free online proofreading course uk

Learn How To Edit Like A Pro With 2024‘s 7+ FREE Best Online Proofreading Courses

Working as a proofreader is a great way to find some part-time freelance work. But you want to make sure that you are delivering the quality that your clients are expecting!

Below are some of the best online proofreading courses that you can take in order to establish your skills and build good proofreading techniques and habits.

If you want to start a proofreading business and become a copyeditor, you can certainly benefit by honing your proofreading skills/copyediting to increase your overall abilities.

Take a look at this list of copyediting courses and see which of these awesome courses looks like the “write” fit for you!

• #1 Top Recommended Proofreading Course
• Taught By Professional Editor & Proofreader
• Covers Proofreading, Content Structure, Punctuation & More
• Beginner Friendly Course
• 29,000+ Other Included Classes
• 1,000+ Students Enrolled
• 1-Month Free Trial
• Activate Free Trial Now

Table of Contents

Top 9+ FREE Best Online Proofreading Courses & Certifications 2024

1. skillshare: writing editing masterclass (skillshare).

Up first on my list is a great all-around editing course with many modules that focus specifically on proofreading. On top of that, this free Skillshare course also dives deeper into the larger context of the editing process for copyediting and proofreading.

In this 3-hour-long course, you’ll learn about the following proofreading topics: typos, proofreading strategies, spelling errors and homonyms, the comma, question marks and exclamation marks, colon and quotation marks, apostrophes, hyphens, and dashes, and parentheses.

Another great component of this training is that there is an optional final assignment that will test your skills and act as a great overview of what you have learned.

As this course is hosted on Skillshare, students get to take the classes at their own pace via the desktop portal or the smartphone app. Skillshare also offers a 1-month free trial , so there’s no losing! Hands down one of the best online proofreading courses!

• Can be accessed for free with the Skillshare free trial, making this a free course
• Beginner friendly and suitable for all levels of freelance proofreaders
• Good overview of fundamentals of the editing process in general for English grammar
• Low time commitment

Activate FREE Skillshare Trial

2. Editing and Proofreading Made Simple

For beginners looking to quickly improve their proofreading skills, Erin Rickard ’s LinkedIn Learning course is a great place to start. As a longtime freelance copywriter, she’s well-versed in what it takes to effectively communicate; as a professor, she’s adept in connecting with her students and helping them improve their craft.

This efficient course packs a lot into 40 minutes. You’ll learn how to develop personalized templates, tools, and tactics necessary for effective editing including checking content, spelling, and grammar as well as the proper use of formatting. You’ll practice applying these skills and spotting errors across presentations, emails, and website articles.

This course is on LinkedIn Learning, a subscription platform that gives you access to a full catalog. So for one price, you can take this course as well as other highly-rated related courses: Grammar Foundations , Business Writing Principles , Social Media Marketing Foundations , and Writing Emails People Want To Read .

There’s even a 1-month free trial. Even better, you earn a certificate for each course that appears on your LinkedIn profile and helps you rank higher in jobs searches.

• 102,406 students have taken this course
• 40 minutes of videos across 3 chapters
• Continuing Education Units available
• Certificate of completion appears on your LinkedIn profile
• 30-day free trial gets you access to full 15,000 course catalog

3. Proofreading Your Own Work

Next up is a proofreading course from Heather E. Saunders , owner of Just the Write Type Editing. She’s been called on to edit everything from medical journals to fiction novels, so her techniques are timeliness and universal.  

What I love about this course is how practical her advice is. She’ll teach you how to come back to your own writing with the fresh eyes necessary to catch even your most common and easily overlooked mistakes. And while it may seem simple to read it aloud or take a break, applying her proofreading tricks can be the difference between a great submission that gets published or an embarrassment that gets set aside. 

Once you’ve completed this class you’ll know the common proofreading mistakes, your personal writing blind spots, how to create an ideal environment for editing, and how to fact check efficiently. 

This course is available on CreativeLive, which frequently runs sales that put each course below $10. Even better, they have an all-access Creator Pass to 2000+ courses starting at $13/month. While they don’t technically have a free trial, they do have a 7-day refund window.

GET 20% OFF THE CREATOR PASS WITH CODE CREATIVELIVE20 THRU 10/31!

• 7,600 students have taken this course
• 100% of students recommend it
• 8 videos running just over 1 hour 
• Lifetime access via  desktop or mobile
• Satisfaction guarantee

4. The Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Steps to a Successful Writing Habit (Skillshare)

Hopefully, if you like proofreading, you like to read. And hopefully, if you like to read, you also like to write! Being a strong writer can help you to be a stronger proofreader. You get an eye for what good writing looks like and what makes sense on paper.

This course will help you to foster a healthy writing habit . By following the six steps laid out by award-winning author Simon Van Booy you will be able to increase the amount that you write and your level of writing ability.

He will discuss each of the steps in detail in this 38-minute-long course. The steps include making your own space, finding your medium, reading inspiring works, setting the conditions, sticking to a routine, and sketching to stay inspired.

This  Skillshare course will also give you the possibility to view other students’ projects and to submit your own project to the course webpage. Looking at what other people have done can inspire you and help to spark your creativity.

This course is for anyone who wants to learn how to be a better writer, beginners included. All you need is an open mind and a blank screen or notebook that you can fill with your own wonderful words!

• Lots of student projects to view for inspiration
• Very popular! 14,255 students
• Designed for students of all levels

5. Udemy: Proofreading Power Basics (Udemy)

Up next on my list is great course hosted on Udemy, which is all about teaching the tricks of the trade and give students a new confidence in their proofreading skills. This course is also aimed towards beginners, but knowing intermediate grammar and writing skills will be extremely beneficial.

Taught by English professor Ashan Hampton , he provides students with helpful assessments, exercises, and quizzes that will keep students learning experience productive and keep them on the right track.

While the course is brief (1 hour long), it is jam-packed with information! Over the course of 23 video lessons, students will learn about topics like proofreader expectations, proofreading tips, strategies, marking, proofing for capitalization and numbers, and proofreader error hotspots.

Overall, this is a fantastic course that caters to those of all experience levels!

• High 4.3-star rating
• Popular course – 1,271 students!
• Includes a module on proofreading marks
• Lifetime access to course materials
• 10 downloadable resources + 9 articles
• Certificate of completion

Visit Udemy.com

6. Udemy: How to Find & Correct Writing Errors: the Proofreading Guide (Udemy)

Moving on is another Udemy course taught by University professor Duncan Koerber. While the course is brief, coming in at only 50 minutes, the 19 video lessons are filled with a wealth of knowledge!

In this course, students learn about good habits for proofreading, practical proofreading tips, professional proofreading symbols, using lists and guides in the proofreading process, tips for proofreading the format, design, and graphics of a document.

Professor Koerber will also teach students about important final tasks that people forget to do when proofreading. The resources and techniques students will gain from this course truly make it one of the very best online proofreading courses.

