Six steps to perfect proofreading

For those not familiar with the ins and outs of professional publishing, the idea of preparing content for print or online publication can fill them with abject terror. Key among the fears (even for the most seasoned professional) is missing a mistake, then only to see it in print.

One very important phase in the publishing process is proofreading. Reading a document one last time will offer the best possible protection against human error. Here are six tips for making the most of that final read-through.

1. Print out your document
This may seem an obvious instruction, but you are more likely to miss mistakes if you read on screen (and it can be very hard on the eyes). The trick with proofreading is to make your page as plain and simple as possible. Choose an unfussy font for the text, leaving plenty of white space around the edges for making your correction notes. Use a pen in a high-contrast colour, such as red, to record your notes so that they are easy to come back to.

2. Take it slow
Don’t go through your document at normal reading speed and expect to spot any errors. Slow it down. Pause at the end of each line. Does it make sense? If you need to read a line multiple times to understand it, it’s an indication there is something amiss. Perhaps you are confused by a double negative or the language is a little obscure. If you’re reviewing a longer document, make sure you take regular breaks.

3. Target grammar and spelling
Never rely only on a built-in spell checker. For a start, your computer may default to a version of English that isn’t the one relevant to your work; USA English differs from UK English in many subtle ways. If a word strikes you as oddly spelt, look it up, using a hard copy or online dictionary. Is it the correct form of the word, ie, ‘there’, ‘they’re’ or ‘their’? Are there full stops in all the correct places? What about quotation marks, question marks, commas? The placing of a comma can change the meaning of a sentence, so take care.

4 . Look for inconsistency
Have you used capital letters throughout, not just at the start of sentences? If so, have you used them consistently? Same goes for numbers. Do you use a mixture of numerals and words, ie, ten or 10? If you are consistent, your document will appear slick and professional. Establishing or following a ‘house style’ guide can help make sure everyone involved in producing company literature follows the same rules. Several major publications, including The Economist and The Guardian, have published their house style guides for others to use.

5. Be aware of the facts
When you reach the final proofreading stage, you should already have checked and approved the factual content. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a mistake still lurking. While reading, be on the alert for any factual inaccuracies that may have slipped the net – if a ‘fact’ seems ridiculous, then double-check with your source material. This is the last chance to spot them before your work is published. On that note, you might want to heed one final tip…

6. Share the task
Getting an additional person or two to check over a document is excellent when you’re tired and need to meet a deadline. People each have different strengths and abilities to spot errors. Someone good at maths might spot a numerical mistake. Those with a great awareness of space might spot an unwanted return, space or indent. Someone else might be good with names, and able to spot an inconsistency, ie, Lesley or Leslie.

Nina Bryant is senior sub-editor at Progressive Customer Publishing and writes blog posts on grammar, spelling and the power of language.


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