So You Wanna Be a Proofreader - Ten Tips For Better Proofreading

The title in this article should grab your attention for one of two reasons: you are interested in being a proofreader or you notice the language is inappropriate. "Wanna" is not standard English. Looking at this title, you probably came to one of two conclusions: the writer deliberately used a mistake to grab your attention, or the writer did not proofread very well. At Aaron Language Services, we see error after error from people who apply for proofreading work. We do not expect perfection, but we do have ten tips to help proofreaders get closer to producing good work.

1. Careful checking

Your email message may not be your proofreading work. If you are looking for proofreading work though, any typos or other errors will cast doubt on the quality of your work. If the email message is accompanying proofreading work, the errors will cast doubt on the attached work.

2. Three times

Good proofreading borders on the obsessive. Catching those last errors requires attention to detail. Proofread everything at least three times. I needed three reads to finally notice that I had written "tree times" above instead of "three times".


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Proofreading Tips From the Proofreading Experts

It doesn't matter whether you are writing a casual email, an important job application letter or copy for your website, producing something that is free from grammatical and spelling errors is critical.

Proofreading is time consuming and mundane and for this reason many people opt to use automated spell checkers. However, as we have proven on this site, many of these software programs have flaws and can miss very obvious errors. There really is no substitute for thorough proofreading, and you should never treat this part of the writing process lightly. Many people say that they don't actually know how to proofread properly. For this reason we have compiled a list of tips that may help you if you wish to check your own work for spelling and grammatical errors.

Proofreading requires concentration

Before starting the proofreading process you need to find somewhere quiet where you can place all of your attention on the task at hand. You cannot adequately proofread a document while sat on a bus or train, or while the television is on in the background.

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Proofreading and Editing - An Alternative to Journalism

In recent times, there has been much commentary and speculation on the dire future of journalism. The proliferation of the blogosphere, the rise of social media and the increasing number of 'citizen journalists' has raised fears as to what role the professional journalist has in this changing media world.

Luckily for journalists, however, written skills can be easily transferred into other careers or job roles. The decline in journalism jobs does not have to mean diminished career opportunities. There are a number of other career paths that offer alternatives to straight journalism yet utilise the journalists' skills.

    * Proofreading career- Every great manuscript or document has been meticulously checked for spelling, punctuation and structural errors. Proofreading is an essential and integral part of the writing process, and if you have an eye for detail and a way with words then a career in proofreading could be a fulfilling and interesting career path. If you're interested in a proofreading career, proofreading courses will teach students proofreading marks and how to ensure that documents are accurate, error free and adhere to style guidelines.


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The Importance of Proof Reading and Editing

n a world of e-mail and SMS, grammar and spelling have been seriously compromised with. Abbreviated language is a necessity in chatrooms and virtual worlds. While this is acceptable in a small screen environment, typos, faulty grammar and improper punctuation when found in documents and web sites are all serious errors that sink your credibility. People that are lax with their spelling and grammar will instantly be labeled as careless and ignorant. They will have a harder time putting together a decent professional manuscript than someone more articulate and erudite in their dialogue.

The Role of Proof Reading and Editing
This is where proof reading and editing becomes extremely crucial in the writing process. In fact this aspect of writing is often overlooked. Proofreading is a process that ensures that the final written document is free of grammatical errors, misspellings, typos, ambiguous vocabulary and other inconsistencies. It is the final and essential step that must be taken before a document can be considered complete.

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What is the Difference Between Copy Editing and Proofreading?

Copy editing and proofreading are closely related editorial skills, but there are some important differences between them. Allow me to explain...

Copy editors get involved in the book production process at an earlier stage than proofreaders. Typically, once a book has been commissioned, a copy editor will work with the author to bring it up to a publishable standard.

That means the copy editor is likely to become closely involved in the writing of the book. In the case of a non-fiction book, she (or he) may advise the author on what to include and what to leave out, the order in which content is presented, the use of photos and illustrations, and so on.

