What is proofreading in word

What are proofing tools in Word?

Proofing Tools for MS Word

  • Track Changes. Track Changes enables you to make edits and corrections in a document while tracking the changes.
  • Spelling And Grammar Checker. The spelling and grammar checker tool will search the entire document for spelling and grammar errors.
  • Dictionary And Thesaurus.
  • Autocorrect.

What are the proofing tools buttons in MS Word?

Proofing tools are found in the “Review” ribbon tab. These buttons are found on the left side of the ribbon tab in the “Proofing” category. In the image above, the “Spelling and Grammar” button is selected. This button runs a quick check on the document, but Word provides this check as you type.

How do you use proofing tools in Word?

How to Access the Proofing Options in Microsoft Word

  1. Open a Microsoft Word document.
  2. Go to File > Options.
  3. Select Proofing from the list on the left of the dialog box.

What is proofing in word processing?

Proofing means reading each word (and punctuation mark) in a document slowly and carefully while looking for errors. It means focussing on the surface of your text, not on the content.

What is the use of proofing command?

Correct the spelling errors in the sentences. Correct the grammar mistake that appears in one of the sentences. Use the Spelling & Grammar command to check the remainder of the document.

Why do we need proofing a document?

Proofreading ensures that the document is completely free of errors and polished to a high standard. Proofreading is important as it can add power to our writing; without it, our work has a higher chance of containing errors.

What is meant by proofing document?

The process of producing an accurate sample of a document or printed piece for internal or client review is called proofing. In other words, how a document will look when it prints. Before sending a document to a printing press, proofread it for errors.

How long should it take to proofread 1000 words?

20 minutes

How do you prove your writing?

Tips For Effective Proofreading

  1. Proofread backwards.
  2. Place a ruler under each line as you read it.
  3. Know your own typical mistakes.
  4. Proofread for one type of error at a time.
  5. Try to make a break between writing and proofreading.
  6. Proofread at the time of day when you are most alert to spotting errors.
  7. Proofread once aloud.

What are the four proofreading tips?

Try these four tips to improve your proofreading:

  • Use tools to your advantage. Pay attention to what your spell-checker is telling you. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch everything, but it is a handy tool to catch redundant words and obvious typos.
  • Read backward. Most of us have become unabashed skimmers.

How do you prove your own work?

Here are some tips on how to proofread your own work effectively:

  1. Read your work aloud word by word.
  2. Print out a copy of what you’re proofreading and read it with a pencil or pen, focusing on each word.
  3. To catch typos, read your content backward so you’re reading each word independently.

What are some proofreading techniques?

Proofreading Techniques

  • Read your paper aloud. Sometimes writing sounds different in your head than it sounds on paper.
  • Make a list of errors that you commonly make and keep an eye out for them.
  • Read the text backwards.
  • Proofread for only one type of error at a time.
  • Double check everything:
  • Read slowly and carefully.

What are 7 types of errors you look for when you proofread a document?

The the 5 most common proofreading mistakes

  • Number 1. Homophones. Homophones (from the Greek words homos, meaning same, and phone, meaning sound) are words that have the same sound but different meanings.
  • Number 2. Inconsistency.
  • Number 3. Apostrophe problems.
  • Number 4. Poor syntax.

What are the common proofreading symbols?

Commonly Used Proofreading Symbols with Examples

  • New paragraph here.
  • Delete; take out something.
  • Close up space.
  • Transpose elements.
  • Insert whatever is written above or below the proofreading symbol.
  • Insert en dash.
  • Insert em dash.
  • Move left.

How do you proofread like a pro?

Six Tips for Proofreading Like a Pro

  1. Read it out loud.
  2. Switch it up.
  3. Review different elements one at a time.
  4. Identify key repeat phrases or words, and then search for them.
  5. Look with fresh eyes.
  6. Make a personal proofreading checklist.

Is it hard to proofread?

Proofreading is highly essential but the skill for proofreading is not something that takes overnight to develop. It is actually very difficult to proofread your own work. There is the tendency to see only what you want to see, which leads to missing errors because you do not see what you actually wrote.

What is a proofing Mark called?

Proofreading marks (also called proofreaders’ marks) are symbols and notations for correcting typeset pages. The proofreader places these marks in the margins and in corresponding lines of text. A slash separates marginal marks that appear on the same line.

What is a proofreading symbol?

Proofreading symbols are the marks that a proofreader makes on a paper when they edit it. They are a coded set of instructions that point out where mistakes have been made and how a piece of writing can be improved.

What is the symbol for inserting a space?

Symbols

Symbol Name Image Meaning
# Insert space
Close up (Unicode U+2050) Tie words together, eliminating a space
] [ Center text
] Move text right

What is the symbol of delete?

Technical information

Name Symbol for Delete
Unicode number U+2421
HTML-code
CSS-code 2421
Block Control Pictures

What symbol means delete?

A mark is also placed in the text to indicate where the correction needs to be made. A caret (^) indicates an addition, and a line through the text indicates a deletion or a replacement.

How do you show lowercase in editing?

A vertical line delete mark is made through a single letter or mark of punctuation. The letter or punctuation to be deleted may also be circled with the delete mark. A stroke through a capital letter means set it in lowercase. Three lines under a lowercase letter mean to make it a capital.

What does Pilcrow mean?

The pilcrow, also called the paragraph mark, paragraph sign, paraph, alinea, or blind P, is a typographical character for individual paragraphs. The pilcrow is usually drawn similar to a lowercase q reaching from descender to ascender height; the loop can be filled or unfilled.

What is the backwards P on Microsoft Word?

It’s a paragraph mark. See http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/NonPrintChars.htm. Usually it appears and disappears (along with the dots in the spaces between words, and arrows for tab characters) when you click the ¶ button on the Home tab.

What does a reverse Pilcrow mean?

In academic writing, it is sometimes used as an in-text referencing tool to make reference to a specific paragraph from a document that does not contain page numbers. In proofreading, it indicates that one paragraph should be split into two or more separate paragraphs.

What does the backwards P mean?

In Word, these markers indicate the ends of paragraphs, and are created when you press RETURN at the end of a line. If you do not want to see these markers, click on the Show/Hide icon in the Paragraph group on the Home tab. …

What is the P symbol on word?

The pilcrow, ¶, also called the paragraph mark, paragraph sign, paraph, or blind P, is a typographical character marking the start of a paragraph.

How do I get rid of the P?

Quickly turn off or on all formatting symbols by clicking the “P” icon in the “Paragraph” section of the “Home” tab. This may not turn off all formatting symbols, however, depending on the options you have chosen.

What are proofing tools in Word?

by
Alex Heath

·
2019-04-25

What are proofing tools in Word?

