Dissertation proofreading
Dissertation proofreading is usually related to final printing and all the checks prior to it. However, it is an integral part of all serious writing. The level of importance of the document decides on the seriousness of the exercise. Without this post drafting stage, the document is presented in a flawed version and this detracts from its value and effectiveness. More than that, a very wrong message is transmitted to the reader as an unedited text implies a lackadaisical approach that is not in line with professionalism. This exercise is also a method of fine tuning the text for the final presentation.
The work involved is primarily of correction. The research proposal is the first step of checking. Whether it is spelling or grammar, punctuation or syntax, changes are often needed to bring out the exact meaning and to convey proper understanding. While writing the text the writer is often in a hurry, or is too involved with the topic to pay meticulous attention to finer points of presentation. The prepared draft is replete with errors that are at times glaring but sometimes so subtle that a cursory glance misses them. It is during the final conscious reading with an objective of identifying these errors that they are pin pointed and rectified.
A self prepared document is like a child a mother gives birth to. Just as for the new mom her baby is perfect and the most beautiful one in the world, so also for the writer his work is blemish less and needs no redoing, addition or alteration. The structural mistakes are focused on and corrected as they can be attributed to hurry and involvement with the thinking process. It is much more difficult to delete and reframe wordy, ambiguous and flabby portions of the text. To avoid this pitfall, it is necessary to get the writing is checked by some one knowledgeable but not directly involved in its construction.
There are specified symbols that are used for this work. These are useful as they are understood universally so that a corrected version with the appropriate symbols is intelligible to the person who types or prints the final version of the document. There is a second advantage to this system. The original text is not disfigured to such an extent that it becomes illegible and further mistakes occur due to misinterpretation.
This correction stage is the last one of the writing process. It is a process of beautification as well as fine tuning of the matter. Even before a document, proposal, dissertation or thesis is read; it can create an impression through its look. Just as in face-to-face interaction, the first few seconds before a person begins to speak are enough to create a lasting impression that is often difficult to overcome, so also the appearance of a written document conveys the first message about the writer and the depth of his interest and involvement in writing it. Proper acknowledgement is very essential for the job.
Dissertation proofreading is very often neglected or done hastily. This is a dangerous practice as it exposes the writer to a number of threats and pitfalls that he is anxious to avoid at all cost. A little time, effort, and concentration devoted to this task can become the difference between success and failure of the communication.