The copy editor will also assess the quality of the writing. Where necessary, she will ask the author to rewrite certain sections where they need to be stronger. In cases where the author has tried and failed, she may also rewrite sections of the book herself.

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Proofreading - Tips & Tricks to Avoid Bad Copy

Imagine losing business because your content contained spelling or grammar mistakes. No matter whether it is a business plan, an executive summary, or a brochure, it is vitally important that you take proofreading seriously so that your English is clear, concise and error-free. What you need to do is proofread your content to ensure that it is free from errors that may potentially lose your company valuable business.

Don't Rely on The Spell Checker!
Using the spell checker on your computer works to a certain degree it is far from perfect. There are a number of proofreading tip and tricks that will help remove mistakes from your content:

   1. Concentrate - it is hugely important that if you're going to spot mistakes you have to concentrate. Get rid of any potential interruptions or distractions so you can fully focus on the task ahead.
   2. Print out your content - try printing out what you have written and read it out loud. By reading it out loud, your ears will be able to pick up any mistakes that are present.
   3. Look out for Homonyms - what are Homonyms? These are words that share the same pronunciation or spelling, however, they have different meanings. For example, accept and except or compliment and complement. Make sure you pay particular attention to these words.


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How To Become Qualified As A Proofreader

The field of proofreading is not as easy to get into as you might think. In fact, there are many proof reading qualifications that you must possess in order to qualify. While these qualifications change from company to company, the over all concepts are the same throughout. Unless you can prove your worth and be able to do the job, you will not have the proof reading qualifications that are necessary. To get these, you must dedicate yourself to the cause.

Many people see the world of freelance to be an easy to do from home job. It is anything but this. It is vitally important that people understand that writing skills and communication skills are the most important aspects of this career. A career as a proofreader is not something to take lightly. In fact, in order to be taken seriously, you need to have the proper proof reading qualifications. Here are some basic things you will need to understand. We say basic because there are many more areas that you will need to learn as well as these. First, you will need to be able to grasp the basics. Proofreading entails catching the spelling and grammatical errors of the piece. But, it also is about correcting problems with the flow of the piece, the tone of the piece, the layout and even fixing mistakes with facts. A good way to get this training is to take a basic proofreading training certification. Although this is not the only training you will need, it is a step into the right direction.


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A Proofreading Test to Separate the Professionals From the Amateurs

Let's face it, you're sick and tired of being presented with so-called proofreading exercises that are little more than some public domain novel so overloaded with errors that they practically shout out at you from the page: "Here I am! I'm a glaring spelling error! You can't miss me!" There are only so many of these tests you can complete before you start to realize that these exercises aren't really helping you at all. In fact, they're hindering you by skewing your perception of the quality of work you are likely to be tasked with proofreading. The proofs you're likely to find on your desk will be produced by professionals. Far from having errors so numerous you might develop writer's cramp, you will really have to scour the pages for mistakes.

Take this exercise; it's from an article I wrote some time ago entitled, 'How to Say "Butterfly" in Different Languages' and it only contains one error. Yes, there may well be a few other little excursions from the strictest rules of grammar (it was intended as a loose and informal piece of writing), but there is only one literal error.

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Proofreading - 5 Tips to Goof Proof Your Writing

It's ironic that I'm even attempting to write about proofreading. I am bad. Make that proofreading-challenged.

My brain switch flips off when I'm supposed to be proofing my own writing. I gloss over those little mistakes that can make me look unprofessional.

I also have trouble proofing other people. I struggle to restrain myself from rewriting so I can focus on typos and technical mistakes. Or I simply get bored and skim, instead of paying the strict attention that proofing demands.

Contrary to what many people appear to assume, spell check does not eliminate the need to proofread. It sucks people into a false sentence (oops, I meant sense) of complacency. It lures them into the trap of confusing the word they intended with a similar-sounding, correctly spelled word.