Proofing Tools for MS Word

  • Track Changes. Track Changes enables you to make edits and corrections in a document while tracking the changes.
  • Spelling And Grammar Checker. The spelling and grammar checker tool will search the entire document for spelling and grammar errors.
  • Dictionary And Thesaurus.
  • Autocorrect.

What are the proofing tools buttons in MS Word?

Proofing tools are found in the “Review” ribbon tab. These buttons are found on the left side of the ribbon tab in the “Proofing” category. In the image above, the “Spelling and Grammar” button is selected. This button runs a quick check on the document, but Word provides this check as you type.

How do you use proofing tools in Word?

How to Access the Proofing Options in Microsoft Word

  1. Open a Microsoft Word document.
  2. Go to File > Options.
  3. Select Proofing from the list on the left of the dialog box.

What is proofing in word processing?

Proofing means reading each word (and punctuation mark) in a document slowly and carefully while looking for errors. It means focussing on the surface of your text, not on the content.

What is the use of proofing command?

Correct the spelling errors in the sentences. Correct the grammar mistake that appears in one of the sentences. Use the Spelling & Grammar command to check the remainder of the document.

Why do we need proofing a document?

Proofreading ensures that the document is completely free of errors and polished to a high standard. Proofreading is important as it can add power to our writing; without it, our work has a higher chance of containing errors.

What is meant by proofing document?

The process of producing an accurate sample of a document or printed piece for internal or client review is called proofing. In other words, how a document will look when it prints. Before sending a document to a printing press, proofread it for errors.

How long should it take to proofread 1000 words?

20 minutes

How do you prove your writing?

Tips For Effective Proofreading

  1. Proofread backwards.
  2. Place a ruler under each line as you read it.
  3. Know your own typical mistakes.
  4. Proofread for one type of error at a time.
  5. Try to make a break between writing and proofreading.
  6. Proofread at the time of day when you are most alert to spotting errors.
  7. Proofread once aloud.

What are the four proofreading tips?

Try these four tips to improve your proofreading:

  • Use tools to your advantage. Pay attention to what your spell-checker is telling you. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch everything, but it is a handy tool to catch redundant words and obvious typos.
  • Read backward. Most of us have become unabashed skimmers.

How do you prove your own work?

Here are some tips on how to proofread your own work effectively:

  1. Read your work aloud word by word.
  2. Print out a copy of what you’re proofreading and read it with a pencil or pen, focusing on each word.
  3. To catch typos, read your content backward so you’re reading each word independently.

What are some proofreading techniques?

Proofreading Techniques

  • Read your paper aloud. Sometimes writing sounds different in your head than it sounds on paper.
  • Make a list of errors that you commonly make and keep an eye out for them.
  • Read the text backwards.
  • Proofread for only one type of error at a time.
  • Double check everything:
  • Read slowly and carefully.

What are 7 types of errors you look for when you proofread a document?

The the 5 most common proofreading mistakes

  • Number 1. Homophones. Homophones (from the Greek words homos, meaning same, and phone, meaning sound) are words that have the same sound but different meanings.
  • Number 2. Inconsistency.
  • Number 3. Apostrophe problems.
  • Number 4. Poor syntax.

What are the common proofreading symbols?

Commonly Used Proofreading Symbols with Examples

  • New paragraph here.
  • Delete; take out something.
  • Close up space.
  • Transpose elements.
  • Insert whatever is written above or below the proofreading symbol.
  • Insert en dash.
  • Insert em dash.
  • Move left.

How do you proofread like a pro?

Six Tips for Proofreading Like a Pro

  1. Read it out loud.
  2. Switch it up.
  3. Review different elements one at a time.
  4. Identify key repeat phrases or words, and then search for them.
  5. Look with fresh eyes.
  6. Make a personal proofreading checklist.

Is it hard to proofread?

Proofreading is highly essential but the skill for proofreading is not something that takes overnight to develop. It is actually very difficult to proofread your own work. There is the tendency to see only what you want to see, which leads to missing errors because you do not see what you actually wrote.

What is a proofreading symbol?

Proofreading symbols are the marks that a proofreader makes on a paper when they edit it. They are a coded set of instructions that point out where mistakes have been made and how a piece of writing can be improved.

What is the symbol of delete?

Technical information

Name Symbol for Delete
Unicode number U+2421
HTML-code
CSS-code 2421
Block Control Pictures

What symbol means delete?

A mark is also placed in the text to indicate where the correction needs to be made. A caret (^) indicates an addition, and a line through the text indicates a deletion or a replacement.

How do you show lowercase in editing?

A vertical line delete mark is made through a single letter or mark of punctuation. The letter or punctuation to be deleted may also be circled with the delete mark. A stroke through a capital letter means set it in lowercase. Three lines under a lowercase letter mean to make it a capital.

What is the backwards P on Microsoft Word?

It’s a paragraph mark. See http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/NonPrintChars.htm. Usually it appears and disappears (along with the dots in the spaces between words, and arrows for tab characters) when you click the ¶ button on the Home tab.

What does the backwards P mean?

In Word, these markers indicate the ends of paragraphs, and are created when you press RETURN at the end of a line. If you do not want to see these markers, click on the Show/Hide icon in the Paragraph group on the Home tab. …

What is the P symbol on word?

The pilcrow, ¶, also called the paragraph mark, paragraph sign, paraph, or blind P, is a typographical character marking the start of a paragraph.

How do I get rid of the P?

Quickly turn off or on all formatting symbols by clicking the “P” icon in the “Paragraph” section of the “Home” tab. This may not turn off all formatting symbols, however, depending on the options you have chosen.

Whether you’re a student, a mechanic, a doctor, or a professional writer, you’ve probably come across proofreading in some form or another — though you might not be aware of it. So much of the work people do these days revolves around the written word. Mistakes in their writing can have a massive impact on their success — which is where proofreading comes in!

In this post, we’ll have a look at the ins and outs of proofreading, from the perspective of experienced proofreaders in the publishing trade.

What is proofreading?

Proofreading is the act of reading written work and marking any errors. These mistakes most commonly involve spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency.

What is a proof?

The ‘proof’ in ‘proofreader’ comes from the publishing term describing an early printed copy. Traditionally, typesetters would arrange letters tiles onto large plates that are then used to print pages of a book. But before they started churning out thousands of copies, a ‘proof’ version was sent to the publisher for a final check.

With modern digital publishing (and computerized printing methods), proofreading is now usually done on a computer — though some proofreaders still prefer marking up physical copies.

What is the difference between proofreading and editing?

In publishing, proofreading comes into play at the very end of the editorial process, after a manuscript has been corrected by a copy or line editor. The proofreader’s job is to comb through the document and look for any mistakes that may have slipped through the cracks. Regardless of how meticulous the writer and editor have been, there will almost always be errors when you’re dealing with a book of 80,000 words or more.

