Proofreading Strategies

Transcription

1 Proofreading Strategies By Gabrielle K. Gabrielli, Ph.D. Take a break between writing and proofreading. Read out loud. Read slowly. Read backward. Put yourself in the reader s shoes. Ask others to proof your work. Accept constructive input. Nobody is perfect, but these proofreading strategies should help you improve your writing skills. They should also help when you proofread anyone s work. Checklist for Proofreading! Organization! Tone! Clarity! Spelling! Grammar! Punctuation Organization 1. Use an appropriate salutation (Dr., Ms., Mr., etc.). 2. Orient the reader to the reason you are writing. 3. Use one central idea per paragraph and reduce unnecessary words. 4. Create a new paragraph when you change ideas. 5. Include any action items and due-by dates. 6. Conclude with a signature. Tone 1. Be respectful. 2. Put yourself in the reader s shoes. 3. Avoid flaming words. Clarity 1. Be concise. 2. Use plain language. 3. Ensure that each paragraph has one central idea with enough details to support the idea. 4. Limit paragraphs to three per correspondence when possible. 5. Use appropriate transitions between paragraphs. 6. Include only relevant information. 7. Read out loud to ensure that there are no word choice issues or missing words.

2 Spelling 1. Examine each word individually. 2. Read every line backward. 3. Pay attention to commonly confused words. 4. When in doubt, consult a dictionary. Grammar 1. Ensure subject/verb agreement. 2. Ensure pronoun reference/agreement- Look for the words it, this, they, their, and them. 3. Use parallel structure- Look for the words and, both, or, not only...but also, either...or, neither...nor...and make sure that the items connected by these words (adjectives, verbs, nouns, etc.) are in the same grammatical form. Bullets should also be parallel. 4. Avoid dangling modifiers, sentence fragments, and run-on sentences. 5. Don t use the passive voice. Punctuation 1. Apostrophes- Look especially at words ending in s to see if an apostrophe is required. 2. Commas- Ensure usage after conjunctions used to connect sentences, after independent clauses, to set off parenthetical elements and quotes, and to avoid confusion. 3. Colons- Use before a list that is preceded by a clause that can stand by itself. 4. Semicolons- Use when connecting two sentences or independent clauses; when beginning the second independent clause after a semicolon, do not use a capital. 5. Periods- Ensure that all sentences have a period and that all fragments do not. * See Writing the Right Way and table that follows for examples of other issues. Don t Rely on Technology to Proofread for You. Don t count on technology to correct your mistakes. However, there are some software tools you can use that will help with frequently mistaken words. For example, in some versions of Microsoft Word: Click Tools. Click AutoCorrect. Select the Replace text as you type box, then in the Replace field, type manger. In the With box, type manager. Click OK. Proofreading Marks Ab abbreviation My uncle is an M.D. and a FACS. Agr agreement problem Everyone should use their leave time. Awk awkward expression or construction Wandering through the hallways of the capitol building, Matt thought about the big bucks he manages. 2

3 Cap capitalization Anthony Jusevitch is the Investigation Manager at DOH. CS comma splice The budget was cut, in the legislative session. DICT faulty diction DM dangling modifier Certain communication gives people an impression of weather or not an individual should receive a promotion. In examining issues between the eighties and the nineties, it seems that our world is changing at a rapid pace. - ed problem with final -ed She check into the medical office last week. FP faulty predication The price of the laptop costs $1,675. frag fragment The purchase order for the vendor that arrived yesterday. parallel form In spring, summer, or in winter, I enjoy the outdoors. P/A Pron pronoun/antecedent agreement pronoun The guest was in their office. The employees may only access Facebook on one's own computer and on one s own time. ps possessive The calendar is in it s portfolio. Rep unnecessary repetition These pens are red in color. ROS run-on sentence I work in a government agency that serves the public which is called Florida Department of Health or DOH and we are having a training session today. Sp spelling error Their are mispellings in the manual. - s problem with final -s She walk to work every day. STET Let it stand S/V T subject/verb agreement verb tense problem (This Latin term indicates that proofreading marks should be ignored and the text as originally written should "let stand.") The issue with the reports are lack of accuracy. Mike gave a presentation to the public, and he receives much appreciation. WC word choice My sister is a fireman in Miami. Wdy wordy The subject walked into the office, with all of her medicine, that she needed to show the doctor at her appointment. WW wrong word I like to hand-write notes on stationary. 3

