Does my work need proofreading?
Does my work need proofreading?
Probably, although I would say that, wouldn’t I?
It depends on what you are writing and who you are writing for. If it’s an internal memo to business colleagues, then the answer is no. The need to produce an immaculately constructed piece of writing is likely to be less important than promptly circulating something that everyone can understand and start working on. If it’s understandable, you’ll be forgiven for using a splice comma (or, more likely, none of your target audience will know what a splice comma is, and that using one is frowned upon).
If it’s a longer piece of work that’s going to be circulated widely, then it’s probably worth asking someone to look over it to check for errors and for the accuracy of its content. You don’t really need professional help.
If it’s a job application letter, then definitely. There are going to be lots of applications arriving on the desk – or more likely, in the inbox – of the person who wants to fill the post. If your covering letter has, for example, spelling errors or poor punctuation then it’s a good reason for considering it less carefully than the next one, which is impeccably written and presented. Here’s a true story (I know it’s true because I saw the application). A recent graduate produced a CV in which he claimed to have a Batchelor of Science degree. He should have applied to a soup-manufacturing company.
If it’s for publication – whether a dissertation, a technical piece or a novel – then proofreading is something you will certainly need. Nothing puts readers off more than having to re-read what you’ve written in order to understand what you mean. A commissioning editor I know once told me that he had a three-page rule: if he wasn’t engaged by the first three pages, or was distracted by the number of misspelled words or poor grammar in the first part of the work, then what had been submitted ended up in File 13. Engaging the services of a proofreader will make that less likely to happen.