Table Developmental Edit vs Copy Edit vs Proofread

If you’d like to confirm which type of editing your book needs at its current stage, we recommend taking this quick quiz to find out:

🖋️

What kind of editing does your book need?

Takes one minute!

Why is proofreading important?

You might remember, in early 2019, the television hit series Game of Thrones was coming to an end. Devoted and casual fans alike sat in front of screens to devour every moment of the final season. So it’s no surprise that when a Starbucks cup made an accidental cameo during one of the episodes, viewers were pointing out the gaff on social media in a heartbeat.

The show’s producers were quick to act, and 48 hours later the disposable cup had been edited out of the show. Yet there’s no denying that hundreds, if not thousands, of viewers were yanked from the medieval realm of Westeros because of this tiny appearance of a modern artefact. Suddenly, the focus is on the error, and not the story.

Do you see where we’re going with this? A manuscript peppered with typos, grammatical errors, or contextual inconsistencies will jolt a reader out of the narrative the book is meant to tell. Instead of getting caught up in the story or thesis, they’re suddenly forced to mentally rectify the work’s mechanical mistakes. So proofreading is partly important because it allows your narrative to shine through uninterrupted.

What’s more, it adds a level of professionalism that is absolutely necessary if you’re looking to get publishers or readers on your side. When confronted with an obviously un-proofed book, both audiences will likely assume the author couldn’t be bothered to truly invest in their work. And if the author didn’t seem bothered to invest, why should they?

So whether you’re planning to seek out traditional representation for your book or to publish on your own, editing and proofreading is a vital part of the publishing process.

Working with a professional proofreader

A professional proofreader does more than just look out for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. They will also look for consistency issues that could hamper the reading experience. This would include:

  • Ensuring that any web links go to the right webpage
  • Checking that the index matches the content
  • Confirming that the layout doesn’t fluctuate throughout the work
  • Making sure that the images have correct captions
  • Verifying that the copy adheres to the author’s chosen style guide

Proofreaders will not usually copy-edit, meaning that they won’t make changes directly to the manuscript. Their primary job is highlighting potential mistakes, allowing the writer or editor to make the final decision.

Who should use professional proofreading?

In traditional publishing, every book will be proofed before it’s released to the public. If a reader were to find more than a handful of typos or grammatical mistakes in a novel, for example, it could negatively color their reading experience (and damage the publisher’s reputation).

In self-publishing, proofreading is becoming a non-negotiable part of the editorial process.  Independent authors often look for ways to reduce their costs, so they’re often tempted to proofread by themselves. But as the indie book market grows and its products improve in quality, getting a professional proofread is fast becoming common practice.

What Is Proofreading | Pros and Cons of Professional Proofreading

Outside of trade publishing, proofreaders will often find work in areas such as academia, journalism, and even advertising. In some corporate settings, they can even be hired to check through slide decks before presentations.

How much does a professional proofreader cost?

Based on statistics from Reedsy’s marketplace, proofreading services cost $10 per thousand words, on average.

Of course, this is only a ballpark figure and the final rate will depend on a number of other factors. For example, if the proofreader needs to cross-check the index, this would naturally escalate the cost.

In non-publishing industries, costs may also vary. A proofreader with a deep background in technical writing may choose to charge extra for their expertise and fact-checking, for example. But whatever the cost, you can be sure that getting a professional proofreader is worth it.

Tips for finding a professional proofreader

There are a lot of proofreaders advertising their services out there — where do you begin to find the right one for your project? We’ve got some pointers down below.

  • Ask your editor. If you’re already working with an editor, it’s worth asking if they offer proofreading services. If not, they probably know other professionals that they trust will be good for your project.
  • Specify your preferences. Do you like to work digitally or do you focus better reading a printed manuscript? The proofreading process is a two-way street, and when both you and the professional agree on a method, everything will be much smoother and more efficient.
  • Search niche marketplaces. If you’re writing a book, it’s better to go straight to editing societies’ directories or publishing marketplaces, where the proofreaders’ credentials are checked, than to browse Upwork or Fiverr. That way you don’t have to spend hours sifting through portfolios of proofreaders who aren’t equipped with the right knowledge to advise you, not just on your writing but also on formatting your manuscript.

Polish your book with a professional

Meet Neil Gaiman’s, George R. R. Martin’s, and George W. Bush’s editors and proofreaders at Reedsy

Learn how Reedsy can help you craft a beautiful book.

Proofreading your own work

When it comes to a longer piece of writing meant for wider consumption — like, say, a book — there’s still nothing that can beat a trained professional.

For other types of content, however, writers can and do proofread their own work. Simply reading back something you’ve written will usually reveal typos and ungainly passages. In situations where your writing isn’t intended for a massive audience (for example, in an email to your boss), you can usually rely on an online spelling and grammar checker such as Grammarly to catch any major mistakes.

Let’s cover a couple of DIY proofreading tips to help you ensure your work is as polished as can be.

Proofreading tips

  • Start with self-awareness. There are certain bad grammatical habits we’re all prone to, or particular typos that tend to crop up frequently in our work. Before you get started, take a moment to determine your own «bad writing habits.» Then do a sweep of your work, concentrating just on those. For example, perhaps there’s a word you know you overuse? Search for just that word and really consider whether it needs to be there.
  • Read out loud. The truth is, your eyes can deceive you — and this is especially true if you’re reading on a screen, where your eyes are quick to tire. You’d be surprised at how many mistakes you can spot reading something out loud vs. reading it silently in your head. A bonus tip here is to read your manuscript out loud with someone else. Take turns reading a set number of pages each, and you’ll ensure you catch any awkward-sounding phrases.
  • Do one thing at a time. The worst way to proofread your own work is to read through it and try to get it perfect by the end. Effective proofreading requires multiple rounds, and each round should be focused on just one task. Don’t look for spelling errors at the same time as you check for homonyms, as you’ll likely end up letting stuff fall through the cracks.

[updated: 08/26/2020 UTC]


Looking for a proofreader? Sign up for a free Reedsy account and browse through the best freelancers in the business.

HomeBlogHow to Use MS Word for Proofreading

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If you are not already using MS Word’s many settings designed to ensure accurate proofreading, you are doing yourself a disservice. After spending countless hours writing, you want to ensure you are presenting your work as professionally as possible. In this article, I explain how to get the most out of MS Word when proofreading your own writing.

Note that the following instructions apply to Word 2007 and later.

Spelling and Grammar Check Basics

You probably already know how to perform a spell check, but do you know how to ensure that your spell check is appropriate for your document and that all text is included in the spell check? The following two steps will ensure your document is being thoroughly and correctly spell checked.