4 Please take a look at the following items and note any errors by circling and writing what the item should say. Items may or may not have errors. 1. I just wanted to follow-up with you on the IR report that I submitted last week so that we are all on the same page. 2. I want through the records and saw that there was a problem you didnt fix from the last time we spoke. Why is the form not inside? 3. Also on another hand, since you did not include the reason for the violation. 4. Applications will be reviewed on a first come first serve basis by Anthony Jusevitch, Investigation Manager. He is the person you need to talk with. 5. I'd like to ask for your advise on this issue that effects the report. 6. The documents you sent was not in it s correct format. 7. Marie and me are sure that this folder belongs to I. 8. You re paperwork appears to often be missing the correct documentation. 9. The IR report included the date of the offense which the subject plead guilty to but not the crime. 10. Thankyou very much for sending the equipment. Everyone of us at DOH appreciates your generosity and think it is the ultimate complement. 11. Your welcome. 12. Everyone attended the staff meeting accept one of our mangers. 13. DOH has been effected by continuous changes in legislation. 4

5 Grammar Writing the Right Way: Tips for Improvement By Gabrielle K. Gabrielli, Ph.D. Conjugation of the verb to be: Person, No. Present Past 1st, singular I am was 2nd, singular you are were 3rd, singular he/she/it is was 1st, plural we are were 2nd, plural you are were 3rd, plural they are were Avoid dangling participles. While ordering the prescription, his printer broke. Avoid split infinitives. José often appears to be upset. Use "I" as a pronoun as the subject, never the object, of a verb. Use "me" as a pronoun as the object, never the subject. Robert and I are sure that this portfolio belongs to me. Remember that pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one. Heather didn t ask for an appointment. Don't end a sentence with a preposition. That is the person with whom I must talk. Use parallel structure, which achieves balance. A series of words should have parallel dimensions, as should bulleted lists. Yolanda s duties are greeting patients, making copies, and answering phones. When using indefinite pronouns (e.g. someone, anyone, nobody etc.), ensure the antecedent verb is singular. Does anyone know where his or her car is? Punctuation Apostrophe. An apostrophe replaces letters in a contraction or indicates possession. Sue s office, Dr. Nelson s meeting Do NOT use apostrophes with possessive pronouns. Do NOT use the apostrophe with his, hers, whose, or its. Colon. A colon precedes a clause, often a quote, which interprets or amplifies the preceding material. There are two options for the memo: a letter or an . The material preceding the colon must form a complete sentence; the material after the colon does not need to form a complete sentence. When a colon introduces an informal list, semicolons instead of commas divide the list, especially when it is a list of complex items that include commas. 5

