Proofreading

Proofreading takes place after a work has been edited and before it is printed. You may think that your document is ready to go to the printers, but you may want a final check to eliminate minor errors that can easily be missed – especially if one is self-editing, or if one’s editor is not a professional. Proofreading practices depend on the method of production and may vary from publisher to publisher. Corrections are traditionally marked in by hand on the page proofs.

• A spell-check is not infallible: it may not pick up typographical errors (the word you typed may be a recognised English word). It will also not pick up homonyms (e.g. their and there) or other common language errors (its and it’s).
• The punctuation and spelling in the document may not be consistent (there are, for example, differences between American and English usage).
• There may be particular South African words, expressions or idioms that may need to be checked.
• One may need to check for consistency regarding headings, sub-headings, use of bulleted points, etc.

If you are unsure what kind of work your text needs, submit a sample of your text and we will advise whether or not a final edit or proofreading is required.