If you’re wondering how to make sure your report or essay is the best it can be, finding a trained and trustworthy English proofreader is easier said than done, however the following should help act as a guide on how and when to obtain use a proofreader.
A good English proofreading service should offer a thorough review of your British Standard English or American Standard English document for spelling, grammar, sentence contextualization, and repetitive wording. If the service includes editing (either on paper or online), you should look to improve the flow of the writing where necessary. The professional edition includes common phraseology, proverbs and sayings that are checked for correct usage and words that are used incorrectly or sentences that are unclear need to be changed or rearranged. Each proofreader has their own rules and they should tell you about them, in clear terms, before they start work. These are very different services than copywriting services or essay writing services, where the copy is written from scratch.
Most proofreaders offer online editing and charge a set amount based on the number of words in your document and turnaround time, and most professionals will require a sample of your writing or view the document in advance before quote a job
Therefore, you need to make sure your proofreader is up to the task of editorial work. Proofreading requires patience, attention to detail, and obviously a deep understanding of the rules that govern your language; it is not simply a matter of crossing the ‘t’s and dotting the ‘i’s. It can be a laborious task that requires hour after hour of concentration, not just reading and understanding the text within an often complex dissertation, but simultaneously thinking ‘how is this written and can it be written better?’ Understanding the general meaning of the text and being able to improve it without altering the original meaning requires the ability to understand a wide variety of topics, a good level of education (graduate qualifications are usually the minimum for editors), and writing skills. That, combined with good time management skills, means that not everyone who can read can proofread.
There are plenty of good reasons to proofread or edit your text, both in the business and academic worlds. For example, a website that is poorly written and lacks clarity could mean potential customers quickly leave your site, largely because within five seconds of landing on your site they need to know what’s available, where, and when. Similarly, poor grammar and spelling will look very unprofessional and reflect a lack of attention to detail in the service provided.
For tertiary level students, it is not advisable to leave linguistic errors in an essay or research proposal. By the time students reach UK universities, tutors hope they will be able to write articulate essays that are free of basic grammatical errors or confusing language. If you don’t meet these expectations, it could mean that while your ideas are brilliant, your writing skills will let you down. Therefore, having your essays or theses corrected and, at the very least, having a grammar check is a worthwhile investment.
Likewise for academics, submitting an article or research paper to a publisher that lacks clarity and contains unwieldy wording reduces your chances of publication. Many peer reviewers also complain about the unintelligible language of their peers’ work and are inclined to give less favorable reviews if reading the article is a feat of endurance. Copy editing is essential to ensure articles are fit for publication.
Writing your thesis statement or a long thesis on your topic is often a labor of love and it is difficult to spot small mistakes; a good proofreader can offer an unbiased second opinion on the clarity of your document. Therefore, having that professional look at your text, editing and proofreading on your behalf can be an invaluable service.
by Georgina Little
