Proofreading

Introduction
Proofreading is defined as rereading a copy of a text in order to find and correct errors. It is an extremely important step in the writing process, but is frequently overlooked. There are many different methods of proofreading and with technology improving it is getting easier than ever to find the mistakes before turning the document in.



Hints
There are many different ways to proofread that may work better for different people.

1. Slowly read aloud your paper: By doing this you can hear it word for word and find mistakes that you would normally overlook by going over it in your head.

2. Peer edit: Peer editing is a good method because you may think that something is right but a classmate may be able to point out mistakes that you didn't even know were wrong.

3. Use a computer: Typing your paper can help tremendously when it comes to proofreading. Spell Check is a great tool because it automatically finds words or grammatical mistakes and gives suggestions on how to fix them. There are also software programs such as WhiteSmoke that can turn your average paper into a great piece of work.

4. Use your resources: The writing center is a good place to start when looking for professional help in editing your paper. Also, professors have office hours where you can go see them and they can look over your work with you.

Why Should I Proofread?
After completing a long research paper or test it is easy to just turn it in at get it over with; that is where people go wrong. Proofreading is an important step, whether you are in first grade or you are a professional writer. By taking the time to proofread, many careless mistakes can be found that would have hurt your grade, such as leaving a bubble blank on a test or using wrong grammar in a paper.