Top 8 Proofreading Hacks for Newbies

proofreading hacks

No matter what you think of writing, proofreading is way more challenging. It is a tedious process requiring your meticulous attention to detail across many aspects. You may be OK with checking the text for spelling errors. Yet, going over it, again and again, can be too dull. What to do if you want high grades? What if you don’t want to spend extra time searching for errors and inconsistencies in your brainchild? Here are some handy tips from seasoned proofreading experts of take the test for me service. These hacks won’t let you drown in the turbulent waters of proofreading, giving you guidance for all scenarios. 

Print It Out 

One of the surest ways to simplify the proofreading process is to print your text out. As soon as it gets to paper, you receive a much better opportunity to spot the mistakes. You might have missed them in the digital text format. Take a red paper and go through your text several times to spot the errors. The text will look awful with all those corrections; yet, it will be a great visual roadmap for making the digital file changes. In addition to revealing the text’s inconsistencies better, a printed text is much more comfortable for the eyes. So, you won’t spoil your eyesight even if you check the text a thousand times. 

Choose a Reliable Spellchecker 

With the advent of technology, writers have received sure assistants for proofreading of their texts. Now you only need to copy your text and paste it into the spellchecker software’s box. Wait a couple of seconds, and review the check results. Some top-rated proofreading tools praised by the users today are: 

Grammarly 

Grammarly is a highly popular spellchecker that spots numerous errors even in the free version. However, to access its full arsenal of functions is possible in the paid version. It includes checking the text for correctness, clarity, engagement, style, and delivery quality.

WhiteSmoke 

The user-friendly layout and a vast set of features make WhiteSmoke a top choice among thousands of writers. The app unifies a rigorous spellchecker, a grammar check function, style, and punctuation checkers, and a translator. It is available in desktop and mobile versions, allowing you to check texts even on the go. 

Hemingway 

Millions of people love Hemingway. It’s because it is free, comprehensive, and highly informative in terms of grammar, spelling, and style issues. Paste your text into the box and see the score of your text’s quality. The app provides simpler alternatives for overly complicated phrases, give suggestions on sentence simplification, passive voice use, and syntax improvements. 

Add A Manual Check 

Though a spellchecker (either paid or free) will spot some critical issues in your text. Please don’t rely on its results blindly. The worst about automatic spellcheckers is that they lack a human approach. They happen to spot only the errors identified in their pre-set algorithms. Thus, they won’t ever notice the wrongly used homonyms in your text. These words are technically correct, though standing in the wrong context. Some examples include: 

  • Using “their” instead of “there,” 
  • Writing “its” instead of “it’s” 
  • Putting “weather” instead of “whether,” and many others.

So, it is your task to revisit the text after several automated software checks. It helps to see whether all issues have been identified.  

Find an Experienced Assistant 

Sometimes, we all need help, and writers exhausted by the creative process and having no time and resources for the proofreading part are not an exception. Luckily, anatomy assignment writing service professional editors are always ready to give a helping hand and conduct a thorough review of your ready draft. Accordingly, by relying on qualified experts with years of writing and proofreading experience, you minimize the risk of grade reduction or poor reception of your text by the audience by the grave errors and cohesion flaws. 

Double-Check the Evidence 

Another weak point of an essay or any other text is the reliance on dubious facts and evidence. While some blog articles or news posts may state one thing, a credible book or scientific article may present the fact from a completely different perspective. Therefore, it is better to rely only on peer-reviewed, professional materials published by authoritative organizations. And even if you have no chance to pick such a source as a reference, make sure to double-check the facts you doubt. It may be done quickly by googling the topic of interest and having a brief glance at what various authors say on the subject. 

Go in the Reverse Direction 

When proofreading your text, you may find it hard to detach yourself from the content. Nevertheless, it is vital as a strong emphasis on content prevents an in-depth look at the text’s mechanics. To misguide your brain and make it work the way it should, you can proofread the text in the reverse order by starting from the last sentence, then proceeding to the pre-past one, and so forth. Such an order of proofreading allows you to approach every sentence as a separate entity, without any distractions. 

Read the Work Aloud, Several Times 

Reading the text silently and hearing how it sounds when reading it aloud are two distinct proofreading types. When you read the text silently, you may skip some errors as your brain focuses on the content rather than on form. Accordingly, when you read it aloud, you perceive the text both with your ears and eyes. Using multiple senses makes it easier to spot deviations from the norm, letting you see the minor issues with the reader’s eyes. 

Strive to Clarity 

Most famous writers and experienced bloggers emphasize the importance of brevity and clarity in writing. To make yourself understood, you should deliver your message in the simplest way possible. You can achieve this purpose by shortening sentences and paragraphs to enhance content clarity and reading comprehension. 

When proofreading your text, ask yourself a question, “can this idea be voiced shorter?” or “is this word necessary here?” If the answer is “no,” cut some words and re-read the sentence to check whether the idea remains clear. Such critical questions can help you weed out redundancy and make your text more impactful. 

A Final Word 

As it comes from this review, proofreading is not everybody’s cup of tea because it requires close attention, patience, and strong critical reading skills. Experts of SharpEssay pointed out that the most challenging thing about proofreading is to distance yourself from your brainchild and taking a detached, critical look at it. Thus, making a pause between writing and editing, coupled with using some of the mentioned hacks, can help you out. Good luck! 

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