Proofreading Tips

It’s National Proofreading Day on March 8th! As a gift from The Executive Writer, here is a list of proofreading tips that will ensure everything you write is clear, concise and error-free:

1. Use a spell checker and grammar checker on the document as a first screening, but don’t depend on them.
2. Then print out the document you need to proofread.
3. Read it out loud once and then a second time silently.
4. Read it backwards to focus on the spelling of words.
5. As you read, use a screen (such as a blank sheet of paper) to cover the material not yet proofed.
6. Point with your finger to read one word at a time.
7. Don’t proof for every type of mistake at once—do one proof for spelling, another for missing/additional spaces, consistency of word usage, font sizes, etc.
8. Keep a list of your most common errors and proof for those on separate “trips.”
9. Ask yourself who, what, when, where, why, and how when proofreading for content. Does the text answer all the questions you think it should?
10. Write at the end of the day; proofread first thing in the morning. (Usually, getting some sleep in between helps.)
11. Listen to music or chew gum. Proofreading can be boring business. Anything that can relieve your mind of some of the pressure, while allowing you to still keep focused, is a benefit. 
12. Have others read proofread your document.