Top ten things to proofread one more time before the publication goes to the printer

It's an unfortunate fact that some errors can slide by you, even when you try to proofread carefully. Jane Rea, EEI's manager of editorial services, has a few key recommendations for quality control. The most important is to try to enlist someone qualified who hasn't seen the publication before for a final review. Then make sure that review checks these specific items:

1. Are all of the page numbers in order?
2. Does the table of contents match the text (section or chapter titles the same and page references correct)?
3. Are running heads, subheads within the text, and footers formatted consistently?
4. Are all of the words in the running heads, subheads, and footers spelled correctly?
5. Are numbered lists in sequence?
6. Are words divided between syllables and without leaving widows or orphans?
7. Are all margins justified or ragged, not mixed? If they're ragged, are they not too much so?
8. Are columns aligned, in tables as well as in the text?
9. Are footnotes, tables, figures, and charts in numerical order?
10. Numbered or not, do footnotes, tables, figures, and charts follow their callout in the text?

Now it's your turn to ask EEI's quality control experts a question. For a bit of free advice, send a brief e-mail to info@eeicom.com.

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