When to Proofread

• Proofreading usually occurs after editing, but can occur before editing of early drafts. If you are proofreading your own work, it's a good idea to approach the work with a fresh mind. This usually means taking at least a five-minute break before proofreading, but can often mean waiting several days. At the same time, it's essential that enough time is reserved to proofread fully, and make any necessary changes, before submitting the final document.
  
  

How to Read

• Spelling and grammatical errors are often overlooked, especially if the reader is already aware of the writing's intended meaning. But identifying these errors is the primary goal of proofreading. To catch these errors it helps to read the document aloud, which forces you to look more closely at the written words. Another suggestion is to have someone unfamiliar with the work to read it to you. An interesting strategy for looking only at the text and not the content of the writing is to read each line right to left from the bottom of the document to the top.
  
  

Targeting Error Types

• It's okay to use automatic spelling and grammar checkers, but they shouldn't be relied upon because they are not perfect. Each line of a document should be checked for errors, one type at a time. If you're proofing your own work, start by looking for the types of errors you commonly make, whether they are punctuational, grammatical or spelling. If you're reading someone else's work, be sure to check separately for subject/verb agreement, comma splices, commonly misspelled words and apostrophe errors. When you find an error, or a situation you're not sure how to correct, find the correct rule or spelling and apply it consistently. Use common proofreading symbols (see the Resources section) to mark up your document's errors and reflect changes. Then use the marked-up paper copy to correct errors on your electronic document.