The whoops list “tips for proofreading”

“Once you are satisfied with the content of your essay, be sure that it is visually satisfactory: look for careless mistakes. Proofreading is an essential task that many writers do not take seriously. Reread the essay, out loud if possible, to make sure that it flows well and that it makes sense as a whole.

“Since you have worked on the essay one section at a time, you may have forgotten to connect those sections properly. Reading your essay aloud from beginning to end may make you realize that it is less coherent or not as thorough as you had thought, and you may even have to do some last minute research to bolster a weak point. Hearing a sentence may make its faults clearer than they appear on the page. You may discover that you have left a sentence incomplete, omitted a citation, or (if you are using a computer) forgotten to erase unwanted text.

“If you have typed your paper or used a word processor, you must beware of the illusion of perfection that the printed page presents. Your essay looks so official and sophisticated that mistakes seem inconceivable. However, they are probably there. A typo is no less an error than a spelling mistake. While the professor may know that the error comes from your fingers rather than your brain, the experience of reading your paper will still have been interrupted, and there will be an ugly gash of red ink on the page.

“One of the most efficient ways of picking up spelling errors (if you have the time) is to read your work backwards, word for word. That way you are looking at each individual word, not reading for the overall sense of the passage.
“Alternatively, get a friend to read your paper, or (best of all, both for spelling and for style) leave the paper for several days, then come back and read it carefully. The only problem with this last solution is that it is seldom practical in the real world of university assignments.

“The presentation of your essay is not a trivial matter; you wish to show the reader that you are thorough and organized. A series of typos suggests that you are careless, and does not reflect well upon your work. Check very carefully for errors in spelling, typing, and, especially in the Bibliography, punctuation. Many professors deduct marks for these mistakes.

Reading a messy essay is not a pleasant task. A professor wading through a massive pile of papers may grow impatient with illegible work. Make sure of the following:

• "Your essay is visually appealing
• "The type is large enough and dark enough
• "There are sufficient spaces between the lines

If you are handing in a written assignment, do not fill it with scribbled out words or indecipherable squiggles. Handwriting looks deceptively readable to its writer. Make it easy for your instructor to enjoy reading your work, and you will likely get a better mark.