Proof reading

Whether you're a writer or an editor, your duties will probably include poof reading from time to time.

A proof used to mean the print-ready version of a document, but today the term encompasses the final form of any document before its printing, publication, transmission, posting or other form of dissemination.

Proof reading is the process of confirming that the proof version contains the words, graphics, formatting and other details intended for that document. These details appear exactly where they are intended to appear, and no details have been added.
　
This session will look at the following topics:

• Introduction
• Proof
• Proof and 'edit lite'

PROOF READING 00

01 Introduction

Proof reading isn't rocket science, but it is an essential task if your work has to maintain a professional appearance.

While your work has to be accurate, it also has to appear professional. It has to have a consistent presentation, layout, and details.

Careless mistakes (such as mis-numbered directions, repeated words, skipped words, odd spacing or incosistent font sizes) undermine your professional appearance. These incidental errors may not be wrong, but they do distract from your main purpose, communicating information.

Finding even a single typo, numbering mistake or duplicate word may cause your reader to break concentration, to stop thinking about the process you're describing and look at the irregularity instead.

Stumbling over multiple simple mistakes may lead your reader to question the writer's ability, and even the professionalism of the organization the writer represents.

And proof reading isn't limited to paper formats either. You could be asked to proof a word file, a text message, a PDF document or a web page. Even a phone script can be 'proofed'. Formats keep expanding all the time. What is essential is that the documented item about to be released, published, posted, read or otherwise transmitted contains the approved information in the intended format - and nothing else.

Nothing added, and nothing taken away.


PROOF READING:  01 Introduction

02 Proof

With an approved final 'master' on one side and the 'proof' or release-ready copy on the other, you can begin proof reading.

• Check every word. Match every word in the master with every word in the proof. Note any word alterations, additions or omissions.
• Check all punctuation. Match every element of punctuation to the master. Especially watch for double quotes (") and single quotes ('), spaces after sentences (one or two) and character placement (for example, is the period inside or outside the parentheses?)
• Check all pictures charts, tables and other inserted graphical features. Are the images identical? Are they the same size? Right-side up? Are the descriptions identical?
• Check page incidentals such as header and footer (section titles, location of information),  page numbers, titles, incidental marginalia (if any). This type of information is occasionally overlooked during the proofing process. Also check tables of contents and indexes is any exist.
• Check page layout. Margins, indents, paragraph spacing and the like should all match the master version. Do graphics and inserted features sit in the same position on the page?

If you are proof reading an electronic format:

• Check all links and jumps. Do they jump to the correct topic or address? Are they the expected colour and size?
• Check headings. They may look different, but do they share the same relationship (heading 1, 2, 3 etc.)?
• Check bullets and numbering. Wizards and templates very often change these features. Are the changes acceptable? Are bulleted and numbered lists correctly indented and spaced?
• Check paragraph spacing, margins, typeface and font size. Conversion to electronic formats occasionally cause irregularities in these features.

PROOF READING TIPS 02: Proof

03 Proof and 'edit lite'

While it would be great to have someone dedicated to proofing, in the real world, the task most likely falls to a member of your documentation team - another writer or editor perhaps - and proofing is only one of several hats they (or you) wear.

This means the person proofing is probably looking at more than just the word and layout, even if they're trying not to. It's hard to break the writer/editor mindset and what should be a proof pass becomes a proof and 'edit lite' pass instead. But if this means additional errors, problems or inconsistencies are uncovered, this is probably a good thing.

But where to draw the line? What type of errors have to be caught, and what can you let slide?

This really depends on the demands and culture of your organization. Some companies aim to deliver the best possible version as error-free as humanly possible, and at the other end of the scale there are organizations that insist no changes can be made after proof copy has been signed off, period. Corrections and changes have to wait for a subsequent (if any) release.

Chances are your organization falls somewhere between these extremes. Changes, fixes and corrections should be made if at all possible, but if they impact deliverables they may have to wait.

'Must fix' items include:

• Procedural errors (select Y when you really have to select N)
• Procedures out of sequence or absent, and
• Errors of fact (the boiling point of water is not 100 degrees F, a credit union is not a bank, the Great War did not end in 1945, and a censor is not a sensor)

If you see errors like these, you really ought to change them. They're just factually wrong.

'Should fix' items include:

• Faulty number sequencing (1, 2, 3, 5, 4 ...),
• Mismatched titles and contents entries,
• Improper graphics/inserts placement
• Punctuation that affects meaning

'Would be nice to fix (but can wait)' items include:

• Misaligned margins or indents
• Punctuation that doesn't affect meaning
• Color, typeface and font irregularities
• Inconsistent references to the same process (is it 'Press Enter', 'hit the enter key' or 'click Enter'?)

PROOF READING TIPS 03: Proof and 'edit lite'