Proofreading courses provide the proper training essential for the process of checking books, magazines and journals for errors before they are published.
Proofreading has an important role and carries a high level of responsibility, so proofreading courses are necessary to get assistance and a better understanding of the whole process.
Professional proofreading courses give practical, easy to understand advice and information on what proofreaders and copyeditors do, terms and proofreading marks and symbols in use, principles of correct grammar, punctuation and spelling, how to convert UK English to American (a skill in high demand), tips on how to set up a freelance, how to invoice and collect the money due to you, and many more useful tips and tricks to help you make the most of this career.
Proofreading courses can end in accreditation if you pass the SfEP (Society for Editors and Proofreaders) exam, which earns you a professional qualification in proofreading. This accreditation following the proofreading courses automatically confers advanced membership and can bring you many business enquiries as its accreditation test curriculum is linked to training proofreading courses run by both SfEP and the Publishing Training Center (PTC), and in close connection to the relevant sections of the Training Occupational Standards for Publishing.
After taking the proofreading courses and becoming accredited, the next qualification is registration, for which you need accreditation plus 500 hours of experience spread among two or more customers within the past three years, proving that your competence and reliability have been assessed and appreciated by clients or employers. Since 2002, the accreditation following the proofreading courses has been a stepping stone on the path to registration.
There are several proofreading courses you can take, depending on your level or goals. The most popular proofreading courses are Introduction to proofreading, addressed to beginners and consisting of introductory notions about the principles and practice of proofreading for publishing, thus comprising, among others, practical exercises, relevant typesetting, design and publishing terminology.
Proofreading problems is the next level of proofreading courses, a workshop that picks up where Introduction to proofreading leaves off, assuming knowledge gained in the previous course and continuing with general and scientific texts in dealing with problems like poor typesetting and heavily edited copy. Proofreading for accreditation is the proofreading course that prepares you for SfEP exam, the accreditation test in proofreading. It covers most aspects of the accreditation syllabus, including footnotes, illustrations and captions, headings, running headlines, filling in page numbers etc. Last but not least, among proofreading courses you can take the Brush up your proofreading course, which starts with at beginning, with exercises using BSI symbols to correct text, then moves on to page proofs and issues of page make-up, making it easier for you to check your knowledge in the field, brush it up and update it.
Proofreading courses can earn you a valuable certification and come in handy whether you intend to do proofreading on a professional basis or you’re simply looking to improve your knowledge. As proofreading is not an innate ability, but an acquired skill, the available proofreading courses, containing instructional material as well as assignments, will provide you the necessary means to develop this skill. Structured in chapters, they require no previous background in proofreading, copyediting or publishing, therefore most proofreading courses are suitable for beginners. Theoretical information is provided throughout the course, followed by a series of exercises that must be completed and marked by your personal tutor. A student support team will also be available for unlimited support in whatever difficulties you might stumble upon, you will receive a course manual, assignments and study guide, and tutor support.