Proofreading & Editing Diploma Course By Centre of Excellence For Digital Download!

What Will You Learn?

With our Proofreading & Editing Course, you'll learn how to proofread and edit copy so that it is ready for publication. You’ll learn editing and the techniques used to perform the roles effectively, important information on language, and how to go about setting up your own business, offering proofreading and copy editing services.

The course begins by clearly defining copy editing and proofreading, noting the similarities and crossovers between them, and looking at each function separately. You’ll discover the skills needed for both roles and where each comes in the editing process and why, as well as the differences between newspaper and magazine editors and those who work in book publishing.

With roles defined, the Proofreading & Editing Course moves on to impart the fundamental skills of copy editing tables and figures, how to edit captions and footnotes, and how and why you should fact check. You’ll learn about the importance of style guides, the difference between a style guide and a style sheet, and the different style manuals that exist, before being provided with a template that will aid you in creating a style sheet of your own.

Proofreading can be tiring on the eyes and the mind, and with fatigue mistakes can be missed. The Proofreading & Editing Course introduces you to practical ways of ensuring greater effectiveness in your role as a proofreader. This includes an exploration of standards in proofing and an explanation of what is meant by “marking” or “marking up”. You will also be provided with two valuable resources to use in your proofing: a list of basic BSI mark-ups and a table of common homophones.

Also, helping you to find common errors quickly, the proofreading course examines major spelling mistakes and errors that appear regularly and why it is we spell words incorrectly. You’ll discover the ten most commonly broken spelling rules as well as what the exceptions to those rules are. Following this, the course outlines common grammatical mistakes you will come across, mistakes related to structure - such as sentence fragments, misplaced articles and misplaced and dangling modifiers – and problems with punctuation.

In addition to correcting the mistakes found in copy, you will learn how to improve upon the copy itself by using different sentence patterns to improve fluency, considering word choice, and spotting pleonasms and tautologies. The Proofreading & Editing Course also covers how verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs should all be addressed in writing and editing.

The last quality check before it is sent to the printers, the final proof is incredibly important, and, along with the front and back covers (in the case of a book), must be right. The course outlines how to manage the final proof and the most important areas to examine before you sign it off.

Having taught you the skills of an editor and a proofreader, the course concludes by guiding you through setting up as a sole trader/self-employed individual. You’ll learn how to register to pay tax, what should be included in your business plan, and how to market your new business.

By the end of the course, you will:

• Understand the editing process
• Clearly, comprehend the differences between proofreading and copy editing
• Know what a style guide and style sheet are and be equipped to create your own
• Comprehend the idea of marking up text on paper and be familiar with some of the most commonly used British Standard symbols
• Be able to apply 10 of the main spelling rules in the English language
• Be able to identify common grammar errors, such as fragment sentences and dangling modifiers
• Know how to identify the different elements of a text or manuscript
• Have the skills to be a proficient copy editor and a proofreader
• Know how to start your business as a self-employed editor and proofreader

Course Syllabus
What will I learn on the course?

Module 1 – What is Editing?
8 parts
Introduction
Part 1: Definition of Editing
Module Exercise
Part 2: Different Editing Formats
Answers to Module Exercise
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 1 Assessment

Module 2 – The Difference Between Copy Editing and Proofreading
12 parts
Part 1: Role of the Copy Editor
Part 2: Copy Editing Skills List
Part 3:  What is the Role of a Proofreader?
Part 4: Proofreading Skills List
Part 5: When do Copy Editing and Proofreading Occur?
Part 6: Online Proofreading Tools
Module Exercises
Part 7: Conclusion
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 2 Assessment

Module 3 – Tables, Figures and Other Elements of Copy Editing
9 parts
Part 1: Tables
Part 2: Figures
Part 3: Checking Factual Information
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 3 Assessment
Conclusion

Module 4 – Applying Style
10 parts
Part 1: What is a Style Guide and Why is it Important?
Part 2: Types of Style Guides
Part 3: Creating Your Own Style Sheet
Module Exercises
Part 4: Example of a Style Sheet
Conclusion
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 4 Assessment

Module 5 – How to Proofread
7 parts
Part 1: Standards in Proofing
Part 2: Steps to Proofreading
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 5 Assessment

Module 6 – Errors and Rules in Spelling
7 parts
Part 1: Why We Make Spelling Mistakes
Module Exercises
Part 2: Primary Spelling Rules
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 6 Assessment

Module 7 – Common Grammar Mistakes
8 parts
Part 1: Sentence Fragments
Module Exercises
Part 2: Punctuation Errors
Answers to Module Exercises
Conclusion
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 7 Assessment

Module 8 – Language
8 parts
Part 1: How to Edit for Fluency and Flow
Part 2: Correct Word Choice
Part 3: Precision in Word Choice
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 8 Assessment

Module 9 – The Final Proof
7 parts
Part 1: What is a Print Proof?
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Part 2: Proofing a Book Cover
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 9 Assessment

Module 10 – Working as an Editor or Proofreader
6 parts
Part 1: Editing or Proofreading or Both?
Part 2: Creating a Business Plan
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Conclusion
Module 10 Assessment