER24 . REI membership required.

Read our review of our favorite campfire cooking tips tricks and gear .

Sawyer Products Permethrin Fabric Treatment (24-ounce) — Also Great Amazon deal price: $14 ; street price: $18

What we like: Our bug repellent pick for clothing and gear (but not your skin). As effective as similar formulas at repelling ticks and mosquitoes, and its trigger spray is easier to control and apply evenly. Each application provides about six washings (or six weeks, whichever comes first) of protection.

Other things to know: The 24-ounce bottle should be enough to treat four outfits (shirt, pants, socks). The set of two 24-ounce bottles offers a slightly better price per ounce if you need to stock up.

Read our review of the best bug repellents .

Thermos Funtainer Food Jar (10 ounce, 2-pack) — Also Great Amazon deal price: $16 ; street price: $22

What we like: A two-pack of our kids pick for best food thermos. Durable and easy for small hands to open. Never leaked in our tests, and the lid never cracked during drop tests.

Other things to know: 10-ounce container is best for kids (or for a small adult lunch). Doesn't retain heat for as long as our top pick (130 °F after 6 hours, vs 144 °F for our top pick). Best suited for keeping foods hot, not great for keeping foods cold.

Read our review of the best food thermos .

Tramontina Gourmet Tri-Ply Clad 12-Inch Fry Pan — Runner-Up Amazon deal price: $38 ; street price: $50

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best skillet. Allows moisture to evaporate quickly, browns chicken skin as well as pans costing almost twice the price, and is a comfortable weight with a rounded, ergonomically shaped stick handle. Cooked-on food released easily in our tests.

Other things to know: Has slightly steeper sides than our top pick. Developed some discoloration on the surface and underside that was almost impossible to clean.

Read our review of the best skillet .

Simple Modern Trek Tumbler (40 ounce) — Staff Favorite Amazon deal price: $24 in select colors ; street price: $30

What we like: Our favorite high-quality, budget-friendly Stanley tumbler dupe. Performed just as well as its costlier competitors. Kept ice frozen for over 24 hours and stopping leaks with its screw-top lid. Available in over 20 colors and patterns, more than the competition offers.

Other things to know: Most Trek tumblers are dishwasher-safe, though some of the patterned options are hand-wash-only to preserve their design. On sale in a few multi-color options.

Read our review of the best Stanley dupes .

Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker (ICE-21) — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $56 ; street price: $60

What we like: Our top ice cream maker pick. Made some of the smoothest and most delicious ice cream in our tests. More affordable than a compressor model. Churns ice cream faster than the competition.

Other things to know: Bowl insert must be pre-frozen overnight, which requires planning. Extra freezer bowls, required to make multiple batches in a row, sold separately.

Read our review of the best ice cream maker .

Atlas Coffee Club 2-Bag Subscription — Gift Pick Atlas Coffee Club deal price: $14 with code WCMARCH50, new subscribers only ; street price: $28

What we like: A coffee subscription service we recommend in multiple gift guides. Atlas Coffee Club delivers satisfying coffee at a low price, with plenty of customization, and you always have something new to try. Sources beans from countries all over the world. Each bag of coffee includes a postcard with fun facts about the country’s coffee industry.

Other things to know: The subscription is highly customizable. New subscribers can use code WCMARCH50 for 50% off their first two-bag subscription. Matches the best previous pricing we've posted.

Read our review of the best gifts for coffee lovers .

Hamilton Beach Temp Tracker 6 Quart Slow Cooker — Also Great Deal price: $50 shipped for Costco members ; street price: $70

What we like: Our slow cooker pick for longer cook times. Similar to our top pick but offers more precise temperature control. 24-hour timer instead of 14 hours. More built-in slots for a probe thermometer. Settings include high, medium, low, and warm.

Other things to know: Ran a little hotter than our top pick in our tests, and we’re not convinced that everyone needs the extras. Costco membership required. Price includes shipping.

Read our review of the best slow cooker .

Cuisinart CPT-122 2-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster — Top Pick Deal price: $24 in select colors ; street price: $30

What we like: Our longtime top pick for the best two-slot toaster. Produced the most evenly browned bread in our testing. Wide range of settings and easy-to-use controls. Wide slots for thick-cut bagels.

