This document provides an overview of basic proofreading marks used to edit and correct printed documents. It outlines various symbols used to indicate insertions, deletions, transpositions, spacing changes, and corrections to punctuation, capitalization, numbers, abbreviations, paragraphs, and text formatting like italics and bold. The marks are a tool for proofreaders to clearly communicate to authors the corrections needed in a document being edited.

1. Proofreaders’ Marks
Basic Tools for
Proofreading
and
Editing

2. Editing Printed Documents
C’s of Copy Reading

3. Correcting General Errors
Use a caret () to show an insertion.
Place a diagonal (/) through an unwanted letter.
Change a letter by placing a diagonal through
it and writing the correct letter above it.

4. Deleting and Changing
Delete words and phrases by running a
horizontal line through them.
Change text by first deleting it and then
writing the correction above the deletion.

5. Transposing
Use the transposition symbol to
indicate a reversal of keystrokes,
words, phrases, and even sentences.

6. Closing Up and Inserting Spaces
Close up an extra space with loops above and
below the space.
Show where a space is needed by using the
insertion caret and placing the number sign
directly above the caret.

7. Just a few more
proofreaders’
marks . . .

8. Changing Internal Punctuation
+ To add internal punctuation, place the comma, semicolon,
or colon inside a caret at the point of insertion.
– To delete internal punctuation, place a diagonal through
the mark.
± To change internal punctuation, delete the incorrect mark
and insert the correct one.

9. Changing Closing Punctuation
+ To add closing punctuation, write periods, question
marks, and exclamation marks—and circle them.
– To delete closing punctuation, place a diagonal
through the mark.
± To change closing punctuation, delete the incorrect
mark and add the correct one; circle the new mark.

10. Other Punctuation
Add quotation marks or an apostrophe by placing
the mark in an inverted insertion mark ().
Add a hyphen by using the insertion mark () at the
point of entry and placing an hyphen (-) directly
above the caret.

11. Capitalizing Words
 To show that a single letter should be
capitalized, place three short lines under it.
 To show that entire words should be
capitalized, underline the word or word
group three times.

12. Correcting Capitalized Words
Place a diagonal ( / ) through a capital letter
that should appear in lowercase form.
Use a diagonal and a straight line to show
which letters should not be capitalized in
words appearing in all capital letters.

13. Number Usage
If a figure should be written in words, circle
the figure.
If a number written in word form should be in
figures, draw a horizontal line through it and
write the correct figure or figures above it.

14. Abbreviations
If an abbreviation should be spelled out,
circle the abbreviation.
If a word or words should be abbreviated,
draw a horizontal line through the word or
words and write the abbreviation above the
lined-out text.

15. Paragraphs
To insert a new paragraph, place a paragraph
mark (¶) at the point of insertion.
To delete a new paragraph beginning, write No ¶
where the paragraphs are to be combined.

16. Italics and Bold
Underline any words that should appear
in italics.
Place a wavy line under any words that
should be bolded.
11th

17. The Finished Document
OUT