Here are our final tips for successful proofreading (and our final Business Grammar e-mail of this series):

6. Read the document from a different point of view. If you are very familiar with the content of the document, you may find that you automatically "correct" the errors as you read. Try one of these approaches:

• Read the document aloud. Reading the document aloud slows you down, allowing you to catch more errors.
• If you consistently read over mistakes instead of catching them, try reading the document backwards to catch small errors. Or read the page as if it were divided in two or three columns, reading down one column and then the next. 
• Use a "second pair of eyes." Have someone who is not familiar with the document proofread it for you or with you.
• Use "tricks" to overcome your familiarity with the copy. Enlarge the text, or run out the text on colored paper. Use a cardboard square with a "window" cut in it so that you see only a small block of text at a time.

7. Develop a style guide for your company. Provide rules for capitalization, abbreviations, acronyms, the use of the name of the company and the names of trademarked products, dates, hyphenation, numerals, punctuation, and format, etc.

8. Create and use a proofreading checklist (such as the one provided in our Business Grammar Program).

To comment on this topic, visit our Business Writing Tips Forum.

This edition was adapted from our Business Grammar Program.

Previous editions may be read at http://www.uliveandlearn.com/newsletters/index.cfm.
 

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