I was a generally good student, but I always had problems spelling. While I did eventually learn to spell (mostly), my hard work didn’t always pay off because I was sloppy while proofreading. I’m very grateful to the teachers who never let me get away with it – they had a herculean task. But I’m afraid today I let them down – I misspelled Scott Rosenberg’s name in a trackback to his blog. Doh! So Scott, please accept my apologies. And Mrs. Smith, Mr. Spencer, Mr. Lancaster, Mr. Montgomery, Dr. Chapman, Mrs. Atterman, and of course Mrs. Scobbie, I don’t suppose I could convince you to look the other way just this once, please.
And even though at this moment I have a log in my eye , I will say that I think it’s very important for and all IT professionals to not just spell correctly, but to become proficient proofreaders.
Most new programmers think of their job as directing computers to accomplish specific tasks – usually using compilers that check syntax, often with a QA team, and almost always with users who expect a certain number of bugs. There is a great deal of room to go back and fix things you got wrong the first time around. But if you want to advance your career, you need to go beyond just directing computers, and develop skill in convincing people. That means writing clearly, and getting it right at the first deliverable. Which means proofreading effectively.
All kinds of errors get past spelling and grammar checkers. At best these errors distract your reader and weaken your presentation. At worst, they change your meaning entirely. The only way to avoid them is to proofread carefully.
I’m not an expert, but I will share some tips I’ve been given. And since I still obviously have room for improvement, I’d be grateful for any of your suggestions.
Go slow
Most of us can’t proofread effectively in a rush, or while under pressure. I’ve tried often – it never works. This requires more than just effective time management (which is sometimes just another way to say “doing things quickly”). It requires real planning: you need to actively make time for proofreading.
Sleep on it
I find it very difficult to accurately proofread something I’ve just written. The words I wanted to write are too fresh in my mind, so I see what I remember writing instead of what I actually wrote. Words change, appear, and disappear: “it” becomes “is”; “an” becomes “a”; “fine” becomes “find”; I miss an out-of-place “the” left over from a thought I decided not to use. The solution is to leave time between finishing writing and proofreading it. If you are responding to an email, and can’t wait, then at least take a few deep breaths and clear your mind before you start.
Share and enjoy
This one can sometimes be difficult to arrange, but having a friend or colleague or spouse look over your work is even better than looking over it yourself. Of course, you have to reciprocate, and be careful not to ask too much. I found this particularly helpful when I was starting my career, and still a horrible proofreader. Be brutal with the writing, and gentle with each other, and it will be a fruitful relationship.
Move your lips as you read
I know, this sound silly. But reading aloud – under you breath if you’re in a cube and don’t want to make your colleagues nervous – slows down your eyes, and makes you see every word. It also allows you to listen to what you’ve written. Listening to your own writing will improve you sense of style tremendously. I don’t know why, but some things that looked fine to me on paper sound horribly awkward when read aloud. Trusting my ear rather than my eyes has improved my prose tremendously. (Imagine what it started like…)
So please, don’t look as stupid as I do now: proofread carefully.
