Proofreading Techniques

Even the most impressive document will have its credibility undermined by mistakes that should not have crept in. This course is designed for managers and support staff whose role involves writing and/or proofreading documents that will be circulated to a wider readership and who want to ensure the writing is right.
• Be able to clarify the proofreading issues you wish to resolve
• Develop strategies to address and resolve the issues
• Learn about proofreading marks, when and how to use them
• Be more confident in your use of correct grammar
• Understand how readability "works"
• Acquire a more direct style of writing
• Draw up a plan of action.

Introduction and icebreaker

1. What we are going to cover today

Prioritising the course objectives

1. Do you have specific proofreading 'issues'?
2. What would you like to achieve today?

Learning from experience: some questions to ask yourself to identify the problems

1. Are you a proofreader or copy editor?
2. Timing the drafting stages
3. Cost constraints
4. Proofreading: how boring and time consuming is it?

Speeding up the process: proofreading efficiently

1. Your attitude and strategy: how do you know it's wrong?
2. Patterning: looking for differences rather than similarities
3. Reading with rhythm
4. Proofreading marks
5. Consistency: style sheets and designing your own

Practical exercises

Grammar issues

1. Key grammar points
2. Answering your questions

Plain English

1. Acquiring a more direct style
2. Readability
3. Simple but not simplistic

Practical exercises

Recap, action plan and conclusion