Check Your Language Settings

To check your language settings:

  • Highlight your entire document (Ctrl+A).
  • Go to the ‘Review’ tab.
  • Click on the ‘Language’ dropdown menu and select ‘Set Proofing Language’. This will bring up the Language box.
  • Select the most suitable version of English, which will be ‘English (Australia)’ for Australian writers submitting to an Australian university or journal.
  • Ensure that the ‘Do not check spelling and grammar’ box is clear (i.e. unticked). If you do not do this, some sentences may not be spell checked.

Screenshot of where to select the proofing language in Word

Check Your Proofing Options

It is also a good idea to check your Proofing Options:

  • Go to ‘File’.
  • Click on ‘Options’. This opens the Word Options window.
  • In the menu on the left-hand side, choose ‘Proofing’.
  • Under ‘When correcting spelling and grammar in Word’, check that ‘Grammar & more’ (if using Word 2016, otherwise this will be ‘Grammar & Style’) is selected from the dropdown menu.
  • Check that the boxes are ticked that allow for errors to be pointed out as you type and for grammar and spelling errors to be checked together.
  • Under ‘Exceptions for’, you will need to check that spelling and grammar errors are not being hidden.

Note: If you were checking the formatting of your reference list, you might like to check it once for spelling and then turn off grammar and spell check so that you can check it again closely for formatting. There are times when hiding the grammar and spell check errors is useful.

Screenshot of where to change the spelling and grammar checker settings in Word

Taking Control of Your Spell and Grammar Check

Personalising Your Grammar Settings

In the image above, where you selected ‘Grammar & more’ from the dropdown menu, you can also change the settings of the grammar checker. Clicking ‘Settings’ opens the Grammar Settings window. Here, you can decide which error types you want Word to check for and which you don’t. For example, if you are writing in a field that requires the use of passive voice, you might like to turn off that check. You should also check that all necessary checks are ticked.

Screenshot of the options under Grammar and more in Word

Adding to Your Personal Dictionary

If you are writing in a field with a technical vocabulary, Word may incorrectly identify some words as misspelled. Rather than ‘ignoring’ these, you should ‘Add them to Dictionary’. This adds those words to your custom dictionary. To manage the words in your custom dictionary (e.g. if you have accidentally added a misspelled word to the dictionary):

  • Go to Proofing Options (as above) and look for ‘Custom Dictionaries’.
  • The tick box ‘Suggest from main dictionary only’ should be clear. This way, Autocorrect will make suggestions from your custom dictionary as well.
  • Click on ‘Custom Dictionaries’ to open a window.
  • Select the default custom dictionary and select ‘Edit Word List’. You can then delete entries.

Screenshot of where to find the Custom Dictionary settings in Word

Running Your Final Spell Check

Having adjusted all of the above settings, not only will you have been able to correct your typos and grammar errors as you type, but your final grammar and spell check will also be considerably faster and more effective.

  1. You will be sure that your whole document is being checked according to your target language.
  2. You will have excluded any grammar checks that you do not require, saving time.
  3. You will have excluded any correctly spelled words that are not recognised by Word’s spell check (e.g. technical vocabulary, author names), saving even more time.
  4. By reducing the length of the grammar and spell check, you will be less likely to rush the check, missing important errors.

Published on
June 21, 2019
by

Shona McCombes.

Revised on
November 29, 2022.

Proofreading means carefully checking for errors in a text before it is published or shared. It is the very last stage of the writing process, when you fix minor spelling and punctuation mistakes, typos, formatting issues and inconsistencies.

Proofreading is essential for any text that will be shared with an audience, whether it’s an academic paper, a job application, an online article, or a print flyer. Depending on your skills and budget, you can choose to proofread the text yourself or to hire a professional.

Table of contents

  1. Proofreading example
  2. Proofreading vs editing
  3. Proofreading tips and tricks
  4. Choosing a proofreading service
  5. Recommended proofreading service
  6. Frequently asked questions about proofreading

Proofreading example

In the publishing industry, proofreaders usually check a printed “proof copy” of the text and mark corrections using specialized proofreading marks. In other fields, though, professional proofreaders often work with digital texts and make corrections directly using the track changes feature in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

proofreading example

Proofreading vs editing

Editing and proofreading are different steps in the process of revising a text. Editing can involve major changes to content, structure and language, but proofreading focuses only on minor errors and inconsistencies.

Often a text will go through several stages of editing before it is proofread. The table below shows some common steps in the editing process.

The four stages of editing and proofreading

Type of editing What it involves
Step 1: Content editing Revising an early draft of a text, often making significant changes to the content and moving, adding or deleting entire sections (also known as developmental or substantive editing).
Step 2: Line editing Revising the use of language to communicate your story, ideas, or arguments as effectively as possible.

This might involve changing words, phrases and sentences and restructuring paragraphs to improve the flow of the text.

Step 3: Copy editing Polishing individual sentences to ensure correct grammar, a clear sentence structure, and stylistic consistency, often following the rules of a specific style guide (such as APA or MLA).

Copy editors don’t change the content of a text, but if a sentence or paragraph is ambiguous or awkward, they can work with the author to improve it.

Step 4: Proofreading Carefully checking for any remaining errors, such as misspelled words, misplaced punctuation, and stylistic inconsistencies.

In print publishing, proofreaders are also responsible for checking the formatting (e.g., page numbers and line spacing).

Do I need to go through every stage?

It depends on the type and length of text. You don’t need to strictly follow the division of tasks shown above, but a good piece of writing will nearly always go through a similar process of revising, editing and proofreading.

In the traditional publishing process, the stages are clearly divided, with different professionals responsible for each revision. A separate proofread of the final print version is necessary, especially because new typographical errors can be introduced during production.

However, in texts that don’t need to be formatted for mass printing, there is often more overlap between the steps. Some editorial services combine copy editing and proofreading into a single stage (sometimes called proof-editing), where grammar, syntax and style are addressed at the same time as minor spelling and punctuation errors (e.g., commas, quotation marks and parentheses).

What can proofreading do for your paper?

Scribbr editors not only correct grammar and spelling mistakes, but also strengthen your writing by making sure your paper is free of vague language, redundant words, and awkward phrasing.


See editing example

Proofreading tips and tricks

Basic proofreading skills are important for anyone who writes. For everyday texts, such as business reports, blogs, or college papers, there are some techniques you can use to proofread efficiently and effectively before sharing your work.

Edit your writing first

Before you get to the final stage of proofreading, make sure you’ve thoroughly revised and edited your work. There’s no point spending time fixing minor errors if you might later remove whole sections or rewrite paragraphs. Only proofread once you’ve got a completed final draft that you’re happy with.

