Why do you need a proofreader?
How confident are you that you have used the correct version of their, they’re and there throughout the document you have produced? Spell-checker will pick up mis-spelled words but not those typos where a real, but incorrect, word has been typed; for example, ‘do now press the red button’ rather than ‘do not press the red button’. How about using a hyphenated version of a word such as fine-tuning in one part of your document, and finetuning in another? Might you have referred to an acronym in one section as SMART and another as S.M.A.R.T.? How about using a bullet-pointed list on one page, and a numbered list on the next? These may seem like minor details, but it will distract your readers; it is in our nature to look for patterns, and it therefore provides confidence when your work is consistent, accurate and demonstrates professionalism. After all, if you can’t get your pre-sales message right, or your CV consistent, or your job advertisement grammatically correct, what does that say about the rest of your business?
Equally, if your message is inconsistent, confusing or punching either above or below the knowledge base of the readership, then they may well not read on; a third party can help to ensure your message is consistent and will provide an objective viewpoint on the material you are using before it reaches your critical audience.
If you ask me to proofread your document, I will:
- check spelling, punctuation and grammar
- ensure the correct use of capitalisation, hyphenation and consistency of format
- check that headings, subheadings and numbering systems are consistent (though it is down to the author/copy-editor to set them in the first instance)
- check that urls are relevant and live
- identify incorrect use of words and make alternative suggestions where possible
- ensure that your house style has been applied
If you ask me to proof-edit your content, I will:
- edit according to our agreed brief
- apply your house style or create a style sheet for you
- mark up tracked changes in word, or using PDF mark-up tools
- check that urls are relevant and live
- ensure consistency of style, perspective and voice
What is copy-editing?
This is a far more thorough edit, undertaken earlier in the writing stage and will often be the point at which stylistic decisions are made, advice is given on language choices and consistency, and and changes made to the content to ensure that it is accurate, concise, appropriate and well-written. This stage will also include marking up headers, tables, images, etc. as appropriate. Depending on the type of document, there may be a requirement for checking hyperlinks, applying coding and formatting to the text, and ensuring that queries are raised and resolved with the author prior to typesetting.
I am a member of the Society for Proofreaders and Editors, and will therefore work within the guidelines of their Code of Practice.
