Have you ever ever worn a knit cap with a baseball hat on high of it?
In all probability not. Not solely wouldn’t it look odd, however it will really feel uncomfortable.
But, many content material entrepreneurs try and do one thing comparable each time they overview a chunk of content material, appearing as each editor and proofreader.
However modifying and proofing should not the identical – even with AI assists. And by treating them as a single hat, you create an uncomfortable expertise in your viewers.
You may’t adequately edit and proofread on the identical time, says @AnnGynn by way of @CMIContent. Click on To Tweet
Even the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics acknowledges proofreaders as distinct from editors. Its description of proofreaders’ duties consists of: “Learn transcript or proof kind setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes employees whose main responsibility is modifying copy.”
What’s the distinction?
Let’s have an authoritative useful resource clarify. Grammarly says:
“Copy modifying takes place after a substantive edit however earlier than proofreading. The target of copy modifying is to shine the copy in order that it’s clear whereas retaining the creator’s voice and that means … [Copy editors] comb by way of a written work to establish and proper grammar, spelling, tone and magnificence deviations, wordiness, clunky transitions, complicated syntax, problematic or misused phrases, and an uneven circulate.”
In distinction, proofreaders overview the content material after it has gone by way of the modifying course of. They scrutinize the content material in its completed and almost-published state to catch any typographical or minor errors that weren’t fastened within the modifying course of or had been created within the manufacturing course of.
TIP: For those who put on a proofreader hat for some tasks and an editor’s hat for others, don’t try and do one proper after the opposite. Take a break. Train your mind with a non-word exercise. For those who don’t take a breather, you’re more likely to be carrying each your proofer and editor’s hats – and the content material overview can be messy and unfocused.
The right way to edit properly
Along with your editor’s hat on, observe this five-step course of:
- Be sure you perceive the general function of the piece of content material for the viewers and the model earlier than you learn the primary phrase.
TIP: Require content material creators to write down one or two sentences on the high of the content material to clarify to the editor who the meant viewers is and why the content material was created.
- Learn by way of the content material as a reader would – fingers off the keyboard besides to scroll. (If reviewing in print type, hold the pen out of your fingers.)
- Undergo the content material once more as an editor. Put your fingers on the keyboard (or pen in hand) and word the place the content material doesn’t work properly and why. Does the opening seize the reader’s consideration? Is the content material centered on a singular theme all through the piece? Can each sentence and paragraph be understood? Does the order of the content material circulate logically? Does the content material symbolize the model’s voice and magnificence?
- Pause, then edit. Relying in your course of, if the wanted adjustments are important, return the marked-up content material to the author for revision. Use an AI modifying device, whether or not the built-in one provided by Microsoft or an add-on extension like Grammarly. Look solely on the editing-related counsel and take into account if they might enhance the piece. If the content material received’t be going again to the author, go forward and make the adjustments.
- Learn by way of a last time to make sure that the content material reads properly from the viewers and model’s perspective.
TIP: For those who revise the content material considerably, return to the author, particularly if the article features a byline, to ensure you edited it precisely.
With the content material in fine condition from a readability perspective, now you can scrutinize different components of the content material. It’s best to:
- Guarantee factual correctness and correct credit score. If the content material consists of analysis, statistics, opinions, or quotes, be certain they’re correct and attributed accurately. In digital type, be certain hyperlinks go to the unique supply of knowledge (to not one other publish quoting the unique content material).
- Do the mathematics. If the content material consists of numbers, be certain they add up accurately. For instance, if an article about favourite ice cream flavors consists of the sentence: “70% agree chocolate ice cream is best than vanilla,” the following sentence shouldn’t be “one-third desire vanilla over chocolate.” The mathematics doesn’t add up.
Editors: If the #content material consists of numbers, be certain they add up accurately, advises @AnnGynn by way of @CMIContent. Click on To Tweet
- Evaluation along with your type information in view. Scrutinize the copy to verify it follows your model’s type information and chosen dictionary. For instance, the CMI Fashion Information is the AP Fashion Information with some minor model customizations.
TIP: Create checklists for modifying and proofreading to make sure that every step is accomplished. When somebody should bodily test off an merchandise from a listing, they’re extra more likely to do it. Plus, checklists famous with the editor and proofreader’s names function a useful tracker for every bit of content material.
The right way to be a great proofreader
Within the proofreading stage, the work is fastidious. A proofreader mustn’t overview the content material only one time and anticipate to catch every part that wants fixing. Like modifying, proofreading is a multi-step course of. Every of those steps requires its personal studying of the piece of content material:
- Evaluation for circulate and understanding. Although the modifying course of ought to have taken care of any issues on this space, proofreaders should learn by way of the content material for their very own understanding to correctly overview the content material. If flaws are discovered at this level, be certain to deal with and repair them, ideally with enter from the editor.
- Learn every sentence for correct grammar. That is what most individuals take into account proofreading – the subject-match-the-verb stuff.
- Test the spelling of every phrase. This sounds simpler than it’s. For those who spell-check the identical manner you learn (high to backside, left to proper), you’re much less more likely to catch errors as a result of your mind remains to be studying for comprehension. Begin with the final phrase within the content material and work your manner as much as the highest, checking every phrase’s spelling as you do.
Proofreading Tip: Spell-check by beginning with the final phrase within the #content material work your manner as much as the highest of the web page, says @AnnGynn by way of @CMIContent. Click on To Tweet
- Consider the content material in printed type. Evaluation the content material to verify it seems the best way it was meant. Do all of the subheads observe the identical typography? Are there any awkward line breaks? Does the content material match the desk of contents? Do all of the hyperlinks work?
TIP: Proofreaders ought to doc the errors they discover greater than as soon as. Share that data with the author and editor to forestall (or at the very least decrease) future occurrences.
NOTE: In case your group solely has the sources for a single particular person to deal with modifying and proofreading duties, that’s OK. Simply be certain to create a manufacturing schedule that at the very least permits for modifying and proofreading to occur on separate days. You too can use instruments just like the Hemingway App and Grammarly to assist in the modifying and proofreading course of.
Use instruments like @HemingwayApp and @Grammarly to assist in the modifying and proofreading course of, says @AnnGynn by way of @CMIContent. #Instruments Click on To Tweet
Go forth to edit AND proofread
By carrying your modifying and proofreading hats at totally different occasions, you’ll enhance your content material outcomes. You’ll additionally keep away from spending time on massive issues that come up from poor modifying and poor proofreading (lack of curiosity and belief in your model’s content material, for instance, which finally results in fewer readers).
Up to date from an April 2021 publish.
Please word: All instruments talked about on this article had been urged by the creator. For those who’d prefer to recommend a device, share the article on social media with a remark.
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Cowl picture by Joseph Kalinowski/Content material Advertising and marketing Institute