Take a break from the text

When you’ve been reading and rereading the same words for hours or days, it becomes much harder to notice common mistakes. Before proofreading, set your work aside for a while so that you can look at it with fresh eyes.

Ideally you should wait at least a day or two before final proofreading, but if you’re on a tight deadline, even a half hour break can help.

Proofread a printout

Seeing your words on a printed page is another useful strategy for noticing things that might have escaped your attention on the screen. If the final version will be printed, this is also a good chance to check your formatting is correct and consistent on the page.

Use digital shortcuts

While reading from print can help you spot errors, word processing software can help you fix them efficiently. Most obviously, run a spell check—but don’t rely on the computer to catch every mistake.

If you notice that you’ve repeatedly misspelled a particular word, inconsistently capitalized a term, or switched between UK and US English, you can use the Find and Replace function to fix the same mistake throughout the document.

Be careful, though, and don’t use “replace all”. Click through and check every replacement to avoid accidentally adding more errors!

Learn from your mistakes

Pay attention to the errors that keep recurring in the text. This can help you avoid them in future.

Knowing what to look out for is the most challenging part of proofreading. You’ll probably notice obvious typos, but subtle mistakes in grammar and punctuation can be harder to recognize. The table below shows some of the most common errors to look out for.

What to watch out for when proofreading

Spelling and word choice confusions
  • Confusions between homophones (e.g. there/their/they’re)
  • Misuse of definite and indefinite articles (the/a/an)
  • Misuse of prepositions
Misplaced punctuation
  • Missing or misused commas
  • Confusion between hyphens, em dashes and en dashes
  • Incorrect use of apostrophes
Stylistic inconsistency
  • Switching between UK and US conventions
  • Inconsistent capitalization of terms or titles
  • Inconsistent treatment of numbers
Formatting issues
  • Incorrect formatting of quotations and citations
  • Inconsistent paragraph indentation and spacing
  • Missing or misplaced page numbers, headers and footers

Choosing a proofreading service

If you lack confidence in your written English, or if you just want to ensure you haven’t missed anything in an important document, you might want to consider using a professional proofreading service.

There are two main options: you can hire a freelance proofreader, or you can send your document to a proofreading and editing company. There are various things to consider when choosing a service.

Do you only need proofreading or also editing?

It’s important to have a clear idea of how much work your text requires. People often think they only need proofreading when, in reality, the text would benefit from some level of editing as well.

If you send a proofreader a document full of grammar mistakes, confusing sentences, and difficult-to-follow paragraphs, they might decline the job or recommend a different service.

Many freelancers and companies offer both editing and proofreading, either separately (with separate pricing) or combined into one service. Make sure you understand exactly what kind of changes are included. Will the editor only correct minor errors, or will they also comment on awkward phrasings and structural issues?

Should the proofreader be specialized in your type of document?

Many different types of documents require proofreading: from literary novels to technical reports, from PhD dissertations to promotional flyers. The best choice of service is usually one that’s specialized in your type of document.

While proofreaders and copy editors generally don’t need expert knowledge of the text’s content, the process will be smoother if your proofreader is familiar with the rules and conventions of the genre you’re working in.

How much does proofreading cost?

The cost of proofreading varies widely. The price depends partly on the proofreader’s location and level of experience, the type and length of text, and the turnaround time. Rates are usually calculated per word or per hour. If the service also focuses on formatting, it may be priced per page.

Proofreading rates by word count
Proofreading and editing companies tend to have a set per-word rate with different prices based on the turnaround time. On average, you can expect to pay $0.01–$0.05 per word (or around $2–4 per page), but services that include editing as well as proofreading will cost more. You can usually check in advance exactly how much it will cost you.
Proofreading hourly rates
Many freelancers charge an hourly rate, which means the price will vary based on the quality and complexity of the document. Hourly rates can be anywhere between $20 and $50 per hour. Be sure to discuss the pricing and get a quote in advance—you might not realize just how long it will take to thoroughly proofread your text.

How long does proofreading take?

You should try to leave plenty of time for editing and proofreading, but if you have a hard deadline, it’s important to find a service that can deliver on time.

Most companies offer various choices of deadline, but it’s best to plan a minimum of 24 hours for proofreading. The price will generally be lower if you can wait longer to have your document returned.

For very long documents, it might not be possible to complete the job in 24 hours, especially if you also need editing services. For combined proofreading and copy editing, you can expect an experienced editor to complete around 10,000–15,000 words in a single day.

How can you check the quality and reliability of the service?

Like everything on the internet, the quality of proofreading services varies widely. Do your research before you choose one. There are a few things you can check:

  • Online reviews: are they rated on independent review sites (e.g., Trustpilot) or freelancer platforms (e.g., Upwork)?
  • Qualifications: do they have professional training and experience? If you’re using a company, how do they select and train proofreaders?
  • Customer service: are they easily contactable and responsive to inquiries?
  • Complaints policy: what happens if you’re not happy with the job? Can you get a refund or a second edit?

Choosing a proofreading service

Type Advantages Disadvantages
Automated proofreaders
  • Free or relatively cheap
  • Instant proofreading
  • Unreliable for catching all mistakes
  • Risk of introducing new errors if not used carefully
Freelance proofreaders
  • You can choose exactly who you work with
  • You can discuss and negotiate the job directly
  • No quality control
  • Often longer turnaround times
  • The price and deadline may not be fixed in advance
Proofreading companies
  • Upfront pricing (usually by word count)
  • Fast turnaround and guaranteed deadlines
  • Standardized training and quality control
  • Services are usually fixed and non-negotiable
  • Often no direct contact with the proofreader

Recommended proofreading service

Scribbr offers proofreading services for students and academic editing services for all sorts of study-related documents, including essays, papers, theses, dissertations, reports, and proposals.

The basic service combines proofreading and copy editing at a rate of $0.017 per word. You can choose between a 24-hour, 3-day, or 7-day turnaround time.

Scribbr is rated 4.8 on Trustpilot, with 2,962 reviews so far.

Frequently asked questions about proofreading


What is the difference between proofreading and editing?

Editing and proofreading are different steps in the process of revising a text.

Editing comes first, and can involve major changes to content, structure and language. The first stages of editing are often done by authors themselves, while a professional editor makes the final improvements to grammar and style (for example, by improving sentence structure and word choice).

Proofreading is the final stage of checking a text before it is published or shared. It focuses on correcting minor errors and inconsistencies (for example, in punctuation and capitalization). Proofreaders often also check for formatting issues, especially in print publishing.


How can I get better at proofreading?

