Top Tips and Tools from Professional Proofreaders

Proofreading final documents to catch typos, missing or transposed text, incorrect punctuation, and layout errors allows readers to focus on the message, not the mistakes! No matter what you’re writing, making the time to check the details will ensure you say what you mean to, prevent misunderstandings and unintended consequences, and build trust and credibility with your clients. Accurate and error-free copy can save a lot of money and embarrassment too.

Learn what to look for, how to proofread effectively onscreen, and which digital tools are useful and which ones are not. You’ll leave with practical tips and tools to help you proofread your own work.

Lana Okerlund and Lucy Kenward are partners of West Coast Editorial Associates, a group of eight experienced editors, writers, and trainers based in Vancouver and Victoria. Both Lana and Lucy have been proofreading professionally for corporate clients, government departments, non-profit agencies, book and magazine publishers, and universities and colleges for more than 20 years. They teach proofreading in the Editing Certificate program at Simon Fraser University and instruct the Foundation of Administrative Justice’s Plain Language: Building Results course.