How can I catch more errors when I proofread?

Question

I have a problem where I often proof my own writing and I don't catch all the errors while I am reading through it. I often miss entire words out of sentences or find myself repeating words. I can read a document several times and I catch new errors every time. Eventually, I'll feel like I've caught everything, but I find out after I've posted or printed it that I left out some word. The whole process takes hours instead of a few minutes. This process is so frustrating that sometimes I just give up. Does anyone have this experience writing and if so, what techniques have you developed that help?P.S: For some reason, I make fewer errors and my writing is a lot speedier if I write it out long hand first. For some reason, the word processor makes it hard to keep your train of thought going because you find yourself derailed by the formatting. I also found using NotePad to be a useful tool. Since it doesn't have formatting, it is less distracting. I also set the width of the Window to be very short. For some reason, my thoughts are less likely to get derailed and I make fewer errors.*Edit:* I haven't picked an answer because all of these responses are great! I also want to keep the suggestions coming so that others will benefit. Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

Hi,

In my experience proofreading and editing hundreds of students' work, I find it helpful to read documents out loud (as noted in other responses) and also to read it through three times. In the first edit, I'm looking for glaring errors, such as sentences that don't make any sense due to missing words, the wrong word choice or run on sentences. Then, I read through again to correct errors in grammar and comma usage. The third read is a final check to make sure I didn't miss anything. If time permits, I also put the paper away for a few hours and then review it again with fresh eyes one last time to see if I missed anything.

I hope these suggestions help.

If you need additional tutoring support with your writing, message me and I'd be happy to set up a tutoring session with you.

Best,

Amy

Answer 2

Definitely read your own writing in full--as you write (one sentence or paragraph at a time), or after you have finished writing for the time being. That can help you become more self-aware of your writing mechanics, and improve your ability to catch errors in your proofreading along the way--one word/sentence/paragraph at a time, rather than going back and reviewing everything you have written from beginning to end.

I hope this helps!

Answer 3

One trick is to read your own work out loud. As Alissa noted above, we can lose some objectivity when we are reading our own writing, especially if you're reading and rereading it. I agree with her that it is helpful to have another set of eyes review the writing; however, before doing that, it also can be helpful to read it out loud to yourself, slowly. That may catch some errors.

Answer 4

Hi there! I think sometimes it honestly just takes an objective pair of eyes to catch the mistakes we ourselves don't see in our own writing. Feel free to message me if you'd like me to review your work sometime! I am a proofreader and copy editor, and truly love to provide this service to others. Have a great day!

Kind regards,

Alissa G.

Answer 5

I find this to be a common struggle in my classroom (with handwriting or typing), and I encourage my students to read their writing aloud. This frequently helps them to catch many mistakes.