In short
- Leave a day between finishing and proofreading.
- Read it aloud, slowly, or have your device read it to you.
- Check one kind of mistake at a time, not everything at once.
- Finish with the references and the format the brief asks for.
You’ve read your essay so many times that your brain fills in what it expects to see. That’s why mistakes survive “one last read”. Proofreading works when you slow down and look for one thing at a time.
This lesson is part of step 7, write, check and hand in. Do it after checking against the brief, not before: there’s no point polishing a paragraph you might cut.
The checklist
Spelling and grammar check
Run your word processor’s check first, and set it to UK English if that’s what your course uses.
Read it aloud
Out loud, or with text-to-speech. You’ll hear missing words, sentences that run on, and ones that don’t make sense. Mark each problem, then fix them all afterwards.
Look for your own habits
Everyone has a few: its and it’s, their and there, commas everywhere, very long sentences. Search for them one at a time.
Check names, numbers and terms
Authors’ names, dates, statistics and technical terms. Each should be spelled the same way every time.
Check the references
Every citation is in the list and every entry is cited, with matching names and years. See matching citations to the list.
Check the format
Word count, font, line spacing, page numbers, headings, file name and file type: whatever the brief asks for.
A one-page version to copy
- Spellcheck run, set to the right English.
- Read aloud, every problem marked, then fixed.
- My usual slips searched for, one at a time.
- Names, dates, numbers and terms consistent.
- Every citation in the list, every entry cited.
- Word count, font, spacing, page numbers and headings as the brief asks.
- Cover page, file name and file type right.
Paste it into the card or document for this assignment and tick it off as you go.
Ways to see it fresh
- Change the font or size for the proofread, so the page looks unfamiliar.
- Print it, if you can. Mistakes are easier to spot on paper.
- Read the last paragraph first, then work backwards. You read for errors, not for the argument.
Common mistakes
- Proofreading straight after finishing, when you see what you meant, not what you wrote.
- Making big changes during the proofread, which introduces new errors. Big changes come before it.
- Forgetting the cover page and file name, the first things the marker sees.
Make the checks happen in KanBananza
- The final checks get skipped at 2am. A Final checks card with your checklist: the ready-made Essay or dissertation and Dissertation, chapter by chapter boards include one, with references, word count and proofreading. Free
- The reference list, the night before. Copy reference list on a card pastes into Word or Google Docs with italics and hanging indents. Full Bananza
For your level
GCSE and A level
For coursework, check the exam board’s word limit and any rules on what counts towards it.
University
Check the department’s style guide for formatting rules, and whether the word count includes quotes, footnotes and the reference list.
Dissertations
Proofread one chapter per session over several days, then check the contents page, figure numbers and cross-references last.
Questions
How long before the deadline should I proofread?
Leave at least a day between finishing the draft and proofreading it. Fresh eyes catch far more. For a dissertation, leave several days.
Is a spellchecker enough?
No. It misses real words in the wrong place (their and there, form and from) and can’t tell whether a sentence makes sense. Use it first, then read.
Can someone else proofread my work?
A friend or family member can point out where something is unclear. Check your school’s or university’s rules on how much help is allowed, and never let anyone rewrite it for you.
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