Tuesday 23 October 2012

proof reading

watchdog role

According to my understanding proof reading is the task of making appropriate corrections to a given manuscript. He says that it also refers to the act of editing a written script. Proof reading is basically going through a document. Proof reading also known as error correcting, a process first suggested by john Hopfield and Jacques Ninio is usually done by subeditors in the media business who are also known as copy readers.
A proof reader is usually corrects grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, inappropriate usage of words, phases or idioms and use of dead or worn out sentences and words. The act of proof reading sometimes can include giving extra inputs and sometimes omitting some of the contents to make the writing correct and appropriate. A dummy copy is printed and read letter by letter checking for a number of things including continuation from page to the next page, and numerical and scientific data.
According to www.bookediting.com/journalism.shtml proof reading is part of editing. It is the art of making correcting in proofs pulled from a composed matter. Thus it is the skill of managing to create a final grammatically correct and error free document. Proof reading checks on facts, style grammar and accuracy.  It also includes checking content choice, technique and nouns, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, clauses, sentences and punctuation. It then needs an analytical mind because words are not neutral, they carry a connotative meaning, for example a house presents a solid structure whereas a home presents a picture of children running around. There are expectations a proof reader has to meet thus he/ she has to have certain qualities.
A proof reader has to have the following qualities. A proof reader has to be well read, knowledgeable of current affairs. This makes one be aware when correcting mistakes of the background to what he is proof reading. A proof reader has to also visualize development of a story but its impact on the readership because some stories are not even worthy it. One should also have summarizing skills on long and tedious reports as well as an eye for accuracy. That means he has to cut out all extra trimmings, boil it down ,skim it well then skim the skimmings, boil it down and when you are sure it will be a sin to cut out another sentence send it down and we will begin to boil it down.
Steps taken in proof reading one’s work and those of others include a process of first putting the document away for hours if time permits if you are the author of the text.  You become clearer after a break, detecting errors is much more readily available at your disposal.  Secondly there are three kinds of error writers make when producing a document. These are error of composition, errors of writing or text processing and errors of spelling punctuation. It pays to be on guard for such errors for example principle instead of principal
Thirdly, read thrice, first checking for on errors in composing sentences then for spelling and punctuation errors and finally typos also known as text production errors. Others focus on a paragraph or section at a time but the errors checked are the same. It is also important also not to have distraction or interruption, a word from a colleague is enough to make you lose your concentration and overlook a mistake. All changes on the page should be made in a contrasting coloured ink say red for black which leads us to the next point of the correction itself.
Correction is made in the margins and only in text to indicate were correction refers. A word to be changed should be struck through and correction in the margin. Special attention should be paid on scientific manes and numerical data. Words should be checked and made to agree with the dictionary or the style of the publishing company. Corrections are usually in form of signs for example / for transpose, sp for spell out, ] for further right, Q begin a new paragraph.

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