However, I have come up with some strategies to compensate for my proofreading disability. I hope they help you too:

1. Have a picky person read your content.
2. Print out your content.
3. Pay special attention to common confusions.
4. Be on the look-out for sound-alike words.
5. Check your links.

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What is Document Proofreading?

Proofreading (often misspelled proof reading or proof-reading) is the final check for errors performed on printed text prior to publication. Proofreading provides an author with a final quality check to ensure that writing errors are not overlooked. This can save costly editing and reprinting expenses and ensure that you maintain your professional image.

Proofreaders need a meticulous eye for detail, and will typically review a document to identify mistakes such as:

    * typographical errors
    * spelling mistakes, that can include mistakes that have not been identified by a spell checker
    * basic grammar mistakes, including the use of appropriate words, and checking for complete sentences
    * punctuation errors, including commas, full stops (periods) and sentence capitalization

Typically, a proofreader makes corrections and suggestions in the margins of the document using industry-standard proofreading symbols (marks). However, in order to understand these changes, knowledge of these symbols and meanings are required.

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Embarrassing Errors - The Ten Biggest Proofreading Gaffes

When it comes to proofreading copy, whether it's intended to be published online or in print, there's no room for error. As soon as that copy is out in the public domain, it stands as a representation of whoever has written it.

The job of a proofreader is to act as a safety net for these errors, catching and modifying mistakes before they can be allowed to slip through - but sometimes, mistakes slip through regardless. Even the most diminutive of proofreading errors can cause huge repercussions, at the very least making the author seem careless and uninformed, and at the worst changing the meaning of what is being said entirely.

Although this can be amusing in some circumstances, ultimately this casts a bright light on just why proofreading is so important to your business.

Read on for ten of my favorite famous proofreading gaffes, where small instances of poor proofreading have gone on to cause widespread chagrin for the red-faced authors.

1. Proofreaders wanted
When posting an advert looking for proofreaders, you would expect the job description to be grammatically flawless. However, a job advert posted recently seeking a 'Copy Editor for Women's Magazine Site' contained no less than 3 spelling errors: twice asking for 'editting' experience, and going on to cite the name of the magazine incorrectly as 'Women's World' instead of 'Woman's World'.

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Technical Proofreading

Technical proofreading is not for the faint hearted. The proofreader who believes the sole purpose of their job is to add as much punctuation as possible and then run a spell and grammar check has no place proof reading technical documentation.

A Technical proofreader has to be aware that the document might be translated or read by someone whose language skills is not that good. They must accept that it is good practice to simplify everything and use the same words over again.

Factual content must also be checked, ensure that conversions of measurements for distance and temperature are accurate and that numerical punctuation is explained, for example a comma (,) in English represents a division of thousands, for example 1,000 but a comma in most other European languages denotes the decimal point. This could be quite significant if we are talking about accuracy to the Nth degree.

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Power Proofreading - 10 Steps to Become a Better Proofreader

It's hard enough to get people to read what you write, but when your writing is also riddled with errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence structure, it's even more difficult.

Power proofreading may be the solution. Take the time to make sure that your writing flows for your reader and then develop a process that quickly and efficiently eliminates the errors that inevitably detract from easy readability. Professional proofreading or proofreading courses can sometimes be a necessary option, however there's no excuse for not having at least a basic knowledge of good spelling, grammar and sentence structure. Show your reader the respect he or she deserves by carefully proofreading everything you write.

Proofreading is rarely a pleasurable task, however with a set procedure and a few sensible tips you can make it at least an efficient process that creates a more enjoyable and productive experience for your readers:

1. Hard Copy - Try to proofread on a printed, hard copy rather than on a computer screen. This will aid concentration and has the added benefit of reducing eye stress. The ability to move your proofreading to different heights (compared with set at the height of a screen) enables you to move your neck to different angles and avoid neck and back strain.

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Proof Perfect provides proven, effective copywriting, editing and proofreading services for a wide range of print and web materials to clients around the world. Written communication is what we do best. We provide the full range of professional editorial services. - copywriter Singapore-