Who would benefit from a proofreading course?
Anyone who aims for a career in proofreading would be expected to take a proofreading course in one form or another. The traditional path to any job in publishing begins with a university degree in an English-related discipline, such as English literature, journalism, or communications. However, times are changing, and there are many other routes into publishing. Writing and editing are two other jobs that require proofreading skills. You would be unlikely to get far if your finished work in either of these fields failed to meet expected standards in spelling and grammar. So proofreaders are not the only ones who should consider taking a proofreading course.
Proofreaders
The Internet has opened up the possibility of a proofreading career to people from many different backgrounds. For example, many teachers, who are used to correcting their students’ work, find it easy to do proofreading work to supplement their income. Some become so comfortable with the role that they end up quitting their day job to take on proofreading as a full-time career. Anyone edging into proofreading from another profession would need to take a short proofreading course to understand the demands of the job.
Copywriters
Like proofreading, copywriting is a career that is available to people who did not study English in college or university. Websites specializing in advice on medicine, engineering, or technology need writers with knowledge and experience in those fields. Anyone switching from a non-publishing background to a writing career would need to take a proofreading course to ensure that his or her English skills are up to scratch.
Editors
Proofreading is an essential part of editing, so any trainee editor should take a proofreading course. Even editors who come from a university background may be expected to take a proofreading course at several points in their career. This is because the English language is constantly changing, and publishing industry standards change with it.
Academics
The reputation of budding scientists in academia is built on the number and quality of papers they have published in their chosen fields. A limited number of publications are seen as credible outlets for scientific papers in any discipline. Therefore, a young researcher seeking recognition cannot afford a reputation for poor spelling and sloppy grammar. A proofreading course is a good career move for those who hope to establish a name in their chosen academic field.
Take a proofreading course
You may feel that you cannot take time off from work to attend a proofreading course, or perhaps there is no proofreading course within commuting distance. Fortunately, you can take a proofreading course online so you don’t have to be in a particular place at a specific time. An online course lets you acquire proofreading skills without disrupting your daily schedule.