There are at least three stages to the editorial process (post-writing, that is): substantive editing, copy editing and proofreading. Each stage has its own set of editorial steps. This blog is all about proofreading. Whether you're new to business writing or need a refresher, below are my top proofreading tips of all time.
First, a Word About Proofreading Simply defined, proofreading is the process of ensuring you’ve crossed all your t’s and dotted all the i’s. No major changes should take place during this stage. Copy editing and moving paragraphs around should have taken place earlier. During proofreading, your only concern is to ensure the copy is ready to make its public debut, be it in print or digital format. With that said, once you’ve locked down your copy, content should always be proofed every time something changes. Ideally, the proofreader should be someone who has never read your copy before and is thoroughly familiar with the language’s rules of grammar and punctuation. For business copy, your proofreader should also be familiar with your organization’s writing style guide. At a minimum, a proofreader should make sure:
All words are spelled correctly, paying close attention to section headers and footers.
Figures and illustrations flow sequentially.
Orphans and widows are not present (applies to print copy only).
Words are split properly if they do not fit in one line (also applies to print copy only).
Punctuation errors are not present.
Proper spacing exists after punctuation marks.
Dates, numbers and abbreviations are properly used and are consistent throughout.
After proofreading takes place, the document should be ready to go live or go to print. When in doubt, proofread the document once more. It is important to note that any changes made after layout can potentially introduce major errors. As a result, it is strongly encouraged for copy to be altered as minimally as humanly possible after layout. If changes take place, pay close attention to the areas where changes were made while you are proofreading.
The Best 16 Proofreading Tips
And, now, the much-anticipated tips:
Always print your document before proofreading begins, especially if it is meant to be viewed as a printed piece. It is easy to miss errors when reviewing copy online.
Resist the urge to make major copy changes, but do review your copy to identify spelling errors.
Make sure only one space is used after each punctuation mark.
Ensure all sentences begin with a capital letter.
Similarly, all paragraphs should end with a punctuation mark. When in doubt, read each paragraph starting with the last sentence.
Read headers backward. The human brain tends to assume headers are properly spelled, especially when they are in bold letters, CAPITALIZED THROUGHOUT and written in a sans serif font (such as this one).
Make sure all figures and percentages are kept together.
Look at all apostrophes, quotation marks, commas and semi-colons carefully to ensure the are consistent.
Make sure words are split properly at the end of each line. Note: This rule does not apply to emails and online content as screen sizes differ.
Take extra precaution to ensure orphans and widows are not present. Note: This rule also does not apply to emails and online content as screen sizes differ.
Check page numbers to ensure they are numbered correctly and sequentially.
Re-check all headers and footers. Sometimes errors are missed in headers and footers as information is copied and pasted, which helps to perpetuate mistakes.
Spell check the document at least twice: before and after proofreading it.
Test presentations to ensure words project properly on the screen.
Similarly, send yourself a test email to make sure words are not missing.
Finally, click on all hyperlinks to ensure thy are pointing to the right web page.
Bottom Line The tips above represent quick actions you can start incorporating today to train your eye to notice commonly missed errors, such as typos, lack of punctuation and inverted letters in headers and footers. Once you start incorporating these and other proofreading tips (refer to the list below for additional information), you will be one step closer to crafting copy that is error-free.
Additional Proofreading Sources:
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