Editing an AI-assisted draft requires a different checklist than editing a human-written one. Human writers make specific errors (passive voice overuse, unclear pronouns, structural problems). AI tools make different errors (confident falsehoods, plausible fabrications, stylistic flatness, missing context). An effective AI-editing checklist targets the AI error distribution.
The 15-Point AI Draft Editing Checklist
Structure: 1) Is the lead paragraph news-worthy and specific? AI often generates generic ledes. 2) Does the structure follow the inverted pyramid or a clear narrative arc? 3) Is each paragraph a single idea? AI frequently clusters unrelated ideas. Accuracy: 4) Is every statistic source-linked? 5) Are all direct quotes attributed to named, verified sources? 6) Are all institutional names correct and currently active? 7) Are all dates accurate? 8) Have key facts been checked against three independent sources? Completeness: 9) Is the opposing view represented fairly? AI defaults to the dominant perspective. 10) Are there missing voices (underrepresented communities, alternative experts)? 11) Is there necessary context that the AI omitted? Style: 12) Has all "AI prose" been rewritten? (AI prose tells — "This is significant because..." — rather than showing.) 13) Have all adverbs been reviewed? (AI overuses "significantly," "notably," "crucially.") Publication: 14) Is the AI disclosure label present and accurate? 15) Has the final draft been read aloud for naturalness?