• Popular! 1,631 students
• Suitable for all levels

7. The Publishing Training Centre: What is Proofreading? (Publishing Training Center)

Are you new to editing and looking to find out if proofreading is something you might be good at? Then this entry-level course will prepare you for what you need to do as a proofreader, and give you the chance to test your skills to see if you have what it takes.

In this class, students learn how proofreading is applied in four different sectors: book and journal publishers, other organizations that have information or messages to share, independent authors, and students.

Divided into two sections, the first section will provide students with information on proofreading. The second section involves a practical exercise that will help you gauge your proofreading abilities.

After completing this course, students should have a strong sense of their skill level and an idea of what steps you should take next in order to keep progressing as a proofreader. Or you can pair this with an online journalism course and start writing for one of the millions of online publications.

• One of the most extensive courses on this list: about 5-7 hours of course material
• 8 months of access to the course material
• Course certificate awarded upon completion of the course
• Suitable for beginners

Visit Publishingtrainingcentre.com

8. Udemy: Kickstart a Freelance Editor and Proofreader Career on Upwork (Udemy)

If you want to work as a proofreader, chances are your first paid jobs might be on a freelance basis. It’s not always easy to find good jobs and many people will try to underpay you or even avoid paying you at all.

This course walks you through how to use the Upwork platform to find work as a proofreader. And to ensure that you get paid for your effort! Using Upwork might not seem like rocket science but there is a bit more to it than meets the eye.

Professor Duncan Koerber will share some great insight into this two-hour-long course. He covers topics such as getting started on Upwork; bidding for jobs; ratings and repeat clients; macro-level tips for doing a great job; and some practical concerns for an online editor or proofreader.

Throughout 25 lessons you will gain valuable knowledge that can help you to succeed as a freelancer. This course is for all levels and all you need to get started is Microsoft Word software and a keen eye that’s ready to spot the best new job! You can also take your skills on the road and get a digital nomad job that will allow you to work from anywhere in the world!

This is easily one of the best online proofreading courses available!

• Very high 4.5-star rating
• Popular course! 1,430 students
• Lifetime access to course material

9. Skillshare: Proofreading Your Articles: Tools (Skillshare)

There are lots and lots of tools available that can help you to be a great proofreader. This Skillshare course will teach you some excellent tips and hacks that will make your proofreading process quicker and more accurate. This is a good course to take if you are just starting out as a proofreader.

In this course, you’ll cover topics such as punctuation, word tips, and proofreading hacks. But the main focus of the course is how to use online grammar checkers like Grammarly , ProWritingAid, and other free auto-proofreaders to check your work.

These grammar checkers will basically do your proofreading for you. However, some (like Grammarly) aren’t free so ideally, you can learn to proofread without relying on them. But it can be a good idea to use them to check your work while you are first starting out.

Nothing makes you lose clients faster than handing in an assignment filled with mistakes. This course will help you figure out how you can use online grammar checkers to improve your own skills. But you should never discount the effectiveness of good old fashioned paper and (red) pen!

If you want to learn more, you can read my comprehensive review of Skillshare .

• Low time commitment: 48 minutes
• Possible to access this course for free using a Skillshare free trial
• Positive student reviews – the course met or exceeded student expectations
• Links to 2 helpful articles included with course content

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this guide on the best online proofreading courses helps you to better your skills or even land that next job! For more upskilling, you can see our guide on other online classes and training here .

Or if after reading this, you’d rather just hire a proofreader for your project or website, I’ve had great success with Fiverr . Check out the profiles below for pros who can start today!

My name is Lewis Keegan and I am the writer and editor of SkillScouter.com. I'm extremely passionate about online education and what it can do for those to better their lives. I spend most of my time blogging, hiking, and drinking coffee. I also have a Bachelor's Degree in Education and Teaching.

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1.6 Proofreading

The six steps of writing with Proofreading highlighted.

In the Functional Skills English Level 2 writing assessment, you gain marks for ensuring that your spelling, punctuation and grammar is accurate. Proofreading your work is therefore an important part of the writing assessment.

In both the Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 writing assessment, you gain marks for a draft which has been checked to identify and correct any mistakes. Proofreading your draft is therefore an important part of the writing task.

Proofreading means checking for mistakes. The aim of proofreading is to ensure that what you have written is what you mean to say.

Proofreading is the careful reading of your final draft. You should allow as much time as possible between finishing your final draft and proofreading it. It is very important to bring a fresh eye to your work at this stage. If you try to proofread too soon after finishing writing, you are likely to see only what you think you have written and you may miss mistakes.

Activity 6 What to look for when proofreading

What should you look for when proofreading? Note down your ideas.

You may have thought of some of the following:

• punctuation
• choice of words
• readable handwriting/accurate word processing.

You will be looking at spelling and some aspects of punctuation and grammar in the next section.

When you have proofread your final draft, try using the spell check on your word processor to help you. Remember to check suggested spellings before you press accept as they may not be the most appropriate for your context!

Activity 7 Spot the errors

Have a look at the text below. There are three spelling mistakes and three punctuation mistakes.

Highlight the incorrect words and punctuation errors and then correct them in the text box.

The words that are spelt incorrectly are:

• critism (criticism)
• obversations (observations)
• carefulley (carefully).

The words that were punctuated incorrectly are:

… but you did ask for feedback, the best policy is …

(Needs a full stop rather than a comma.)

… and say ‘thank you’ (They have taken the time …

(Needs a lower-case ‘t’ in ‘They’.)

… normally it is worth looking carefulley at anything they had a problem with?

(Needs a full stop rather than a question mark.)

Here’s the corrected text:

If you ask someone to read what you have written and point out any problems, be prepared for criticism. You may not like being told that your writing doesn’t make sense (or is poorly punctuated or full of spelling errors), but you did ask for feedback. The best policy is just to accept the other person’s observations and say ‘thank you’ (they have taken the time to read your work, after all). You can ignore everything they said, of course, but normally it is worth looking carefully at anything they had a problem with.

In this section you have looked at:

• how to prepare for and plan your writing and write a first draft
• how to redraft and proofread your work so that it is accurate and says what you mean.

How to become a proofreader

Free proofreading courses – are they worth it?

If you spend a few minutes online you will quickly find a whole host of free online proofreading courses. You are sure to ask yourself: “Are they worth it”?

Step 1 – Before you do consider training we recommend that you focus on your language skills.

Why is this?

Proofreading courses will not teach you grammar!

Professional proofreading and editing courses teach the how and when to amend or annotate a document. They assume an existing above-average knowledge of spelling, punctuation, grammar, capitalisation etc. according with English-language convention.

Back to the free online courses

The answer is generally no, they are not worth it if they are not associated with a reputable proofreading course provider. 

So, if they are a) taster courses for a longer course, in which case I would say they definitely are worth it or b) you use them to see what proofreading entails and if you would really enjoy the work involved.

As the owner of a proofreading company I would not pay any attention to free courses not associated with reputed course providers as a way of building experience as they can be of varying quality and depth.

