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Scholarly Writing
Proofreading means reading your document to improve correctness and flow by addressing grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling issues.
Click on these cards to learn about proofreading strategies you can use.
Distance yourself from your work.
Set aside the document for a few hours or even a few days before proofreading. Taking a bit of time off enables you to see the document anew. Taking a step back provides you with a fresh (and possibly more constructive) perspective.
Proofread at a specific time of day.
Make a conscious effort to proofread at a specific time of day (or night!) when you are most alert to spotting errors.
Print a hard copy of the text.
Reviewing the document in a different format and having the ability to manually circle and underline errors can help you take the perspective of the reader, identifying issues that you might ordinarily miss. A hard copy gives you a different visual format to see the words anew.
Go through the paper backwards.
By reading the document backwards, sentence by sentence, you are able to focus only on the words and sentence structure with less attention to the context or content.
Use a ruler or blank piece of paper.
Placing a ruler or a blank sheet of paper under each line as you read it will give your eyes a manageable amount of text to read.
Proofread for one type of error at a time.
Proofread by focusing on one error at a time. For instance, if commas are your most frequent problem, go through the paper checking just for comma use. Then proofread again for the next most frequent problem.
Ask someone else to look over the document.
After you have finished making corrections, have someone scan the document for errors. A different set of eyes and a mind that is detached from the writing can identify errors or inconsistencies that you may have overlooked.
Listen to your text.
Read your text aloud, use a text-to-voice program, or have someone read it to you. Listen for awkward phrasing, missing words, or other minor mistakes that may be easy to overlook.
Match citations with reference list entries.
Match the sources in the reference list to those cited in the text (and vice versa). If a source is not cited in your text, don’t include it in the reference list.
Within Microsoft Word, use the Microsoft Editor to receive suggestions related to grammar, spelling, and more.
Learn More About Microsoft Editor
Use Grammarly anywhere you write to receive suggestions about grammar and writing style.
Learn More About Grammarly
Grammar and spelling tools are helpful, but they have limitations. These tools may miss errors or inadvertently make suggestions that change the meaning of your sentence. If you use one of these tools, also review your writing manually to ensure that your intended meaning and voice remain.
Remember:
Proofreading is not just about errors.
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