So You Wanna Be A Proofreader Ten Tips

The title of this article should grab your attention for one of two reasons: you are interested in becoming a reviewer or if you notice that the language is inappropriate. "Want" is not standard English. Looking at this title, you probably came to one of two conclusions: the author deliberately used an error to get your attention, or the author not very good proof. At Aaron Language Services, we see error after error from people who apply for proofreading work. We do not expect perfection, but we have ten tips to help proofreaders come closer to producing good work.

1. Careful control

Your e-mail message may not be your proofreading work. If you are looking for proofreading work itself, no misspellings or other errors would cast doubt on the quality of your work. If the email is accompanying proofreading work, the errors will doubt the attached work.

2. Three times

Good proofreading borders on neurotic. Capture the last error requires attention to detail. Proofread everything at least three occasions. I needed three reads to finally say that I had written "tree times" instead of "three times".

3. Times

If you keep reading the same thing to write again and again, to catch errors more difficult. We suggest that you diversify your three proofreadings over time. For simple text, it means that proofreading is not to be on different days. For a longer and more complicated on paper, each reading should be on a separate day.

4. Fresh and alert

We work best when we are fresh and alert. Proofreading is complicated because we read for meaning, not for errors. Be sure you are fresh and alert when you make your final proofreading.

5. Your spelling

As fundamental as this tip is that many people seem to forget. Use your spell checker.

6. Search Engines

Spellchecker is not perfect. When you write this, the spell checker said proofreadings "was misspelled. I was positive it was not, but I still checked. Even when I'm positive, I'm still wrong sometimes.

7. When in doubt

With the Internet just a few keystrokes away, are answers to most of our questions just as close. If you do not know something, research it. Check dictionaries and other references. Check search engines to see what the standard practice is.

8. Read

Reference materials to help us become better writers and to catch errors. Benefit from them.

9. Reading

Anyone who wishes to become a better writer, editor, or proofreader needs to read. Reading gives us the unconscious language knowledge we need. As you read several books on writing, editing and proofreading, and as you write, edit and proofread, you will also start seeing more conscious you are reading in general. You will notice Hemingway short active sentences and Faulkner's punctuation of his long descriptive phrases. The more you read, the more you will notice. The more you notice, the better you will write, edit and proofread.

10. Taking a break

We do not work in an ideal world, sometimes we have to work when we are tired. Take breaks; refresh yourself. Have a page, go around the room and add a second page. A tired reviewer is a poor proofreader.

Being a good writer, editor, or proofreader takes time. Improve your writing, editing and proofreading takes time also. If you follow these ten tips, you will learn and get better. Writing, editing and proofreading is not mystical abilities that come to us naturally. If we work on them, we will get better. We wish you the best in developing your proofreading and editing skills.