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Proofreaders' Marks: Basic Tools For Proofreading and Editing

This document provides guidelines for standard proofreaders' marks used to edit and correct printed documents. It explains how to use various symbols to indicate insertions, deletions, changes to letters, words, punctuation, capitalization, numbers, abbreviations, paragraphs, and text formatting like italics and bold. The goal is to clearly communicate all corrections to the original text.

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Vic V. Magara
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318 views

Proofreaders' Marks: Basic Tools For Proofreading and Editing

This document provides guidelines for standard proofreaders' marks used to edit and correct printed documents. It explains how to use various symbols to indicate insertions, deletions, changes to letters, words, punctuation, capitalization, numbers, abbreviations, paragraphs, and text formatting like italics and bold. The goal is to clearly communicate all corrections to the original text.

Uploaded by

Vic V. Magara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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 marks—and 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.

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