Proofreading is the process of examining a galley proof or an electronic copy of a book to identify and rectify text or art reproduction problems.
This article is all about the best proofreading courses online that teach you the intricacies of proofreading.
So, you need to know that before publishing, the final stage in the editing cycle is proofreading. In other words, proofreading is thoroughly studying your content to detect and repair typographical flaws and faults in language, style, and spelling.
To polish your skills, let us have a look at some of the top-rated proofreading courses offered by different learning platforms.
Best Proofreading Certifications, Courses & Classes Online
- Becoming A Proofreader – [Knowadays]
- How to Find and Correct Writing Errors: The Proofreading Guide by Udemy
- Proofread Like A Pro by Udemy
- Best Proofreading Course Online by Skillshare
- Proofreading Boot Camp by Inklyo
- Copyediting and Proofreading – Part One by Coursera
- Proofreading Power Basics by Udemy
- Editing and proofreading are made simple by LinkedIn Learning
- Proofreading Your Work by CreativeLive Classes
- Online Course: Proofreading and Copyediting 101 by Universal Class
- Proofreading Courses by Proofread Anywhere
Best Editing and Proofreading Courses Online
1. Becoming A Proofreader – [Knowadays]
About the course
It is a comprehensive course from Knowadays, designed to provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a professional proofreader. The class includes thirteen modules covering a distinct aspect of proofreading.
It is one of the best editing and proofreading courses online, comprising several practical assignments, quizzes, and exercises to help learners apply what they learn. Beyond this, learners also get multiple resources like guides, proofreading checklists, and templates to hone their skills further.
As part of this class, you can interact with other instructors and students, ask questions, share ideas, and receive feedback on your work. You will also have developed a solid work portfolio that you can use to showcase your skills to prospective employers or clients.
Once you complete the course, you will acquire a proofreading certification online accredited by Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Topics covered
It covers the following:
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- Introduction to the world of proofreading
- History of proofreading
- Types of proofreading
- Skills to be a successful proofreader
- Ability to identify and correct common errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and formatting
- Understanding of proofreading symbols
- Copy Editing – the process of editing for clarity, coherence, and consistency
- Web and Social Media Content – how to proofread and edit digital content for online platforms
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Who are your instructors?
You will study with experienced proofreaders who share their expertise and insights via this course.
Who should take this course?
This proofreading training online is for individuals with a keen eye for detail, an interest in pursuing a career in proofreading, and a solid grasp of punctuation and grammar.
Learning outcomes
Some learning outcomes include:
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- Develop a solid understanding of the history and different types of proofreading.
- Acquire a strong knowledge of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and formatting rules.
- Develop critical thinking skills and the ability to identify inconsistencies and errors in written content.
- Learn to use proofreading symptoms and editing tools to mark up documents correctly.
- Developing an eye for detail and the ability to identify common errors in written texts
- Gaining an insight into various style guides and applying them to different documents
- Learning to communicate with authors and clients to clarify any questions or concerns.
- Developing time management skills to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects.
- Forming a portfolio of proofreading work to demonstrate skills to potential clients or employers.
- Learning how to start a proofreading business or find employment as a proofreader.
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2. How to Find and Correct Writing Errors: The Proofreading Guide by Udemy
This course is intended for authors and editors of all genres who want to improve their proofreading abilities and avoid embarrassing errors in written documents.
The proofreading step is your final chance to identify errors before coworkers, publishers, application committees, and the broader public view your work.
Effective proofreading entails refining your papers to wow readers with impeccable writing and design.
First, in this course before awarding you the proofreading certification online, the lecturer discusses how to create the correct mentality to notice errors, and then he shows where most errors hide. Next, the teacher looks at the most prevalent grammatical, punctuation, and design problems.
Additionally, the teacher will teach you innovative ways to make your proofreading job easier and more productive.
| Rating | 4.5 based on 962 ratings |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Level | Introductory level |
| Refund Policy | 30-day return policy |
| Certificate Provided | Yes |
| Course Material Provided | Yes |
| Live Classes/Recorded Lessons | Recorded lessons |
| Course Type | Paid course |
| Course Instructor | Duncan Koerber |
| Scope for Improvement (Cons) | The instructor portion of the video constantly freezes, while the slide deck portion keeps up with the voiceover. This hampers the learning process. |
Topics Covered
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- Good habits for proofreading
- The importance of practical tips
- 8 practical proofreading tips
- The proofreading symbols professionals use
- Issues with words and punctuation
- Importance of Lists and Guides
- Proofreading the Format, Design, and Graphics
- Final tasks people usually forget to do
- Getting help with proofreading
- Importance of getting help
- Bonus Lectures
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Learning Outcomes
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- Examine and correct any embarrassing typos and spelling problems.
