Chapter 5: EDITING AND PROOFREADING

Editing

Editing is the process of looking closely at the content and style of the document, to ensure that it says what you want it to say, the way you want it said. It is also a check on the appearance of your work, to ensure that it helps the document fulfill its purpose. A writer edits the document throughout the writing process, but a final edit, followed by proofreading, is critical.

You will find an Editing Checklist on the following page.

Proofreading

This final step is for finding text errors and omissions, and checking for consistency. At this point you are reading less for content or meaning, but rather examining each word and sentence to ensure correct spelling and that nothing has been omitted.

Process:

• Re-read your document page by page, beginning with the last page, or read it aloud. These techniques allow you to spot and eliminate errors that may have become so familiar that they appear correct.
• Examine the way each page looks to make sure the look is consistent throughout.
• Look closely at each word and sentence to eliminate typos and other errors.
• Ask a friend or colleague to do the same. A second reader is absolutely necessary!
• Mel and Jan say, “Remember, proofreading is an essential (although time consuming) step. You cannot use your program’s spell check or grammar check feature to do the work for you!”