How to Proofread an Article or Essay for Common Mistakes

Proof reading an article or passage of text for common mistakes is not an easy job to do. This is because of how the brain works when reading. Once a person reaches an age where reading comes naturally to them, the brain does not register or read every word on a page of text. Our brains once used to reading can often make perfect sense of some text that is totally nonsense in terms of spelling provided the start and end of the words are in the correct order. Take this example. Read it as you would normally read any piece of text.

You will problby be able to unrdetsnd this senetace alhtuogh it cotnains noensence speleing. This is becuase your brian is not redaing each and evrey word in its entirity. This efect is why porof raeding is qutie difciult.

Although the example above is in the extreme, it none the less demonstrates why one can read an article many times for correctness but miss silly mistakes. I've done it myself in my own writings.

It is a fact that the ability to mentally spell correctly has deteriorated over the last few years and this is due to the use of word processors. When a word processor checks the spelling as you type there is really no need to know how to exactly mentally spell a particular word correctly. An analogy to this is simple mental arithmetic. The argument lies in that with the cost of a calculator of a few dollars and virtually every mobile telephone has a calculator then why the need to know how to do sums mentally? In fact this is a decent argument. After all you don't need to know how a car engine works in order to drive a car.

However there is a slight difference with spell checkers because although a word may be spelt correctly it can be an incorrect word that is used in the sentence. For example, both of the following sentences would pass a spell checker but one is sentence is correct whereas the other is incorrect..

I have many friends who make their living by selling books. They work in a large book shop in town.

I have man friend who make there living by selling book. They work in a lard book shop in tow.

Another mistake that is not easily seen is the the duplication of certain words especially if the repeated words are after a line break. Did you notice the duplicated word 'the' in the last sentence?

There are also grammar mistakes to correct but this is more difficult to overcome because you either know correct grammar or not. This is one area where you have to learn.

So what are good techniques for ensuring what you have written is at least spelt correctly and the correct words have been used.

First of all switch off direct spelling in your word processor and only use the spell checker when you have finished the article. This will help to improve on your mental spelling abilities, which in itself is a good thing anyhow.

Then secondly read each sentence in your article from the end to the beginning then normally. Because you brain is not anticipating the coming words when reading backwards you are forced to read the words individually.

Take the sentences above one of which was obviously wrongly written and see how you can pick out the in correctness much easier.

town in shop book large a in work they. books selling by living their make who friends many have I

I have many friends who make their living by selling books. They work in a large book shop in town.

tow in shop book lard a in work they. Book selling by living there make who friend man have I

I have man friend who make there living by selling book. They work in a book shop in tow.

A strange method but believe me it works and will probably help the editors of this website immensely.