Re: Proofreading your own material

[Shawn <shawn -at- cohodata -dot- com>]

Hello Raphael,


I don't get it either (re: proofreading backwards). I am probably not
understanding because I just tried that method and I cannot see how this
method could possibly be effective.

Since I have spend many years as a sole writer and proofreader, my
technique works pretty well:
1) Allow a number of days (i.e. a week) to elapse after writing and before
proof reading.
2) Copy and paste the content into a separate/different editor (I copy my
content to Google Docs and read from my tablet or print out)

Repeat, if necessary.

I find that by using this technique, I not only find and correct errors, I
also improve the overall quality and clarity of the copy (i.e. move around
content, new content, remove redundant content, etc.).


Best regards,
Shawn

On Sat, Feb 14, 2015 at 8:14 AM, RaphaelWorkman -at- comcast -dot- net <
raphaelworkman -at- comcast -dot- net> wrote:

> Ken,
>
> Forgive my ignorance, but I have a follow up question in reading the
> document from end to beginning.
>
> Do you read every word (e.g. The previous sentence would read, "beginning
> to end from document the reading in question up follow...").
>
> Or do you read the last sentence then the second to last sentence and so
> forth? Or paragraphs?
>
> I'm interested in achieving the results you have achieved.
>
> -Raphael
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Feb 14, 2015, at 9:04 AM, Ken Poshedly <poshedly -at- bellsouth -dot- net>
> wrote:
> >
> > Way back in late 1979 and early 1980 -- in the days of phototypesetting
> and before desktop publishing -- while I was an associate editor at what
> was the American Society for Personnel Administration (now the Society for
> Human Resources Management), the editor of the association's monthly
> magazine showed me her own tried-and-true proofreading method.
> >
> > Reading every story backwards, from end to the beginning. And I don't
> recall her ever failing to have the cleanest, error-free copy.
> >
> > It was Catherine (Cate) Downes-Bower and if this ever gets back to her,
> kudos to her. I do it when time permits and consistently pass the tip along
> to my coworkers.
> >
> > -- Ken in Atlanta
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
-- 
*Shawn Connelly*
Technical writer
  <shawn -at- cohodata -dot- com>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Doc-To-Help: The Quickest Way to Author and Publish Online Help, Policy & Procedure Guides, eBooks, and more using Microsoft Word | http://bit.ly/doctohelp2015

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com


Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and info.

Looking for articles on Technical Communications?  Head over to our online magazine at http://techwhirl.com

Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions?  Search our public email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives