Centre of Excellence – Proofreading & Editing Diploma Course

The course begins by clearly defining copy editing and proofreading, noting the similarities and crossovers between them, and looking at each function separately. You’ll discover the skills needed for both roles and where each comes in the editing process and why, as well as the differences between newspaper and magazine editors and those who work in book publishing.

With roles defined, the Proofreading & Editing Course moves on to impart the fundamental skills of copy editing tables and figures, how to edit captions and footnotes, and how and why you should fact check. You’ll learn about the importance of style guides, the difference between a style guide and a style sheet, and the different style manuals that exist, before being provided with a template that will aid you in creating a style sheet of your own.

Proofreading can be tiring on the eyes and the mind, and with fatigue mistakes can be missed. The Proofreading & Editing Course introduces you to practical ways of ensuring greater effectiveness in your role as a proofreader. This includes an exploration of standards in proofing and an explanation of what is meant by “marking” or “marking up”. You will also be provided with two valuable resources to use in your proofing: a list of basic BSI mark-ups and a table of common homophones.

Also, helping you to find common errors quickly, the proofreading course examines major spelling mistakes and errors that appear regularly and why it is we spell words incorrectly. You’ll discover the ten most commonly broken spelling rules as well as what the exceptions to those rules are. Following this, the course outlines common grammatical mistakes you will come across, mistakes related to structure – such as sentence fragments, misplaced articles and misplaced and dangling modifiers – and problems with punctuation.

In addition to correcting the mistakes found in copy, you will learn how to improve upon the copy itself by using different sentence patterns to improve fluency, considering word choice, and spotting pleonasms and tautologies. The Proofreading & Editing Course also covers how verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs should all be addressed in writing and editing.

The last quality check before it is sent to the printers, the final proof is incredibly important, and, along with the front and back covers (in the case of a book), must be right. The course outlines how to manage the final proof and the most important areas to examine before you sign it off.

Having taught you the skills of an editor and a proofreader, the course concludes by guiding you through setting up as a sole trader/self-employed individual. You’ll learn how to register to pay tax, what should be included in your business plan, and how to market your new business.

By the end of the course, you will:

• Understand the editing process
• Clearly, comprehend the differences between proofreading and copy editing
• Know what a style guide and style sheet are and be equipped to create your own
• Comprehend the idea of marking up text on paper and be familiar with some of the most commonly used British Standard symbols
• Be able to apply 10 of the main spelling rules in the English language
• Be able to identify common grammar errors, such as fragment sentences and dangling modifiers
• Know how to identify the different elements of a text or manuscript
• Have the skills to be a proficient copy editor and a proofreader
• Know how to start your business as a self-employed editor and proofreader