Rather work on getting experience by proofreading for friends and family. Even better if they are non-native English speakers.

If you really want to become a proofreader then you will need to invest the time and money in completing a paid course that is recognised in the industry and I will get to those a little later.

When should you take a free online proofreading course?

In my opinion the only really one situation in which you should take a free course and that is when it is offered as a taster to a large, ratified qualification.

Two leading UK proofreading course providers offer brief yet useful taster courses for their full paid online courses – and those are the ones that are industry recognised.

The taster courses allow you to experience the course as if you were paying for it. They will allow you to familiarise yourself with the layout, tools and technology and help you decide if you want to take the full course.

So, in that case then definitely yes, take the free course.

A free course in itself will never be considered a legitimate qualification

However, in other circumstances free online proofreading courses that are not affiliated with a recognised organisation are not worth it as publishing houses and academic proofreading companies will not consider them as qualifications .

A quick Google search will reveal the following free proofreading courses.

+44 (0)1892 710877

Copy-editing and Proofreading

Price: £ 565.00, 100 pages +, assignments, of varying length, the copy-editing and proofreading course, become a professional copy-editor and proofreader, learn how to edit and proofread documents like a pro.

The Copy-editing and Proofreading Course is for grammar experts who want to work professionally in the editing field. It also provides an excellent foundation for anyone who needs to edit documents in the workplace.

If you are particular about word choice, and if typos and clunky sentences drive you to distraction, you may have what it takes to be an editor. 

This practical course will teach you how to copy-edit and proofread fiction, non-fiction and academic writing. 

We’ll help you gain the skills you need to get hired by publishers, business owners and curators of online content. A professional editor will be on hand to guide you and assess your work every step of the way.

The Copy-editing and Proofreading Course Gives You...

No automated marking.

We use traditional methods of assessing work, as editors at publishing houses would. No generic feedback!

A Flexible Schedule

Work wherever and whenever you want. You can easily fit our courses around work and other commitments.

Relevant, Usable Content

Easy-to-digest course notes that capture a lifetime of writing experience, ready for you to apply to your own writing.

Ongoing Assessment

Your writing is assessed continuously as your course progresses.

Expert, Individual Feedback

Get prompt, honest, detailed feedback on every assignment from an award-winning writer. We focus on your unique writing strengths.

No Peer Reviews!

You will only be assessed by your tutor, a leader in their field. No more guessing and wondering how to write; you'll be guided line by line.

A Comprehensive Toolkit That Provides Hands-On Editorial Training

Master the skills required to run your own editing and proofreading business.

Learn how to transform problematic writing into grammatically correct, well-structured and engaging content.

This eight-month course will teach you the basic skills of copy-editing and proofreading so that you can make consistent and confident decisions when correcting texts.

Note that this course does not teach the rules of grammar. Rather, students will complete several written assignments of increasing complexity to gain proficiency in the skills of proofreading and copy-editing. Individual feedback will be provided by your tutor upon submission of each assignment.

In this course, you will learn how to:

query or correct spelling, grammar and syntactical errors in a given text

correct, flag or query content-related errors in a given text

proofread hard copy as well as on-screen text

embark on a career in copy-editing and proofreading

Additional requirements for this course:

Students are expected to consult one of the prescribed style guides for every editing decision they make. The style guides are an additional purchase , and are essential reference material for those students wishing to pursue a career in copy-editing and proofreading.

A second-hand edition that is within ten years old of the most recent edition will suffice perfectly well. Please note that we use UK English at the college.

You will also need to use MS Word and the ‘Track Changes’ function. This is considered an industry standard for copy-editing and proofreading work.

Option 1: (Print)

The Oxford Style Manual or the New Oxford Style Manual

Option 2: (e-Book)

New Hart’s Rules: The Oxford Style Guide. This edition does not include a dictionary, so you will need to buy one separately.

This course precisely provided the challenges I needed to highlight the flaws in my own writing and copy-editing processes. There was never a dull moment! My tutor struck the perfect balance between peer and teacher and was incredibly kind, approachable and motivating. Her feedback was always encouraging and clear. Enjoyable. Tough. Precisely what I needed.

Dené janse van rensburg, copy-editing and proofreading course, course overview, price includes vat, number of assignments, the assignments vary in length., number of modules, these modules include around 100 pages of course notes., course duration, work at your own pace – up to a maximum of eight months. we suggest a minimum of four months., start date: anytime.

Working with an individual tutor means you can start the course at any time.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent grammar knowledge is essential.
• Computer skills, e-mail and Internet access required.
• No previous tertiary qualification required.

Tutor for this Course

Course Curriculum

• Introduction to the course
• Recommended reference works and resources
• Using ‘Track Changes’
• Using a house style guide
• Editing Assignment 1.1
• Editing Assignment 1.2
• Editing Assignment 1.3
• What is copy-editing?
• Correcting punctuation
• Editing Assignment 2.1
• Editing Assignment 2.2
• Editing Assignment 2.3 
• Explore copy-editing in practice
• Maintaining a style sheet
• Correcting spelling, hyphenation and homophones
• Editing Assignment 3.1
• Editing Assignment 3.2
• Editing Assignment 3.3
• Correcting capitalisation
• Understanding the treatment of names and numbers
• Editing Assignment 4.1
• Editing Assignment 4.2
• Editing Assignment 4.3
• Explore proofreading in practice
• Correcting quotations, references and abbreviations
• Editing Assignment 5.1
• Editing Assignment 5.2
• Editing Assignment 5.3
• Correcting grammar errors
• Editing Assignment 6.1
• Editing Assignment 6.2
• Editing Assignment 6.3
• Correcting factual errors
• Correcting formatting errors
• Editing Assignment 7.1
• Editing Assignment 7.2
• Editing Assignment 7.3
• Editing Assignment 8.1
• Editing Assignment 8.2
• Editing Assignment 8.3
• Where to look for work
• What to charge
• How to invoice
• Editing Assignment 9.1
• Editing Assignment 9.2
• Editing Assignment 9.3
• Hardcopy Proofreading
• Proofreading Academic Theses
• Substantive Editing

*Students may choose to do more than one elective. These will be invoiced separately.

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Benefit from free lifetime access to future course updates and access to our writing resources.

Work at Your Own Pace

Our courses work around you. You can pace your course around your busy life.

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Top students are invited to join our writers and editors for hire service.

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You will have access to our friendly Facebook community, daily writing tips and writing inspiration.

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We are so confident that you will love your course that if you’re not 100% satisfied with the quality of our training, simply ask for a refund within 30 days.

Complete the Application Form to Enrol on the Copy-editing and Proofreading Course

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Should your form not submit, please let admin know at [email protected]

Questions? We've Got Answers

Detailed course notes covering the content of each module are emailed to you. At the end of each module, you will be required to complete several writing exercises. Once the writing assignment has been completed and emailed to your tutor, you will receive an assessment and feedback, and the module will be considered complete.

