Proofreading is the process of finding and marketing for correction any mechanical and content errors in a document mechanical and content errors include improper capitalization excessive or inadequate punctuation faulty number expression, faulty agreement of subjects and verbs, misuse of personal and possessive pronouns, inaccurate facts, and misleading statements.
Editing by contracts is the process of checking a document for wordiness clichés hackneyed expressions logical sequence avoidance of passive voice improper spelling and use of words and other things to make weak writing better. CITATION Ams94 \p 90 \l 1033 (Amsbary, 1994, p. 90)Proofreading Alone
Usually you will proofread a document by yourself. If you are checking a paper copy, place that copy and the source copy side by side for easy comparison Use a card on the courses copy to keep you “on line” and use one index finger on the second copy to guide your eyes …show more content…
word by word. Pronounce the words as words, but read figures, symbols, punctuation marks, and capitals one by one. Read the copy once for mechanical errors, again for meaning.
When you proofread copy on screen, use a card as a line-by-line guide on the source copy and use an index finger to guide the eyes along the lines on the screen.
Read the copy twice: once for mechanical errors, again for meaning. Check all format features.
Team Proofreading
Team proofreading involves two people: one person reads from the source copy aloud; the other person reads and, arks the other copy this method is especially effective when statistical and technical copy must be checked. CITATION Ell90 \p 8 \l 1033 (Jones & Kane, 1990, p. 8)The other person who reads the source copy should read each special symbol and punctuation mark individually. Figures however should be reading groups: Read 3891 as thirty- eight nighty-one. Read 2,845 as two-comma-eight-forty-five. Read the figure 0 (zero) as oh and the decimal point as point. Read .05 as point oh –five.
Proofreading is an essential skill for writers and editors. The person who can do both well will be a highly prized employee.
REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 Amsbary, G. S. (1994). Proof It! Cincinnati: South- Western Publishing Co.
Jones, E., & Kane, D. (1990). Proofreading & Editing Precision. Cincinnati: South- Western Publishing Co.