Other things to know: Three-year warranty. Available in white. Plastic body and levers don’t look quite as nice as a metal finish. Heating-element wires of modern toasters are subject to corrosion over time.

Read our review of the best toaster .

Gracula Garlic Crusher — Gift Pick Deal price: $15 ; street price: $25

What we like: A Dracula-inspired kitchen gadget recommended in multiple Wirecutter gift guides. Any cooking-inclined classic-horror fan, kid, or year-round Halloween celebrant would “vant” this as a gift. Plop a few cloves into the base (his cape), pop on the top (his head), and twist at the neck to mince.

Other things to know: Make sure to remove chopped garlic quickly—vampires can’t tolerate garlic for long (plus, it’s a nightmare to clean when dried).

Read our review of the best Valentine’s Day gifts under $25 .

YouCopia StoraLid Lid Organizer (Large) — Staff Favorite Deal price: $16 ; street price: $20

What we like: A staff-favorite lid organizer we like for keeping things tidy in the cabinet. Keeps food-storage container lids organized and easily accessible with minimal human effort. Adjustable tabbed dividers for separating lid sizes.

Other things to know: Only as useful as your willingness to use it and organize. Needs large empty space to fit into a cabinet. Deal for the large size, recurring sale price.

Read our review of how this $20 lid organizer has tamed the chaos inside one writer’s kitchen cabinets .

Philips GoZero Sparkling Water Maker — Budget Pick Deal price: $54 ; street price: $64

What we like: Our budget soda maker pick has a sleek and attractive no-frills look. Makes good-tasting seltzer with lively bubbles. Surprisingly good quality for the price.

Other things to know: Assembly can be a pain. CO 2 cylinder is sold separately for around $30. If you have empty cylinders, you can exchange them for a discount.

Read our review of the best soda maker .

OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker — Another Good Option Deal price: $140 ; street price: $180

What we like: A speedy drip coffee maker we like that can make pour-over-quality single servings in addition to full pots. Small footprint and simple design. Brews coffee with well-rounded flavor. Can brew directly into the thermal carafe or a mug.

Other things to know: Lacks auto-brew function, clock, and timer.

Read our review of the best drip coffee maker .

Tovolo Dino Popsicle Molds (Set of 4) — Also Great Amazon deal price: $10 ; street price: $16

What we like: A small-ish dinosaur-shaped popsicle mold we love for kids (or dino-loving adults). Slightly smaller size and cute shape are perfect for fun frozen treats and experimenting with new flavors. Dishwasher-safe, so they're super easy to clean.

Other things to know: A little fussy to fill. Silicone mold is easy to peel off frozen pops—doesn't require pre-soaking or rinsing in warm water.

Read our review of the best popsicle molds .

Cuisinart CPT-142 4-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster — Top Pick Bloomingdale's deal price: $40 in-cart ; street price: $50

What we like: Our longtime top pick for the best four-slot toaster. Consistently produces four slices of perfectly golden brown toast. Offers a wide range of settings and easy-to-use controls. Housing remains cool to the touch, even after multiple batches.

Other things to know: Heating element wires of modern toasters are subject to corrosion over time. Only available in white. Price reflects in-cart. Deal ends April 1.

Anker Soundcore Space A40 Earbuds — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $50 ; street price: $80

What we like: Our top pick for best wireless Bluetooth earbuds. Solid sound quality, great battery life, and active noise cancellation. Each earbud can be used independently. Dual-device connectivity. Should fit most ears comfortably.

Other things to know: Does not support voice-activated assistants like Alexa and Siri. IPX4 water-resistance. 18-month warranty. Limited touch controls. This deal lacks the $5 gift card we typically see bundled with these earbuds.

Read our review of the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds .

$50 Nintendo eShop Gift Card (Email Delivery) — Pick Accessory Newegg deal price: $45 ; street price: $50

What we like: A nice-to-have gift card for owners of the Nintendo Switch, the most flexible pick in our game console guide. Essentially free money toward your next Nintendo eShop purchase. Keep for yourself or send to someone else as a gift.

Other things to know: Redeemable for a single Nintendo account through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems. A recurring deal, but still free money. Available for Costco members, or from Newegg with code SSDQ2547.

Read our list of the best Nintendo Switch and switch lite accessories .

