Define the decision
A report becomes easier to edit when its purpose is explicit. What decision should it support, and who will make it? A document intended to record findings may need a different structure from one recommending an immediate course of action.
Write a one-sentence statement of that purpose before reviewing the draft. Use it to identify sections that provide necessary support, sections that belong in an appendix, and material that may be interesting but does not serve this report.
Check the summary against the body
The executive summary should accurately represent the main document. Compare its conclusions, figures, time periods, and qualifications with the detailed sections. A stronger claim in the summary can mislead even when the body is careful.
Do not introduce a new recommendation in the summary that has no supporting discussion. Equally, do not hide a material limitation deep in the body if it changes how the reader should interpret the headline conclusion.
Make the evidence-to-claim connection visible
For each major conclusion, identify the evidence that supports it and the reasoning that connects them. Distinguish observation from interpretation. If the report proposes an explanation, make the degree of certainty clear.
Editing can expose a missing link, but it cannot supply evidence that the project does not have. Mark the gap for the responsible author or specialist. Avoid using confident language to conceal an unresolved analytical question.
Treat tables as part of the argument
Read titles, labels, units, notes, and source statements alongside the prose. Check that the text describes the table that actually appears and that the reader can understand the table without guessing what a quantity represents.
If the same figure appears in several places, identify one authoritative source and reconcile the occurrences. A late update to a table can leave an old value in the summary, a caption, or a recommendation.
Make the recommendation usable
A recommendation should make the proposed action clear without implying authority or certainty the evidence does not support. Where appropriate, distinguish the decision itself from implementation details and unresolved dependencies.
Finish by reading only the headings, summary, and conclusion. This is not a replacement for a full review, but it reveals whether a busy reader encounters a coherent account or a series of disconnected statements.