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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When Alright and Anymore Aren’t All Right Any More
When Alright and Anymore Aren’t All Right Any More
Jan 16, 2018
Even as a proofreader, alright and anymore may not ring any alarm bells. In less formal English, both are common. But two things you may need to know about these words include: That alright technically isn’t a word. That anymore (as one word) has a very specific usage. So put on your editing hats and […]
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Making Verbs Agree
Making Verbs Agree
Jan 09, 2018
Do you ever feel like the only voice of reason in a world where all the words hate each other? We do. Sometimes, arranging a sentence so that it reads naturally is a daunting task. This is particularly true of ensuring that verbs agree when dealing with things like compound subjects and collective nouns. So […]
Start Making Sense: What to Do When a Document Is Hard to Follow
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Ghosts of Typing Conventions Past
Dec 25, 2017
Chapter 1: Common Misconceptions It was Christmas Eve and Mr Scrivener Drudge, a wicked old miser who bore no similarity to anyone that would raise copyright issues, sat gloomily at the computer in his office. His nephew had bought it for him last Christmas after, in a fit of rage, Drudge threw his typewriter at […]
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Citing Chapters of Edited Books in Harvard and APA
Dec 19, 2017
The Becoming A Proofreader course has an academic referencing module that tells you how books, journal articles and websites should be cited in the Harvard, APA, MLA, Chicago and IEEE styles. But it would take a hefty book to cover all possible sources and referencing styles. So every now and then our blog will focus […]
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Right-to-Left Text Issues
Dec 12, 2017
Fans of Knowadays’ blog (we know you’re out there) will know that we try to make our posts fun and entertaining. But even fun-packed jobs like proofreading have their boring, technical bits. And more often than not, these bits are annoyingly important. Take, for example, the issue of correcting right-to-left text in Microsoft Word. Script […]
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Our Proofreading Christmas List
Dec 05, 2017
Here at Knowadays, we’re not tempted by the latest must-have gadgets, but we always get the latest version of Microsoft Word. We don’t crave luxury beauty products, either, but we do want every document we work on to look good. If we could ask Santa for a gift this Christmas, then, it would be something […]
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To Change or Not to Change? When to Edit a Document
Nov 28, 2017
That, as one famously poor speller might put it, is the question. One challenging part of being a proofreader is knowing when to make changes and when to leave well alone. It’s a delicate balance, and it requires more than a set of rules. More than anything, it requires common sense and good judgement. However, […]
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Proofreading Before Computers
Nov 21, 2017
Proofreading dates back to the early days of printing: a contract from 1499 even mentions it, saying that the responsibility for proofreading lies with the author. But it may interest technology fans to know that Microsoft Word was not around in the fifteenth century. And proofreading before computers was, necessarily, very different. As such, to […]
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Word Choice: Historical vs. Historic
Word Choice: Historical vs. Historic
Nov 14, 2017
The invention of the computer was a historic event. Without it we would still be scribbling in the margins of galley proofs, unaided by word-processing software. The invention of the computer was also a historical event, hence our use of the past tense. Yet not every historical event is historic, and not every historic event […]
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Hyphens, En Dashes and Em Dashes
Hyphens, En Dashes and Em Dashes
Nov 07, 2017
As the supermarkets begin to stock their shelves with exploding hat-and-joke containers, stuffing-flavour crisps and puddings nobody likes, Michael Bublé comes out of his long hibernation. Listen. He is warming up his voice. ‘A kiss is just a kiss,’ he sings. ‘A sigh is just a sigh.’ But is a dash just a dash? Is […]