Proofreading Tips
Whether you’re just getting started or are an experienced proofreader, there’s always something new to learn. That’s where our blogs come in! We've got expert advice on spelling, grammar, punctuation, referencing, proofreading different types of writing (from creative to business and academic), and much more!
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Editing Tips: When Are Sentence Fragments Okay?
Editing Tips: When Are Sentence Fragments Okay?
Published Dec 20, 2020
Last Updated Oct 23, 2024Strictly speaking, sentence fragments – incomplete sentences that don’t express a complete thought – are ungrammatical. And, as a proofreader, you would usually correct ungrammatical text in a document. But is a sentence fragment always an error? The short answer is Many writers use sentence fragments deliberately, especially in creative writing and commercial copy. In […]
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What to Do with Biased Language
What to Do with Biased Language
Published Dec 17, 2020
Last Updated Jan 10, 2025When editing a document, you might notice language that some might find offensive. But what should you do about biased language as a proofreader? In this post, we offer a few tips about what to look out for and how to handle biased language if you encounter it. What Counts as Biased Language? As with […]
Style Guides for Business Writing
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5 Tips for Proofreading Different English Dialects
Published Nov 29, 2020
Last Updated Nov 26, 2024One benefit of freelance proofreading is that you can work with clients all around the world. But this may mean you encounter English dialects that differ from the one you know best. And while this can pose challenges for proofreaders, we have a few tips that can help: Set the language preferences in your word […]
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A Quick Guide to Canadian English
Published Nov 22, 2020
Last Updated Nov 26, 2024Canadian English combines aspects of both American and British English, as well as having its own purely Canadian terminology and usage. We’ve put together a quick guide to Canadian English for proofreaders to highlight general guidelines for working with this dialect. Canadian English Spelling Canadian English usually follows British spelling conventions. For instance: Canadian English: […]
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Plagiarism and Copyright in Creative Writing
Published Nov 15, 2020
Last Updated Jan 02, 2025Plagiarism in creative writing is harder to identify than, say, academic plagiarism. Despite this, proofreaders may want to look out for potential plagiarism and copyright issues in creative writing. To help you navigate these muddy waters, we’ve prepared a quick guide to the basics. What Is Plagiarism in Creative Writing? It is hard to define […]
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5 Easy-to-Miss Quotation Mark Errors
Published Nov 08, 2020
Last Updated Aug 03, 2023Among other things, a good proofreader will check documents for proper use of quotes and quotation marks. However, there are many easy-to-miss quotation mark errors, including 4. Smart Quotes vs. Straight Quotes In typography, quotation marks come in two styles: Smart (or curly) quote marks – These are standard in most writing now, and most […]
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A Quick Guide to Numbers in MLA Style
Published Nov 05, 2020
Last Updated May 16, 2023Your client might not know all the details of MLA style. As an academic proofreader, then, your work may involve checking that documents follow MLA conventions. Thus, in this post, we’re looking at how to present numbers in academic writing according to MLA style. Numbers in MLA: Numerals or Words? MLA style sets out two […]
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A Quick Guide to Citation Styles in CSE Referencing
Published Oct 22, 2020
Last Updated Nov 26, 2024If you edit a lot of scientific writing, you will likely encounter CSE referencing at some point. But this system can be confusing, as it actually permits three citation styles. In this guide, then, we’ll set out the basics of CSE referencing, including what to look out for as a proofreader. What Is CSE Referencing? […]
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What are Stacks and Ladders?
What are Stacks and Ladders?
Published Oct 18, 2020
Last Updated Mar 14, 2025Previously, we’ve looked at widows and orphans, which thankfully did not involve any husbands or parents dying. Today, we look at stacks and ladders, which will not involve any literal piling or climbing. What are these metaphorical stacks and ladders, then? And what do they have to do with proofreading? Check out our simple guide […]
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5 Tips for Keeping Your Critical Distance While Proofreading
5 Tips for Keeping Your Critical Distance While Proofreading
Published Oct 15, 2020
Last Updated Mar 27, 2025It can be hard to focus on proofreading if you’re too involved in a text, or if you’ve made several passes already and you’re now too familiar with it to easily spot errors. But there are things you can do to maintain critical distance when proofreading, including: Change your perspective on the document by proofreading […]
