Proofreaders ’ Marks

1. Proofreaders’ Marks Basic Tools for Proofreading and Editing

2. Editing Printed Documents • Use a pen with contrasting-colored ink. • Use standard proofreaders’ marks to show corrections. • Mark all corrections clearly.

3. Correcting General Errors • Use a caret () to show an insertion. • Place a diagonal (/) through an unwanted letter. • Change a letter by placing a diagonal throughit and writing the correct letter above it.

4. Deleting and Changing • Delete words and phrases by running a horizontal line through them. • Change text by first deleting it and then writing the correction above the deletion.

5. Transposing Use the transposition symbol to indicate a reversal of keystrokes, words, phrases, and even sentences.

6. Closing Up and Inserting Spaces • Close up an extra space with loops above and below the space. • Show where a space is needed by using the insertion caret and placing the number sign directly above the caret.

7. Just a few more proofreaders’ marks . . .

8. Changing Internal Punctuation • To add internal punctuation, place the comma, semicolon,or colon inside a caret at the point of insertion. • To delete internal punctuation, place a diagonal throughthe mark. • To change internal punctuation, delete the incorrect mark and insert the correct one.

9. Changing Closing Punctuation • To add closing punctuation, write periods, question marks, and exclamation marks—and circle them. • To delete closing punctuation, place a diagonal through the mark. • To change closing punctuation, delete the incorrect mark and add the correct one; circle the new mark.

10. Other Punctuation • Add quotation marks or an apostrophe by placing the mark in an inverted insertion mark (). • Add a hyphen by using the insertion mark () at the point of entry and placing an equal sign (=) directly above the caret.

11. Capitalizing Words • To show that a single letter should be capitalized, place three short lines under it. • To show that entire words should be capitalized, underline the word or word group three times.

12. Correcting Capitalized Words • Place a diagonal ( / ) through a capital letter that should appear in lowercase form. • Use a diagonal and a straight line to show which letters should not be capitalized in words appearing in all capital letters.

13. Number Usage • If a figure should be written in words, circle the figure. • If a number written in word form should be in figures, draw a horizontal line through it and write the correct figure or figures above it.

14. Abbreviations • If an abbreviation should be spelled out, circle the abbreviation. • If a word or words should be abbreviated, draw a horizontal line through the word or words and write the abbreviation above the lined-out text.

15. Paragraphs • To insert a new paragraph, place a paragraph mark (¶) at the point of insertion. • To delete a new paragraph beginning, write No ¶ where the paragraphs are to be combined.

16. 11th Italics and Bold • Underline any words that should appearin italics. • Place a wavy line under any words that should be bolded.

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