Definition:
The process of reviewing the final draft of a text to ensure that all surface errors have been corrected. See also:
- Proof (editing)
- Editing
- Editing Checklist
- Self-Evaluation of Essays
- Proofreading for Errors in Verb Tense
- Mary Twain on Proofreading
Observations:
- "Proofreading is a special kind of reading: a slow and methodical search for misspellings, typographical mistakes, and omitted words or word endings. Such errors can be difficult to spot in your own work because you may read what you intended to write, not what is actually on the page. To fight this tendency, try proofreading out loud, articulating each word as it is actually written. You might also try proofreading your sentences in reverse order, a strategy that takes you away from the meanings you intended and forces you to think about small surface features instead.
"Although proofreading may be dull, it is crucial. Errors strewn throughout an essay are distracting and annoying. If the writer doesn't care about this piece of writing, thinks the reader, why should I? A carefully proofread essay, however, sends a positive message: It shows that you value your writing and respect your readers."
(Diana Hacker, The Bedford Handbook. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002) - "Avoid doing your final proofreading on a computer screen. Ideally, you should do a preliminary editing and proofreading job while you are working on the computer. After printing out a copy, edit and proofread once more, before making final corrections on the computer and printing out your final copy."
(Robert DiYanni and Pat C. Hoy II, The Scribner Handbook for Writers. Allyn and Bacon, 2001)
Pronunciation: PROOF-reed-ing