- Identify design and graphical flaws.
- Make use of checklists and instructions to maintain uniformity in proofreading.
- Working with professional proofreading symbols is a breeze.
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Prerequisites
You should have a strong knowledge of the English language to undergo this proofreading training online.
Is it the right course for you?
This course is meant for:
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- Anyone who wishes to locate and correct writing faults in papers.
- Professional freelance editors looking to improve their proofreading abilities can also take up this course.
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3. Proofread Like A Pro by Udemy
‘Proofread Like a Pro’ offers thorough proofreading classes online that delve into the abilities required to be a professional proofreader. But it is the course’s practicality that genuinely distinguishes it.
Proofreading is a talent that is best learned by doing. As a result, you won’t be inundated with proofreading knowledge in Proofread Like a Pro.
Instead, after practically every lesson, you’ll be given a proofreading assignment to evaluate your grasp of the content – and to develop your skill to spot common errors.
| Rating | 4.7 based on 959 ratings |
| Duration | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Level | Introductory level |
| Refund Policy | 30-day return policy |
| Certificate Provided | Yes |
| Course Material Provided | Yes |
| Live Classes/Recorded Lessons | Recorded |
| Course Type | Paid |
| Course Instructor | Clare Lynch |
| Scope for Improvement (Cons) | This course’s proofreading is from a British perspective and a little different from US proofreading. This is not the best course for US residents. |
Topics Covered
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- What do proofreaders do
- Expectations from a proofreader
- Proofreading in a hurry
- Essential skills and tools for proofreading
- Proofreading symbols, spelling, missing and repeated words, grammar and syntax, punctuation, capitalization, typographical issues, factual accuracy, consistency, etc.
- Proofreading elements other than body text, headings, subheadings, charts, tables, and other graphical devices. academic citations and video content
- How to find work as a proofreader
- Charges for your professional services
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Learning Outcomes
These proofreading classes online will teach you:
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- How to proofread like a professional
- How to make use of proofreading symbols
- What should you check for during proofreading?
- Methods for detecting additional mistakes
- Where can you get proofreading jobs?
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Prerequisites
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- You must be fluent in English grammar, spelling, and syntax.
- You should be able to use a printer.
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Is it the right course for you?
This is a good proofreading certification online for:
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- Anyone interested in working as a proofreader – whether paid or freelance
- Writers want to spot more problems in their work
- Professionals who need to develop error-free documentation
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4. Best Proofreading Course Online by Skillshare
Skillshare is the emerging platform for courses available for students in every corner of the world. Let’s check out a few proofreading courses offered by Skillshare.
Writing Editing Masterclass – Content Editing, Copyediting and Proofreading
Students will begin learning how to utilize these approaches when writing a blog post after studying the fundamentals in this course.
As a result, the proofreading courses online in the next part delve into each of these editing forms to demonstrate how to accomplish them realistically.
All changes are completed using a 12-step editing method that includes all critical processes for a simple follow-up.
Students will see a draft copy of a blog post edited to near perfection by making it properly structured, lean, and simple to read the content at the end of these 12 phases.
Kickstart your freelance Editor and Proofreader Career on Upwork
In this proofreading training online; the teacher will leverage his own Upwork expertise to show you how to rapidly come up to speed as an editing & proofreading category freelancer.
This course covers how to write a successful bid cover letter, which bidding concepts work best, and how much to bid to win contracts.
The lecturer will also provide ideas from his writing textbook, Clear, Precise, Direct: Strategies for Writing (Oxford University Press, 2015), to assist you in satisfying customers and earning excellent ratings.
Earning good ratings creates a snowball effect of more and more effort. These insights also include his editing methodology, which keeps customers’ ideas and meanings while eliminating bothersome “weeds” from their work.
The classes also include other methodologies, ideas, and tips for editing and proofreading.
5. Proofreading Boot Camp by Inklyo
These are the best proofreading courses online taught by professionals at Scribendi.com, the world’s premier proofreading firm.
This course offers world-class proofreading training to teach you how to proofread any document confidently. This course takes about 40 hours to complete.
Topics Covered
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- What is proofreading?