6 Attendees include: Nicholas Benson, associate director; Dr. Gabriela Russo, physician; and Karina Wilson, nursing assistant Comma. Commas separate the structural elements of sentences into manageable segments. Commas are also used with clauses more than five words. Before conjunctions: Gabe received the call, but the caller asked for David. To indicate natural pauses in a sentence. I hoped the call wouldn t drop, but the storms caused a power surge. To set off clauses: Kristina Clark, investigator, will be attending the meeting. To divide items in an informal list (note that commas should be used before and.). All employees should bring picture ID cards, social security cards, and proof of citizenship. Ellipsis. Ellipses ( ) indicate omitted words, or a thought trailing off. Julia thought it was a good idea at the time, but... Ellipses following complete sentences may be preceded by periods: It sounds like a good deal, but there are so many additional costs... Emdash (aka Dash). An emdash indicates a break in thought or sentence structure, and is used to introduce a phrase added for emphasis, definition, or explanation, or to separate two subordinate clauses. It is overused, though. The last item on the agenda if we get that far is the coffee fund. Endash (aka Hyphen). An endash connects continuing or inclusive numbers or to connect elements of a compound adjective when either of the elements is an open compound. Examples are or Tallahassee-Leon. Exclamation Point. Exclamation points are punctuation s equivalent of shouting, so they should be used sparingly: Dear Ms. Clark: I have never been so frustrated! When I wrote a letter about my license renewal, I expected a response! It took over 5 weeks! Parentheses. Parentheses set off incidental information, so removing the parentheses and its contents should still form a complete sentence. Punctuation belonging to the main sentence goes outside parentheses. I arrived as quickly as possible (I even took a shortcut), but everyone was gone. I arrived as quickly as possible. (I even took a shortcut.) However, everyone was gone. 6

7 Period. Periods end a complete (declarative or instructive) sentence. They should not be used for sentence fragments. Our office is located on Park Avenue. Question Mark. Question marks end sentences of inquiry. How many complaints have been filed this year? Quotation Marks. Besides direct quotes, quotation marks can indicate titles of stories, articles, or songs. "What about Mom?" is a project that targets overall infant mortality and extremely low birth weights in Pinellas County. A quote within a quote uses single quotation marks: Today we will learn about Randy Pausch, including The Last Lecture. Most end punctuation goes inside quotes, but colons and semicolons go outside. When a quote is immediately followed by parentheses (within the same sentence), end punctuation follows the parentheses. Semicolon. Semicolons turn two (related) sentences that qualify as complete sentences into one. Susan asked to go home; she had a family emergency. Capitalization of Titles Capitalize titles when they are used before names, unless a comma follows the title. Do not capitalize the title if it is used after a name or instead of a name. Executive Director James Forstall James Forstall, executive director Our executive director, James Forstall Frequently Confused Words Accept Except Verb meaning to receive or to agree. Preposition meaning all but, other than. I accept your request to use leave time. Everyone attended the staff meeting except Stu. Affect Effect Verb meaning to influence. Will this document Noun meaning result or consequence. Will affect the outcome? budget cuts have an effect on our services? Verb meaning to bring about, to accomplish. Our efforts have effected a major change in department policies. RAVEN: Remember, Affect is a Verb and Effect is a Noun. Advise Advice Verb that means to recommend, suggest, or Noun that means an opinion or about what could counsel. I advise you to respond appropriately or should be done. I'd like to ask for your advice 7

8 to the customer. on this issue. Complement Compliment Noun that means a thing that enhances something by contributing extra features. His assertiveness is a complement to her Noun that means an expression of praise or to politely congratulate. I was given ultimate compliment on the way I handled things. shyness. Continuous Continual Adjective that means without interruption that can refer to space or time. The phone lines form a continuous bank of calls. Adjective that means happening frequently, with intervals between. DOH has been affected by continual changes in legislation. Idea Ideal Noun meaning a thought, belief, or conception held in the mind, or a notion formed by generalization. Monique had a great idea to call rather than . Noun meaning something or someone that exemplifies perfection, or an ultimate object or endeavor. Serena was the ideal for investigators everywhere. Adjective meaning an ultimate standard of excellence. Curtis is an ideal employee. Its It's Possessive adjective (possessive form of the pronoun it). The report had several mistakes in Contraction for it is or it has (in a verb phrase). It's how we serve the public. its message. Lead Led Noun referring to a dense metallic element. The pencil was made of lead. Past tense and past participle form of the verb to lead, meaning to guide or direct. The evidence led me to support his innocence. Than Then Used in comparison statements. He is later than I am for the meeting. Used in statements of preference. I would rather read than write. Used to suggest quantities beyond a specified amount. I expect you to spend no more than 60 A time other than now. I was a new employee then. Next in time, space, or order. After I write this report, then I can leave. Suggesting a logical conclusion. If you write a clear and concise response, then there should be few issues with confusion. minutes at lunch. Their There They're Possessive pronoun- They have their paperwork at the That place- My office is over there. Contraction for they are- They're writing a response to the boards. surplus property office. To Too Two Preposition, or first part of the infinitive form of a verb- They went to the office. Very, also- I, too, was frustrated with budget cuts. We're Where Were The number 2- Two employees called in sick today. 8

