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!
-
Three Confusing Spellings Explained
Three Confusing Spellings Explained
Nov 13, 2018
We understand. You’ve been under a lot of strain recently. A proofreader’s job is not always easy. And sometimes the wrong spellings look so right. But don’t be fazed by or rack your brain over the constrictive straitjacket of spelling. Instead, join us for a look at the origins of these three confusing words, as […]
-
Shortcuts and Time-Savers to Avoid
Shortcuts and Time-Savers to Avoid
Sep 14, 2018
Proofreading can be a painstaking process. And when there’s a deadline looming or a frazzled client on your back, it’s very tempting to look for shortcuts. Some of these shortcuts are legitimate time-saving tips that proofreaders should learn to improve their efficiency. But some have no place in proofreading at all. And in this post, […]
How to Proofread Negative Prefixes in English
-
Proofreading Creative Writing
Jul 30, 2018
Truth hurts. That’s why everyday life is full of little white lies, and why most of the human race avoids telling anyone that their baby isn’t all that pretty. But proofreaders aren’t so lucky. Our career is a world of uncomfortable truths. And this is especially true when working with authors and other creative writers. […]
-
Capitalisation: Compass Points and Titles
Jul 02, 2018
In our time training proofreaders, we’ve noticed that the subtleties of capitalisation can sometimes confuse even the best students. So, today, we’re going to look at two tricky capitalisation issues that might trip you up: compass points and titles. Compass Points and Directions It is a common misconception that the four compass directions should always […]
-
Spellcheck and Proofreading Software
Jun 25, 2018
We all like to feel needed. We give and give, and we’d like a little appreciation in return. But boring old human proofreaders aren’t terribly glamorous. We’re only flesh and blood. And sometimes clients seem to have more faith in technology than in humanity. In today’s blog post, then, we’re looking at non-fleshly attempts to […]
-
Dealing with Difficult Proofreading Situations
May 30, 2018
As with any career, some editing tasks will be more difficult than others. However, there is a line (sometimes a fine one) between difficult and unacceptable. What do you do when a client makes an unreasonable request? How can you deal with situations in which clients treat you poorly? In today’s blog post, we offer […]
-
Formatting Titles in Academic Documents
May 18, 2018
Although proofreading and formatting are different, they overlap in some respects. For instance, when an essay names a source in the text, it is standard for the proofreader to ensure its title is appropriately formatted. Let’s take a look at how formatting titles works. Italics and Quote Marks Formatting titles in the text of a […]
-
Poetic Licence
May 04, 2018
We took a little census of the people on our team, And the general consensus was things are not as they seem. Some words use a simple ‘s’ to settle spelling strains, While certain others celebrate soft ‘c’’s fancy refrains. Moreover, you may realise that Britain’s hallowed ground Prioritises ‘s’ when words utilise a […]
-
A Brief Guide to Proofreading for Websites
A Brief Guide to Proofreading for Websites
Apr 26, 2018
You can’t always apply the same proofreading guidelines to different kinds of documents. Academic proofreading, for instance, is very different to proofreading web copy. This is one reason why proofreaders haven’t yet been replaced by robots. Importantly, reading on screen is different to reading a printed page. And this may mean you need to approach […]
-
Citing Edited Books in Chicago Style
Citing Edited Books in Chicago Style
Apr 13, 2018
Sound the celebratory trombone and strike the ritual tambourine. It’s referencing time again! And today we’re looking at how to cite edited books again. In this post, we’re going to look at Chicago referencing. There are two versions of this system: Author–date citations and a reference list (more common in the sciences) Footnotes and a […]