Whether you’re publishing a blog, submitting a research paper, or even just writing an important email, there are a few techniques you can use to make sure it’s error-free:

  • Take a break: Set your work aside for at least a few hours so that you can look at it with fresh eyes.
  • Proofread a printout: Staring at a screen for too long can cause fatigue – sit down with a pen and paper to check the final version.
  • Use digital shortcuts: Take note of any recurring mistakes (for example, misspelling a particular word, switching between US and UK English, or inconsistently capitalizing a term), and use Find and Replace to fix it throughout the document.

If you want to be confident that an important text is error-free, it might be worth choosing a professional proofreading service instead.


How much does professional proofreading cost?

The cost of proofreading depends on the type and length of text, the turnaround time, and the level of services required. Most proofreading companies charge per word or page, while freelancers sometimes charge an hourly rate.

For proofreading alone, which involves only basic corrections of typos and formatting mistakes, you might pay as little as $0.01 per word, but in many cases, your text will also require some level of editing, which costs slightly more.

It’s often possible to purchase combined proofreading and editing services and calculate the price in advance based on your requirements.


What qualifications do you need to become a proofreader?

There are many different routes to becoming a professional proofreader or editor. The necessary qualifications depend on the field – to be an academic or scientific proofreader, for example, you will need at least a university degree in a relevant subject.

For most proofreading jobs, experience and demonstrated skills are more important than specific qualifications. Often your skills will be tested as part of the application process.

To learn practical proofreading skills, you can choose to take a course with a professional organization such as the Society for Editors and Proofreaders. Alternatively, you can apply to companies that offer specialized on-the-job training programmes, such as the Scribbr Academy.

Cite this Scribbr article

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(2022, November 29). Quick Guide to Proofreading | What, Why and How to Proofread. Scribbr.
Retrieved April 12, 2023,
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What exactly is proofreading? This seemingly simple question often receives a variety of answers. As a trained proofreader with experience in the field, I can help you understand what constitutes proofreading.

Proofreading is the process of carefully reviewing the final draft of a text to find and fix errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and formatting. Proofreaders also fix problems with word usage and repeated or omitted words.

Nowadays, proofreading has taken on a different meaning from what it means in the publishing industry alone. To add to the confusion, the term proofreading often gets mixed up with other terms like copyediting and editing.

Let’s get to the bottom of the confusion so we can understand what proofreading entails and where it fits into the editorial process.

To get a solid definition for proofreading, let’s turn to one of the most authoritative sources: The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS).

CMOS is the go-to style guide in the publishing industry.

“Proofreading is the process of reading a text and scrutinizing all of its components to find errors and mark them for correction.”

The Chicago Manual of Style

And here’s a more concise definition:

“to read and mark corrections in (something, such as a proof)”

Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary

Although this last definition couldn’t be simpler, we have differing opinions about how to define the word proofreading.

It’s time to find out how this conundrum originated.

Why the Term Proofreading Is So Darn Confusing

People get confused about what proofreading entails because we sometimes use the terms proofreading and editing synonymously, even though they’re nothing alike.

Another reason for the puzzlement is that some people think of proofreading in a more traditional sense. They consider it to be the process that takes place in the publishing industry.

However, other people think about proofreading in other fields where typeset pages don’t come into play.

Proofreading in the Publishing Industry

Let’s discuss a proofreader’s role in the publishing industry.

Proofreaders in publishing companies compare the proof (the typeset and paginated document) to the copyedited document to verify that all the copy editor’s corrections are appropriately implemented.

Fun fact: The term proofreader came about because the eagle-eyed folks in publishing houses would essentially “read” the “proofs.” 😊

They also check the proof against the copyedited version to ensure no errors were introduced during formatting and printing and that all design specifications are followed.

Greater Focus on Formatting Fumbles

Catching formatting issues is a primary concern for proofreaders in the publishing industry.

They also look for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar errors that slipped through the cracks during previous editing stages.

They used to mark these mistakes on a hard copy with a red pen, using standard proofreaders’ marks.

Today it’s much more common for proofreaders to work on-screen with electronic documents and use PDF markup tools to pinpoint errors.

Here’s an excellent video from Editors Canada that explains the traditional proofreading process:

What Are Proofreaders’ Marks?

Proofreaders’ marks (aka proofreading marks) are unique abbreviations and symbols used to show how to fix minor errors in a typeset text.

In US English, the primary proofreading marks are divided into three categories:

  1. operational signs (mainly to show formatting problems)
  2. typographical signs (primarily to indicate proper font)
  3. punctuation marks (to locate missing punctuation)

I wrote an article about the extent to which proofreading marks are still used, in case you’re curious. It includes a video featuring some of the most common proofreading symbols.

Proofreading in Fields Where Proofs Aren’t Involved

With academic and business documents, proofreaders don’t work with proofs.

And businesses publish an enormous amount of content on the internet, including website copy, blog posts, and social media posts.

This type of content isn’t paginated (split into pages); it’s presented on one continuous page—like the writing in this blog post. 😊

This kind of writing is usually sent to the proofreader in a Microsoft Word document or Google Doc.

Less Focus on Formatting Faux Pas

Proofreaders have fewer formatting fumbles to fix with content that isn’t paginated.

Widows and Orphans Are No Longer a Concern

Without pages, widows and orphans are no longer considerations.

Widows and orphans are short lines of text that have been separated from the paragraphs they belong to.

They make the writing on a page look unbalanced.

When you see a page that begins with the last part of a sentence from the previous page’s paragraph, that’s a widow.

And when you see a page that ends with the first little part of a new paragraph—that’s an orphan.

Widows and orphans are little lines that have strayed from the paragraph they belong to like lost lambs that have strayed from their flock.

Other Formatting Issues That Fall Away

Proofreaders no longer need to worry about bad word breaks or page numbers in the wrong order.

And they don’t need to look out for blurry type that’s hard to read or sections of text that appear darker or lighter than surrounding parts.

Nor do they need to be concerned that facing pages are in alignment.

Looking at an open book, the page on the left is known as the verso, and the page on the right is called the recto.

Wouldn’t it feel weird if you were reading a book and the text ended at a different place on each page?

However, even if proofreaders aren’t working with typeset pages, they still have to ensure that content is well formatted so it’s visually appealing and easy to read. Fortunately, using more complicated PDF markup software (e.g., Adobe Acrobat) to correct this content is unnecessary.

Instead, proofreaders typically work with Track Changes in Microsoft Word or the Suggesting feature in Google Docs.

Working with Track Changes and the Suggesting Feature

Track Changes and the Suggesting feature allow proofreaders to show the precise location of mistakes and how to fix them.

They can also make suggestions or ask a question (known as an author query) in the document’s margins.

When using MS Word and Google Docs, the proofreader’s client can see all the suggested changes and accept or reject them with one click.

Here’s what it looks like to proofread a document using Track Changes in MS Word.