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 Instant Photo Printer — Top Pick Best Buy deal price: $90 ; street price: $100 Target deal price: $90 ; street price: $100

What we like: Our top pick for best instant photo printer. Ultra-portable and compact. Quickly delivers vibrant, credit-card-sized film-like prints. Easy to set up and use with an intuitive app.

Other things to know: Printer body feels fragile. Prints take four to six minutes to fully develop and may lack fine detail and clarity. Uses the same film packs as Fujifilm’s Instax cameras. Recurring deal price, but has yet to drop lower. Available in black, white, and pink.

Read our review of the best instant photo printer .

Nebula Mars 3 Air Portable Mini Projector — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $450 with clipped on-page coupon ; street price: $600

What we like: Our top pick for the best portable mini projector. 1080p projector that offers good image brightness and contrast with above-average sound and easy setup. Runs off an internal battery for true portability (up to 3.5 hours of runtime in our tests). Uses the Google TV streaming platform, which is our favorite.

Other things to know: Main downsides include the lack of a USB-C port and the awkwardly designed underside, which limits the tripods and mounts it can attach to. Clip the on-page coupon to get the deal.

Read our review of the best portable mini projector .

Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) — Budget Pick (For Now) Walmart deal price: $700 in select colors ; street price: $750

What we like: Our soon-to-be-replaced budget pick from our guide to the best MacBooks. Still enough memory and storage for most day-to-day work. Approximately 14-hour battery life. Lightweight with solid construction, a comfortable keyboard, and industry-leading customer support. M1 processor still good enough for everyday tasks, non-power users.

Other things to know: M3 processor is finally out and the M1 is starting to show its age after three years. Still a worthwhile everyday laptop, but we will likely see better deals in the future as M3 adoption becomes more widespread. Comes with 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 13.3-inch Retina display, one 3.5mm jack, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. Available in select finishes. $30 below the previous lowest price.

Read our review of the best MacBooks .

Vantrue N4 Dash Cam — Top Pick Vantrue deal price: $175 with code WIREVAN4 ; street price: $220

What we like: Our top pick for best dash cam. Crisp, super-high-resolution footage day and night. Front-facing, interior, and rear-facing cameras. 24-hour parked-car monitoring. Compact and relatively unobtrusive. Includes 12-volt car charger.

Other things to know: Performance suffers in temperatures below 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Lacks app connectivity to remotely view and download video. Use code WIREVAN4 for deal from Vantrue. Matches low.

Read our review of the best dash cam .

Apple AirTag Bluetooth Tracker — Our Pick Deal price: $24 ; street price: $29

What we like: Our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iOS users leverages Apple’s huge network of devices to find lost goods. Impressively accurate. Replaceable coin battery. If you lose an AirTag (or an item containing or attached to one), you can use the Find My app to see its location or ask Siri to trigger an audible alert.

Other things to know: Doesn’t have any way to ring your phone. No built-in method of attaching to anything. Solid deal for an individual tracker but sales for sets of four typically offer a better price per tracker.

Read our review of the best Bluetooth tracker .

Google Pixel 8 (128 GB, Unlocked) — Top Pick Deal price: $500 ; street price: $620

What we like: Our top pick for the best Android smartphone offers the best version of Android with guaranteed security updates through fall 2030. Has one of the best smartphone cameras we’ve tested. Excellent build quality. Crisp 6.2-inch OLED display and solid wrap-around aluminum frame.

Other things to know: More expensive than previous models. Videos can often look a little grainy but have good color reproduction. Deal is for an unlocked phone with 128 GB of internal storage.

Read our review of the best Android phones .

Soundcore Space One Noise-Cancelling Headphones — Budget Pick Deal price: $80 ; street price: $100

What we like: Our budget pick for the best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones offer impressive noise cancellation and good sound for less than $100. Comfortable and lightweight. 40-hour battery life with ANC on. Offers dual-device connectivity, hear-through mode, and quick-charge feature.

Other things to know: The three noise-reducing microphones can make voices sound compressed and somewhat distant to callers. Sound is customizable via the Soundcore app.

Read our review of the best noise-cancelling headphones .

Garmin Forerunner 255S GPS Running Watch — Runner-Up Deal price: $250 ; street price: $350

What we like: One of our runner-up picks for the best GPS running watch. One of the most feature-packed, top-performing models we’ve tested. Accurate distance and route tracking. Solid heart-rate monitoring. Multiband GPS.

