Proof reading tips

Whenever you are writing an article, an email, a manual etc, it is important to ensure that it is free of mistakes. The spell checker is good to use but is far from foolproof.  This is when proof reading comes into picture.

Below are a few tips that will make proofreading effective.

Print the document

It is a well known fact that people read differently on screen and on paper. Proof  reading works better on paper then on screen.

Avoid distraction

Since the job demands you to spot mistakes, you need to concentrate. Switch off the mobile phones, log-off from the chat, any social networking sites. For sure, silence will work wonders for this activity.

One at a time

Never try to find all mistakes at the same time.  List the mistakes that you intended  like the following

• Typos
• Missing words
• Formatting mistakes

Know the rules of the game

Some rules of the game include:

• Look out for homonyms
• Check punctuation
• Use and so on instead of etc
• Use through instead of via etc
• 1 t0 9 in figures, 10 and above in words

 Read backwards

When you read backwards you concentrate on the words and not the meaning.

Check for the number value

Ensure the number used and the place value of the numbers are correct.

A last step

Once you have finished proofreading, get another person to proofread it again. You will be amazed to see mistakes you have missed.  Ensure the mistakes are corrected.

Proof reading marks and symbols

 We have a set of certain proofreading symbols used, get familiar with it.

See the link below for the proof reading symbols

http://webster.commnet.edu/writing/symbols.htm