What is proofreading?

A close and thorough reading of written material in order to detect, and correct any errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. In other words, it's a form of quality control.

What is copy-editing?

The technical preparation of material for printing/publication, together with overall checking of structure, consistency, correct word usage, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. In the publishing world the roles of copy-editors and proofreaders are clearly defined: they are two different stages in the publication process. Outside of publishing it's not so clear-cut and can appear perplexing. Essentially, you need your written material to be checked. It could be a careful perusal of spellings or typos, or you may require a heavier edit. In most instances people require a mixture of the two, namely a proof-edit. I am happy to discuss this with you in more detail (by phone or email) to establish what level of work is required.

Benefits of proofreading and copy-

editing

Don't allow spelling mistakes to spoil the quality of your work. Spellchecker is a useful tool, but alas, it's unable to distinguish words used in the wrong context: there, their, or they're dependent or dependant formally or formerly principle or principal Your written material should be error-free and consistent. It should convey your communication in the clearest possible way with smooth-flowing text. Additionally, proofreading and/or copy-editing provides you with peace of mind and adds a professional dimension to the completion of your work or assignment. For proofreading, I will check for: • spelling • punctuation • grammar • headings and subheadings • page numbers • chapter titles • spacing and line breaks • references • house style • consistency — in format, style, and content (including consistency in names and places, use of capitals, italics, abbreviations, numbers, dates, times, hyphenation, and layout). For copy-editing, in addition to the above, I will also check for: • organisation of material and structure • clarity • choice of words • ambiguity • repetition • errors of fact and contradiction • bias • libel • safety • I will markup heading codes, displayed quotations, lists, illustrations, tables, and captions.

Quality proofreading and copy-editing services