Other things to know: Decent battery life (about 14 days), but much shorter than that of our top pick. No touchscreen. Not quite as accurate at tracking road runs as our top pick. One-year warranty.

Read our review of the best GPS running watches .

Garmin Forerunner 255S Music GPS Running Watch — Runner-Up Deal price: $300 ; street price: $380

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best GPS running watch if listening to music is important for your workouts. Still one of the most feature-packed, top-performing GPS running watches we’ve tested. Includes music streaming and storage capabilities.

Other things to know: Accurate distance and route tracking. Solid heart-rate monitoring. Multiband GPS. Decent battery life, about 14 days. Lacks touchscreen. Much shorter battery life than our top pick. In tracking road runs, it’s not quite as accurate as our top pick. One-year warranty.

Soundcore Motion 300 Bluetooth Speaker — Runner-Up Deal price: $64 ; street price: $80

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best portable Bluetooth speaker. Good sound quality comparable to that of our top pick but with an emphasis on instruments over vocals. Offers IPX7 waterproofing and had 12 hours of battery life during our tests. USB-C charging.

Other things to know: Larger than our top pick but slimmer. Not as ruggedly built as our top pick. Bluetooth range is shorter than we’d like (60 feet during tests), which is adequate but not impressive these days.

Read our review of the best portable Bluetooth speaker .

Cricut Explore 3 Electronic Cutting Machine — Top Pick Deal price: $250 ; street price: $300

What we like: Our top for the best electronic cutting machine. Intuitive and easy-to-use software is great for beginners. Superior selection of images and ready-to-make projects.

Other things to know: Faster than other cutting machines but significantly louder. Doesn’t come with a cutting mat and can only cut materials that are 6 inches or longer. Only the second deal we’ve posted on the Explore 3 so far.

Read our review of the best electronic cutting machines .

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Smartwatch — Our Pick Deal price: $262 ; street price: $350

What we like: Our pick for a long-lasting Android smartwatch. Compact, comfortable design. Runs nearly seven days between recharges. Low-power mode maintains basic functionality for weeks. Dual-layer display. Fast, powerful Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor.

Other things to know: Uses an older version of Wear OS. Phone app is clunky. Amazon Alexa is the only voice-assistant option.

Read our review of the best smartwatch for Android phones .

Brother P-Touch Cube Label Maker — Budget Pick Deal price: $45 ; street price: $60

What we like: Our budget pick for the best label maker. Easy to use. Good for occasional label making. Produces the same high-quality labels and uses the same great design suite as our top pick.

Other things to know: A stripped-down version of our top pick. Lacks automatic cutter and built-in rechargeable battery. Recurring deal price, but rarely drops lower.

Read our review of the best label makers .

Aura Carver Mat Digital Photo Frame — Pick Variant Deal price: $143 ; street price: $180

What we like: A variant of our top digital photo frame pick. Offers easy setup, vivid display, pleasing design, and near-zero pillarboxing. Loading photos and videos remotely is a breeze. Features two frame layers that give the look of a mat picture frame.

Other things to know: The 16:10 aspect ratio isn’t our preferred 4:3. Free Aura app works with iOS and Android phones. Available in black or clay color with white mat.

Read our review of the best digital photo frame .

Smartish Gripmunk with MagSafe for iPhone 15 Case — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $15 ; street price: $20

What we like: Our pick for the best basic phone case for the iPhone 15. A one-piece case made of soft, rubber-like plastic (TPU, or thermoplastic polyurethane), and provides more than adequate coverage and protection. Easy to install but won't stretch out. Affordable but doesn’t feel cheap.

Other things to know: Has been our pick for the best basic iPhone case for years now and continues to maintain that spot, but is a plain case with not much going on. Clip the on-page coupon, select colors on sale. The iPhone 15 Plus, Pro, and Pro Max versions are also on sale in a few colors.

Read our review of the best iPhone cases .

A.L.C. Renzo Pleated Midi Dress — Our Pick Bloomingdale's deal price: $446 ; street price: $595

What we like: Our pick for the ultimate little black cocktail dress. Delicate pleats, a high neck, and exposed shoulders make this a refined choice for an evening out. Breathable polyester felt softer and more luxurious than many silk dresses we tested.

