Proofreading is the final step of writing that ensures an error-free essay. Whether you worked on the essay yourself or hired a professional writer, re-reading the entire copy is important for many reasons. Typically, you should look for common writing mistakes, such as typos, formatting, missing words, and grammatical mistakes.

Unfortunately, most people confuse proofreading with copyediting. Unlike proofreading, copyediting involves ensuring that the organization and usage of words are clear and easily understandable. If you are a student at the American International University, below are important things to know about proofreading your assignment and essays.

Can You Proofread the Essay Yourself?

Like writing the essay, you can do it yourself or hire a professional editor to proofread the written draft. Each option has associated pros and cons.

• Proofreading your essay is cost-effective because hiring the services of professional proofreaders is expensive. Most proofreaders charge hourly rates or varying rates depending on the essay length. If you are confident with your writing skills and the essay is short, proofreading it yourself won’t be challenging or time-consuming.
   
•  The second option is hiring a professional. Professional proofreaders simplify the editing process, as they understand style guides and publishing guidelines, and are adept at identifying spelling and grammatical mistakes. You should consider professional services if you can afford their charges.

Proofreading Tips to Know

Consider the following proofreading tips to improve the quality of your writing;

1. Don’t Rely on Spelling and Grammar Checking Tools

While spelling and grammar checkers are fast and useful tools that can identify major errors, these tools are very limited. Spell checkers cannot identify the most common grammatical mistakes. They can also give incorrect suggestions that mislead writers. You should solely use these tools to identify misspelled words.

2. Proofread an Error At a Time

Proofreading even a short essay is a time-consuming and very engaging process. However, the more you concentrate, the more benefits you derive. If you try sweeping through all errors in one sitting, you can quickly lose focus and miss major mistakes. Consider checking punctuation errors and spelling mistakes separately.

3. Divide the Essay into Manageable Parts

You should also divide the essay into sections to make proofreading more manageable. Read the various sections cautiously and take breaks before proceeding. By doing this, you won’t feel overwhelmed by the long task ahead. Breaking into sections also makes it easier to concentrate effectively on specific sections. This tip is handy when proofreading large documents, such as practicum projects or thesis research papers.

4. Read the Essay Backwards

Reading the text backward allows you to isolate and focus on each word, making it an effective strategy for identifying spelling mistakes. You can start from the final sentences and follow the paragraphs until the beginning. While doing this, don’t focus on grammar and punctuation mistakes.

Endnote

For better grading, your essay or thesis paper should be free from grammatical eyes. Unfortunately, simple errors and mistakes can take away valuable marks. As you prepare to proofread, look for common errors, such as spelling, doubled or missing words, sentence fragments, accuracy, formatting, and run-on sentences.