- Definition of proofreading
- Types and methods of proofreading
- Mechanics errors
- Spelling errors
- Grammar errors
- Punctuation errors
- Proofreading numbers, capitalization, and abbreviations
- What is the style of a Proofreader
- Defining style
- The major style guides
- Typographical considerations
- Format and layout considerations
- Common error hiding places
- Margin and list alignment and alphabetized copy
- Headlines, headings, subheadings, and captions
- Vocabulary, Revised copy, and short and long lines.
- Proofreading with words
- Using word’s resources
- Proofreading in MS Excel and PowerPoint
- Proofreading in PDFs and LaTex files and Web
- Computer Safety
- The Publishing Industry
- Business skills
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6. Copyediting and Proofreading – Part one by Coursera
During this proofreading certification online course, you will identify important stories, explore cultural significance and boundaries, and shape your identity as a writer.
You will also become familiar with standard elements of narrative (character, setting, plot, theme, language, dialogue, point of view); reflect on your work, and practice essential self-editing skills.
Learners will see how words and art interact and the possibilities of longer narrative forms and leave with practical insights. It could prove to be one of the best proofreading courses online for you because, by the conclusion of this course, you should have ten to twelve writing excerpts that you may turn into a portfolio.
| Rating | 4.7 based on 1152 ratings |
| Duration | Approximately 13 hours |
| Level | Introductory level |
| Refund Policy | 14-day return policy |
| Certificate Provided | Yes |
| Course Material Provided | Yes |
| Live Classes/Recorded Lessons | Recorded lessons |
| Course Type | Paid course |
| Course Instructor | David Hill, Maria Gill, and Alex Alexandrou |
| Scope for Improvement (Cons) | No feedback is provided for the assignments submitted by the learners. |
Topics Covered
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- Your writing identity
- You, your culture, and your story
- Cultural myths and legends
- Genre, form, and audience
- Genre types
- Structure
- Character
- Setting
- Plot and theme
- Language and dialogue
- Editing and proofreading
- Structural editing
- Copyediting checklist
- Publishing
- Forms of print publishing
- Forms of digital publishing
- Publishing opportunities
- Approaching publishers
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Prerequisites
None
Is it the right course for you?
This is the right course for:
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- Curious pupils and aspiring authors with a love of writing for children
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7. Proofreading Power Basics by Udemy
These one-of-a-kind proofreading classes online teach you the essentials of proofreading via hands-on activities and quizzes.
This course is for introductory-level students with strong grammar and writing abilities who wish to expand their services, notably instructors, freelance writers, and editors.
| Rating | 4.2 based on 839 ratings |
| Duration | Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Level | Intermediate level |
| Refund Policy | 30-day return policy |
| Certificate Provided | Yes |
| Course Material Provided | Yes |
| Live Classes/Recorded Lessons | Recorded lessons |
| Course Type | Paid |
| Course Instructor | Ashan R. Hampton |
| Scope for Improvement (Cons) | The instructor sounded like she was reading a script and was very mechanical. The contents of this course are a little scattered and hard to follow. |
Topics Covered
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- Grammar assessment
- Proofreading tips, Strategies, Marks, capitalization, numbers etc.
- Proofreader expectations
- Proofreading error hotspots
- Proofreading tests
- Conclusion
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Learning Outcomes
With this proofreading certification online course, you will:
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- Learn the fundamentals of proofreading.
- Correct typical proofreading mistakes.
- Use activities to hone your proofreading abilities.
- Increase your proofreading self-confidence.
- Getting Started as a Freelance Proofreader
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Prerequisites
Before enrolling in this course:
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- Take the “Grammar Fundamentals” course.
- Intermediate command of American grammar
- Intermediate writing abilities
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Is it the right course for you?
This is the best proofreading training online for:
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- Professionals in the workplace
- Editors and authors working as freelancers
- Bloggers and other content creators
- Teachers at the K-12 and college levels
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8. Editing and Proofreading made simple by LinkedIn Learning
This course offers the five keys to efficient editing, from content and spelling checks to basic layout.
With these proofreading classes online, you will learn how to apply these standards to your own or someone else’s emails, presentations, and blog entries and construct style guides and templates to be more productive.