Proofreading Example Using Track Changes

However, many clients don’t want to bother accepting or rejecting changes. They want a “clean copy” of their writing with all the recommendations approved and integrated. I get this request often when I’m proofreading someone’s work.

Now that we’ve learned what proofreading is and why this term causes confusion, let’s discover when proofreading takes place in the traditional four-stage editorial process.

Then, we’ll learn about the errors proofreaders are trained to find and correct.

Where Proofreading Fits into the Editorial Process

Since proofreading often gets confused with other editorial stages, it’s helpful to know where proofreading fits into the editing process.

We’ll also learn what proofreading isn’t so we’re sure we know what it is.

The traditional editorial process consists of four stages: developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading.

The process starts with developmental editing and ends with proofreading.

Let’s take a brief look at each stage. You’ll notice some overlap from one step to the next.

So which editor does what in the editorial realm?

1) Developmental Editing

Developmental editors (aka structural editors or substantive editors) work on the document as a whole, focusing on the following:

  • Adding/deleting/reorganizing entire sections of text to improve the overall structure and content
  • Ensuring the writing makes sense
  • Checking that the writer has addressed all the main points

Note: For works of fiction, a developmental editor would consider several other factors, including character development, setting, plot, and pacing.

2) Line Editing

Line editors (aka content editors or stylistic editors) work on issues at the paragraph level as well as major issues at the sentence level, focusing on the following:

  • Refining the language to improve clarity, flow, and consistency in tone and style
  • Rearranging sentences within paragraphs if necessary
  • Making sure the level of language is suitable for the target audience

3) Copyediting

Copy editors work in-depth at the sentence level on the following:

  • Making writing correct, comprehensive, consistent, clear, and concise (the five c’s of copyediting)
  • Correcting errors with syntax (sentence structure)
  • Fixing mistakes with grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and formatting

4) Proofreading

The info below describes what proofreaders do when working on a document that is not typeset.

Proofreaders work thoroughly at the word level on the following:

  • Fixing errors with grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and formatting
  • Correcting improper word choices (affect vs. effect)
  • Checking for repeated or omitted words

Proofreaders work with documents that have already been edited; these texts should be structurally sound, well written, and easy to follow.

The Difference between Proofreading and Editing

As we can see, proofreading and editing are two different processes.

While editing focuses on the big picture, proofreading deals with the details (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation).

Editing enhances a document’s organization and content, which can involve moving or deleting large chunks of text. And an editor will alert the author if any ideas or arguments need further development.

We can see why editing comes before proofreading. You would derive minimal benefit from hiring a proofreader before an editor since the editor will likely make substantial changes.

A proofreader can start working after all rewriting and tweaking have been completed.  

Now let’s dive deeper into a proofreader’s job description.

What a Proofreader Does (Their Role on Error Patrol)

As mentioned, a proofreader’s job is to use their eagle eyes to find and correct errors missed during previous editing stages.

Proofreaders don’t improve the flow of writing or make it more concise.

And although they are not responsible for fact-checking, they’ll alert the author to any egregious errors in the content.

Proofreading is a crucial step in the editing process because it serves as the final review of a document before it’s shared with readers.

The Main Kinds of Errors Proofreaders Look For

Let’s see specific slipups proofreaders strive to spot.

Proofreaders Guard against Grammar Gaffes

Grammar deals with the parts of speech and how they come together to form sentences. We have eight parts of speech in English: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

As you can imagine, we make a multitude of mistakes related to each of these parts of speech.

Here are a few examples of grammatical errors proofreaders look out for:

  • faulty subject/verb agreement
  • incorrect use of pronoun cases
  • misuse of verb tenses
  • using an adjective where an adverb is needed (and vice versa)
  • wrong preposition choice
  • mispairing of correlative conjunctions (e.g., either with nor)
  • inaccuracies with interjections

They Correct Capitalization Catastrophes

This category of errors is fairly straightforward. Proofreaders correct oversights dealing with the improper capitalization of nouns.

Some authors fall into what Rebecca Elliott calls the “cap trap” in her book Painless Grammar. This is when authors mistakenly capitalize words they deem important.

Proofreaders Pluck Out Punctuation Pitfalls

The most common mistakes here result from misusing periods, commas, semicolons, colons, question marks, exclamation points, hyphens, dashes, parentheses, quotation marks, and apostrophes.

Proofreaders also need to look for errors related to the treatment of numbers and abbreviations, which vary depending on the style guide.

They Snuff Out Spelling Snafus

Proofreaders are responsible for finding misspelled words, including those overlooked by spellcheckers. Of course, a spellchecker can let you know if the author misspelled a word. But it can’t let you know if they used a correctly spelled word in the wrong context (e.g., discreet vs. discrete).

Another problem with spellcheckers is that they’re not always up to date with industry-specific terminology.

They Fix Formatting Fumbles

In this category, proofreaders need to keep their eyes peeled for improper spacing between elements in a text (words, sentences, paragraphs, headers, etc.).

They must also ensure that headings, subheadings, paragraphs, and lists are properly aligned.

Inconsistencies in font size or type are another common mistake to look for.

And proofing a typeset text involves checking for many more formatting flubs we discussed previously (e.g., orphans, bad work breaks, incorrect page numbers).

Proofreaders Wipe Out Witless Word Choices

Word choice blunders tend to happen with homophones. Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings (and usually different spellings).

Here are a few examples:

  • bear vs. bare
  • principal vs. principle
  • to vs. too vs. two
  • there vs. they’re vs. their

Of course, an author may simply choose a word whose meaning doesn’t make sense in a given context.

And a common mistake for those who speak English as a second language is the misuse of prepositions. Proofreaders have to pick up on prepositions that pair poorly with other words.

They Remedy Repeated or Omitted Words

This category couldn’t be more self-explanatory. Sometimes writers repeat words, and and sometimes they leave out. 😉

Proofreaders Ensure Style Guide Rules Are Respected

We have style guides that govern the writing for various fields. Proofreaders are responsible for checking that writing adheres to the standards in the appropriate style guide.

We have four major style guides for US English:

  1. The Chicago Manual of Style (used in book publishing)
  2. The Associated Press Stylebook (used in journalism)
  3. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (used in social sciences)
  4. MLA (Modern Language Association) Handbook (used in the humanities)

I use The Chicago Manual of Style for most of my proofreading work.

New Hart’s Rules: The Oxford Style Guide is a popular guide for proofing UK English.

They Detect Dialect Disturbances

We have several dialects of English: US, UK, Canadian, and Australian.

Differences in spelling, vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar exist between these styles of English.

Therefore, any deviations in dialect need to be detected and marked as errors.

