- Academic Registry
Course & Unit Catalogues


PL52141: Introduction to proofreading

[Page last updated: 16 August 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Credits: 5 [equivalent to 10 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 100
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: CWSI 60%, EXOB 40%
Assessment Detail:
  • Proofreading coursework 1 (CWSI 30%)
  • Proofreading coursework 2 (CWSI 30%)
  • Proofreading examination (EXOB 40%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, you will be able to demonstrate:
  • that you can apply the principles and techniques of this area of professional work by tackling a range of proofreading assignments with confidence and success
  • that you have developed the skills needed to work independently to produce entirely accurate finished texts in English that eliminate any errors and/or imperfections present in the original versions
  • that you have a comprehensive understanding of the role of the proofreader in the process of generating a document for a particular client or end-user
  • that you have an awareness of the linguistic and other issues involved in the proofreading process itself and the wider context of dealing with clients and authors



Synopsis: Learn the skills and techniques of professional proofreading. In this unit, you'll encounter a variety of text types and proofreading challenges, using a mixture of real-world and specially designed materials. Seminars will include individual and group proofreading exercises and broader discussion of linguistic and other issues. You'll complete assessed assignments throughout the unit, on which you will receive detailed and constructive feedback.

Content: You will learn the core skills and techniques involved in proofreading, using a range of real-world texts and materials designed to highlight specific proofreading challenges. You will gain an understanding of how to apply these skills to your own texts, as well as those of other authors, and how the role of a proofreader differs from that of an editor/reviser. To prepare you for work as a professional proofreader, you will be required to respond to client briefs, to make use of appropriate style guides and to submit assessed work to a specified deadline. Seminars will focus on individual and group proofreading tasks, discussion of proofreading exercises completed as homework, and discussion of the linguistic and other issues involved in the proofreading process per se and in negotiating interactions with clients and authors. Later seminars will touch on issues of language and text ownership, global varieties of English, and English in an international context, with a particular focus on the United Nations and its specialised agencies. After submitting an initial formative proofreading assignment, on which you will receive individual feedback, you will complete two assessed proofreading assignments during the semester and an examination at the end of the unit.

Course availability:

PL52141 is Compulsory on the following courses:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - German
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - Italian

PL52141 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - French
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - French and German
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - French and Italian
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - French and Russian
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - French and Spanish
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - German and Spanish
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - Italian and German
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - Italian and Spanish
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - Russian
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - Russian and German
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - Russian and Italian
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - Russian and Spanish
  • THPL-AFM48 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills - Spanish

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.