Absolutely. You have direct communication with your tutor for the duration of the course. The more questions you ask, the more you will get out of the course.

You will get lifetime access to the course. You will also benefit from future updates and improvements to the course.

For the majority of our courses, only your tutor will see your work. It will remain completely private unless you get it published. The journalism courses might see your work published in the public domain, but you do have the final say as to whether or not this happens.

You will receive a Writers College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided you meet the following conditions: 

You must have completed all assignments.

A minimum average of 50% must be achieved.

The course must have been completed within eight months of registration.

Excellent grasp of grammar, punctuation, spelling and English usage. (You should consider our Grammar for Writers Course if you need to sharpen your grammar skills.)

Computer skills as well as email and Internet access are required.

Use of Microsoft Word and the Track Changes function.

• A printer and a scanner or camera are required only if you do the Hardcopy elective in Module Ten.

No previous tertiary qualification is required.

Because you will work with an individual tutor, you can start your course as soon as your application has been approved. There are no specific start dates as would be the case with a traditional college.

An application is usually approved within one working day. Once we receive proof of payment, your can start your course.

You could be starting your course today!

Reading Time: 20 hours

Editing Time: Up to 30 hours

You have eight months to complete the course (and an extra 21 days if your course runs over the Christmas and New Year break).

You are welcome to finish the course sooner if you want to, but we wouldn’t want you to rush the process too much!

Once your application has been approved, you will receive notification of approval and an invoice via email. As soon as we receive proof of payment, the first module as well as your tutor’s email address and your login details will be sent to you. Your tutor will also be in touch to welcome you.

Any work created on our courses is owned by you. We will never make a claim to anything you produce. We follow the rule that copyright subsists with the creator (you).

'The course opened up a whole new world for me - a challenge that I enjoyed tremendously. Di was very helpful.’

Stefenie kruger, copy-editing and proofreading course, got more questions, we would love to help you choose the best course for you. tell us what style of writing you want to develop and we'll give you some options., journalism courses, writing articles for websites and blogs, freelance journalism for magazines and webzines, advanced freelance journalism, travel writing, write a non-fiction book, creative writing courses, basics of creative writing, advanced creative writing, short story writing course, advanced short story writing, write a novel, write a romance novel, advanced novel writing, writing science fiction and fantasy, an introduction to poetry, advanced poetry, scriptwriting, advanced scriptwriting, writing for video games, writing books for children | part one, writing books for children | part two, write your memoir, advanced memoir writing, business & grammar, grammar for writers (english 1st language), grammar skills (english 2nd language), business writing toolkit, writing coach course, mastering punctuation, report writing and presentation, write better newsletters, specialist courses, press release and media writing, copywriting, writing seo copy for websites, self-publish your e-book, writing intensives, self-guided 14-day creative writing intensive, self-guided 14-day story-building intensive, free 5-day creative writing challenge, buy a gift voucher, writing services:, writers and editors for hire, how we train, terms and conditions, privacy policy, connect with us, © 2005 - 2024 the writers college all rights reserved, [email protected], our refund policy.

If within seven days of starting your course you are not happy on your course, we can either transfer you to a different course or provide a full refund.

If you request a refund after seven days and before 30 days we will charge a 5% administrative fee, as well as any bank fees and tutor fees already incurred.

We do not offer a refund after 30 days on the course.

Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading

• About CIEP training courses
• Art of Querying
• Copyediting 1: Introduction
• Copyediting 2: Headway
• Copyediting 3: Progress
• Copyright for Editorial Professionals
• Editing Digital Content
• Editorial Project Management
• Efficient Editing: Strategies and Tactics
• Getting to Grips with Grammar and Punctuation
• Health Editing
• Introduction to Fiction Editing
• Medical Editing
• Non-Fiction Developmental Editing
• Plain English for Editors

Proofreading 1: Introduction

Proofreading 2: Headway

Proofreading 3: Progress

• Proofreading Theses and Dissertations
• Web Editing
• Word for Practical Editing
• Course booking
• Course booking terms and conditions
• Course fees
• Curriculum for professional development
• Exercise Bank
• In-house training
• Promoted courses
• Virtual learning course dates
• Individual membership
• Corporate membership
• Upgrading your membership
• Complaints and appeals
• Continuing Professional Development
• Editorial syllabus
• Environmental values
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
• Qualifications
• Membership Codes
• Book reviews
• Fact sheets
• Newsletters
• Online shop
• Recommended books
• Suggested minimum rates
• Test yourself
• Calendar of events
• CIEP discovery meetings
• Conferences
• Local groups
• Special interest groups
• About proofreading and editing
• What is proofreading?
• What is copyediting?
• Working as a proofreader or editor
• Basic editorial test
• Advertise with the CIEP
• CIEP: An edited history
• CIEP ambassadors
• CIEP publicity leaflets
• Honorary members
• Judith Butcher Award
• Media and public relations
• Meet the team
• Our partners
• Special offers for members
• Privacy notice

Proofreading suite of courses

Train to work as a proofreader with our three-part suite of courses.

If you want to work as a freelance proofreader, you will need a sure way to prove your professional competence in a toughly competitive market. Our proofreading training courses are designed by experienced practitioners to help get you up and running as a competent and professional proofreader, and our training is highly regarded in the publishing industry.

Is there a gap in your proofreading skills?

If you are working in a company, training for proofreading may be scarce or idiosyncratic to your organisation. Perhaps you’ve been doing some proofreading for years but lack formal training. Our courses will give you the professional confidence that you need.

Take all three for a comprehensive grounding. You will learn at your own pace under the guidance of an experienced tutor.

This course is designed to help you to decide whether proofreading is for you. It is a fairly short course covering the basics of the skills needed and the terminology involved. We strongly recommend that you start here, especially if you have no experience of the publishing industry or editorial work in general.

You will not be ready to start work on the basis of this course alone. We recommend that you follow up with the Proofreading 2: Headway and Proofreading 3: Progress courses.

Read more detail about this course.

Proofreading 1: Introduction – virtual learning

This is the live version of our popular e-learning self-assessed course Proofreading 1: Introduction .

Read more detail about this virtual learning training.

This course builds upon the skills and knowledge you gain in Proofreading 1: Introduction .

We do not recommend starting with this course. If you have not previously taken Proofreading 1: Introduction, you may find that you struggle with some of the work without the grounding given in that course.

This course builds on the skills and knowledge you have learned in the previous two courses.

We do not recommend tackling this course without having taken Proofreading 1: Introduction and Proofreading 2: Headway .

Each level includes a variety of exercises, from public information to academic texts, providing plenty of scope for practice as you learn. In Proofreading 2 and 3, you will work with a tutor who will provide feedback and assess your assignments.

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4 Best Online Proofreading Courses in 2024 (Pros & Cons)

This article may contain affiliate links. Please see our affiliate disclaimer in the footer menu for more information. Thank you for your support!

