Proofreaders Marks

Basic Tools for

Proofreading
and
Editing

Editing Printed Documents

Use a pen with contrasting-colored ink.
Use standard proofreaders marks to
show corrections.
Mark all corrections clearly.

Correcting General Errors

Use a caret () to show an insertion.
Place a diagonal (/) through an unwanted letter.
Change a letter by placing a diagonal through
it and writing the correct letter above it.

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.

Transposing

Use the transposition symbol to

indicate a reversal of keystrokes,
words, phrases, and even sentences.

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.

Just a few more

proofreaders
marks . . .

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 through
the mark.
To change internal punctuation, delete the incorrect mark and
insert the correct one.

Changing Closing Punctuation

+ To add closing punctuation, write periods, question
marks, and exclamation marksand 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Italics and Bold

Underline any words that should appear
in italics.
Place a wavy line under any words that
should be bolded.

11th

The Finished Document

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