A Paralegal’s Guide to Editing and Proofreading

Paralegals probably do not do as much writing as research, but writing still is a good part of the workload. The organization in each office is different, but paralegals may be called upon to analyze and summarize documents in discovery, to digest depositions, to write factual memoranda, and to do some preliminary drafting of documents or briefs. Good command of the rules of written English and a clear writing style will see you through. Again, this is not work you will do on your first day. A senior paralegal or the attorney charged with your orientation and training will instruct you as to what is expected of you with each writing task.

A final dimension to the paperwork handled by a paralegal is the editing and proofreading. It goes without saying that the paralegal must edit and proofread his or her own work. He or she may also be called upon to edit attorneys' work and to proofread the work of the secretarial staff. Much of the editing and proofreading are done in the office. Occasionally, a paralegal may be sent directly to the printers to check out minutes of an important executive board meeting or a prospectus or other offering hot off the press. This type of assignment tends to be highly pressurized and to involve an all- nighter. The detail-minded paralegal who is willing to tackle such an assignment is well compensated for the extra effort.

The chief requirement of proofreading is attention to detail. The proofreader must give special attention first of all to the general sense of the material. Gaps in meaning generally occur when a line of text was inadvertently skipped in transcribing. If the material doesn't make logical sense, if it doesn't "hang together," read it again going back to the draft as needed. Everything that the writer intended must appear in the final copy. Beyond the overall meaning, proofreading and editing must give consideration to grammar and proper English usage. Agreement of tense and number are important, as are parallel constructions and use of the best word to convey the precise meaning.

The remainder of the proofreading task is more mechanical. It includes checking for misspellings; word repetition; word omission; transpositions of words, letters, or numbers; and accuracy of names, addresses, and all numbers.

Proofreading directly from the computer screen allows for instant correction of errors, but some paralegals find that they spare themselves eyestrain by proofreading the printed copy and then returning to make the corrections on the computer.

Here are some considerations for you to consider as you proofread:

• Scan the text for correctness of style and format, and for eye- appeal.
• Double-check the spelling of names; verify initials and ad dresses; ascertain accuracy of numbers.
• Check the continuity of numbered pages and of the numbered and lettered paragraphs or lists.
• Pay attention to prepositions that can vastly alter meaning.
• Do not rely solely on a computer spell checker. The spell checker can only spot gross errors; it does not distinguish between "pair," "pare," and "pear"; it does not know whether you meant to use the past tense or a plural.

If another person is available, it is often worthwhile to proofread together, especially if the letter or document is an important or technical one. If you proofread with a partner, hand the typewritten or printed page to him or her and read aloud from the original. Spell out names, addresses, and unusual words and pronounce endings very distinctly. Read numbers slowly.

When you proofread for your own benefit, you can mark up the page in any manner that is comprehensible to you. When you proofread for others in the office, you must follow some universal conventions but you can append clarifying notes and expand in plain English. Furthermore, you are available for consultation with your fellow workers in the office. However, when you edit or proofread material that is to be sent to typesetters or material that has come from the typesetter and is to be returned for correction, you must carefully follow rules for marking up proof. Following proofreaders' stylesheets is important when you are working on the printer's premises as well. Under time pressure it is most efficient to follow conventions.

If you are marking up a typescript with only one wide margin, you must use that one margin for all your proofreading marks. However, if you are marking printed material with ample margins on both sides, the system of marking proofs can be made easier by the use of an imaginary vertical line through the center of the type area. The placement of corrections in the left-hand margin for those errors found in the left-hand portion of the proof and in the right-hand margin for right-side errors prevents overcrowding of marks and facilitates corrections.