Editing and Proofreading Tips
There are many, many sources for information about grammar and punctuation. All I can say is that if you are going to graduate as an English major, you should have at least basic editing skills. If you don’t, you are eliminating yourself from the few degree-related jobs there are available out there after graduation. If you are not good at this, I highly recommend you get good at it.
I still prefer grammar and style books because you can flip through the pages quickly when looking for something. But there are many websites available, too, and The Chicago Manual of Style, the most comprehensive and complete guide, is soon to be available online for a fee.
Here are some good sites for basic information:
http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.shtml
htp://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar
These are not as comprehensive, but contain guidelines for certain common problems:
http://www.rightwords.co.nz/backnews.html
http://www.cherryh.com/www/advice.htm
http://www.holtuncensored.com/ten_mistakes.html
Now, knowing grammar and punctuation rules and being able to find all the typos in your manuscript are two different things. Here are some tips for proofreading:
- Print it out. Computer screens are notoriously hard on the eyes.
- If you can, use a chair at a desk or table, rather than lounging on the sofa. Keeping the paper an even distance from your eyes and keeping it flat on a surface is another thing that helps you see clearly.
- Do things that raise your consciousness about the fact that you are looking for errors. Ask yourself a different set of questions—not, “Am I interested?” “Does the opening work?” “Where does this passage belong?” but instead, “Are the words spelled correctly?” “What punctuation marks might I use in this sentence?” “Does the spacing look right?”
- Try to look at words and sentences, rather than the story. One way to do this is to use a ruler or piece of paper right under the line you are reading, in order to keep you from moving too quickly. Make your eyes slow down.
- Read once for spelling and once for punctuation. Try to pay attention to one aspect at a time.
- Occasionally, take a page of your prose and circle all the commas or all of the “I”s or whatever it is you have trouble with. Use pretty colors, hi-lighters, etc. and do things like underline all the subjects of your sentences in green and all the verbs in orange, just to see if you are keeping them close together. You can choose any aspect of syntax or punctuation to analyze this way, and you will learn a lot about your prose style when you do.
- If you aren’t sure, look it up. You will have to do less and less of this over time, so consider it a long-term investment in your editorial future!
- Think of clean, clear writing as your friend, not as a dreadful pain. Play with your sentences. Have a good time. Know that discipline is respect of your medium. Respect it and you will get a lot back.
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