Other things to know: The priciest dress we recommend, but worth the investment. Designed to hit midcalf, but may hit closer to ankle level if under 5-foot-5. Sold in sizes 00 to 14.

Read our review of the best little black dresses .

Sungait Vintage Round Sunglasses (Polarized Lenses, 2-Pack) — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $15 ; street price: $18

What we like: Our cheap round sunglasses pick. Also recommended in gift guides and outdoor guides. Comfortable and sturdy. Complements a variety of face shapes. Keyhole nose bridge. Mini screwdriver provided with purchase. Logo-free and unisex.

Other things to know: Lifetime warranty (rare at this price). Some Sungait pairs sold on Amazon don't have polarized lenses, double-check before buying. Deal is for a 2-pack in select frame colors. Clip on-page coupon to get deal for some colors.

Read our review of the best cheap sunglasses .

Paige Cindy Jeans — Top Pick Paige deal price: $164 ; street price: $219

What we like: Our decadently soft and stretchy women's jeans pick. Straight-leg, high-rise style, fitted through the waist and hips. Body-conscious yet totally lounge-able. Testers of different sizes and shapes found these jeans flattering and wildly comfortable.

Other things to know: Stretchier denim tends to (you guessed it) stretch out over time. 28-inch inseam may be too short for some. Destroyed hem isn't for everyone. Run slightly large; we recommend sizing down if between sizes. Use code PAIGEFAMILY2024 . Doesn't quite compare to deals we saw over Black Friday, but still a good value.

Read our review of the best women's jeans .

Nike Blazer Mid '77 Vintage Sneakers (Men's) — Staff Favorite Nike deal price: $72 ; street price: $105

What we like: A staff favorite alternative to Nike Air Force 1s. Versatile mid-height sneakers with a vintage feel. Sleek, leather upper with suede details. Solid rubber sole provides strong foot support and traction.

Other things to know: Free Nike membership required to use coupon code SPRING and for free shipping. Several colors are on sale, but the tan option offers a wide range of sizes for a neutral color.

Read our review of the Nike sneakers our experts prefer over Air Force Ones .

Universal Standard Next-to-Naked Legging — Our Pick Universal Standard deal price: $15 with code WIRECUTTER, new customers only, limit one per customer ; street price: $96

What we like: Our lightweight leggings pick for layering (or to replace your everyday pants). Soft, stretchy, and comfortable enough to wear all day. Thinner than most pairs we tried. Waistband didn’t pinch and stayed put for all of our testers. Good for lounging about or even working out.

Other things to know: Formerly known as the Core Legging. Sizing conversions don’t follow standard conventions—please refer to on-page chart to ensure you get the correct size. Use code WIRECUTTER (for new customers only). On sale in all sizes, colors, and styles. Limit one per customer.

Read our review of the best leggings .

Crocs Dylan Clog — Gift Pick Amazon deal price: $40 ; street price: $55

What we like: A more sophisticated pair of Crocs we recommend in several of our gift guides. Belies the brand's ugly reputation. Textured to look like full-grain leather. Clean profile with a notably unperforated toe box.

Other things to know: Easy to wash thanks to proprietary resin construction. On sale in select colors in women's and men's sizes.

Read our review of the best gifts for boyfriends (that are great for anyone) .

Tocess Big Claw Clips — Our Pick Deal price: $7 ; street price: $10

What we like: Our pick that’s great for wrangling curly and unruly hair. Stays put even during sleep. Extremely durable and sturdy.

Other things to know: Includes eight clips in multiple colors and two styles. Clips are about 4 inches long and open to 3.54 inches. Made from soft matte plastic.

Read our review of our favorite hair ties, scrunchies, bows, and clips .

Bellroy Tokyo Tote Second Edition — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $89 ; street price: $129

What we like: Our pick for a durable, water-repellent polyester laptop tote bag. Tough yet polished. Transitions perfectly from the coffee shop to the conference room. Thoughtfully designed, with features like internal popout bottle pockets and leakproof zippers.

Other things to know: Fabric shell is abrasive and may make some sweaters and blouses pill. The weave also attracts pet hair like a magnet. Available in bronze and ranger green. Lowest price we've seen so far.

Read our review of the best laptop tote bags .

