Proofreading Service

A-Line's proofreading service involves a thorough check of your document for errors such as incorrect spelling, punctuation, typographical errors (for example, extra spaces, duplication of words, captions that do not match illustrations, transposed material) and incorrect grammar. Proofreading is appropriate for writers who are satisfied with the general layout or structure of their document and the writer simply wants a final quality control measure.

The spelling check takes into account your requirements for Australian, American or British English.

Proofreading fee.

Why you cannot rely on a computer spell- and grammar-check function

The most common trap for writers is the reliance on a computer spell-check and grammar-check functions. These checkers only pick up errors within a pre-programmed function. For specialised fields such as science or medicine, lengthy terms or uncommon words are generally not included in the software dictionary. Where words have been correctly spelled but have been used in the wrong context (homophones: words that sound the same but are spelled differently), a computer's check function will not identify the error.  For example:

    I don't know weather my appointment is today or tomorrow.

In this example, the word weather is incorrect; it should in fact be whether.

Similarly, a computer spell-checker may identify different errors, depending on the version of English that has been programmed or set, such as Australian, American or British English. Words where such differences are common include Australian/British words that end in -our, such as labour, colour, favour.  The American English version of these words is labor, color and favor. Other examples include words that end in -ise (Australian/British) versus ize (American), such as recognise versus recognize. There are many other examples where these differences apply.

Hard Copy Marked Changes

If you wish to either submit a document that is in hard copy or would like your electronic document printed and marked-up by hand, this will be achieved using common proofreading marks. For a document that is double-spaced, marks will be made within the text and above the text line. For single-spaced documents, marks will be made at the relevant point in the text and referenced in the margin.

Full Edit

If you would like your document edited or proofread with the changes inserted directly into the document with no visible tracking of the changes, this is the option for you. The editor will work directly with the electronic document, with the tracked changes feature turned off. This means you will receive back the fully revised document with no reference to where the changes have been made and no ability to choose whether or not you accept the changes.

Electronic Tracked Changes

Electronic tracked changes is the option you would choose for your document copy edit/proofread if you wish to decide whether to accept or reject the suggested changes. The document will be reviewed in Microsoft Word® with the tracked changes function switched on. When you receive your checked document, all suggested changes will be highlighted by a different coloured font, a margin line and a summary box of the change. You can then review your document and choose to accept/reject a suggestion by the click of your mouse.

Similarly, any structural or formatting suggestions will be highlighted, giving you full control of the appearance of your end product. Where the editor has other comments or suggestions, a comment will be inserted at the relevant point in the text for you to consider. A comment will be inserted in a balloon in the margin of the document.

Copy Editing Service

A copy edit of your document will involve a line-by-line edit of the text and will identify potential areas for improvement in the work, with an overall aim to enhance readability. In addition to proofreading the text, the copy edit will also look for such things as:

style discrepancies for example fonts, heading size/placement
format consistency throughout document
paragraph layout
continuity
appropriateness for target audience
consistency with publishing firm or business style
copyright issues

In addition to the above, a copy edit will also involve a check of references/quotes that have been placed either in a footnote or endnote, against the full bibliography.

Copy Editing fee.

Writers' Services

If you have a manuscript, short story or an article for publication, A-Line can be of benefit, ensuring clarity, consistency and an error-free submission.  Services include:

Articles
Manuscripts
Short Stories

Personal Documentation Services

Whether you are writing a job application, letter of complaint or scholarship submission, it is important that you get your message across to the reader clearly and concisely. When it comes to employment, a well-formatted résumé and job application letter will help to make you stand out from the others.

A-Line offers editing and proofreading services for all of your personal documentation including:

Correspondence
Job applications
Letters
Personal Documents
Résumés
Scholarship Submissions
Web Pages

For those where English is not your first language, A-Line can assist with improving your written English. Please note however, A-Line does not provide translation services.