Proofreading Checklist

VISUAL

• Print piece if possible.
• Scan document. Does anything look out of place?
• Check typeface. Agenda and Utopia should be used in print pieces.
• Ensure logo and other images are proportional and not stretched or distorted.
• Review headings for consistent formatting.

GRAMMAR AND SPELLING

• Check punctuation.
  • • Periods, exclamation points, question marks and colons are followed by one space.
    • Exclamation points are used sparingly.
    • Each complete sentence includes punctuation.
    • Apostrophes and quotation marks are curved/slanted.
    • Remove ampersands unless they’re part of a formal name.
• Check spelling
• Review bulleted lists. Each item should have the same structure (start with the same part of speech, use the same verb tense).

MEANING

• Read piece aloud if possible.
• Ensure piece has a logical flow of ideas.
• Put yourself in the shoes of the reader. Is all important information easy to find? Are there any terms that might be confusing? Is the purpose of the message clear?

ACCURACY

• Cross-reference the campus directory to ensure professional titles are up to date.
• Double-check first and last names.
• Use Offices A-Z List to check office and department names.
• Ensure correct building names and room numbers are used.
• Use a calendar to check days and dates.
• Verify date, time, location, address, etc.
• Check other facts as needed.

STYLE

• Ensure correct building names and room number style is used.
• Check that phone numbers utilize hyphens and are complete, including the area code.
• Review times and dates for consistent and correct formatting.
• Confirm numbers follow AP style.

WORD/PHRASE REPETITION

• Reword or remove repeated words or phrases.