How to become a proofreader
Perform reviews and final checks on written work before it goes to print or becomes live on a website.
Pathways to this career
- Look into accredited certifications, short courses or an undergraduate arts degree. Majors like journalism, editing, creative writing and journalism are great starting points.
- Already have an undergraduate degree in a different area? Pursue proofreading with a postgraduate writing, editing or a communications course
- Get industry recognition by completing accredited proofreading programs to extend your experience.
What does a proofreader do?
Proofreaders do final checks on written work before it goes to print or becomes live on a website. Proofreaders work for newspapers, magazines, websites and publishing companies. They may specialise in specific fields or publications, such as business reports and academic works.
Duties and tasks
- Review, proof and edit content (written or digital) across a variety of media and industries to ensure correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, usage, consistency and brand voice in the final product.
- Ensure the accuracy of all referenced facts (e.g. dates, pages and values) and double-checks cross-referenced materials (e.g. websites and newspapers).
- Ensure correct usage of page numbers, captions and heading
- Check that all photos/illustrations are correctly captioned
- Mark corrections to be made and revise as necessary
Professional bodies
Related jobs
- Blogger
- Book editor
- Columnist
- Copywriter
- Journalist
- News reporter
- Technical writer
- Writer and editor
Discover related degrees
Discover related subjects
Related degrees
- Undergraduate Certificate in Professional Writing and Publishing
- Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing and Publishing)
- Bachelor of Arts (Digital and Social Media) (Professional Writing and Publishing)
- Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) (Professional Writing and Publishing)
- Bachelor of Arts (Digital Experience and Interaction Design) (Professional Writing and Publishing)
- Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing and Publishing) (Visual Culture)
- Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) (Professional Writing and Publishing)
- Bachelor of Arts (Digital and Social Media)
- Bachelor of Arts (Japanese)
- Bachelor of Arts (Animation and Game Design)
- Bachelor of Arts (Chinese)
- Bachelor of Communications
- Bachelor of Arts (Korean Studies)
Related degrees
Related degrees
Step up your career with these resources
We're here to guide you there
Our student advisors can assist you with enrolment, help you plan your studies, and answer questions about how studying through Open Universities Australia can get you from where you are today, to where you want to be tomorrow.