Good proofreading are important. Typing errors, especially in someone's name or title can be upsetting to the reader. Spellcheckers help but are only the beginning.
Proof reading your documents can be a challenge. Start with Spellchecker, but Spellchecker does not find every possible typing error, it's only the beginning. Use the list below to help you find most of your errors.
Common Document Errors:
- Look for words that are similar; the/then, his/her, to/too.
- Check dates for accuracy, dates should typed as May 1, 2006, or Sunday, July 2, 2006. Dates should be kept on one line.
- Double check email and web site address.
- Check numbers and dollar values.
- Double check peoples titles.
- Check for Enclosures.
- Check for commas instead of periods, double periods, and periods instead of commas.
- Check the spacing between sentences and paragraphs. They should be the same.
- Check for capital letters to be where they should be, not where they should not be. (Sometimes the beginning of a line will automatically capitalize.)
- When using brackets and quotes, check for the second )."
- Look for skipped words or sentences.
- Words should not be abbreviated in your letters or memos. Always spell out the words.
Document Formatting
- Look for the consistency of headers and sub-headers (bolding, spacing etc.).
- Letters should be centered vertically on the page, not starting at the top of the page.
- Letters should also be centered horizontally between the margins.
- Memos start at the top of the page.
- Text and white spaces should be balanced.
- Check the alignment of paragraphs.
- Font size should be consistent. When copying text from other documents, reformat the text if a different font and size was used.
Too much text?
- Change the font size from 12 point to 11.5 or 11 point.
- Adjust the margins, bigger smaller.
- Reduce the space between paragraphs.
- Change some words in your document, or remove a sentence.
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The copyright of the article Common Document Errors in Computer Software is owned by Sharon Koss. Permission to republish Common Document Errors in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
