Question

2) What are the six major proofreading strategies? What makes each strategy effective?

Answer 1

Proofreading means examining your text carefully to find and correct mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and spelling or typographical errors.

Proofreading Checklist:

• Content
• Correctness
• Grammar and Usage
• Punctuation
• Spelling and Capitalization

6 tips and techniques of proofreading

1. Read the material aloud to yourself. It forces you to say and hear each word.
2. Check the first sentence. The beginning of a story gets a lot of attention.
3. And check the last paragraph.
4. Change your environment..
5. Change the type size, margins, fonts or colors & also check the numbers.
6. Get someone else to proofread it.

Strategies for Effective Proofreading

1. Let Your Document Sit.-Set aside your work to gain distance. Even 15 minutes will help, but it is best to leave it overnight. When you come back to your work, you will see it with fresh eyes and renewed attention.
2. Review In Stages-Approach each proofreading and editing task separately. Check spelling. Then sentence structure. Then word choice. Then punctuation. And so on. If you try to identify and fix too much at once, you risk losing focus, and your review will be less effective.
3. Read Aloud. It forces you to say each word and hear how the words sound. Whereas reading silently allows you to skip over errors or make unconscious corrections.
4. Take Regular Breaks. It’s tough to maintain focus on detail-oriented work for more than 30 minutes at a time. Schedule breaks before your attention wanes.
5. Interact with the Text Circle confirmed punctuation or place check marks next to paragraphs you’ve checked. Interacting with the text helps to keep you engaged.
6. Isolate the Text. Use a blank sheet of paper to cover any text that you’ve not yet reviewed. This keeps your eyes from wandering and your attention from shifting.
7. Change It Up. If your review is focused on substance, try changing the size, spacing, color, or style of the text so it feels different or unfamiliar.
8. Review Headings Separately from Text. Approaching them separately ensures you check both types of text. Reviewing headings alone draws attention to inconsistencies and errors.
9. Review Backward. Review one paragraph at a time in reverse order, starting with the last paragraph.
10. Use CTRL +F. Systematically search through your document for common errors and inconsistencies. This feature will also show you whether you have repeated a word or phrase too frequently.