Erin Rickard, a writer, educator, and long-time editor, identifies the most common errors authors make and offers advice on locating and repairing them.
| Duration | 39 minutes 31 seconds |
| Level | Introductory level |
| Refund Policy | 30-day return policy |
| Certificate Provided | Yes |
| Course Material Provided | Yes |
| Live Classes/Recorded Lessons | Recorded lessons |
| Course Type | Paid course |
| Course Instructor | Erin Rickard |
Topics Covered
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- The 5 keys to editing and proofreading
- Check the content of a message
- Formatting
- Check mechanics: Spelling and grammar
- Check style and tone
- Apply rules and shortcuts
- Examples
- Email and blogs
- Editing your work
- Editing someone else’s work
- Frequent Mistakes
- Frequently misspelled words
- Usage mistakes
- Errors in tone, style, and formatting
- Addressing sent or published mistakes
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9. Proofreading Your Own Work by CreativeLive Classes
This course with proofreading certification online will teach you the skills and strategies you’ll need to approach proofreading with new eyes.
Heather Saunders, an accomplished writer, editor, and proofreader, will give hands-on tips on how to approach the proofreading process and typical errors to avoid.
| Rating | 100% of course takers recommend this class |
| Duration | 1 hour 6 minutes |
| Level | Introductory level |
| Refund Policy | 30-day return policy |
| Certificate Provided | No |
| Course Material Provided | Yes |
| Live Classes/Recorded Lessons | Recorded lessons |
| Course Type | Paid course |
| Course Instructor | Heather Saunders |
Topics Covered
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- Proofreading quick tips
- Tighten up sentences
- Common errors
- Identify your personal “Misses”
- Fact-checking everything again
- Read it as the intended audience
- Evaluation
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Learning Outcomes
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- Remove distractions, read the content aloud, change the look of the page, and take breaks as required to approach the text in fresh ways.
- Read your work through the eyes of your intended audience.
- Check your writing for accuracy.
- Determine whether the article serves its goal.
- Recognize habitual mistakes, such as weak wording, excessive use of adjectives and adverbs, and punctuation problems.
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10. Online Course: Proofreading and Copyediting 101 by Universal Class
If you’re searching for a new profession or want to enhance your writing abilities, learning how to proofread and copy edit with this simple, in-depth course might be exactly what you need.
Learning the skills taught in this course can help you enhance your general writing ability and lead to a profitable and in-demand professional path.
Proofreaders and copyeditors are in high demand nowadays, not just in the corporate sector and Internet-related initiatives but also by start-up firms, small businesses, and entrepreneurs.
Freelance proofreading employment abounds, and many organizations provide work-from-home options as a bonus. You can take up this course and build your career manifolds.
| Duration | Approximately 6 months are needed to finish this proofreading certification online |
| Level | Introductory level |
| Certificate Provided | No |
| Course Material Provided | Yes |
| Live Classes/Recorded Lessons | Recorded |
| Course Type | Paid course |
| Course Provider | Universal Class |
Topics Covered
After introducing you to proofreading and copyediting, these proofreading courses online will help you in:
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- Finding the appropriate style guides and using it
- How to create and use a style sheet
- Proofreaders’ marks and how they are used to copyedit and proofread
- Job as a proofreader
- How to proofread
- The job of a copyeditor
- How to copy edit
- Copy editing practice
- Copy editing or proofreading your work
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Learning Outcomes
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- Recognize how to utilize style sheets and style guidelines in proofreading and copyediting.
- Demonstrate the ability to match the proper style guidelines for diverse project types. Show how to make and use a style sheet.
- Describe the marks used by proofreaders and how they are used to copyedit and proofread.
- Demonstrate fundamental proofreading abilities.
- Explain the role of a copyeditor and proofreader.
- Demonstrate fundamental copy-editing abilities.
- Describe how you copyedit and proofread your work.
- The career prospects in copyediting or proofreading are summarized.
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Prerequisites
None
Is it the right course for you?
This course is intended for students of all levels of education, experience, and background.
11. Proofreading Courses Online by Proofread Anywhere
Proofread Anywhere covers everything from the fundamentals of proofreading to marketing. If you have any questions, their helpful support team and student communities are here to help!
Proofread Anywhere has simplified becoming a proofreader by providing step-by-step instructions. Each lesson builds on the previous one, allowing you to observe tangible improvement.
Your proofreading talents may touch others and do a lot of good if you use a tried-and-true procedure to become a proofreader while doing what you love.
As you progress through the lessons of this best proofreading certification, you will develop and hone the abilities required to become a proofreader. Then, you’ll practice and even be “put to the test” with quizzes and hand-graded exams, so you can be confident in your ability to act and succeed.
Proofread anywhere offers the best proofreading courses online for learners around the globe.
Learning Outcomes
After this course, you will have an idea about:
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- What an average freelance proofreader may earn.
- How to determine whether proofreading is right for you
- How to begin marketing your skills
- Three major mistakes that new freelancers make – and how to prevent them
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