Proofreading Course Content

Discover what proofreading is, where the proofreader fits into the writing and editing process, and what the specific tasks are that a proofreader fulfills.

Module 1 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: What is proofreading?

Part 1: What do proofreaders do?

Part 2: Where does the proofreader fit into the writing/editing process?

Part 3: What are the specific tasks of the proofreader?

UNIT 2: Is proofreading a good fit for you?

Part 1: What makes a good proofreader?

Part 2: Develop the mindset of a proofreader

UNIT 3: What do proofreaders proofread?

Part 1: Different copy from different sources

Part 2: Different parts of longer copy

Learn to set up each proofreading job, including how to get a proper proofreading brief and how to use a style guide.

Module 2 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: The proofreading brief

Part 1: What is a good client brief?

Part 2: Brief the client on how to brief you

Part 3: How to manage “scope creep”

UNIT 2: The proofreader’s style guide

Part 1: Above all else be consistent

Part 2: How to develop a style guide and apply it consistently

UNIT 3: Getting an overview of the copy

Part 1: The first look at any copy

Part 2: Working through a proofreading job

Learn how to proofread on hard copy using standard proofreading marks, as well as how to proofread on the screen using MSWord and Adobe Reader.

Module 3 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: Proofreading on hard copy

Part 1: What are standard proofreading marks?

Part 2: Marking-up hard copy

Part 3: Make only the changes you need to make

UNIT 2: Proofreading in Microsoft Word

Part 1: Setting up for proofreading

Part 2: Setting up the proofing language, username and AutoCorrect

Part 3: Proofreading using the editing tools in MSWord

UNIT 3: Proofreading on PDFs

Part 1: Setting up for proofreading

Part 2: Using the Comment and Mark-up Tools for proofreading

Delve into different spelling styles, identify and correct spelling errors and inconsistencies, and learn how to proofread the use of numbers, dates, acronyms, and abbreviations.

Module 4 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: Words and other matters

Part 1: Commonly misspelled English words

Part 2: British and American spelling

Part 3: Contractions

Part 4: Homophones

UNIT 2: Numbers, dates, acronyms, and abbreviations

Part 1: The rule of numbers

Part 2: Dates

Part 3: Writing the time

Part 4: Acronyms and abbreviations

Learn about common punctuation errors and  inconsistencies proofreaders typically come across, and how to correct them.

Module 5 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: Common punctuation errors

Part 1: Full stops (periods)

Part 2: Question marks

Part 3: Exclamation marks

Part 4: Apostrophes

Part 5: Ellipses

UNIT 2: Capitalisation

Part 1: The rules of capitalisation

Part 2: Maximum and minimal capitalisation

Part 3: More specific rules about capitalisation

UNIT 3: Italics and bold

Part 1: The use of italics

Part 2: The use of bold

UNIT 4: Commas, semicolons, colons – and dashes

Part 1: Commas

Part 2: Semicolons

Part 3: Colons

Part 4: Dashes

Discover common grammatical errors and learn how a proofreader corrects these in context.

Module 6 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: How to make words agree

Part 1: How to get the subject and verb to agree

Part 2: How to get nouns and pronouns to agree

UNIT 2: Fine-tuning sentences

Part 1: Dangling participles

Part 2: Changing the passive voice to the active voice

Part 3: Checking the writer’s use of prepositions

Be a mindful proofreader. Recognise words that are commonly misused by authors, and that may cause confusion or even offence. Practise suggesting acceptable alternatives to authors.

Module 7 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: The conscious choice of words

Part 1: Identifying and using the right words

UNIT 2: The mindful use of words

Part 1: Approach with an ethical mindset

Part 2: Become your own expert

Part 3: Raising author queries

Learn about the basic elements of design that proofreaders need to know, and how to correct inconsistencies in formatting and layout.

Module 8 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: Elements of design for proofreaders

Part 1: What proofreaders need to know about design

Part 2: What to look for when proofreading for format and layout

Part 3: What to look for when proofreading typography

UNIT 2: Marking up formatting and layout errors

Part 1: How to mark up formatting and layout errors

Part 2: Time to practise!

Learn about the different styles and conventions required for proofreading references cited in formal documents, such as academic papers and theses, reports, and articles.

Module 9 consists of the following:

UNIT 1: Different types of referencing

Part 1: References within and at the end of copy

Part 2: Different referencing styles

UNIT 2: Proofreading citations and reference lists

Part 1: Proofreading in-text citations

Part 2: Variations in in-text citations

Part 3: Reference lists and bibliographies

Practice, practice and more practice! Get to practise everything you’ve learnt during this course by proofreading a wide range of  copy from Instagram posts, blogs, graphs, and knitting patterns to academic papers, textbooks, and newspaper articles – and much more.

• Submit your final proofreading assessment.
• Get feedback.
• Receive your WordWise certificate for The Skilled Proofreader course.