If you’re looking for the best online proofreading courses, I can help you. As a trained proofreader, I conducted comprehensive research before deciding which class to take. I chose the Proofread Anywhere course, but all the classes in this article will adequately prepare you to become a proofreader .

The best proofreading courses are General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ by Proofread Anywhere, Becoming a Proofreader by Knowadays , Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One by The Publishing Training Centre (PTC), and a series of classes by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP).

Let’s see what each of these classes offers so you can decide if one of them is right for you.

Note : If you want to become a proofreader, I advise against taking a class that costs considerably less than the ones mentioned in this article.

A Brief Look at Which Class Makes the Most Sense for You

Table of Contents

A Quick Comparison of the Classes

Let’s get an overview of the primary differences between these courses.

Summary of the Main Differences

*You earn a certificate from Proofread Anywhere if you purchase the Ignite Plus version of the course and score 90% or above on the final exam.

A Cost Comparison

*You’ll get a $100 scholarship to apply to either version of the course if you watch Proofread Anywhere’s free workshop .

Now that we’ve gotten an overview, let’s dive into the details.

The courses are taught in either US or UK English. These dialects have differences in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary.

The variations aren’t too difficult to learn, but realize you’ll need to do some self-study to master them.

The Proofread Anywhere and Knowadays programs provide some content to help you learn how these dialects vary, but they don’t cover all the details.

All the courses below are suitable for beginners except the second and third classes in the CIEP series.

The Four Best Online Proofreading Courses

1) general proofreading: theory and practice™ by proofread anywhere.

Proofread Anywhere is a business that offers online training for proofreaders.

I chose Proofread Anywhere for my training and would pick it again. I believe this program offers the best value for the money.

Pros, Cons, and Key Takeaway of the Proofread Anywhere Class

• only course that provides in-depth training for building a business and marketing yourself
• teaches you how to navigate one of the most commonly used style guides (CMOS)
• training in grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc., and guidance for integrating AI into your proofreading work
• lifetime access to course materials and a supportive Facebook group
• company not as well-established in the publishing industry (compared to the CIEP & PTC)
• limited access to support from staff (must pay extra for tutoring)
• doesn’t teach you how to proofread typeset documents

Key Takeaway for “The Most Well-Rounded Program”

Take this class if you want to learn how to build an online business and market yourself, want lifetime access to a peer support group, and would like to learn how to proofread using a specific style guide.

Note : This is the only course of the four that doesn’t teach you how to proofread typeset documents. However, you’ll probably only need this knowledge if you work for a publishing company. And jobs at publishing houses are extremely hard to get.

Details of General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™

Who It’s For : Anyone who wants to become a proofreader

Cost : General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ (Ignite): $597 OR General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ (Ignite Plus): $697

The Ignite Plus course includes everything in the Ignite course, including a final exam (graded by hand). If you pass the exam with a score of 90% or higher, you will receive the following:

• a certificate of completion
• one year of free access to the new Hire a Proofreader Directory where you can add your profile and look for work on the job dashboard
• membership in a Facebook marketing mastermind group designed for general proofreading students with verified skills   

Prerequisite s : None. However, they recommend you have a good eye for detail.

Required Texts : The recommended texts are the 17 th Edition of The Chicago Manual of Style  (CMOS) and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11 th Edition) . 

Duration : Self-paced; takes a minimum of one month to complete

Time to Access Course : Lifetime (includes any updates). You also have lifetime access to a Facebook support group.

Grade Given : Yes, if you purchase the Ignite Plus version of the course

Certificate of Completion : Yes, if you buy the Ignite Plus version of the program and pass the final exam with a score of 90% or higher.

The certificate acknowledges that you passed the final exam with a grade of 90% or above. 

Here’s mine so you can see what it looks like:

Course Creator : Caitlin Pyle; she has extensive experience in general and transcript proofreading

Instructor Feedback : Yes. Currently, the program has a team member who is quite active in the private Facebook support group. Also, you can search the group discussions to find answers to almost any question you would have.

If you need more individualized attention, you can purchase tutoring sessions. They cost $50 per 30-minute session.

Course Taught in US or UK English : US English

Course Content : 14 modules; reading material, worksheets, quizzes, videos, and 40+ documents to proofread

Main Topics :

• Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and word use
• Proofreading methods (e.g., working in MS Word, Google Docs)
• Working with style guides
• Proofreading academic, creative, and business writing
• Building a business and finding clients
• Using AI tools to increase efficiency

Additional Notes : This class comes with the following resource guides:

• Look Better in Writing™ Handbook of Commonly Misused (and Abused!) Words
• The Ultimate Freelancer Tax Guide
• The Mindset Mastery Guide
• 5 Mindset Shifts for Goal-Crushing Confidence

A Money Mindset Transformation workshop (and workbook) is also included.

If you’d like more info about this course and creating a profitable freelance proofreading business, you can sign up for this free 76-minute workshop .

You’ll receive a $100 scholarship for either version of the course, but you have to use it within one hour of completing the workshop.

If you’d like to learn more, I wrote an in-depth article about why Proofread Anywhere is well worth the money .

2) Becoming a Proofreader by Knowadays

Knowadays provides online classes for students who’d like to start a new side hustle or career.

Pros, Cons, and Key Takeaway of the Knowadays Class

• only program that offers guaranteed work (only in conjunction with their editing course) to those who qualify
• training in grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.
• supportive tutors to answer course-related questions and lifetime access to class materials
• teaches you how to proofread typeset documents
• minimal training on how to set up a business and market yourself
• competition for jobs at Proofed will eventually increase as more people qualify for the guaranteed work offer

Key Takeaway for “The Program with the Work Guarantee”

Take this class if you want to be eligible for a work guarantee (only in conjunction with Knowadays’ editing course), want one-on-one support from tutors, and would like to learn how to proofread typeset documents.

Details of Becoming a Proofreader

Cost : $499

Prerequisite s : None

Required Text s : None listed. But you need Microsoft Word (2016 or later) to work through the course. 

Duration : Self-paced; takes at least 50 hours to finish

Time to Access Course : Lifetime (includes any updates)

Grade Given : Yes, you’ll receive a grade for the final assignment.

Certificate of Completion : Yes, all students receive a CPD-accredited certificate at the end of the class. CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development .

Course Creators : A team of proofreading and editing experts from Proofed —a reputable online proofreading and editing company

Instructor Feedback : You can email tutors with questions throughout the class and schedule a tutor support call for free if something is still unclear. Tutors also provide comprehensive feedback on the final assignment.

Course Taught in US or UK English : US English (but a version in UK English is available upon request)

Course Content : 13 modules; reading material, quizzes, videos, and assignments (including real-life example jobs)

• Grammar, punctuation, spelling, word use
• Working with style guides
• Academic referencing and citations
• Finding work

Additional Notes : They offer a work guarantee with their sister company, Proofed. To qualify for guaranteed work, you need to take the Becoming a Proofreader and Becoming an Editor course (bundle deal available for 15% off) and score 80% or higher on the final exam in each class. You begin work on a trial basis. If the trial goes well, you can take on longer and more complex documents.

