College Writing 113 @ casad.org

Proof marks and Correction Symbols

Most writing standards are set by professional organizations, publishing houses, and "acknowledged authorities" (ex., The New Fowler's, edited by R.W. Burchfield and published by the Clarendon press). College students also have various handbooks and professionals at least scan corporate style guides and follow manuscript submission guidelines. You will need a handbook; make it a recent one.

English 113 follows standards set in college composition handbooks and emphasizes standards in particular areas.

Some of the correction symbols that I  frequently use are standard marks of proofreading or line editing found in a college desk dictionary.   Others I have listed below.  If you cannot understand the correction or usage symbols, check a handbook. You can loose grade points if you make these errors.

• meaning--words are too general or concept is unclear. Use more precise and accurate language to represent the event.

• crab--computer revised and broken. Infants and small children have found on of the fastest growing raise groups. Correct: Infants and small children are the fastest growing groups.

• cap pro--capitalization procedure. These are Principals of usage in the Computer Age. Correct: These are the principals of usage in the computer age.

• agr--agreement. The criteria is included in the proposal. Correct: The criteria are included in the proposal.

• agr and pro ref and pv--agreement, pronoun reference, and passive voice. The smooth, symmetrical slopes are little affected by erosion because of its age as compared. Correct: Who knows?

• red--redundant. They agree on its future to come. Correct: They agree on its future.

• frag--fragment. Scanning over the following pages. Correct: She was scanning over the following pages.

• frag--fragment. And finally, looking at the benefits to both the Sioux Nation and the U.S. Correct: And finally, we can look at the benefits to both the Sioux Nation and the U.S.

• pro ref--pronoun reference. Because of the filter failures, they are ultimately responsible. Correct: Because of the filter failures, the manufacturers are ultimately responsible.

• cs--comma splice. John rode the train, the next day I saw Alice at the station. Correct: John rode the train. The next day I saw Alice at the station.

• ro--run on. John rode the train the next day I saw Alice at the station. Correct: John rode the train. The next day I saw Alice at the station.

• p--punctuation. The computer, was not the problem. Correct: The computer was not a problem.

• proof--proofread. The email had not be sent. Correct: The email had not been sent.

• wdy--wordy. It was with a great deal of effort that he ran. Better: He ran effortlessly.

• pv--passive voice. The ball was hit by Bob. Better: Bob hit the ball.

• parallel--parallelism. The USSR terminated all whaling--sp--spelling--operations after 1887; Iceland suspended whaling operations in 1989; and Japan, which formally ended commercial whaling but continued to hunt whales. Correct: and Japan ended commercial whaling in 1994 but continued to hunt whales.

• form--format. BACKGROUND: Better: Background

• dnr-does not read. A conflict exists as to if the.

• ww--wrong word. We must first look at there independent reasons. Correct: their

• ?--unclear. What are we going to do to enhance this decrease.

Others

Doc--document, documentation incomplete.
X--error here, error in this line.
^--Insert.
O--error here.
Ill Pro--illustration procedures

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09/06/00