9 Contraction for we are- We're glad to live in Tallahassee. Your Possessive pronoun. Your grammar needs work. Location- Where is the telephone located? Past tense of the verb to be- They were responding to the request. You're Contraction for you are. You're not communicating effectively. All ready Used as an adjective to express complete preparedness. We were all ready to go. All right Used as an adjective or adverb; older and more formal spelling, more common in scientific and academic writing. Will you be all right on your own? All together An adverb meaning considered as a whole, summed up. All together, there are four reports that I am working on this week. Anyone A pronoun meaning any person: Anyone who files a complaint will be treated with respect. Anyway An adverb meaning in any case or nonetheless. He objected, but she went anyway. Awhile An adverb meaning for a short time; usually needs no preposition. Won't you stay awhile? Everyone A pronoun meaning every person. Everyone is at lunch now. Maybe An adverb meaning perhaps. Maybe we should revise the . One Word or Two Words? Already An adverb expressing time. Gerardo had already left for the day. Alright Alternate spelling of all right; less commonly used. Are you alright? Altogether An intensifying adverb meaning wholly, completely, entirely. His disregard for the law reflects an altogether different issue. Any one A paired adjective and noun meaning a specific item in a group; usually used with of. Any one of them could be prosecuted. Any way A paired adjective and noun meaning any particular course, direction, or manner. Any way we chose would lead to danger. A while A paired article and noun meaning a period of time; usually used with for. We discussed the memo for a while, and then we said goodbye. Every one A paired adjective and noun meaning all items in a group; usually used with of. Every one of them is missing. May be A form of the verb be. This may be our last opportunity to meet before the holidays. 9

10 26 Tips for Proper Etiquette By Gabrielle K. Gabrielli, Ph.D. 1. Write concisely and professionally. 2. Use all rules of proper business writing including using active voice instead of passive voice. Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. 3. Check your facts to ensure accuracy. If in doubt, do not send it. 4. Read your message out loud before you send it. 5. Use plain text formatting. If you use html, select legible colors and fonts. 6. Address the recipient appropriately including the use of To, Bcc, and Cc. 7. Err on the side of formality, especially with salutations. 8. When the distribution list is greater than approximately 10, blind copy multiple recipients rather than displaying all addresses. 9. Do not overuse Reply All. 10. Prevent flaming whenever possible. If you feel angry or upset, wait one hour before sending or responding to an message. 11. Do not copy the chain of command or reply when copied unless it is protocol. 12. Answer promptly, but don t become a slave to your If you won t be able to respond for some time, and it is an urgent matter, respond to let the sender know that you received the message and that you are working on the response. 14. Use an appropriate subject line and correct the subject line when needed. 15. Use the high priority message option sparingly. 16. When attaching documents, limit the file size to 1MB (5MB for high speed connections) and ensure a descriptive file name and appropriate file format. 17. Do not write in ALL CAPS. It is the equivalent of yelling! 18. Delete the message thread when the topic changes or as needed when forwarding. 19. Respond at the top of a message thread, and avoid embedding responses within a thread. 20. Avoid the use of acronyms, excessive punctuation, and emoticons!!!! 21. Do not request delivery and read receipts, or ask to recall a message. 22. Do not forward viruses, hoaxes, jokes, or chain letters. Always check when you are sent anything questionable. 23. Do not reply to SPAM, but do remove yourself from unwanted solicitations. 24. Always close your with your name. 25. Signature lines should include name, organization, and contact information. 26. Don t send anything via that you wouldn t want published in the newspaper. 10