You have completed a proofreading course and learned the basics of checking and correcting texts for errors, clarity, and consistency. But how can you keep improving your proofreading skills after the course? Here are some tips to help you practice, refine, and enhance your proofreading abilities.
One of the best ways to improve your proofreading skills is to read a variety of texts from different genres, styles, and sources. Reading widely exposes you to different types of writing, vocabulary, and punctuation. Reading critically helps you to notice and evaluate how writers use language, structure, and tone to convey their messages. As you read, pay attention to the details, such as spelling, grammar, and formatting, and ask yourself if they are correct, consistent, and appropriate for the purpose and audience of the text.
Proofreading is like cleaning house and hanging up your clothes. It deals with spelling, grammar, punctuation, verifying accuracy, and being consistent to usage, such as British versus American forms. Don't confuse proofreading with editing and literary style. The creative part of writing is not the proofreader's business.
I tell my clients that the best way they can improve their proofreading is by reading. All sorts of different texts can help you hone your skills, identify nuances in grammar use, and recognise problems with copy. What’s more, there’s no harm in going back to basics with the ins and outs of punctuation and what each symbol means, to continually refresh your memory. Different rules may apply across different formats, languages, audiences and so on. But keeping the text consistent is one way of adding clarity and ensuring copy is error free. Style guides can come in handy – The Guardian (UK) is always evolving, and an interesting read if nothing else!
Don't forget to read the latest style books, both academic and literary. _Dreyer's English_ was just as much a preferred resource for my clients as the new APA style guide. As well, if one's self-publishing client is still emotionally attached to _Strunk and White_, one must re-familiarise oneself with _Strunk and White_.
I cannot stress how important it is to read widely. You pick up a better ear for proofreading the more types of writing you are exposed to.
Ler, ler e quando possível experimentar na prática, a??es que s?o determinantes para aquela a??o. Experimente em local seguro e controlado, sempre busque opini?es e participe de grupos sobre o tema. A??es simples, mas que geram ótimos resultados. No jud?, esporte que prático, a repeti??o faz com que a a??o seja instintiva e bem executada. Isso vale para a vida profissional e pessoal.
Another way to improve your proofreading skills is to review your own work regularly and thoroughly. Whether you write for personal, academic, or professional reasons, you should always proofread your own texts before submitting or publishing them. Proofreading your own work helps you to identify and correct your own mistakes, habits, and weaknesses. It also helps you to develop a sense of quality and accuracy in your writing. To proofread your own work effectively, you should follow some steps, such as taking a break, printing your text, reading aloud, using tools, and asking for feedback.
I've found that it is helpful to put a completed draft aside for a month or so, go work on something else, and then those errors will pop right out when you go back to the first piece. Distancing ourselves from our writing allows us to give our brains a break; we're too close to a piece right after it's "finished" and so need to give it some time and distance.
Proofreading your own work is useless other than the simplest clean-up of spelling and punctuation, unless your language knowledge is first-rate. One of my clients can proofread his own work 15 times, and there will still be 300 mistakes remaining. If you don't know the rules, you can't correct errors. And don't count on the spellchecker of your computer; it is wrong most of the time.
Revisitar, observar e abranger para que outros possam fazer observa??es e dar Feedbacks parece algo simples, mas gera engajamento em equipe por exemplo, evita erros e cria uma ferramenta de controle sobre a produ??o de qualquer conteúdo e ainda faz com que o processe a rotina e ganhe em conhecimento.
You can also improve your proofreading skills by using online resources and tools that can help you learn, practice, and check your proofreading. There are many websites, blogs, podcasts, videos, and courses that offer valuable information, advice, and exercises on proofreading. You can use them to refresh your knowledge, update your skills, and test your abilities. You can also use online tools, such as dictionaries, style guides, spell checkers, grammar checkers, and plagiarism checkers, to assist you in proofreading your texts. However, you should not rely solely on these tools, as they are not perfect and may miss some errors or make wrong suggestions.
There are lots of great proofing resources that can help, but don't rely solely on online options. Books covering topics like how to effectively proofread fiction, nonfiction, your own work, business writing vs. casual writing, etc. may not be available online - so do your research and see what's out there in the print world, too. Check your local library for excellent books on these topics if you can't afford to buy something new (or used).
The Chicago Manual of Style is handy to keep around, but don't trust it entirely. Don't follow it blindly. Some usages are ambiguous. Even dictionaries don't always agree whether to spell something as two words, one word, or hyphenated. And language is a living thing, constantly changing with the culture. New words are invented, meanings change, slang and jargon become acceptable, and long-lived terms are banned for political reasons. Ask yourself: Who writes those reference materials?
I love CMS, but you're absolutely correct about it not always having the answer; I feel that as time passes the rigid rules that have been in place are relaxing, and then it becomes a judgment call, and knowing your audience.
Ferramentas e cursos On line, est?o entre os dispositivos mais simples e eficientes que podemos experimentar. Eles ajudam na monitora??o ou aprendizado de forma simples e móvel, pelos mais diversos dispositivos.
Another way to improve your proofreading skills is to join a proofreading community where you can interact with other proofreaders, share your experiences, and learn from each other. You can find proofreading communities online, such as forums, groups, or networks, or offline, such as clubs, associations, or events. Joining a proofreading community can help you to expand your knowledge, gain insights, receive feedback, and find opportunities. It can also help you to stay motivated, inspired, and confident in your proofreading skills.
There is no such thing as a "proofreading community". There are only argumentative groups who confuse every issue, where every disagreement has bucketfuls of justifications for every contradiction. Peer reviewers? Hah. Each branch tries to assert its own rightness. They live in the Tower of Babel with their over 7,100 human languages. People who don't read and write have no use for proofreading, though they are sensitive to the shades of meaning in their vocabularies.
Finally, you can improve your proofreading skills by seeking professional development opportunities that can help you advance your career as a proofreader. You can look for ways to improve your qualifications, credentials, and reputation as a proofreader, such as taking additional courses, certifications, or exams, or joining professional organizations or directories. You can also look for ways to improve your portfolio, network, and income as a proofreader, such as seeking new clients, projects, or niches, or raising your rates or fees. Seeking professional development can help you to enhance your skills, knowledge, and experience as a proofreader.
Advice about "professional development" is boilerplate. It applies less to proofreading than to almost any other task, even pet sitting. You either know the language or you lack understanding of structure and logic. The more diversified human society becomes, the more varied forms will their languages create. Some technical fields develop an entire new vocabulary, and they will need specialized proofreaders who are familiar with that topic. And no, developing AI will not be a substitute for the mental complexity of human thought. AI cannot initiate, only imitate. It is a man-made tool, not a creative force. A human proofreader needs to love order and consistency, logic and reason, and have endless patience and a tolerance for originality.
Honestly, find professionals to connect with who work in the same proofreading areas you do. Yes, there may be disagreement over how to handle certain items, but at least you'll be having the discussion about why other options could make sense, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Post-course, you find groups of interest or the relevant section of professional associations. That's where I picked up tips like reading stories starting at the end. Printing something out and scanning in reverse order changes things up for the writer (or editor) and can surface things. Establishing a checklist can be useful -- did we check names and titles in captions/pull quotes for consistency with those in the article? Did we cq the page numbers/folio/digital elements? Did we cq the photo/illo credits? etc.