Bonobos Soft Everyday Tee (add two) — Our Pick Deal price: $50 when you add two to cart ; street price: $70

What we like: Our boxier, more relaxed white T-shirt pick. Extremely soft with some stretch and sturdily constructed. Especially loved by our plus-size testers for quality, fit, and comfort. 100% cotton.

Other things to know: Generous fit may not work for people with smaller frames. Available in a variety of colors and sizes. Choose between crew neck or V-neck and slim or standard cut. Add two to your cart to get the deal price.

Read our review of the best men’s white T-shirts .

What we like: A casual leather boot loved by Wirecutter staff and many others around the world. Pull-on, ankle-high, with an elastic panel. Comfortable, durable rubber sole. Uppers made of extra-thick leather. Ergonomically engineered to reduce fatigue. They can last for years with daily wear.

Etsfmoa Unisex Beanie with Light — Gift Pick Deal price: $13 ; street price: $15

What we like: A combination beanie and headlamp recommended in multiple Wirecutter gift guides. A bright, rechargeable light embedded in a soft, warm hat. Light charges in about two hours via USB port and has three brightness settings. Beanie comes in 24 different colors and patterns.

Other things to know: Great for walking the dog after dark or staying hands-free during house projects (also makes a good Father’s Day gift). The black and gray hats, the typical colors we see on sale, are both down to $13.

Read our review of the best gifts under $25 .

Idegg No Show Socks (Unisex, Six Pairs) — Our Pick Deal price: $12 ; street price: $15

What we like: Our thin and inexpensive no-show socks pick. Made from a lightweight and breathable cotton blend. Terrific value, especially when on sale. Great for wearing with snug-fitting shoes. Won’t slip or bunch.

Other things to know: Thin material doesn’t provide much padding or support. Not as soft and smooth as our other no-show sock picks. Deal is for a medium six-pack combination of black, gray, and whites (add $1 for large).

Read our review of the best no-show socks .

Apotheke Charcoal Candle — Our Pick Bloomingdale's deal price: $33 ; street price: $44

What we like: Our elegant, monochromatic pick for a warm and woodsy scented candle. Notes of charred sandalwood and cedar after a heavy rain. Fragrant but not heavy or overpowering. Sleek matte-black vessel is as stylish as it is adept at hiding soot streaks, fingerprints, and other smudges.

Other things to know: About 70-hour burn time. We wish it came with a lid or dust cover. Jar is reusable, but the company name is printed on the glass, so it’s impossible to remove. Price reflects in-cart. We've seen better deals for the 3-wick size, but this is a solid deal for this size.

Read our review of our favorite scented candles .

Protect-A-Bed AllerZip Smooth Pillow Protectors (Queen, 2-Pack) — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $22 ; street price: $30

What we like: Our pick for the best pillow encasements. Top-notch seaming and quality construction. Using them will extend the life of pillows by years. The water-resistant fabric will protect pillows from drool without being stiff or plasticky.

Other things to know: The only thing we didn’t like was its zipper pull, which felt a little flimsy to us. It’s unlikely the zipper would come undone, but we could see the pull simply breaking off over time with repeated launderings. Deal for the queen size.

Read our review of the best mattress and pillow protectors and encasements .

Utopia Bedding Quilted Comforter (Queen) — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $19 ; street price: $27

What we like: Our pick for the best down-alternative comforter under $50. Warm yet relatively breathable. Well-constructed and better at regulating heat than pricier down-alternative comforters we tried. Machine-washable. Comes with convenient corner tabs.

Other things to know: May be fine to use without a cover, but we still recommend one to extend its life. We haven’t been able to reach anyone at Utopia to ask whether the company itself offers any warranty (at this price, it’s doubtful). Lightning deal for the queen size in white.

Read our review of the best comforters .

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (Refurbished) — Upgrade Pick Walmart deal price: $220 ; street price: $300

What we like: Our longtime upgrade hair dryer pick. Unique design makes for an extraordinarily pleasant user experience. No vibration whatsoever. Simple-to-switch magnetic attachments make styling a breeze. Consistently our favorite hair dryer to use since we first tested it in 2016.

Other things to know: Pricey, and doesn’t make your hair look any different than cheaper options. Available in the select finishes. Manufacturer refurbished. One-year Dyson warranty and 30-day returns.

Read our review of the best hair dryer .

