16 Proofreading Rules by Anglocom

These are 16 retweets from Anglocom's account in Twitter.


Proofreading Rule #1: Take your time. You’ll miss mistakes if you rush.
Proofreading Rule #2: Doubt everything. Never “assume” or “seem to recall” that something is correct.
Proofreading Rule #3: Read it twice. Better yet, get somebody different to read it the second time.
Proofreading Rule #4: If it can wait, read it again the next day.
Proofreading Rule #5: No time to reread several times or the next day? Reading the text aloud may help you spot odd stuff.
Proofreading Rule #6: Print it out. You may find it easier to spot errors on the printed page.
Proofreading Rule #7: Remember the headers. After painstakingly checking the fine print, you may miss a big mistake in the title.
Proofreading Rule #8: Check logos and other graphic items. They may have words in them that need correcting/translating.
Proofreading Rule #9: Make sure all footnotes match and none is missing.
Proofreading Rule #10: Check consistency of spelling/punctuation/style (all US/UK spelling? all serial commas? same rules always followed?).
Proofreading Rule #11: Pay attention to figures—make sure they all make sense/add up.
Proofreading Rule #12: Don’t assume proper names/obscure words/foreign words are correctly spelled. Check each one.
Proofreading Rule #13: Don’t hesitate to point out layout/spacing mistakes even though you’re a linguist, not a graphic artist.
Proofreading Rule #14: Correct only what’s wrong. This is no time to impose your personal preferences.
Proofreading Rule #15: If you’re tired or distracted, don’t proofread right away. Wait until you’re ready or get somebody else to do it.
Proofreading Rule #16: Charge what it’s worth. Ask yourself how much it will cost your client if something goes wrong.