Could a
typographical error really bring Wall Street to its knees?
We may never get the full story, but the word is that a
trader hit a “b” for billion rather than an “m” for million
while selling stock futures. The thousandfold mistake caused the biggest midday
stock market drop in history.
There’s a good lesson in this for all
communications professionals. Typos and other errors can be costly—really
costly—and careful proofreading is essential for success in any business.
Here are some tips and techniques that will save you
time, money and embarrassment.
Put the
creative treasure you just completed aside for a few hours or days, if you can.
You need to clear your head and take a fresh look at what you’ve written
so you won’t skip over errors.
If possible, do your
editing and proofreading in short blocks of time, rather than all at once.
Get rid of distractions and potential interruptions.
Switch off the cell phone, pager or PDA and stay away from your email.
Keep a dictionary and a thesaurus close at
hand.
Use a
spell and grammar checker for only a quick first look at your
document— then forget it!
Don’t try to
proofread on a computer screen. Print a copy and read it aloud and
silently.
Proofread
an article by starting at the end of the piece. When we read backwards,
we’re not reading for content, so we’re not sidetracked by the
temptation to edit the copy.
Proof the body of the text
first. Then go back and proof the headings.
Although they
command attention, headlines and headings are easy to overlook if you
don’t focus on them.
Don’t
proof for every type of mistake at once. Do one proof for spelling. Do another
proofing for errors like changes in fonts and font styles, missing or extra
spaces or incorrect spacing between headlines and text or gutters between
columns of text.
Double-check the little words;
“or,” “of,” “it,” and “is” are often
interchanged.
Tiny type
can give readers fits. If it’s too hard for you to read, consider bumping
the size up one or two points for easier reading.
Watch
out for contractions and apostrophes. People often mix their and they’re,
its and it’s, your and you’re, etc.
Remember
that the apostrophe is never used to denote plurals.
Check—and then recheck—proper names. Misspelling of individuals’ names, places or organizations can be disastrous. If you are at all in doubt, contact someone who can give you the correct spelling.
Proofread captions to ensure that they are correct and match the pictures or artwork. Make sure that the number of names matches the number of people shown in photos.
We’ve
already seen what a misplaced “b” could do in the financial world.
But what about the population of China: is it 1,200,000 or 1,200,000,000?
Make sure that all of your numbers are correct. It’s
also a good idea to check the math.
Closely review page
numbers and other footer and header material for accuracy and correct
order.
Finally,
find a friend or colleague to proofread for you. You’ll be amazed at the
mistakes you’ve missed.
Better still, hire a pro.
Catching one major error will more than pay for the proofreader’s
fee.
Now your
publication is proofed and ready to go to press. You need to send it to the
leader in on-demand digital communications that will help you select the right
paper and binding style—and add the finishing touches to make your book a
masterpiece.
Send the job to Copresco.
Check out
Copresco’s TechTopics
No. 12 guidelines for more effective proofreading and a short treatise
on spell checkers.
More ways to avoid embarrassing—
and costly—proofreading mistakes and blunders are included.
The bulletin will be helpful to anyone who creates or is
responsible for final approval of books and manuals for publication.
For a free TechTopics subscription,
complete the form on
our website.
Copresco will be closed on Monday, May 31, in honor of Memorial Day.
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