Proofreading

Proofreading and editing are often confused. But proofreading is different, and occurs after all editing is completed; it’s the last step before publication. Proofreading focuses on spelling, grammar and punctuation, paragraphing, capitalization, italics, etc.

Why you should proofread

If the content you’ve developed is the way you want it, and you’ve done one or more editing steps, proofreading is your last chance to assure that your work has no flaws that will distract your readers from your message. It’s your last chance to make a good first impression.

The proofreading process

Proofreading can be challenging, unless you use a systematic approach. If you’re the author, re-reading your work for the 100th time by skimming — since you already know all the words — probably won’t be effective. So, following are some ideas that may be useful:

• Don’t depend on computer spell-checking

The software is rule-built, which means that some incorrect grammar, and especially intentional quirky grammar, will either be missed or will be highlighted erroneously. And the program may not advise you how to fix the problem it detected. One of the more frequent “mistakes” pointed out is the use of passive rather than active voice. Effective use of these two styles can be a challenge for writers.

• Don’t depend on computer grammar-checking

If you’ve used end-of-line hyphenation, does each instance look right? During proofreading, you need to carefully check that the typeface and font are as you want them in the final draft. This is something that a computer cannot do for you.

• Don’t depend on a computer for look-and-feel

If you’ve used end-of-line hyphenation, does each instance look right? During proofreading, you need to carefully check that the typeface and font are as you want them in the final draft. This is something that a computer cannot do for you.

Look for consistency in chapter numbers and titles, headings, subheads, text, and figure captions. Check page numbering and running heads to be sure that they’re where they’re supposed to be.

Likewise, check that all graphics are in the right place in the text, that they’re the right size and orientation and not turned over left to right, resulting in a mirror image. Check that captions are as you want them. If your work has any tables and charts, do the same thing for them.

• Check for only one kind of error at a time

Remember, this is not editing. In this step, choose one thing to look for throughout your work. Then move to the next thing, and so on. The reasons is that you don’t want to get distracted by the text, and that techniques for finding some errors differ from techniques for finding others.

• Read every word and every sentence and every punctuation mark

This is important. You’re not reading the story (non-fiction as well as fiction). One idea is to read your work out loud. This way, you’ll hear possible errors that your eyes might skip over. If you’re working on a PC, try this trick:

Convert every sentence into a paragraph by pressing the Return key after each period. This forces you to see each sentence on its own (the trees instead of the whole forest).

Then, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the right arrow key to advance from word to word. When you get to any type of punctuation mark stop and check it. Are commas appropriate? Are they in the right place? Are beginning and ending quotation marks in the right place? Do you have two periods at the end of sentence? Is your word spacing correct and consistent (single or double)?

Get the idea?

• Check overall appearance

Look for “widows” and “orphans”. A widow is the last line of a paragraph that rolls over to the next page or column, separating it from the rest of the text. An orphan is the first line of a paragraph that appears by itself at the bottom of a page or column, separating it from the rest of the text.

• Practice makes perfect

There’s as much art as science in proofreading, and the more you carefully practice using some of the above techniques, the better you’ll become. You’ll also likely develop some of your own methods, learn which errors you make most often, and check for these.

Some Useful Proofreading Tips

• Don’t proofread as soon as you’re finished—Many authors look back at something they wrote a year or more previously and find errors they can’t believe slipped through. That’s because it’s hard to proofread a project you’ve just finished. The work is still so familiar that you tend to miss a lot of mistakes. So, put your project away for a few days, or even a few weeks. Take a short sabbatical or vacation. When you come back to your project, it will be with a clear head. You’re then in a position to take a fresh and more objective look at what you wrote.
• Proofread on a PC or on a paper draft?—What medium are you most comfortable using? Do you prefer to work directly on the text on a PC, or are happier using a paper printout and a red pen?
• Reformat your work—Change the spacing (e.g., double to single or vice versa) so you see your project in a completely new way. That may help give you a fresh perspective on what you’ve written.
• Avoid distractions—Proofreading requires concentration. So find a quiet place where you can concentrate.
• Chunk your proofreading—Speaking of concentration, it’s almost impossible to proofread anything but a short work in one sitting. So, proofread your project in multiple short blocks of time.
• Find a professional proofreader—Whether you do an initial edit or not, it can be both time- and cost-effective to hire a proofreader. This person will read your work with fresh trained eyes, and can provide objective feedback.

Conclusion

As you proofread your project, be especially alert for error patterns, things you do repeatedly (e.g., spelling, punctuation, grammar). That way you can search for these and make many corrections easily. While modern word processing software can spot many issues, nothing beats a good pair of human eyes for proofreading.

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