I published an article that gives specific examples of the mistakes proofreaders look for if you’d like to explore this topic further.

The Different Types of Proofreading

We can divide the types of proofreading into four categories: print media, academic, business, and translation.

Print Media Proofreading

You’re likely familiar with this kind of proofreading. Proofreaders of print media work for publishers or self-publishing authors.

Here are some examples of print media documents:

  • books and e-books (fiction and nonfiction)
  • screenplays
  • newspapers
  • magazines

Proofreaders who work for publishers usually work with typeset documents, while proofreaders working for self-publishing authors typically proof an MS Word or Google Doc.

Academic Proofreading

Academic proofreading involves polishing the writing of college students as well as researchers and professors in academia.

Some examples of academic texts include the following:

  • research papers
  • theses
  • journal articles
  • personal statements

Om Proofreading has a post discussing academic proofreading in more depth and explaining why it’s important.

Business Proofreading

This sort of proofreading deals with tidying up the texts of business owners. We can also include job applicants here.

The following are examples of business writing:

  • white papers
  • PowerPoint presentations
  • website copy
  • reports

Translation Proofreading

Translation proofreading means proofing any text someone translated from one language to another.

Many documents fall under this category since we can translate practically any text into another language.

We can split translation proofreading into two categories: monolingual and bilingual.

Monolingual proofreaders know the language of the final document (target language) but not the language of the original text (source language).

Bilingual proofreaders understand both the target and source language.

I put together a post about various kinds of proofreading if this topic piques your curiosity.

The Skills Needed to Be a Proofreader

So what skills does a professional proofreader need?

A firm grasp of English grammar and mechanics is at the top of the list. But it doesn’t end there.

Proofreaders need to be familiar with at least one major style guide.

We have style guides for specific genres of writing. These guides provide rules to ensure the language and formatting of a text are clear and consistent, resulting in professional-looking content.  

In addition to style guide familiarity, proofreaders should know how to research using Google, the appropriate dictionary, and other relevant resources.  

They’ll also need to know how to proofread in MS Word, Google Docs, and possibly Adobe Acrobat.

Of course, proofreaders must possess patience and strong attention to detail as they go over writing with a fine-tooth comb.

The ability to stay focused for long blocks of time is also essential.

These eagle-eye workers need to have the self-discipline to stay organized and meet deadlines. They’ll have to manage their time well and be able to solve problems independently.

Finally, a robust general knowledge base and a willingness to keep up with changes to style guides, dictionaries, culturally acceptable language, and industry-specific terminology will serve them well.  

I created content that discusses proofreading skills if you’d like to take a deep dive.

Why Proofreading Is Important

Proofreading is essential for many reasons!

Our written word reflects us and often serves as the first point of contact with other people.

For example, you’ve probably never met me, but the writing on this website represents me in my absence.

What if my writing was riddled with errors?

At the very least, you’d probably be annoyed. Worse yet, it could make you bounce from my website in search of someone who cared enough to polish their prose.

Of course, I’m far from perfect, and I make plenty of mistakes!

But I dedicate substantial time trying to make my content error-free—especially since this website focuses on proofreading and closely related topics!

Whether we like it or not, people evaluate us based on the quality of our writing.

Overlooked mistakes can muddle our message, make us look careless and unprofessional, and even call our credibility into question.

And just like people have little patience for slow websites (or slow anything these days 😉), they have a limited capacity for reading writing that causes them to trip over typos and stumble over sentences that are grammatically unsound, poorly punctuated, unclear, or factually incorrect.

Proofreading is crucial for job seekers to land work, businesses to attract clients, and students to get good grades.

I authored an article that lists 19 reasons why proofreading is crucial that I think you may find interesting. The post contains a video about five of the worst typos in history.

Effective Proofreading Strategies

Certain tactics can help us find errors with increased accuracy and efficiency.

Let’s talk about three top-notch tips for proofreading.

1) Have the computer read the text to you out loud.

We need to use our eyes and ears for proofreading. When we listen to a piece of writing, catching omitted or repeated words becomes easier. We can also get a sense of whether something sounds a bit off.

Our ears can sometimes catch what our eyes miss!

2) Read the writing backward, one line at a time.

If you’re proofreading a short text, a tried-and-true strategy is to read it backward.

Starting with the last sentence of the document, go sentence by sentence—reading each sentence from left to right as usual—until you reach the first sentence.

Reading this way stops our brain from anticipating what will come next, forcing us to slow down and focus all our attention on one sentence at a time.

Just like we use mindfulness to stay in the present moment in life, we can use backward proofreading to keep our full attention on the sentence we’re reading.

3) Change an element in the document.

Altering the text’s appearance can convince our brain that we’re having a novel reading experience.

Perceiving the writing in a new way helps us spot errors we may have otherwise overlooked.

We can modify the writing by changing font size, style, or color. Making the font bigger is usually the best bet, especially for noticing problems with tiny punctuation marks.

We can also add space between lines or divide the text into two columns.

Just do what works best for you! 😊

I penned a post about 31 valuable proofreading techniques if you’d like more tricks to kick those errors to the curb!

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does proofreading cost?

Proofreading typically costs 1–3 cents per word if you hire a freelance proofreader and 3–6 cents per word with an online proofreading service. This translates to $10–$60 per 1,000 words. (One page contains 250 words.)

However, you can expect to pay more if you have a tight turnaround time, a poorly written document, or a highly technical text.

I wrote a post that discusses proofreading fees and the pros and cons of choosing a freelancer versus a proofreading company if you’d benefit from that information.

What are the best proofreading services?

Several reputable proofreading services are available. However, Cambridge Proofreading, ProofreadNOW.com, and Scribbr are among the best online proofreading companies.

I composed a post about the best proofreading and editing businesses of 2023 if you’d like to know about these companies’ Trustpilot ratings, prices, and areas of expertise.

How do I find a good proofreader?

Finding a good proofreader requires patience, but it’s worth the effort. You can find proofreaders using Google, looking on freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, and asking in online groups for writers and authors.

One of the best ways to know you’ve found a good proofreader is to ask them for a sample edit.

You can also inquire about what style guide they use and pay close attention to their written communication.

I talk about these methods and many more in my article about choosing a dependable proofreader.

What software do proofreaders use?

Freelance proofreaders primarily work with Track Changes in Microsoft Word and the Suggesting feature in Google Docs. Both programs are easy for the client and proofreader.

Proofreaders who work on PDFs typically use Adobe Acrobat to mark up documents.

Grammarly and PerfectIt are two popular software programs enabling proofreaders to do their work more efficiently. However, these are only used as backup tools after they have manually reviewed a text for mistakes.

I hope this article has helped you better understand what proofreading entails.

Best wishes to you!

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”

– Rumi

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