The Perils of Using Spell Check Instead of a Proofreader or Copyeditor!

First of all, HAPPY GRAMMAR DAY to all you grammar nerds out there!!!! In honor of Grammar Day, I am going to do something really fun for my first official blog post!

Okay, so everyone has that familiar "ABC" icon on his or her word processor. It's such a lifesaver, right? Wrong! I mean, don't get me wrong, it can definitely save you from some of the bigger spelling and grammar mistakes. However, today while I was copyediting some things for some clients at LaurasProofs.com, I ran across several mistakes that would NOT have been caught by Spell Check and I thought to myself, "Self, that's a great place to start on your blog." So, here we go. =)

I took this excerpt from a paper I wrote back in college. I am going to change some of the spelling and punctuation in the paper to show you just how much you can get away with without triggering Spell Check. Then I will show you the corrected version below. =)

Excerpt:
The AACSB: does not require hi a pacific curriculum, in set is courses. They do ask, this universities, state this objectives they went there students on achieve, and that set the course on achieve them. They monitor they schools and test, they students is make sure they have attained they goals: they faculty wanted they to reach. Is may seem hello like, in would just by easier, for they to just mandate, they curriculum this, everyone must follow, somewhat, like them do is public grade: schools. However, as adults hello again we do not all they same, and, we does not all want them same things out on a career. Is much the same, way, schools do not, all they same either? By setting: hello again, on curriculum, they would take them choice away from it and make them schools them same. Be not setting, on curriculum, school has crazy I know, most freedom about which teaches, them and hot them teach, so long and they teach! They allow most choice and more diversity, from people and schools.


OKAY, that was ironically more fun than I expected. Not only did I get to mess up a paper for once, I got to do it to a graduate school paper. YES!!!! Okay, so here is what it is supposed to say:

Original:
The AACSB does not require a specific curriculum or set of courses. They do ask that universities state the objectives they want their students to achieve, and then set a course to achieve them. They monitor the schools and test the students to make sure they have attained the goals the faculty wanted them to reach. It may seem as if it would just be easier for them to mandate a curriculum that everyone must follow, somewhat like they do in public grade schools. However, as adults we are not all the same and we do not all want the same things out of a career. In much the same way, schools are not all the same either. By setting one curriculum, they would take the choice away from us and make all schools identical. By not setting one curriculum, schools have more freedom in choosing what they teach and how they teach it, so long as they teach ("Eligibility Procedures and Accreditation Standards for Business Accreditation"). That allows more choice and diversity for both students and schools.


Obviously, this is an exaggerated view. However, in just one text that I copyedited today, there were three errors just like the ones above (aside from the inserted "hi" and "hello again") that Spell Check did not catch. So when you get ready to hand in that résumé and cover letter -- or God forbid, that research paper, technical manual, or manuscript -- that you have carefully run through the scrupulous eyes of Spell Check, please keep this in mind. =)

And if you are afraid that you cannot afford the services of a trained proofreader or copyeditor, contact me at laurasproofs@gmail.com for a free quote. I have packages and plans to fit nearly every budget. =)

If there is anything you have questions about or would like to have explained, shoot me an email!

And HAPPY GRAMMAR DAY to everyone!!! Remember your Ps and Qs!!

Until later!
Laura