3.6: Proofreading

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Proofreading\(^{72}\) is the process of carefully reviewing a text for errors, especially surface errors such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, formatting, and typing errors. So, refining the mechanics in the proofreading phase prevents the reader from being distracted from your ideas. Here’s a checklist can also help you catch these errors in your writing:

I have used punctuation marks and capitalization correctly.
I have checked the spelling of unfamiliar words.
All subjects and verbs agree, if necessary to the flow and meaning of the content.
I have corrected run-ons and sentence fragments, if they are confusing.
I have used words with the correct meanings in their proper context.

When Should I Edit or Proofread?

A major question that students will probably find themselves asking is this: How do I know when to edit a paper? How do I know it’s time to proofread? As a matter of fact, there is no simple answer to those questions. Writing is a process that involves several steps, and these steps do not always occur in a straight line. Writing any sort of text is a circular rather than a linear process. Writers are rarely completely finished with one step, even after they move onto the next.

Most people tend to think that editing tends to happen sometime near the completion of the paper. In fact, that is not always the case. While the most important part of writing is simply the ability to express yourself and get ideas across, it can sometimes be helpful to take a quick break from drafting or revising and to spend some time editing (or even proofread a bit). Sometimes, playing with word choice, sentence structure, or transitions can help stimulate your mind, leading to new ideas. Thus, it’s important to realize that editing is not necessarily a one-step action, but rather something that can be done throughout the entire writing process.

Questions:

<insert questions here created by students>

\(^{72}\)“Basic Writing/Print version.” Wikibooks, The Free Textbook Project. 9 Sep 2008, 16:02 UTC. 11 May 2016, 17:39 <https://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php...&oldid=1273791>. Licensed CC-BY-SA.