Proofreading Techniques When Time is Tight

Proofreading Techniques When Time is Tight (Issue 24: November, 2009) What should you do when you must proofread a business document, but you face a panic-stricken colleague, a demanding boss, or a shortened deadline? As the holiday season and end-of-year deadlines approach, you’ll need to produce more documents in even less time. Assuming that the panic-stricken person who brought you the document gave you no specific instructions about what to look for and what to ignore, here is a list of three process checks, in order of importance:1) Check, Print, Find Reviewer: Work in pairs - ask a colleague to proof your documents, and return the favor. Run the document through grammar and spell-check. This won't catch everything, but it will flag typos. Print the document. Finding errors in print is much easier than on screen. 2) Check Format and Organization: Check the pagination. Make sure that the pages are numbered sequentially. If the document is to be copied double-sided, check to see that blank pages have been inserted properly and that all odd-numbered pages will fall on a right-hand page. Proofread the cover page and title page word for word. Make sure that the date is correct and that the company's and author's names are spelled correctly. Flip each page and look for any glaring errors such as missing figures or printer glitches such as grossly uneven page toner. Flip each page again (make a separate pass) and look at the format to see that headings and subheadings are the correct size and typeface, spacing and indentation are consistent, running headings are correct, and margins are the right size. Check the table of contents against the text. Make sure that all of the sections are included and that the wording in the table of contents matches the text. Check the page numbers against the text. If you have a PowerPoint document, you will likely find errors here. Look at the graphics and tables. Make sure they are numbered correctly and that their titles correctly describe what appears. #3 Read Most Important Text: Read the preface, executive summary, or any other introductory material that the reader is likely to look at first. Read the conclusion or final summary section. Read the headings and subheadings. Read the first sentence (or first paragraph, if there is time) of each section. If you have any time remaining, proofread known trouble spots. You'll notice that the first 2 processes do not involve proofreading text. If you're really crunched for time, verify the organization and style of the document first because: It is fast to do so. A poorly organized document is very unprofessional, and readily apparent to a reader. Worse yet, your reader will be lost in the disorganization. You will find the most obvious errors. Only once you verify organization and appearance (items 1-2), should you move to text review (item 3).Ideally, we need to allow enough proofreading time. But, sometimes we don't have that option. These techniques will save you when you're faced with too little time.

Free Essays on Greek Architecture- A Portrayal Of Greatness

Rachel Jones Jones 1 Mrs. Wiseberger World History 31 October 2004 Ancient Greek Architecture- A Portrayal of Greatness â€Å"Greek architecture: the art of building that arose on the shores of the Aegean Sea and flourished in the ancient world.† (Columbia Encyclopedia) Ancient Greek architecture began with the admiration of ancient Egyptian architecture, and much of the same concepts are applied to this very day. They modeled many aspects of Egyptian architecture and refined their structural imprecision to develop their very own unique style. The Romans, along with other civilizations, admired their unique architectural fashion and borrowed these characteristics to mold and shape a distinct style of their very own. Ancient Greece is known to be one of the greatest influences to present-day architecture. (Arrowhead) The ancient Greeks loved life, and lived it with unmatchable gusto. They were a unique people who prized differences in personality and character. They believed individuality to be the foundation of their society, and individuals should be free as long as they acted within the laws of Greece. They highly respected intellectuals, and the concept of deep thinking. The strong emphasis placed upon intellectuality and individualism allowed them to excel in any area they desired. Greeks believed in striving for excellence no matter how big the challenge. Such an avid devotion for Jones 2 excellence paved the way for their many extraordinary accomplishments. (Arrowhead and Greek Culture) The elegance of Greek architecture reveals their aspiration for beauty in distinction. They possessed several different methods of construction, which are still admired and often practiced today. The earliest method consists of rectangular temples of wood with simple post-and-lintel construction. By the fifth century B.C., trees suitable for use were next to impossible to find as a result of deforestation. Architects de... Free Essays on Greek Architecture- A Portrayal Of Greatness Free Essays on Greek Architecture- A Portrayal Of Greatness Rachel Jones Jones 1 Mrs. Wiseberger World History 31 October 2004 Ancient Greek Architecture- A Portrayal of Greatness â€Å"Greek architecture: the art of building that arose on the shores of the Aegean Sea and flourished in the ancient world.† (Columbia Encyclopedia) Ancient Greek architecture began with the admiration of ancient Egyptian architecture, and much of the same concepts are applied to this very day. They modeled many aspects of Egyptian architecture and refined their structural imprecision to develop their very own unique style. The Romans, along with other civilizations, admired their unique architectural fashion and borrowed these characteristics to mold and shape a distinct style of their very own. Ancient Greece is known to be one of the greatest influences to present-day architecture. (Arrowhead) The ancient Greeks loved life, and lived it with unmatchable gusto. They were a unique people who prized differences in personality and character. They believed individuality to be the foundation of their society, and individuals should be free as long as they acted within the laws of Greece. They highly respected intellectuals, and the concept of deep thinking. The strong emphasis placed upon intellectuality and individualism allowed them to excel in any area they desired. Greeks believed in striving for excellence no matter how big the challenge. Such an avid devotion for Jones 2 excellence paved the way for their many extraordinary accomplishments. (Arrowhead and Greek Culture) The elegance of Greek architecture reveals their aspiration for beauty in distinction. They possessed several different methods of construction, which are still admired and often practiced today. The earliest method consists of rectangular temples of wood with simple post-and-lintel construction. By the fifth century B.C., trees suitable for use were next to impossible to find as a result of deforestation. Architects de...

To what extent has the credit crunch contributed towards a downturn in Essay

To what extent has the credit crunch contributed towards a downturn in UK house prices - Essay Example ers to ask for hefty deposits, with seven of the ten leading lenders not lending to borrowers who have less than 10 per cent deposit (Gilmore & Blakely 2008). This has led to increased stock of unsold property in the market, which in turn has led to the decline in house prices. According to the figures from Nationwide, the second-largest mortgage lender, the value of an average home fell by 1.8 per cent in April. This is 1.1 percent lower from April last year, amounting to a loss equivalent to  £5 per day (Gilmore & Blakely 2008). Shaftesbury, the British property company that has shops and restaurants in and around London’s Carnaby Street, announced a net loss of  £91.2m for the six months preceding March 31 as against a net earnings of  £212m for the corresponding period a year ago. This is the first announcement of loss by the group since 1992. This year, the company announced a fall in its net asset value by 11 percent (O’Grady 2008). The outlook for the coming quarter remains unexciting with more surveyors expecting a decline in rent. Graham Beale, chief executive of Nationwide Building Society, has predicted that this fall in house prices would continue, with further decline in prices into 2009-10. In the six months to the end of September, Nationwide had advanced mortgages worth  £1bn, considering repayments and redemptions, as against  £3.6bn in the corresponding period last year (Osborne 2008). The society reports an increase in arrears and repossession signalling that the adverse effects of the crisis are beginning to set in with the borrowers facing difficulties in making mortgage repayments. Repossessions doubled year on year, with 300 homes repossessed in the six months to the end of April as against 143 in the corresponding period last year (Osborne 2008). The Market Oracle predicts a 15% fall in the UK house prices over two years to August 2009 (Walayat 2008). It is expected that the UK would follow the footsteps of the US, where the housing