If you’d like to go to the Become a Proofreader free trial or learn more about the Proofreader and Editor Course Bundle, you can do so here .

I wrote a comprehensive post about Knowadays if you’d like more info. This article talks about all the programs Knowadays offers, including the Becoming an Editor course and their Proofreader and Editor Course Bundle.

3) Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One by The Publishing Training Centre

The Publishing Training Centre (PTC) is a network of professionals who provide courses for the publishing industry and broader business world.

Pros, Cons, and Key Takeaway of the PTC Class

• training from a very well-established and reputable company
• both course creators have worked in the industry for 35+ years
• a personal tutor to support you throughout the program
• free training manual to help you start a successful career
• no training in grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.
• course teaches how to mark up on paper with British Standards Institution symbols (a skill you may never use)
• basic user interface

Key Takeaway for “The Program with the Personal Tutor”

Take this class if you aspire to work at a publishing company, want the guidance of a personal tutor throughout the course, and want training from a well-known name in the publishing industry.

Details of Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One

Cost : £395

Prerequisite s : None. However, they strongly recommend taking their Essential Grammar class (available for £35 with your purchase of the Essential Proofreading course). They also recommend that you are detail-oriented and can concentrate at length. You should have a firm grasp of conversational English and grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Finally, they suggest you have broad general knowledge and are eager to learn.

Required Tex t s : None listed. But you need to have Microsoft Word (2010 or later) and Adobe Reader XI or DC (free version) to complete the training.

Time to Access Course : 12 months; you can study for another 12 months if you pay a re-registration fee of £75

Grade Given : Yes, please see the next bullet point.

Certificate of Completion : Yes, you receive a certificate of completion from The Publications Qualification Board . The certificate indicates a grade of “pass,” “merit,” or “distinction.”

Course Creators : Gillian Clarke—a founder member and honorary member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP), now the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP); Margaret Aherne —a founder member of the SfEP  

Instructor Feedback : Each student is assigned a tutor who offers support throughout the class and up to three months after completion. The tutor will grade and provide feedback on four assignments. 

Course Taught in US or UK English : UK English

Course Content : 6 units; reading material, exercises, and assignments (including real-life example jobs)

• Proofreading techniques
• Best practices and using good judgment
• Proofreading vs. proof-editing
• Working on PDFs
• Working for publishers
• The BSI symbols

Additional Notes : Upon enrollment in Essential Proofreading, you can take two of the following e-learning modules for free:

• Proofreading PDFs: A Complete Guide for Editors
• A Copy-Editor’s Guide to Working with Authors
• Introduction to Marketing
• Introduction to Publishing 

After completing the Essential Proofreading course, they’ll send you a free training manual (Successful Editorial Freelancing) to help you plan and progress in your new career.

Finally, you’ll be listed in The Publishing Training Centre’s Freelance Finder , where publishers can find highly qualified proofreaders.

You can learn more about the PTC course here .

4) A Series of Courses by The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading

The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) is an organization that offers classes for the publishing industry.

They recommend a series of three classes:

            1) Proofreading 1: Introduction (I’ll call it P1.)

This course is not enough training to start working as a proofreader.

            2) Proofreading 2: Headway (I’ll call it P2.)

This class provides enough training to start working on short, uncomplicated documents.

            3) Proofreading 3: Progress (I’ll call it P3.)

This course gives you the skills to work on a full range of documents.  

Pros, Cons, and Key Takeaway of the CIEP Classes

• training from a highly prestigious editorial organization
• program created by a long-standing authority in the publishing industry
• a very comprehensive training program (if you take all three classes in the series)
• P1 course can be taken alone to see if proofreading is a good fit for you; P2 and P3 classes are suitable for proofreaders who already have experience and meet the prerequisites
• quite expensive and no training in grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.
• courses teach you how to mark up on paper with British Standards Institution symbols (a skill you may never use)
• no training on how to set up a business and market yourself

Key Takeaway for “The Most Prestigious Program”

Take these classes if you aspire to work at a publishing company, want training from a prestigious name in the publishing industry, and are willing to pay a high price.

Details of the CIEP Series

Who It’s For :

P1: Beginners who are thinking about becoming proofreaders

P2: Those with some proofreading knowledge and experience who want to know more (they strongly recommend taking P1 first)

P3: Those who have a solid foundation in proofreading and are ready to advance to the next level (they highly recommend taking P1 and P2 first); also for proofreaders coming back to the profession after a break

P1: £180 / CIEP Members: £110

The P1 class is now available in a virtual learning format. It consists of four live webinar sessions (one per week) that last 2.5 hours at most. It costs £320 for nonmembers and £195 for CIEP members.

P2: £320 / CIEP Members: £195

P3: £320 / CIEP Members: £195

Prerequisite s :

P1: Good grasp of English grammar, a wide range of general knowledge, familiarity with MS Word and Adobe Acrobat Reader DC                            

P2: Prerequisites for P1 and an understanding of proofreading basics as taught in P1

P3: Prerequisites for P1 and an understanding of proofreading basics as taught in P1 and P2

Required Tex t s : None listed

Duration : Self-paced; the three classes combined take at least 50 hours to complete

Time to Access Course : six months per course

Grade Given :

P2: Yes, please see the next bullet point.

P3: Yes, please see the next bullet point.

Certificate of Completion :

P2: Yes, you’ll receive a certificate of completion if you complete (but do not pass) the class. If you pass it, you’ll receive a certificate showing you have passed either with “merit” or “distinction.” Your performance on the final assignment determines the degree to which you pass.

P3: Yes, in the same manner as in the P2 course.

Course Creator : The CIEP 

Instructor Feedback : A tutor is available for one hour of support per course. The tutor will answer questions you have throughout the training. You can purchase additional tutoring if needed.

P1: Tutor does not grade any of your work

P2: Tutor grades and provides feedback on three assignments (the third assignment is the final assignment)

P3: Tutor grades and offers input on three assignments as well as the final assignment

Course Content :

P1: 6 units; reading material, exercises, and assignments

P2: 6 units; reading material, exercises, and assignments (including real-life example jobs)

P3: 8 units; reading material, exercises, and assignments (including real-life example jobs)

• Types of errors to correct
• Proofreading strategies and using good judgment
• Proofreading methods (e.g., working in MS Word, PDF markup tools)
• Dealing with complicated documents and complex elements

Additional Notes : None

You can check out the CIEP class series here .

An Honorable Mention

The Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) is a well-known organization in the United States that deserves mention.

The Editorial Freelancers Association

The EFA offers online proofreading courses throughout the year. Past proofreading programs they’ve provided include Proofreading: The Basics, Proofreading 101, and Proofreading 201.

These courses require advance registration and have limited space. Furthermore, they only offer specific classes at certain times during the year.

If you want comprehensive training, you’ll probably need to take more than one of these classes; however, getting them to line up with each other will likely be challenging.

