Definition of Proofreading
Definition of Proofreading
We’re very excited and pleased that you’ve chosen this course to help improve your proofreading skills.
If you like this course, you may also be interested in delving further into English language revision with Editing Camp, which will teach you how to edit a document with confidence. It includes such topics as content editing, fiction editing and other specializations, working with a style guide, and insights into the editing industry.
Another course, Grammar Camp, helps you brush up on your English grammar. It includes valuable information on many topics including parts of speech like nouns, verbs, and modifiers; punctuation and spelling; and sentence parts and patterns.
Try them today!
The most basic definition of proofreading is "the reading of a proof," the typed version of a manuscript page, to find and correct errors in the final stages of manuscript production.
The profession dates back to the creation of the printing press. Typeface was set manually by typesetters, who had to set type backwards so that the type would appear forwards on the final print. The "proof reader" would quite literally read the proofs by checking the first printed copy of a manuscript for any typographical errors. If there were any errors, the typesetters would go back to the proofs and correct those errors. We obviously don't need this form of the service anymore, but proofreaders perform the same function now as they have since the invention of the printing press.
Proofreaders must be able to catch the mistakes missed by everyone else—the writer, the editor, the typist, and even the computer—but they must make sure not to introduce any errors themselves. There are various types of proofreading, each with a different function. We'll go over these in another lesson. For now, let's focus on the basics.
The manuscript or document that a proofreader is working on has already been edited and revised, perhaps several times. Proofreaders may very well be the last people to see manuscripts before they are sent for publication, which means the role they play is an extremely important one!
Proofreaders must do a little bit of everything. They must find and correct production errors and the errors missed in the editing process, usually spelling or punctuation errors. They must be able to spot formatting issues, and they must be able to consistently apply (and find deviations from) the rules of the house style or particular style guide (or style sheet) required for the document.
A proofreader must have an eye for minute detail; while an editor often focuses more on style, content, and substance, a proofreader must be able to spot the smallest flaws in a document, such as a misplaced comma, a missing parenthesis, or font that is half a size smaller than the rest. We've said it before and we'll say it again: consistency is key.
A proofreader must not make judgment calls about the content of the text, but he or she should be able to spot deviations from the house style or the manuscript's style sheet and must be able to apply all the rules consistently. Is the serial comma always used? If not, which use is more consistent overall? How many spaces are there after ending punctuation? Are unique words capitalized (or not capitalized) consistently throughout the document?
A proofreader must be thorough. Proofreaders must read absolutely every word of a document, look at every comma and period and space, and go over a manuscript in painstaking detail to ensure that no error has been left behind or introduced. Basically, the only thing a proofreader has to do is be perfect. Easy, right?
Let's break down what a proofreader looks for into two categories: formatting and surface and mechanical errors. While formatting is not always going to come into play, especially if a document will be formatted by a publisher after it has been accepted for publication, it is of major importance for proofs that are laid out in the same way they will be for final printing. Surface and mechanical errors will include most other aspects of the text.
Margins
Column sizing and placement
Alignment of text
Consistency of headings and subheadings
Proper placement of pictures and graphs (or any missing items or references)
Font sizes and types
Ordered lists
Spelling
Dates and names
Numbers
Punctuation
Word usage (to a limited extent)
Now that we've gone over what proofreading is, you may find yourself a bit confused about the difference between editing and proofreading. There is some overlap between the two, so there is certainly cause for some confusion. But make no mistake! Editing and proofreading are vastly different things overall. To clear up any lingering doubt, let's go over what both editors and proofreaders do.
An editor is the first person to work on a document after it has been written. He or she deals with content and suggests both small and large changes to the text. While editors play a major role in the development of a text, they often do not see a document in its final form before printing.
Editors make stylistic changes and decisions and will create a style sheet that should be followed in all subsequent revisions, edits, and proofreads of a document.
An editor does check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling, but they mostly focus on the big picture issues such as content, cohesion, logic, and flow.
A proofreader does none of these things except to look at grammar and spelling. It does not generally fall under a proofreader's job description to discuss content, to fact check, or to make structural changes to the text. If the proofreader notices a glaring error in logic or something everyone else has missed that would be seriously problematic for the text overall, he or she should obviously query the editor or author. However, these things are not the proofreader's responsibility and the proofreader should not be expected to catch these types of errors.
If you are still feeling a bit unsure, let's look at it another way: An editor will tell you that the name Jen isn't the best choice for your ancient Roman heroine because the name Jennifer was likely not a popular Roman name at the time. A proofreader will tell you that, on page 26, Jennifer should be spelled with two Ns.
A proofreader's job is to catch the things everyone else has missed. The document a proofreader sees has likely been edited and revised several times, and the proofreader may be the last person to see the document before it goes to print. Therefore, the proofreader plays an essential role in the document revision process.
Remember that proofreaders don't make any changes to content. In fact, it's not even the job of a proofreader to check the content of a document. Proofreaders need a keen eye for surface level spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, and they need to be able to quickly identify inconsistencies in formatting and usage.
Last Updated: 09/09/2022