Edit smarter, not harder

By Demie Tan, Tender Specialist, Perth.

It’s finally done! Your very technical subject matter experts have finally put pen to paper. Your days spent worrying about submitting a compelling bid are almost a distant memory.

Now it’s your turn to make sure everything written is error-free. You know the grammatical, punctuation and formatting errors I’m talking about. Consistency also often proves to be an issue, and we need to ensure our documents read as one voice. After all, we want to put our best foot forward. 

So, to assist you with this task, here are several tried and tested tips on proofreading:

1. Eliminate distractions

It’s a good idea to try and eliminate distractions during the proofreading process. For example, I might keep my head down in the office for a few hours and focus on the task at hand.

2. Get your style guide 

The document you’re proofreading should reflect the guidelines within this document. Style guides are created to establish consistency throughout your document. 

3. Time is not of the essence (to a certain extent)

Skimming a document is not going to help you catch errors. 

4. One step at a time

It’s a good idea to proofread for only one error at a time. This allows you to focus on what you need to look out for. You won’t be catching skillful versus skilful if you’re too busy being distracted by a missing full stop or coma. 

5. Learn to love your voice

Reading out loud allows you to identify any readability issues throughout the document. 

6. Make a list of problem words

This is to identify additional words that still need to be listed within the style guide. A decision can then be made and included in the style guide to ensure consistency. For example, subcontractor versus sub-contractor. 

7. Work smart, not hard

Check for acronyms efficiently by utilising MS Word’s Wildcards option. Locate Advanced Find on your navigation pane and click the More>> button. In the Find what field, type <[A-Z]{2,}> and select the use wildcards check box. All acronyms will be highlighted, allowing you to locate inconsistencies. 

8. Formatting

Go through your document with a fine tooth comb and make sure to fix any formatting issues that come up.

9. Track changes

This should always be turned on when proofreading. With this option, you can make reversible changes, allowing your authors to ensure that changes made have not altered the context.

10. Have a checklist

Keep track of what you have or haven’t reviewed with a checklist. For example, mark an ‘X’ next to what has been reviewed. 

11. US vs UK language

Automatically identify all American spelling by searching for ‘ize’ through the navigation pane, this allows you to make the required changes.

12. Double-check your work

Always double-check your work. Once I’ve completed the proofreading process, I’ll usually go back for another round for fear of missing something. I use my paranoia to serve me, and maybe you can too.  

I hope these tips prove helpful during your next tender.