You can visit the EFA website to see which courses they currently offer.

Students who take these courses do not receive a certificate. However, the EFA states that students can contact an individual instructor who can verify the student’s participation in a class by writing a letter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a certified proofreader.

Currently, the only option to get a professional certification in proofreading is to pass the proofreading exam offered by  Editors Canada , an editorial association based in Toronto, Ontario. However, taking the exam costs $550 for nonmembers.

Furthermore, they recommend that people taking the exam have at least five years of full-time experience working as a proofreader since the exam tests for “excellence (rather than proficiency).”

Becoming a certified proofreader is not necessary to land proofreading jobs. However, if you’d like to know more about this topic, I penned a post about the process of becoming a certified proofreader .

Are proofreading courses worth it?

A proofreading course is worth the investment in time and money if you want to become a professional proofreader. Lots of competition exists in the proofreading industry, so completing a program is one way to help you stand out.

A course will also give you confidence in your abilities and show potential clients you have the skills needed to do the job well. Earning clients’ trust can be more challenging if you don’t have experience, so a class can help boost your trustworthiness from the get-go.

How long does it take to complete a proofreading course?

Generally, it takes at least 50 hours to complete a comprehensive proofreading course that will prepare you to be a proofreader. To finish a class in one month, you’d need to study for about one hour and 45 minutes daily (including weekends). Simple proofreading courses on Skillshare and Udemy typically take 2–4 hours to finish.

How much can a beginner proofreader make?

A beginner proofreader can make roughly $12–$18 per hour. But this depends on whether you work for yourself or someone else, the genre of the texts you take on, and how fast you can proofread.

For example, you’ll earn more proofreading theses you receive via your own clients than by tidying up simple newsletters from customers on Upwork.

As you get more experience and testimonials, you can charge more money. What does “more money” look like? Here are a couple of useful statistics:

• ZipRecruiter  (February 2024) reports that the average yearly pay for a freelance proofreader in the US is $57,520, which is $28.00 per hour.
• According to the  US Bureau of Labor Statistics  (May 2022), proofreaders get paid an average of $48,770 annually. This translates to $23.45 per hour.

What qualifications do proofreaders need?

Generally, you don’t need qualifications (e.g., degree, certification) to be a proofreader. But experience and/or a degree is a requirement for some jobs. What proofreaders do need is the skill set to do the job well.

You can learn these skills by taking a thorough proofreading class, like the ones mentioned in this article. I penned a post about proofreader qualifications if you’d like more info.  

A Word of Caution about Low-Cost Proofreading Classes

As mentioned, I don’t recommend low-cost courses for aspiring proofreaders.

As someone who has completed the Proofread Anywhere program and works in the field, I don’t think a course costing around $100 could possibly provide you with enough training to compete with well-trained proofreaders.

I would encourage you to find successful proofreaders in the industry and ask them for their opinions! I think you’ll find that adequate training is necessary to succeed in this field.

I would only recommend low-cost proofreading classes (such as those found on platforms like Udemy and Skillshare) for those interested in exploring proofreading as a potential job, people wishing to learn the basics of proofreading, and experienced proofreaders wanting to brush up on their skills.

Considering how much proofreaders earn , it’s illogical to think you could make that kind of money after taking an inexpensive class that only takes a few hours to complete.

Also, having a strong command of the English language isn’t the only thing you need to become a successful proofreader. You need to know how to navigate at least one major style guide (e.g., The Chicago Manual of Style ) and how to use software like MS Word and Google Docs to mark up your clients’ texts.

The most significant benefit you’ll receive from a proofreading program is the feedback after proofreading a wide array of real-life example documents.

Now, onto the research I did to write this article.

My Research Process to Find the Best Courses

To create this list, I looked into seventeen editorial organizations across four countries—the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia.

I also investigated several other companies that offer proofreading classes.

The businesses varied widely in reputation and the depth of training they provided. 

All the organizations listed in this article are reputable names in the publishing industry.

Proofread Anywhere and Knowadays are much newer than the other two organizations, but they’ve seen impressive growth over the past several years.

Proofread Anywhere’s general proofreading class was launched in April 2017, and the Knowadays class debuted in August 2017.

I hope this article has helped you learn everything you wanted to know about the best proofreading courses.

I wish you good luck pursuing your goals, whatever those may be!

Best wishes to you! 

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Henry David Thoreau

Lindsay Babcock

Lindsay is the creator of Om Proofreading. She has a BA in psychology and earned a certificate in proofreading by passing the final exam in Proofread Anywhere’s general proofreading course. She shares what she’s learning in the field and through research to inform and inspire her readers.

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15 FREE Proofreading Courses + Certification [2024]

By: Author Aisha Preece

Are you looking for a free proofreading course that will help you start a career in proofreading?

Being a grammatical whiz in high school will not cut it. The production of written content is at a record high, and almost everyone requires needs a fresh pair of eyes to screen through their work. 

Are you prepared to use your command of written communication to land a fulfilling career where you have control over your schedule and how much money you make?

This article will tell you about the top proofreading online course free available because I am a certified proofreader with experience in the industry.

We’re going to also look into some inexpensive options. Let’s get to it!

My Favourite FREE Proofreading Course that I took when I had no experience :

THIS FREE Proofreading workshop that will help you learn the basic skills and decide on whether freelance proofreading is for you. Perfect if you want to know how to become a proofreader with no experience and if you are looking for proofreading courses online for FREE

Affiliate Link Disclosure

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. 

Note- the Proofread Anywhere course helps you transition into a full-time proofreader/editor and run it as a well-paid business.

The Proofread Anywhere course begins with proofreading basics and then goes on to share advanced proofreading methods, how and where to find jobs, what rate to set, and common mistakes to avoid.

Caitlin is the lady who runs the course and she has been a proofreader since 2007. She turned her love for proofreading into a full-time job and now helps others do the same.

The Proofread Anywhere course is packed with 40+ lessons in 8 modules, grammar-specific worksheets, and real-life example jobs.

After passing with 90% or higher on the final exam you will receive a Certificate of Completion and access to the Self-Publishing School Preferred Outsourcer Rolodex.

Ps; Caitlin is offering a FREE Proofreading workshop that will help you learn the basic skills and decide on whether freelance proofreading is for you. Perfect if you want to know how to become a proofreader with no experience and if you are looking for proofreading courses online for free.

15 Free Proofreading Courses

1. university of california – grammar and punctuation.

• 1: Course Introduction
• 2: Verb Tenses And Conjunctions
• 3: Compound And Complex Sentences
• 4: More Commas, Parallel Structure, and Sentence Variety

Are you no longer the grammar police? Does your skill need a little basic refresher? If so, you’ll do great in this course.

This specialization serves as a review of some writing tools. You can use it to prepare for another free online proofreading course with a certificate.

It will take you roughly 10 hours to finish. Writing and proofreading are skills, and practice is the key to mastering any skill.

