If we’re honest, proofreading is a routine and uninteresting job. After giving time to trying as hard as you can to produce some significant writing, you need to reread it to check carefully for grammar and punctuation errors.
Although it’s monotonous and taxing, it is also crucial. Use the proofreading tips below to move on without complaining:
1. Concentrate directly and steadily
Although this is glaringly apparent, it has to be stressed. Unplug the TV, sign out of your Facebook account and eliminate any other potential diversions. Since you have to proofread, you need to do it quickly, directly, and accurately. You need complete engagement for this. Only your total concentration will give you a chance to complete the job faster and with less suffering.
2. Print it out!
George Wilson, Editing Manager at Cambridge Proof Reading, proposes a super means to speed up the process for looking through a text for mistakes as he states,
While proofreading your own writing, you expect it to read the way you anticipated it to be written. Holding the text physically in your hand after you’ve written it on the screen gives you an extra benefit of avoiding this habit by causing you to feel less acquainted with the text in another format. Naturally, the inconvenience of printing and editing is having to go back and redo the modifications on the screen, but the total time saved this way makes it well worth it.
“People read text on a physical piece of paper more accurately than they do on a screen. It is easy to follow the lines so you can go at a quicker pace without sacrificing quality and accuracy.”
3. Think consistency
Be certain to remain constant in your language. As an example, you should write numbers the same way every time, such as two, three rather than two, 3.
Deficiencies in being constant with your language draws the reader’s attention to the rambling, unprofessional writing, which damages the flow and structure.
4. Know your weaknesses
As suggested by the Society of Proofreaders & Editors, you should be especially careful to check the items with which you struggle more often. As an example, if you know that you make errors with definite/indefinite articles, which frequently happens with ESL writers, be particularly careful with these.
By doing proofreading more often, you can observe patterns of deficiencies. Recognizing these patterns can make it possible for you to scan more quickly for these problems and avoid items on which you usually don’t make mistakes.
5. Pay close attention to homonyms and contractions
Homonyms are words which are spelled or pronounced the same, but have different meanings. As an example, notice allowed/aloud, weak/week, toe/tow. You should be especially aware of these difficult items, since they are often agents for mistakes in texts.
Watch out, also, for contractions: its/it’s, their/they’re, your/you’re. You’re familiar with them, so watch carefully for them.
6. Have a professional proofreading service on speed email
Obtain a quality proofreading service, if you can afford one, which can provide quick revisions on texts. It’s possible to find an online services which provide same-day delivery for shorter documents and monthly payment terms for loyal customers. You just have to send them the text in an email, and they will relieve you of the agitation!
It’s boring, and it’s monotonous, and at times it’s utterly maddening, but we all recognize how crucial it is to put out precise, professional writing at work. These proofreading tips should help the job to be as fast and painless as possible by employing these suggestions to your advantage.
