How to Improve Your Proofreading Skills

Proofreading is not as simple as many people think of it to be. Actually, it is harder since you have to try identifying mistakes in something that you are sure you did right in the first place. It does not matter whether you are proofreading for student or are doing a dissertation proofreading, the mistakes appear similar in both cases and only by following a few tips will your editing be effective.

If you are looking for a 'proofreading formula' then you need to understand that there is no proven method that can be said to work for each and every content. Sticking to a plan should help you avoid all the common mistakes hence making proofreading easier. After you have written your content, allow yourself some time to rest before you start proofreading. This will free your mind thus giving you a clear view than how you would have seen it had you proofread immediately.

It is helpful that when you are carrying out dissertation editing that you pinpoint a single type of problem at a time. Concentrate on one thing before moving to the next say, start with sentence structure then spelling and finally word choice and punctuation. Even though doing everything at a go will be faster, it tends to confuse you and make you less effective.

When dissertation proofreading, resist the urge to alter names, figures and facts to make the paper look more bespoke. Phrases and sentences that are quoted should not be altered in any way. Correcting all grammar errors without vetting the credibility of the facts in your paper is not enough proofreading.

Once you have done the first complete check, you should consider going through the material once again in a different format before handing it in. This is because a different format will give you a different dimension when viewing it. Reading it in a different format, for instance hard copy should give you a different feel hence help you identify any more errors.

You can always trust a few aids when academic proofreading any kind of material. You could use a spell checker to help you correct misspelled words and other common mistakes you could have easily overlooked.

Although spell checkers can help a lot, you need to know that they are not perfect hence you need to compare them with your dictionary. A better approach to the whole matter would be getting the help of a professional who should help you go through the content in question and pinpoint the mistakes hence helping you polish up your work whilst making you a better writer in future. For more info about proofreading, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proofreading.