Becoming A Proofreader

You’ve probably been researching lots of different courses. But which one is the right fit for you?

Proofreading Academy offers interactive, personalised, and friendly tuition from a small team. Our strength is our approachability and the care we take with our students. As all our tutors also started off as freelance proofreaders, we know how it feels, and want to help you take your first steps as a professional proofreader.

If you’d like to book a call with one of our tutors to discuss the course or about life as a freelancer, we are always happy to speak with you. Just fill out the contact box on the right and we will be in touch.

Proofreading Academy teaches modern proofreading and editing techniques for every situation. Whether you are a complete beginner or simply looking to sharpen your proofreading skills, our course can help you realise your potential.

From correcting errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation to dealing with different writing and referencing styles, Proofreading Academy imparts skills you can use in your professional life and when writing your own documents. We also cover how to use Microsoft Word effectively.

Offering 40 hours of training, the Proofreading Academy Becoming A Proofreader course incorporates tests and practical exercises, along with access to a tutoring service so we can better meet your needs (every user is entitled to a free 30-minute Skype call with one of our tutors). The course is designed so that you can learn at your own pace in your own time, with current modules including:

1. Editing and Proofreading: An Introduction
An overview of what professional editing and proofreading involves.

2. The Basics of Microsoft Word
A guide to using Track Changes and other vital proofreading tools in Microsoft Word.

3. Common Spelling Mistakes
How to spot and correct common spelling errors in documents.

4. Common Grammar Mistakes
How to correct grammatical errors in different kinds of documents.

5. Common Punctuation Mistakes
How to make sure commas, full stops, and other punctuation marks are used correctly.

6. Other Common Errors
How to correct errors related to Latin terminology, abbreviations, number use, and capitalisation (among other issues).

7. Proofreading in Practice: Style
The basics of editing a document to ensure the correct writing style is used.

8. Proofreading in Practice: Academic Proofreading
An in-depth look at proofreading academic documents, ranging from undergraduate essays to journal articles and PhD theses.

9. Academic Proofreading: Referencing and Citations
An overview of major referencing systems used in academic writing and the kinds of errors that proofreaders may encounter when dealing with citations and references.

10. Formatting in Microsoft Word
A close look at how to format documents in Microsoft Word, as well as a few extra functions that make proofreading and editing documents easier.

11. Final Proofreading Assessment
A chance to show off what you have learned! You will take two proofreading tests and a formatting test, which you will receive detailed tutor feedback for. If you score 80% or above, you will immediately be eligible to apply for a freelance role working for Proofed Inc. If not, you will have the opportunity to take the tests again after a dedicated feedback call with one of our tutors.

The entire course costs just £180.00. It includes 40 hours’ worth of training and teaches skills you’ll be using for years to come. It’s a great deal, even if we do say so ourselves.

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment in this course. It is available to all students of all academic backgrounds. A good grasp of English grammar and punctuation is expected.

Either a native English speaker or English fluency is required, due to the nature of the content.

After you have completed this course and obtained a pass grade of 80% or above then you are qualified to work with our proofreading partner as a freelance proofreader. You can then apply your skills anywhere between a few hours a week, right through to 40+ hours per week.

Certificate of completion

Digital certificate - Included