Proofreading is done after all the editing process, and this is the last stage before your work will be printed out. You will focus on finding any overlooked misspellings and typographic errors, consistency, grammar, and other inserts.
The Proofreading Process
You may use the proofreading process below to help you with your work
Don’t Rely Entirely On Spelling Checkers
In the age of technology, you can easily use a spelling checker online, but don’t solely rely on it, what they check are only limited in their dictionary. And sometimes, it will not accurately catch your errors.
Grammar Checkers Can Be Even More Problematic
This will annoy you more than you expected, they will sometimes ask you to revise your sentence, but they won’t give you a thorough explanation of why you should do that. They can’t catch every error, and they sometimes make mistakes.
You can use an online grammar checker to help you see the errors and edit it yourself.
Proofread
If you are proofreading the punctuation, focus only on the punctuation. You will lose your focus if you check the punctuation and spelling at the same time, you tend to make more mistakes. If you are done in one task, proofread it all over again for another kind of error.
Read Slowly And Read Every Word
Do not skim over your work. Read it slowly and read every word. Doing this will help you notice every detail and mistakes.
Read each sentence aloud, and it will help you catch mistakes that you can’t visually see.
Separate The Text Into Individual Sentences
Break-in between sentences and read it separately, and aloud, it will give you a new perspective on your work. It will help you catch grammar errors, punctuation, or spelling.
Circle Every Punctuation Mark
Every time you do this, ask yourself if it is the correct punctuation use in that specific sentence
Read The Paper Backward
This technique will help you get your attention. Your mind is already following the structure if you read it from the beginning, and you often miss some mistakes.
By reading it backward, it slows you down, and your brain stops from misleading you.
Proofreading Is A Learning Process
In proofreading, you are not just looking for mistakes, but also, you are learning in the process to avoid similar errors in the future. Proofreading is not a one-time read-only, you will need to read it again and again until no mistakes are seen, and your work is in its correct format.
Don’t Make Ignorance As An Excuse
There are confusing words in the sentence, but the spelling or grammar checkers didn’t catch them. If that’s the case, you shouldn’t ignore it, instead, look it up yourself. It will help you in the future, and it will make you better in proofreading.
Have A Systematic Strategy
When you are proofreading your work often, you will find out the areas where you usually make a mistake and needed close attention. By proofreading it regularly, it will help you evolve your idea while correcting your work.
Always remember, the more you write, the more you edit, the more you proofread, the more you learn!