Proofreading Tips

English 1302 ONL / Skrabanek

Proofreading Tips

Note the following points when proofreading your essays. Failure to correct any of these items could mean you will need to revise an essay.

1. Read the assignment carefully. Be sure your essay addresses the assignment and its particulars. Also, be sure you abide by any other requirements of the assignment, such as minimum length or underlining.

2. To estimate the number of words in an essay, count the number of words in the first 10 lines of the essay. Divide the total by 10, which equals words per line. Multiply words per line by lines per page or total number of lines. The product is the estimated number of words in the essay. (Most word processors do word counts.)

3. Be sure you spell the name of the author, the title of the story, and all character names correctly. I once had a student write about Maupassant's story "The Neckless." Short story titles are indicated with quotation marks: "To Build a Fire." Adhere to this convention.

4. Be sure your introductory paragraph is not too long. Aim for 75-125 words or a proportion of the total length of your essay. For example, if your essay is five paragraphs long, your introductory paragraph should not exceed 20% of the total length of the essay.

5. Be sure you have a readily apparent statement of central idea and thesis statement. Indicate these as directed.

6. Write from the third-person point of view (he, she, it) only. Do not use the first-person (I) or second-person (you) point of view.

7. Try to use present tense verbs consistently when discussing the events of a story or what the author has done. Examples: Dave shoots the mule, then runs away. Or Richard Wright confirms that Dave is a static character when he writes that Dave is going somewhere that he "could be a man."

8. Use direct quotes sparingly. Limit your use of direct quotes to no more than 5-10% of the total word count of the essay.

9. When using direct quotes, be sure you quote accurately. Use ellipses when needed. When quoting dialogue or already quoted material, use triple quotation marks instead of double: "'Help me!'"

10. In American English, commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks ( ." or ,"). Adhere to this convention.

11. Be aware of due dates and deadlines, and strive to meet these.

12. Pay attention to your grammar. Be sure you use complete sentences and consistent verb tenses.

13. When proofreading, read your essay aloud. This practice can allow you to hear your mistakes. Lincoln once said he liked to read things aloud because then he had the benefit of two senses instead of one. His is good advice. If necessary, have someone else read your essay for mistakes or logical sense.