Proofreading
Professional proofreading: the “house style”
By now, you probably realize that proofreading should correct any spelling, grammar or punctuation mistakes in a text. But what other tasks should a proofreader undertake? The "house style" is something all editors need to be aware of, wherever they work. Here are a few points to keep in mind.
Proofreading should be used to make sure that a text conforms to house style. “House style” is an agreed set of rules that a college, publisher or company has decided upon so that all their texts conform to an approved pattern. For a college or university these instructions could be used for essay proofreading, dissertaton proofreading or other assignments in the approved style. A publisher’s house style will be applied to any books or journals that their authors’ produce. Often, the house style will be set out in a style guide or manual.
7 Errors You Must Notice When Editing
If you are editing typescripts, here are some classic mistakes to look out for. It is absolutely vital you do not leave these errors. They will make you look very careless and for essay proofreading or for dissertation editing, mistakes could lose the writer valuable marks.
Its/it’s – Remember that this is an exception to the possessive apostrophe rules: Its means “belonging to it” and It’s means “it is”.
English Grammar Rules – Fowler’s “Modern English Usage”
H. W. Fowler’s "Dictionary of Modern English Usage" is a popular grammar book originally published in 1926. It is often simply referred to as "Fowler's" and is a popular guide for those offering editing services.
Oxford English grammar
Fowler was a graduate of Balliol College, Oxford. After university he taught at Sedbergh School in Cumbria for 17 years. He resigned after being passed over for promotion and age 41 he began to scrape a living in his new role as an essayist in London. The lack of funds may not have bothered Fowler too much. He was a man of simple habits, liking austerity and routine.
Editing jobs: editing your own work
Editing and proofreading your own work can be tricky. You might be working on promotional material for your firm, or have to proofread financial information before publication. Students typically apply themselves to dissertation editing, rather than use a professional editing service. However, here are some pointers to help you do the best edit possible
Proofreading services in Nottingham and other University Sources
If you want to learn more about editing and proofreading your work, university websites are often excellent sources for material about grammar, punctuation and all manner of English language issues that cause writers difficulty. Why is this the case? Let’s consider the proofreading service at Nottingham University.
