College Composition / Unit 9 CMP 0209 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Proofreading Strategies
The idea
Proofreading is the final read for small details, and a few deliberate strategies make it far more effective.
In practice
Use the strategies in order. First, wait until revision and editing are done; proofreading a draft that will still change wastes effort. Second, read slowly, and read aloud: your ear catches missing words and awkward repetition that the eye skims over. Third, use the find function to search for your own habitual errors, such as it's, there and their, or unclear uses of this. Fourth, check names, numbers and quotations against their sources. Fifth, check formatting against the required style guide. Sixth, when possible, proofread on paper or after a break, so you see the text fresh.
Where people slip
Proofreading cannot fix a weak argument, and it should not try. If you find yourself rewriting paragraphs during proofreading, the draft needed more revision first.
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