My service includes:

• Checking the table of contents for consistency with the text, and making sure pre-publication elements like running heads are correct

• Ensuring illustrations are correctly placed and legible, and that they are accompanied by the correct captions

• Following cross references to make sure that they resolve at the appropriate point in the text

• Making sure numbering (e.g. chapter and section numbering, numbers in lists and captions) is sequential

• Examining any additional material that may not have been copyedited, such as dedications, or late additions to the text

• Spot-checking the index for accuracy

• Raising urgent queries, particularly if a detail has become outdated since the original draft was written

• Making the text ready for publication

Above all else, my job is to make sure that, if the text were to be published tomorrow, the reader would find the text clear, engaging and professional.

A note for authors

Copyediting and proofreading are two different things. If you’re an author in the drafting stages of a piece of writing, you’ll probably be looking for copyediting. This is because proofreading takes place towards the end of the publishing process, and doesn’t usually involve making bigger changes, like rewording.

Applications

Proofreading can be done in a variety of environments and platforms. I’m proficient working in:

• Adobe Acrobat

• Microsoft Word

• LaTex

The two ‘types’ of proofreading

As a proofreader, I’m usually asked to do one of two things:

• Proofread the final text and mark up any corrections. You might have a style guide or a brief for me to work to, or you might simply ask me to assume the role of a reader and mark up any errors or inconsistencies.

• Proofread the final text, checking it against an earlier version of the text. You might want to check that the designer hasn’t omitted anything from the final text, or that corrections marked up in a previous draft have been implemented.

Of course, I’m happy to do both!