National Proofreading Day Date in the current year: March 8, 2024

Proofreading is the process of finding and correcting mistakes in a text before it is published or shared. It is sometimes confused with copy editing, but there is a difference. The goal of copy editing is to ensure stylistic consistency and correct grammar, whereas proofreading is focused on fixing types, minor punctuation and spelling mistakes, and formatting issues.

National Proofreading Day was created by corporate trainer Judy Beaver in 2010. The date of the holiday, March 8, is her mother’s birthday; Beaver chose it to honor her mother and her love of correcting people. The main goal of National Proofreading Day is to remind people that well-written and mistake-free letters and documents are important for their professional image.

The best way to celebrate National Proofreading Day is to make a commitment to proofread everything you write and learn some helpful proofreading tips that will make the process easier and more efficient. Here are a few:

• Take a break. Never proofread something you’ve just written because you will most certainly miss at least a few mistakes and misspellings. A break, even a short one, will help you look at the text with fresh eyes.
• Remove all distractions. For a lot of people, proofreading requires better concentration than writing. If you’re one of those people, it is important to ensure that you won’t get distracted or interrupted.
• Make a list of the most common spelling errors you make. If you’re prone to making particular mistakes and you know it, make a list of these errors and make sure to check for them first when you’re proofreading.
• Use all the tools you need but don’t become too reliant on them. Autocorrect and services like Grammarly can be very helpful, but they are not perfect. When you’re uncertain about a correction, you should look up several sources to double-check.
• Print the document or at least change the font. We guarantee that you will see your text differently when you read it on paper instead of a screen. It will help you find mistakes you’ve missed earlier. If you don’t have a printer, you can use a different font or read the document on another device. Reading the text aloud may also help.
• Ask someone to proofread for you. There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help, especially when the document that needs proofreading is important.

Other ways to celebrate National Proofreading Day include thanking a friend or coworker that helps you proofread, reaching out to your English teachers to express your gratitude for everything they’ve taught you, offering to proofread someone’s work, signing up for an online grammar or business writing course, sharing your favorite grammar resources with others, and spreading the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #NationalProofreadingDay and #ProofreadingDay.