Why proofread?

After investing so much time in your work, it can be tempting to skip this final stage when you feel short of time or overwhelmed. However, proofreading has three key benefits:

1. Impact

A well-proofread document ensures your key ideas and arguments have the intended impact without errors distracting the reader. Small mistakes can undermine the reader’s confidence in your work.

2. Professionalism

Submitting error-free work demonstrates attention to detail and professionalism, which are key skills to demonstrate in academic writing.

3. Clarity

Proofreading ensures your document communicates its message clearly, avoiding mistakes that can confuse readers. Clear writing helps those who are assessing your work to reward your ideas appropriately.

Reading through your work multiple times prevents errors and ensures you avoid any accidental academic malpractice by catching missed citations. Proofreading allows you to feel confident and proud of the work you have submitted.

Proofreading strategies

Take a break

Distance yourself from the text to spot mistakes more easily. Take a few hours away, ideally overnight, and return with fresh eyes and a rested mind. Break your proofreading into 20–30-minute sessions to maintain focus and avoid fatigue.

Find a friend

Swapping work with a friend - even someone working on a different assignment - can be a good way to support each other. A fresh set of eyes from someone who does not know the work as well as you do can be useful to check that your ideas are clear. They will also see mistakes or inconsistencies you might miss because you are so familiar with your work.

Work smarter with software

Use spelling and grammar checkers like Grammarly and Microsoft Word’s Editor to help you catch basic errors. You need to work with the software though - manual checks are necessary for names, facts, and correctly spelt but misused words.

Read aloud

Reading aloud slows your reading pace and helps you to notice awkward sentences or flow issues. It can also help you to check your tone of voice - that it sounds authentic to you but also suitably formal for academic writing. If you find reading aloud difficult, use built-in text-to-speech features for Microsoft Word documents, or a free text-to-speech application such as NaturalReader. This also helps check your tone for authenticity and formality.

Print it out

Reading on paper can help you to catch errors missed on screen. Print your work and use a pen to mark up errors and write corrections in the margins. This tactile approach improves focus. Some people find printing on coloured paper or marking up with highlighters helpful, so experiment to see what works for you.

Change the font

If printing isn’t an option, change your font for proofreading to engage your eyes and brain differently. Don’t worry about formatting; you can revert to the original font before you submit your work.

One step at a time

Tackling one type of error at a time is often more effective than trying to do it all at once. Read through your work multiple times, each time checking for different mistakes:

• Spelling: Look for typos or incorrect homophones.

• Punctuation: Ensure a range of punctuation is used to break up ideas clearly into clauses, sentences and paragraphs.

• Grammar: Check for consistent tense and subject-verb agreement.

• Style: Follow your style guide, ensure proper referencing, and maintain consistent formatting and abbreviations.

The final stage

When you think you’re finished, read your work one last time from beginning to end. Focus on the overall flow and catch any remaining errors. You will be surprised how many new errors can creep in during your editing process. Once you’re confident that your writing has been read through thoroughly, it’s time to submit your work.