Threshold White Waffle Weave Shower Curtain — Our Pick Target deal price: $20 ; street price: $25

What we like: Our longtime pick for the best classic waffle-weave shower curtain. Simple, timeless, and durable. Easy to clean. Neutral design will complement just about any bathroom.

Other things to know: Available in white or gray. Select store pickup or make a combined order of $35 or more to avoid shipping fees. RedCard holders get free shipping and save an extra 5%.

Read our review of the best shower curtains .

GoYouth 2 in 1 Under Desk Electric Treadmill — Also Great Amazon deal price: $240 ; street price: $340

What we like: Our better-warranty under-desk treadmill pick. Easy to set up. Offers a smooth ride, a deck screen with Bluetooth speaker, and a belt size mirroring that of our top pick. Comes with a one-year warranty, which is substantially better than tour top pick's 90-day warranty.

Other things to know: Walking pad tops out at 3.7 mph. Can only support up to 220 pounds. In our testing, its belt started to fray after just a few weeks of use—damage that isn’t covered by the warranty. The red and blue colors are down to $240 with the clipped on-page coupon.

Read our review of the best under-desk treadmills .

Lutron Caséta Wireless In-Wall Smart Dimmer Switch (2-Count Kit) — Another Good Option Amazon deal price: $136 ; street price: $170

What we like: A good smart light dimmer switch if you don’t have great Wi-Fi. Easy-to-use keypad for dimming and powering lights manually. Easy to install. Works reliably with many smart-home devices. A pick when we started this guide, and we will continue to sing its praises.

Other things to know: Includes two switches, required Lutron Caséta Smart Bridge, and two wireless remotes. Uses ClearConnect wireless. Neutral wire required (which may be an issue in homes with old wiring).

Read our review of the best in-wall smart light switch and dimmer .

Sonos Move Speaker (First Gen) — Our Pick Costco deal price: $280 ; street price: $400

What we like: Our pick for a portable smart speaker for your outdoor space. High-quality and wireless. Sounds good. All the benefits of the Sonos system. Supports Airplay 2, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. IP56-rated water resistance. Solid 10-hour battery life.

Other things to know: Audio is notably directional, with a dead spot directly behind it. The charging base is not waterproof. No stereo separation. Sonos released the second generation model last year. Available in black for Costco members.

Read our review of the best smart devices for making the most of your backyard and garden .

Akron Street Mysa Bed (Queen) — Our Pick Akron Street deal price: $1,166 ; street price: $1,295

What we like: Our pick for a no-frills, all-oak modern bed. Supremely simple, clean aesthetic with a low profile. Solid white oak construction. Supported by 15 acacia pine slats. Easy-to-assemble. Built to last. Works especially well with tall mattresses and small bedrooms.

Other things to know: Has 11.5-inch height, with an under-bed clearance of 6.8 inches. No warranty. Price reflects in-cart or use code TOTHETRADE. Standard shipping is free.

Read our review of the best modern bed frames to dress up your bedroom .

Homeasy Fabric Shaver — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $22 ; street price: $25

What we like: Our favorite electric fabric shaver. Features six sharp blades, a wide head, and intuitive controls. Very effective at getting rid of fuzz during our tests. Quiet and comfortable to hold. USB-rechargeable. Other thing to know: Three to six hour battery life on a full charge. Includes two replacement blades. About $2 higher than the lowest sale price we've seen, but still a good value.

Read our review of the best laundry aides to help your clothes look better and last longer .

Eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 (Battery-Powered) — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $100 ; street price: $180

What we like: Our pick for the best battery-operated smart doorbell camera. Solid performance with exceptional battery life. Sharp 2K image with local or cloud storage options. (Cloud offers 30 days of history for $3 per month or $30 per year, per camera.)

Other things to know: Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Recordings are limited to 60 seconds. Gaps between recordings can last around 8 seconds. Includes Eufy HomeBase. Make sure to clip the on-page coupon to get the deal price.

Read our review of the best smart doorbell camera .

Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier — Also Great Deal price: $128 ; street price: $150

What we like: An exceptional air purifier with a brutalist (or, if you prefer, minimalist) design. Venerable model with years of proven reliability. Performs similarly to the top-pick Coway Mighty and usually costs less up front.

Other things to know: No display shutoff except in lowest-purification sleep mode. Slightly elevated electrical use and larger visual footprint compared with our top pick.

