Proofreading Tip: Spelling Proper Nouns

Some proper names exist in the electronic dictionary; however, some do not. To be sure you always spell a company name or a person’s name correctly, add it to the electronic dictionary: right-click the name; then, select Add to Dictionary. Be sure it’s spelled correctly; that way, misspellings will be flagged.

Names added to this dictionary works in the other Microsoft Office programs such as Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel.
To delete a name from the dictionary

1. Click the Office button (2007 Word version).
2. Select Word Options button.
3. Click Proofing link (left side).
4. Click Custom Dictionaries button.
5. Click Edit Word List button.
6. Select word to delete from Dictionary list.
7. Click Delete button.
8. Click OK three times.

People don't like their names misspelled! Make a good impression.
 
Judy Beaver, The Office Pro
Founder of National Proofreading Day
Judy@TheOfficePro.net

Proofreading Tip: Proofreading on the Computer Screen

Proofreading a printed document is easier than proofreading on the computer screen, although printing every document wastes so much paper. I love these reminders to be more green--have you seen them on people’s e-mails?

Word has several features to make on-screen proofreading easier:

Use the Zoom feature to help make the text bigger, especially to distinguish between those small punctuation marks. Is it a period or a comma? (Where are my glasses?)

In versions 2007 and 2010, the Zoom control is in the lower right corner of the status bar. Slide the marker to the right or left to increase or decrease the text.

Zoom control for 2007 and 2010

 

In 2003 version, the Zoom button is on the Standard toolbar.  Click the arrow to select an option, or click in the box to enter a custom percentage.

Zoom button for 2003

Text Highlight Color button

Select text that you want to double-check for accuracy or to review later with the Text Highlight Color tool.  The Text Highlight Color button is in the Font grouping on the Home tab ribbon in versions 2007 and 2010; the Highlight button is on the Formatting toolbar in version 2003. Also, create a sticky note as a reminder of what to do (use keyboard shortcut, CTRL+ALT+M).

Change your document to double-spacing for easy reading: Press CTRL+A to select the entire document; then, press CTRL+2 to double-space the document. (Press CTRL+1 to return to single spacing.)

See, it's easy to be green.

Judy Beaver, The Office Pro

Founder of National Proofreading Day

Judy@TheOfficePro.net

Proofreading Tip: CTRL+F Helps You Find Typos

Some of us mistype words, and we don’t see them when we’re proofreading because we read the word as we meant to type it, right? And just because they’re typos doesn’t mean that spell checker will find them because they’re words; e.g., you for your, form for from. Word can help you find these typos:

1. Press CTRL+F.
2. Type the mistyped word in the Find what: textbox (form).
3. Press Enter.

Word will find each occurrence of the word; then, you can determine if the word (form) is used properly. Continue to press Enter until the dialog box displays, Word has finished searching the document. Press Enter to close that dialog box; then click Cancel to close the Find and Replace dialog box.

Judy Beaver, The Office Pro
Founder of National Proofreading Day
Judy@TheOfficePro.net

Proofreading Tip: Paired Punctuation Marks

How many times have you written an explanation or comment in parentheses and forgot to use the closing parenthesis? Some punctuation marks come in pairs. Excel will tell you it found an error in the formula if you don’t have matching parentheses. And Excel will offer a correction. The closing mark--quotation mark, parenthesis, or bracket--is easy to overlook.

In Word, use the Find command to help you. Press CTRL+F; type the beginning mark in the Find what: text box. Press ENTER to search the document. That way, you’ll find the beginning mark to see if its companion mark was typed.

Judy Beaver, The Office Pro
Founder of National Proofreading Day
Judy@TheOfficePro.net