What Does a Proofreader Actually Do?
People often confuse a proofreading service with an editing service and although they are very similar, there is a key difference! The distinction is that a proofreading service will only ensure that a document is free of grammatical, spelling and formatting errors. There should be no rewriting or revising involved with proofreading. Any corrections needed to sentence structure, layout, format, clarity, conciseness or flow should have already been done before proofreading, by the editor.
Proofreading should be seen as the final check of the document before it is sent for publication or print. When a document is given to a proofreader it should be in the finalised structure and layout. As mentioned above, a proofreader’s role is to check for any remaining errors in the text. They will not make any structural changes to the text such as reordering paragraphs, make any alternations or suggestions to wording, or fact-checking.
It is important to note that a proofreader cannot and will not promise to make your text perfect. Perfection is subjective to the person reading the text, and so this is somewhat an impossible request. There is no defined way to measure the effectiveness of a proofreader, they are human and so it is likely that some things will be missed. In saying that, a skilled and professional proofreader should be able to find and correct the indisputable mistakes in the text. These mistakes could include:
- spelling errors, and consistency in spelling for example using American English throughout
- incorrect use of punctuation
- incorrect headings and footers
- incorrect or inconsistent page numbers
- incorrect or incorrect citation use
- repeated text
- word breaks that disrupt the flow of the text
- incorrect or inconsistent captions and figures
Instead of making the text perfect, a proofreader’s role should be thought of as making the text ready for publication. Their job is to refine the text to the highest standard possible for the purpose and audience it is intended for, whilst working to the budget and schedule of the client.
Most commonly, a proofreader will complete their process using the tracked changes feature of a Word document. Once the suggestions have been made and accepted, they can be easily changed in the document itself.
To get the most out of a proofreading service, they must be properly briefed. The requirements and expectations must be clearly outlined for the beginning. For example, if you want the proofreading service to check for style, they must be made aware of the style you are using. Similarly, if you want the proofreader to check all text is present in the final layout, you must provide them with an edited draft as well as the final document; or if there are well-known issues that arise during the publication process you can make the proofreader aware of what to look out for, this helps both parties to understand exactly how the written work will be completed for presentation.
Read More:
How to Improve your Writing by Using Paraphrasing Services
The Differences Between Rewriting, Editing and Paraphrasing