People who constantly work with texts are often faced with the need to correct it, in other words, proofreading. This, in the most general sense, is the process of correcting flaws and errors of the author’s text. Proofreading is a very important part of publishing preparation of copyright materials for publication.
Definitions
Modern explanatory dictionaries offer many interpretations of the word.
So, in the dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron the following option is proposed. Proofreading is the correction of errors of a typographic set made on the basis of a manuscript, as well as any change made during typing, for example, a shortening of a word, etc. Distinguish the first, second and further in the order of proofreading.
According to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, proofreading is the process of correcting technical and grammatical errors and shortcomings in the text or graphic materials prepared for printing or another method of reproduction. Also, proofread is called a typographic impression of the text, intended to make corrections to it.
GOST 7.62-2008 applies the following interpretation of this term. Proofreading is the correction of inaccuracies and errors made in proofreading originals and proofs of the text made during typing and duplication of originals (manuscripts) or not noticed by the author and publishers when preparing the manuscript for publication, as well as updating outdated materials at the time of publication and correcting errors in the set itself.
Proof Signs
Proofing signs are used for marking up copyright (publishing) text and graphic materials and reading proofs in the process of preparing a manuscript for publication. They are classified into the following categories:
- characters for replacing letters, signs and words;
- rearrangement characters for text elements;
- characters for changing spaces;
- characters for highlighting and changing the font, paragraph, red line, etc.
Proofreading Rules
To perform effective proof-reading, you must follow the following rules:
1. The pace of reading should allow to visually distinguish and fix each character of the text.
2. When proof-reading, special attention should be paid to the following elements of the manuscript:
- the most important terms, conclusions, arguments for the corrected work;
- dates, names, numbers, names, surnames, initials, the correctness of which affects the accuracy of the publication;
- quotes, particles;
- repeating elements that can, without comparison, have the opposite meaning;
- cross-references whose accuracy affects the meaning of the text;
- text elements typed in words;
- words with a combination of letters that can roughly distort the meaning of a typo.
3. When checking the typed text and proofreading, you should first make a line-by-line check, ie check the lines with corrections, and only then read the texts in full to additionally check if the meaning of the text has changed.
Following these basic rules, the corrector must bring the text of the set in line with the original author, correcting the technical and grammatical errors made during the set (or by the author).