Prooof Proof checking is a really important part of any project you’re involved in. No matter what you have created – such as a written document or a design project. Kayleigh has been providing her advice regarding the steps you really should take before submitting to make sure there aren’t any mistakes. 
Proof reading – it’s very easy to skim over this part of the process. You’ve been working on this project for a while now, you would’ve noticed if something was misspelt or out of place right? Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. When you’ve worked on something yourself it’s very easy for your eyes to not notice every little detail and to miss out some errors that may have been made.
Here are the few simple steps I take to make sure my work is proofed and ready for print:
- Take a break.
Once you’ve completed your work, take a break. Get a cup of coffee or take a stroll around the office. Giving yourself five minutes away from the screen will clear your head.
- Print out a copy.
Don’t proof your work on screen. There’s something about having the copy in your hands that can give you a new focus and a new outlook on your piece.
- Highlight any errors.
If you do come across any errors in your work, always highlight it. Having them visually marked out will ensure that when you go back to correct them, you won’t miss anything.
- Get someone else to proof your work.
Once you’ve checked through your work and corrected any errors, print out a new version and get someone else around you to proof it also. As previously mentioned, you can sometimes miss a mistake when looking at your own work, so it’s always a great idea to get someone else to double check it.
This may seem like a tedious process to take, especially when you’re working to a tight deadline or have a never ending list of things to do, but please make the time to proof check your work. There really is nothing worse than creating something you’re really proud of only to receive feedback about something that’s incorrect with it.
Proof checking is also really, really important if whatever you’re working on is going to be printed professionally. If it gets printed with a mistake, you’ve wasted time and money as it will need to be printed again.
So next time you’ve completed your work, just follow these few easy steps to make sure your work is at the best standard it can possibly be.
If you need a hand to proof check your content or preparing it in the first place, please get in touch and we will be happy to help.
You can email us or pick up the phone and call 01633 449885.
