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Whatever
you write – whether it is a manuscript, an article, a business letter,
or advertising copy – will require some level of checking for accuracy
before it is ready to be sent out. Different types of documents often have
different requirements, for example, a manuscript often needs editing in
addition to proofreading, while an informal letter may only require a read
through for spelling and grammar errors, and advertisements may even break
grammar rules for effect.
Spelling
If
you’re mainly concerned about checking spelling, it can help to read
your document backwards, checking one word at a time. This prevents you
from skimming as you read and therefore missing errors because your brain
is focused on the content.
Break
longer words into syllables and check that letters have not been
transposed within each syllable. As readers, our brains have been coached
into making assumptions to gain speed. Often we see only the first few
letters of a word, recognise it, and move on – without attaching any
importance to whether the word is spelt correctly.
Keep a
dictionary on hand and check any word that you are not completely certain
is correct. You’ll probably find that most words start looking wrong to
you at this point – think of it as your ego acknowledging that it’s
not a Spelling B Champion.
Watch out for words that sound the same, eg their and there, as these are
often mixed up.
Don’t
forget to check spellings in your headlines – capitals, bolding, or
different font styles make it easy for errors to slip through.
If it
helps, make temporary changes to the font style or size that will make it
easier for you to check the text. Some people battle to read serif fonts,
like Times New Roman, while others prefer these to sans serif fonts, like
Arial.
Grammar
If you
need to do a basic grammar and sense check in addition to a spelling
check, try reading your document backwards one sentence at a time.
Check
common errors such as verb and subject agreement, apostrophe usage and
other punctuation errors, and missing words. Even if a particular market
or client prefers informal grammar, errors like these will make a document
look unprofessional.
Missing
or transposed letters can change the meaning of a word – the spelling
may be correct (and therefore your PC’s spell-check won’t pick it up)
but the word is completely out of context.
If a
sentence sounds wrong, listen to your instinct. Invest in a grammar guide
so that you can double-check anything you’re unsure of.
Word Usage
Again,
avoid second-guessing yourself by looking up any words you don’t know
the definite meanings of. Do you really mean “consequently”, or should
you have used “subsequently”? Have you used “obliged” when you
meant “obligated”? It’s easy to get the incorrect sense of a word,
and use it incorrectly for years before finding the real definition.
Have
you used the correct form of the word? Many people have fallen into the
habit of using an adjective as an adverb, eg, “You’re driving too
slow” instead of “You’re driving too slowly”. (Of course, because
this is English after all, if that driver was fast instead of slow, the
first sentence would be correct, because “fast” is an adjective and an
adverb, and, just for fun, it’s also a noun and a verb.)
Inconsistency
It is
easy to overlook the spelling of a name when checking a document,
especially a popular name, or one with many spelling variations, such as
Katherine, Katharine, Kathryn, Catherine.
If you
quote more than one person, ensure you’ve attributed each quote to the
correct person.
Try to
make proofreading a standard part of your work. Factor it into your
projects like any other step in the process, include it in your estimation
of the time your work will take to complete, and don’t let yourself off
until you’ve completed your final check.
Copyright
© Elsa Neal 2005
(Please contact the
for permission to reprint this article.)
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