The first step is to step away from your document! Take a break from your document, if possible, print your document ready for handwritten mark-up
Spelling – use the software’s built-in spell-checker and do a final read-through of your material. Remember to set the Dictionary to the correct language based on your audience, for example, English (Australia) vs English (United States)
Grammar – use the software’s built-in Grammar checker to double-check your Grammar. Microsoft Word allows you to customise your Grammar options via the File » Options » Proofing menu
Sentence Length – read your sentences out loud to confirm the correct punctuation and sentence length. Use colons, semi-colons, commas and m-dashes to split up your longer sentences. Microsoft Word has options in the Proofing menu to check sentence length and sentence structure
Consistent Fonts and Formatting – check for consistent fonts and formatting. You can use a different font for Headings, but ensure the body text is the same font. Use the Word Processor’s built-in styles to ensure consistency across your document. If you update that Style, text in that Style will be automatically updated.
Logical flow of information –your document should flow and be based on a structure or a plan. The type of document you are writing will dictate the flow. For example, are you writing an Essay, a Recipe, a Menu or a blog? Ensure your writing style and structure matches your audience and document purpose
Some proofreaders read a document backwards. This helps to pick up typos that your brain may unintentionally autocorrect!
