How to Proofread Your Own Work

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the term "cognitive blindness."

   It means that your mind will see things the way it thinks it should be seen, rather than how it really is.
   
   So, if you're reading your own work, your mind will read it the way it should have been written.
   
   This means that if you have a double-word, a poorly worded sentence, and so forth, you may not catch it because your mind will read it the way it should have been written.
   
   Here are some ways you can beat this cognitive blindness:
   Read your work out loud.
   
   Doing this will increase your chances of catching a mistake.
   
   Do not read too quickly or too slowly, though; aim for a medium pace.
   
   If you have WiFi, try copying your work into an online voice modulator.
   
   Hit play and listen to your work while you're reading it in your mind.
   
   This will also increase your chances of catching a mistake.
   
   Read your work slowly.
   
   If you rush through it, you'll likely miss mistakes.
   
   Try to read it as you imagine an editor would read it.
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   Step 2: After you've proofread your work yourself

   Alternatively, look it up online if you have access to the Internet.
   
   If for some reason you can't do either, try referring to similar works (if you're proofreading an essay, read someone else's essay; if you're proofreading a short story, read someone else's short story) and pay attention to how they word their sentences.
   
   It will make reading other works more tolerable if you choose those which have a topic that interests you. , This can be a pain sometimes, especially if you want to hurry up and share it.
   
   However, if you read it more than once, twice, even a few times, it will really solidify your confidence that your work is exactly the way you want it. , It helps if you try to do something in between each time you edit your work so that it's easier to distance yourself and spot the errors more objectively; it will also make it a little more tolerable to read it once more.
   
   Try watching a television program, having a meal or snack, just something you enjoy doing before having to read your work again.
   
   If your work is long, as in a novel, for example, you should probably stretch your proofreading out over a matter of days or even weeks.
   
   Read a couple of chapters one day, then another couple the next, and so on; then repeat. , If the program wants to correct something and you don't understand why it needs correcting, try seeing if the program offers some kind of explanation (which is why Microsoft Word is recommended, as it will explain any grammatical errors). , Or, of course, you can still ask your English teacher/professor or fellow writer to proofread your work, if you're comfortable with that.
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   Step 3: if you have any doubts as to if something is a mistake or not

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   Step 4: ask your teacher

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   Step 5: a colleague or another trusted person.

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   Step 6: Read your work through several times.

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   Step 7: Make use of delay between the time of writing and the time of editing.

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   Step 8: If possible

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   Step 9: try using a program that will identify grammar and spelling errors

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    Step 10: such as Microsoft Word.

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    Step 11: If you're still unsure if your work is adequate

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    Step 12: there are some online programs that will proofread your work as well.

Detailed Guide

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