The Argument for Proofreading

An imaginative local teacher has her students collect and bring in examples of typos and misspelled words from newspapers, magazines and web sources. It's to teach them to recognize sloppy writing. The class is assigned a quota every six weeks. We have had fun helping two of the students meet their quotas.

Our daily paper has been enough of a source that you think a budget cut must have eliminated the proofreader's job. One recent article was headed in bold print with 'principal' when it was 'principle' that was meant.

But before I criticize them I should own that my daughter found typos in two of my blogs. Egg on the writer's face. Blush here.

A friend who had been a newspaper proofreader found that reading backwards worked. Some say it helps to read what you've written out loud. Spellcheck can't catch everything. It can't know you mean 'for' when you write 'far' or vice versa.

I'll try to be more careful. And less critical.