Read our review of the best air purifier .

Revival Rugs - 25% Off Jute Area Rugs — Our Pick Deal price: $219 ; street price: $290

What we like: Our pick for a natural-fiber rug that comes in several colors. Flexible and finely woven, giving it a more delicate, flat appearance. Feels soft underfoot and barely sheds. Easy to vacuum and lightweight enough to shake out outside.

Other things to know: Best for dining rooms, kitchens, hallways, or layering in living rooms or bedrooms. Spot-clean only, as jute is very susceptible to water and humidity. Use code WCJUTE25 to save 25% on all jute rugs. Deal price is for the 5-by-8-foot size, but pricing varies depending on total cost; no minimum spend.

Read our review of the best area rugs .

YouCopia Storemore Expandable Adjustable Pan and Lid Rack — Our Pick Deal price: $18 ; street price: $30

What we like: A variant of our adjustable bakeware rack pick. We recommend the bakeware rack in several of our articles on kitchen organization; this pan-and-lid rack has a similar design but extends up to 22 inches, and the wire dividers are shaped to account for lid handles. Easy way to organize a variety of kitchen items.

Other things to know: Comes with 10 adjustable dividers. At 13 inches wide without expanding, it’s not as compact as our recommended bakeware rack. Additional and replacement dividers are sold separately by the merchant.

Read our review of the best small kitchen ideas to create more space .

Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser — Runner-Up Deal price: $58 ; street price: $80

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best water flosser is just as effective as our top pick and comes with a similar three-year warranty. Easy to use and clean. Ten pressure settings, including a “massage” setting that emits pulses of water.

Other things to know: This is a corded model and requires a power outlet during use. Takes up more counter space than our top pick. Recurring deal price; $10 more than the deal we saw during Cyber Week.

Read our review of the best water flossers .

Black+Decker Pet Hair Remover — Staff Favorite Walmart deal price: $10 ; street price: $16

What we like: A lint roller for pet hair recommended by the Wirecutter staff. Reusable and tape-free. Effectively catches stray fur on fabric surfaces. The brush is made of velvet and silicone that grips the fur and traps it in a bin behind the roller. Works great on bedding.

Other things to know: Roll it back and forth on your bedding, couch, or clothing to pick up hair, and press the button to empty it once the bin is full. Opt for store pickup to avoid shipping fees or add to a combined order over $35 for free shipping.

Read our review of the best pet hair removers .

PetKit Eversweet Solo 2 Water Fountain — Upcoming Pick Amazon deal price: $40 ; street price: $50

What we like: An upcoming pick in our guide to the best water fountains for cats and dogs. Only five main parts to keep track of. The easiest fountain to take apart and clean in testing. Wireless pump is nearly silent and has a convenient auto shut-off feature so it doesn’t burn out when the water level gets too low.

Other things to know: Also comes with a companion app, which lets you set up cleaning and refill reminders, but it has a limited feature set.

Read our review of the best water fountain for cats and dogs .

Potaroma Flopping Fish Toy — Gift Pick Deal price: $10 ; street price: $14

What we like: A rechargeable motorized fish toy recommended in our guide to the best gifts for cats (and the humans they tolerate). Built-in motor has a motion sensor; as soon as you touch it, the fish wiggles around. Comes with a little bag of catnip.

Other things to know: A padded fabric toy. Charges via included USB cable. Several fish patterns are on sale for $10.

Read our review of the best gifts for cats .

PetFusion Jumbo Cat Scratcher Lounge — Upgrade Pick Deal price: $68 ; street price: $80

What we like: Our pick for the best cat bed for multicat households, this doubles as a scratcher, too. Both the largest bed we tested and the nicest scratcher we found. Big enough to sleep four cats comfortably. You can flip it over and use the underside when the top side shows wear and tear, prolonging its lifespan.

Other things to know: Large, about 39 by 14 inches. Cardboard may be too densely packed for some cats to comfortably scratch.

Read our review of the best cat beds (according to our cats) .

Editor’s note: The photo at the top of this article may reflect previous deals that are no longer valid and have been removed. Check out our Deals page for more great discounts on Wirecutter’s expert-approved picks.

This article was edited by Janie Campbell and Nathan Burrow.

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Wirecutter Staff