After copyediting has been completed and a manuscript has been typeset or composed into page proofs, the next step in the process is proofreading. Not to confused with copyediting, the objective of proofreading in its purest and most traditional form is to ensure that the page proofs match the manuscript.

 

Page proofs are typically provided as portable document format (.pdf) files generated from the layout program, such as Adobe InDesign.

 

Unlike a Microsoft Word manuscript page, .pdfs of page proofs represent exactly what the final product will look like. Developed by Adobe in the 1990s, .pdfs are a critical element in the overall process, enabling the user to review and mark pages on screen, eliminating the need for printed versions. 

 

A key aspect of using .pdfs is that .pdfs are software, hardware, and operating system independent, meaning the files should look exactly the same on any system, through any .pdf viewing program being used on either a PC or a Mac.

 

The page-proof stages can vary depending on the product type (for example, journals versus books) and from publisher to publisher.

 

There are two primary types of proofreading: word-for-word and a “cold” (or “blind” read). As the name implies, word-for-word proofreading means that the page proof is read and compared word-for-word, against the original manuscript. This is more difficult than it may sound, because the proofreader is going back and forth, ideally on two screens, and it takes experience and practice to master the skill required to not lose your place. 

 

Word-for-Word Proofreading

 

Under this scenario the proofreader is usually requested (and required) to limit changes to anything that is in variance with the manuscript. This means that as long as the page proof matches the manuscript, the text can be assumed to be correct.

 

Cold or Blind Proofreading 

 

Under this alternative scenario, although the proofreader is still reading word for word, they are not expected to read against (or compare to) the manuscript. This can be trickier from the proofreader’s perspective because not comparing each word directly to the original manuscript can raise a lot more questions regarding, for example, word usage.

 

Both of these types of proofreading are based on the assumption that the text has been properly copyedited. Aside from anything in variance with the manuscript (with a word-for-word model) or anything that is an obvious “miss” by the copy editor (in a cold read), proofreaders are generally only charged with addressing errors that occurred during the composition phase or that are truly egregious. Under both of these models, proofreaders are not expected to rewrite any text.

 

Editorial Proofread

 

A third, hybrid approach has surfaced in recent years, sometimes called an editorial proofread. It’s a cold read, but there are generally much higher expectations from the publisher that the proofreader will make text changes. The reasons a publisher may opt for an editorial proofread may vary. In some cases, the work of a prestigious author may, in their view, warrant an additional read. In other cases, the publisher might not trust that the copyediting was entirely up to par and would expect the text to be cleaned up in page proofs. 

 

In other cases, publishers may opt to skip copyediting entirely and expect all text revisions to be handled in page proofs. This is a questionable process at best, because reworking an entire book to accommodate extensive late changes can cause additional complications and/or delays.

 

At Virtus, we exclusively use word-for-word proofreading, which is assigned to qualified and vetted resources.

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