Tips for Effective Proofreading

When clients submit files to TGI Direct for design, print or mail, every effort is made to assure that the quality and accuracy of each piece is the best possible. There are steps in place to quality check the work in every phase against the hard copy and/or files provided by the client. In the last phase before production, a proof is provided to the client for final approval and sign-off. At this point it is very important for you [the client] to thoroughly examine the piece for inaccuracies or errors. Because each piece is more than simply text on paper, there are many things to look for. Here are some tips to help you with effective proofreading.

Color Breaks:
If the job is more than one color, are the individual colors clearly marked? Are the correct colors noted (i.e. Pantone spot colors)? The proof that is provided is intended as a color pleasing representation of the final product, and in some cases it is impossible to exactly match color in a proof. If color is critical, the best resolution for guaranteeing accurate color is through a press check.

Special Applications:
More often than not a piece will wind up as something other than a flat sheet of paper. If it is a publication, a mail piece with a tear-out, or any one of many non-standard pieces, it is important to make sure all of the elements are clearly noted and accounted for. This would include folds, perfs, collating, stitching, die cutting, gluing, etc. The best way to check these things is with a full-size mock-up of the final product. When viewing a file on-screen, it is easy to miss nuances related to manufacturing, and you are looking at a one-dimensional piece that is not actual size.

Text:
We proofread for spelling, punctuation, grammar and content against client provided hard copy. Every effort is made to be sure that the copy matches the client sample, but there are unique attributes that only the client can verify. Here is a list of some of the things to look for:
• Line breaks
• Proper names
• Addresses and phone numbers
• Dates and times
• Technical terminology
• Foreign language content
• Legal references

The client's role in the final accuracy of the piece is integral. When you sign-off on final approval, you are stating that the piece is accurate, complete and precisely what you are looking for. For this reason, proofing is very important and should not be done in a cursory manner.

As an added value, we would like to provide you with a table of common proofreading marks to assist you in proofing your work. For a PDF version of this table, please click here