One of the most important tasks associated with content writing is editing and proofreading. Proper editing and proofreading can change the overall professional quotient of the article. However when we are dealing with a large number of articles it becomes very important that we don’t spend much time proofreading each article. Here’s a quick guide to editing any article in about ten minutes...
Quick-read the article. The purpose of doing so is NOT to find mistakes but to understand the context and tone of the articles i.e. whether the article is written in the formal or informal tone. This can save you a lot of time because once you start editing the article you would not need to read the whole thing again in order to understand the context.
Run a spell check before going into deeper details and correcting other mistakes. Also check for punctuation mistakes. Remember that punctuations are very important and a simple punctuation mistake can change the meaning of a sentence.
Check for units/ currency denominations (if any).
Look out for homonyms. It is quit probable that similar soundings spellings and words can slip past our eyes. So better watch out for them.
Preset the word processor’s dictionary to UK/US English depending on the intended audience.
Request someone else to read the article. Others may be able to spot mistakes that you may have missed.
Do not multitask when editing. Editing/proofreading requires your complete attention.
Read the article aloud to check for confusing phrases, repeated words and syntax errors.
Use the track feature to revise an article naturally without changing the original content. You can use it to make some fast corrections as well.
Highlight what you're unsure about and come back to it later.
Editor's note: Most articles submitted to Chillibreeze go through a selection process. Only 30 percent of submitted articles are accepted for publication on the Chillibreeze.com featured article list. All accepted articles are edited and proofread for glaring errors of punctuation and grammar. Sentence structure is changed in certain cases and sometimes, entire sections are rewritten. If you notice any errors that have slipped through the cracks, do let us know! (Email us at info at chillibreeze dot com).
Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in November, 2011. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.
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—About our writer:
Sreejan Guha Niyogi is an Engineering student.He has worked for many leading publications like BORNRICH, AutoMoto, EcoFriend, and Design Buzz. He specializes in writing articles on credit related issues, technology, environmental concerns, relationship solutions, dieting tips and product reviews.
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