by DARSHANIE PREMATILAKE
When composing a document, often a writer pays attention to the article content but not to the accuracy of spellings, punctuation, or grammar. As a result, the original manuscript may have many mistakes. However, a published article has to be error-free, and thus, proofreading becomes a necessity.
You may think proofreading is nothing but correcting some spelling mistakes, a few grammatical errors and adjusting punctuation here and there before printing a document. Proofreading means much more!
You will be amazed by the many aspects of proofreading. A professional proofreader will ensure that the document is free from typos and all mistakes in spellings, grammar, and punctuation, adjust line and margin spacing, confirm uniformity in font type and size, ascertain headings and sub-headings are in order, all units and calculations are accurate, and captions of tables and illustrations tally with the text. A proofreader will also verify the accuracy of email addresses and URLs, see that the names spelt correctly, and the writing style matches the required house style, and so on ...
Now, the question is, whether a busy writer has time to check and adjust all of these criteria. For example, a university professor simply has no time to check every period and comma in a journal article, nor can a newspaper editor spend time checking various typing mistakes and wrong spellings in the paper before sending for printing.
Nevertheless, the necessity of accurate proofreading on paper or a website remains the same, and its importance cannot be over-emphasized.
Thus, a writer has two options; self-proofreading or hiring a proofreader.
Proofreading yourself is possible if you have the time, determination, and the knowledge of proofreading. Besides, you must have a keen eye to catch your own errors! If you like to learn the technique, the best way is to enrol in a proofreading course and learn the art of proofreading. There you will learn that proofreading is not a happy game but a task that demands intense concentration, endurance, and time.
If you just cannot face this, then hand over the job to a trustworthy professional proofreader who will clean, polish, and make your document immaculate. The money you pay will save your time, and, you will have no regrets!
When composing a document, often a writer pays attention to the article content but not to the accuracy of spellings, punctuation, or grammar. As a result, the original manuscript may have many mistakes. However, a published article has to be error-free, and thus, proofreading becomes a necessity.
You may think proofreading is nothing but correcting some spelling mistakes, a few grammatical errors and adjusting punctuation here and there before printing a document. Proofreading means much more!
You will be amazed by the many aspects of proofreading. A professional proofreader will ensure that the document is free from typos and all mistakes in spellings, grammar, and punctuation, adjust line and margin spacing, confirm uniformity in font type and size, ascertain headings and sub-headings are in order, all units and calculations are accurate, and captions of tables and illustrations tally with the text. A proofreader will also verify the accuracy of email addresses and URLs, see that the names spelt correctly, and the writing style matches the required house style, and so on ...
Now, the question is, whether a busy writer has time to check and adjust all of these criteria. For example, a university professor simply has no time to check every period and comma in a journal article, nor can a newspaper editor spend time checking various typing mistakes and wrong spellings in the paper before sending for printing.
Nevertheless, the necessity of accurate proofreading on paper or a website remains the same, and its importance cannot be over-emphasized.
Thus, a writer has two options; self-proofreading or hiring a proofreader.
Proofreading yourself is possible if you have the time, determination, and the knowledge of proofreading. Besides, you must have a keen eye to catch your own errors! If you like to learn the technique, the best way is to enrol in a proofreading course and learn the art of proofreading. There you will learn that proofreading is not a happy game but a task that demands intense concentration, endurance, and time.
If you just cannot face this, then hand over the job to a trustworthy professional proofreader who will clean, polish, and make your document immaculate. The money you pay will save your time, and, you will have no regrets!