Proofreading

Proofreading is advised for the following situations:

·      The manuscript has already been fully edited and/or copyedited at least once and is in fairly great shape.

·      The manuscript or Website contains minimal text (captions, brief bullet points, etc.).

Proofreading entails:

·      Grammar and syntax

·      Spelling

·      Accuracy

·      Clarity

·      Consistency

Proofreading includes not only spelling and grammar, but also issues of accuracy and consistency. Some editing services list this kind of work under copyediting, but a good proofreader should be responsible for making sure your manuscript is as accurate and consistent as possible.

Examples of inconsistencies and inaccuracies include the following:

·      Certain terms appear with different, though not necessarily incorrect, spellings (e.g., Moslem/Muslim).

·      The reader is advised to refer to material in Chapter Two that is in fact located in Chapter Four.

·      Dates or names of historical events or persons are incorrect or misspelled.

·      Pagination is not sequential, or incorrect page numbers are given in the table of contents.

·      Bibliographic information is incomplete and/or does not adhere to style guidelines.

·      Tiny, easily overlooked things often fall under the category of inconsistencies/inaccuracies, such as problems with word, line, or page breaks. These are usually rather tedious tasks that an author isn’t even aware of, but that a diligent proofreader will address so that a manuscript is consistent, professional, and compliant with style guidelines.