Masterclass in Proofreading

Course Code

PA001

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This course is based on the need for modern editing and proofreading in a digital world.

Offers interactive, personalised, and friendly tuition from a small team.
Teaches modern proofreading and editing techniques for every situation.
Whether you are a complete beginner or simply looking to sharpen your proofreading skills, our course can help you realise your potential.
From correcting errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation to dealing with different writing and referencing styles.
Whether you are a complete beginner or simply looking to sharpen your proofreading skills, our course can help you realise your potential.

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Study Options	This course is only available to study online.
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The course is run entirely online so you will need a computer, and ideally the most up-to-date version of Microsoft Word. There are 15 modules, each of which consists of learning sections followed by quizzes and assignments designed to be completed in Microsoft Word 2016.

After you have completed this course and obtained a pass grade of 80% or above, you are then qualified to work with our proofreading partner, as a freelance proofreader. You can then apply your skills anywhere between a few hours a week, right through to 40+ hours per week.

Course Duration

Lifetime access.

Study Hours

Approximately 45-50 hours.

Course Outcome

You will receive a Completion Certificate in Proofreading.

Entry Requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this course.

Assessment

You will take two proofreading tests and a formatting test, which you will receive detailed tutor feedback for.

Differences between editing and proofreading.
Substantive and mechanical editing.
Typical tasks involved in proofreading and editing.
Where proofreading fits into the editing process.
Skills needed by editors and proofreaders.
What does modern on-screen proofreading involve?
Common client and document types.
Introduction to ethical issues involved in editing and proofreading.

Key differences between different editions of Word for both Mac and Windows.
Suggested workflow for proofreading.
Changing the username and proofing language.
Using the Track Changes and Compare features.
Using the comments feature.

Homphones.
Spelling differences between UK, US, and AUS English.
Spotting common typos.
Spelling differences between compound, hyphenated, and open compound words.

Faulty agreements.
Plural verbs and collective nouns.
Compound subjects.
Faulty parallelism.
Fragments.
Dangling and misplaced modifiers.
Restrictive and non-restrictive clauses.
Adverbs and adjectives.
Determiners and prepositions.
Regional grammar differences.
Grammar myths.

Terminal punctuation.
Double versus single spaces.
Punctuation in restrictive and non-restrictive clauses.
Commas and conjunctions.
Punctuating quotations.
Colons and semicolons.
Apostrophes.
Punctuating dialogue.
Hyphens and dashes.
Elipses, parentheses, and lists.

Latin terms.
Abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms.
Number use.
Capitalisation.
Diacritics.
URLs.
Commonly misused terms.
Idioms.

What 'style' means in proofreading.
Style guides.
Tone and voice.
Vocabulary: academic, technical, regional, and biased language.
Sentence structure and length.
Repetition and redundancy.
Paragraph coherence and organisation.
Working with native, dyslexic, and English as a Second Langauge (ESFL) customers.

Customising the spellchecker.
Using Find and Replace.
Changing text direction.
Working with Styles.
Document layout and spacing.
Page and section breaks.
Headers and footers.
Page numbers.
Images, tables, and charts.
Dynamic lists and indexes.
Shortcuts.

The proofreader's role in academic work.
Avoiding plagiarism.
Commenting.
Terminology.
Quotations.
Grammatical person use.
Active and passive voices.
Proofreading undergraduate, postgraduate, and journal work.
Working with LaTeX.

Citation styles.
Source types.
Reference lists and bibliographies.
How to work with Harvard, APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, IEEE, OSCOLA, Bluebook, ALWD, and AGLC referencing styles.
Species citation.
Classics citation.
Secondary citations.
Citation order.
What to do and not to do about missing and incorrect information.

The publishing process, including where editing and proofreading fit in it.
Key terminology and ethical issues related to proofreading creative writing.
What to expect when working with an author or a publisher.
Why different types of creative writing may require different approaches.
How to make a style sheet for fiction and non-fiction writing.
The importance of authorial voice and style in creative writing.
How to edit non-standard English and passages of dialogue.
Whether and when to edit or critique content in creative writing.
Proofreading and formatting scripts and screenplays.
The typesetting process and techniques for proofreading typeset texts.
How to use Adobe Acrobat Reader to proofread a PDF.

The different types of business documents you might encounter as a proofreader.
What to expect when working with business clients, including working with briefs, style guides, and company or brand voices.
Creating a style sheet for business writing.
The importance of knowing the intended audience, style, and level of formality for different types of business writing.
The role of grammatical point of view in business writing.
How to edit vocabulary issues related to jargon and buzzwords.
Editing for skim reading, accessibility, and SEO.
How to approach stylistic issues in formal business documents, commercial copy, and other professional documents such as CVs and cover letters.
How to use the tools in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Google Docs to proofread documents.
Tips for proofreading in publishing packages such as Adobe Illustrator or InDesign.

Information on how to find work as a freelance proofreader.
Top revision areas.
Mock assignment.
Assessment of students to see if they are ready for professional work.
Detailed feedback and extra 1-2-1 tutoring, if needed.

Assessment

You will take two proofreading tests and a formatting test, which you will receive detailed tutor feedback for. All tests are submitted online. If you score 80% or above on your final assessment, you will immediately be eligible to apply for a freelance role with our partner, as a proofreader. You have the opportunity to purchase another attempt at the final assignments after a dedicated call with one of the tutors

Course Duration

The course content is a minimum of 45-50 hours and you will have lifetime access to the course, meaning you can take as long as you need to complete it.

Study Method

The course is run entirely online so you will need a computer, and ideally the lastest version of Word.

Course Outcomes

No experience or previous qualifications are required for enrolment in this course. It is available to all students of all academic backgrounds. A good grasp of English grammar and punctuation is expected. Native-level fluency in English is required, due to the nature of the content.

It's not a problem. We offer a course replacement service, so if you get into trouble and your course pack is lost or damaged, our Student Support Team can provide you with a new set of materials for a one-time additional fee.