Watch the videos in this course, put into practice the topics studied, and get them reviewed in the discussion. 

Upon completion, you can: 

• Recognize the appropriate verb tenses to utilize
• Learn correct punctuations
• Use a variety of sentence structures
• Improve English writing skills

2. University Of Michigan – Writing And Editing Specialization

• 1: Word Choice And Word Order
• 2: Structure And Organization
• 3: Drafting
• 4: Revising

Even though this is one of the proofreading and editing courses online free, the writing component is the focus of this course.

It focuses on a variety of abilities, such as how to offer and accept high-quality criticism, how to organize a selection of writing material in a reader-friendly fashion, and how to regularly meet deadlines.  

3. University Of Michigan – Writing And Editing: Revising

• 1: Editing And Empathy
• 2: Uselessly Accurate
• 3: Writer To Reader
• 4: Feedback Loops

The distinction between proofreading and editing will be explained in this course. You’ll practice simplifying content so that the information and figures you use are understandable and convincing.

On top of that, you’ll learn about the feedback loop system that helps organize the contents to be eliminated and the contents to be maintained.

You will also have access to a huge selection of publications and other materials that you may use long after you complete the course.

These include the tasks and readings that were given to the students who participated in the live sessions of the class at the Universities of Michigan and Chicago.

4. Editing For Beginners

You can learn proofreading online for free with this minicourse.

This course will offer you an idea of what it may be like to be an experienced proofreader. It offers some grammatical lessons and details on what you might anticipate working as an experienced proofreader. 

This mini-course can be very helpful in assisting you in determining if proofreading is the correct choice for you if you’re unfamiliar with the concept of working as an experienced proofreader. 

5. Kickstart A Freelance Editor & Proofreader Career On Upwork

• 1: Introductory Information
• 2: The Basics To Get Started On Upwork
• 4: Ratings And Repeat Clients
• 5: Macro-Level Tips For Doing A Great Job
• 6: Practical Concerns
• 7: Bonus Lecture

While this course is not your typical course that gives proofreading certification for free, it teaches you how to set yourself up for a successful proofreading career on Upwork. 

Upwork is a freelance marketplace where freelancers thrive and earn a steady stream of income. 

With this course, you will be able to draw clients and write a compelling cover letter for your bid proposal.

In Upwork, it is all about bidding for your job, and this course can help you gain contracts by using ethical bidding practices and improve your ratings quickly to increase your chances of winning a bid.

Upon completion, you will:

• Impress customers with straightforward editing concepts and techniques.
• Develop recurring customers to expand your business.
• Develop your proofreading business more quickly.
• Avoid the common errors that new freelancers make and lose money.

If you are keen on exploring Upwork, here are some articles that may benefit you:

• The Best Cover Letter For Upwork: Tips Plus Sample! [2024 Update]
• Upwork Hourly Rates: The Best Rate For A Beginner [2024]
• Is Upwork Worth It In 2024? [My Personal Experience!]
• 9 Upwork Scams: How To Spot & Avoid Them? [2024 Update]
• Is Upwork Good For Beginners? + Tips To Land First Client!

6. How To Find & Correct Writing Errors: The Proofreading Guide

1: Good Habits

2: Do These Things When You Proofread

3: Issues With Words And Punctuation

4: Lists And Guides

5: Proofreading The Format, Design, And Graphics

6: Final Tasks People Forget To Do

7: You’re Not Alone: Getting Help With Proofreading

8: Bonus Lecture

This course is intended for authors and editors of all genres who wish to improve their proofreading abilities and avoid mistakes in their work.

The proofreading phase is your final opportunity to find mistakes before your writing is seen by coworkers, authors, and the public. Effective proofreading involves polishing your writing so that it reads well and looks professional. 

7. Proofreading Power Basics

• 1: Proofreader Expectations
• 2: Grammar Assessment
• 3: Proofreading Tips
• 4: Proofreading Strategies
• 5: Proofreading Marks
• 6: Proofreading For Capitalization
• 7: Proofreading For Numbers
• 8: Proofreading Error Hotspots
• 9: Style Guides

Proofreading Power Basics is a distinctive online course that teaches the essentials of proofreading through hands-on exercises and exams.

This is a primer on the principles of proofreading for those with strong language and grammatical skills who desire an additional skill challenge, especially teachers, working freelancers, or anyone who wants to broaden their scope of services.

8. Writing Proofreading Course: Proofread Punctuation & Grammar

• 1: Master The Basics Of Proofreading
• 2: Punctuation Checklist
• 3: Other Language Mistakes Checklist
• 4: Proofreading Practice Activities
• 5: Proofreading job Sites & Full Upwork Guide
• 6: Final Proofreading Lecture

The instructor of this course has been a professional proofreader for over 5 years and will teach you three crucial methods for proofreading translation.

You will learn the way to track modifications to Microsoft Word and choose an autocorrect program. 

Clarify your writing, and improve your grammar and punctuation.

On top of that, you will also study the basics of text proofreading and editing.

9. What Is Proofreading? (Proofreading Training Centre)

For anyone who is just starting out with proofreading, this course is fantastic.

Your grammar and proofreading abilities will develop from novice to more experienced proofreader upon completion of this course.

The course is broken down into a couple of chunks that make it easier for the student to understand proofreading principles and to help them develop their writing abilities through tasks.

10. How To Be An Editor/Proofreader (For Translators) 

• 1: What Does Editing/Proofreading Mean?
• 2: What Does Editing/Proofreading Mean To You?
• 3: Starting Strategies
• 4: How To Proceed
• 5: Other Issues
• 6: Tips And Tricks

Translators who want to focus on proofreading should take will benefit from this course.

This course covers subjects and problems unique to the specialization of proofreading, which can be beneficial knowledge for a translator to have.

On top of that, advice on how to improve your résumé, how to get started with job notifications, and how to choose a reliable translation company.

11. Certification In Editing And Proofreading – Masterclass

• 1: Content Edit
• 2: Structure Edit
• 3: Presentation Edit
• 4: IT Skills
• 5: Choosing Editing And Proofreading As A Career
• 6: Assessment
• 7: Professional Updates

This is a comprehensive course that covers A to Z. You will have a deep understanding of how to examine a document for its context and break it down when you are proofreading. 

You will also learn to make the document evocative while correcting the tone, punctuation, and grammatical errors. 

12. Complete Writing Editing Masterclass + An eBook With Examples

• 1: Basics Of Writing Editing
• 2: Writing Editing Step-By-Step
• 3: Editing Rules With Examples
• 4: Grammar Rules For Copyediting And Proofreading
• 5: Proofreading Strategies And Rules

This course is a straighforward one. If you are looking for a course with minimal to no-fluff, the type that gets straight to the point, then this course is for you. 

By the end of this course, you will learn how to effectively write and edit, as well as have your proofreading skills enhanced. 

13. Editing Mastery: How To Edit To Perfection

• 1: The Magic Of Deep Editing
• 2: The Content Edit
• 3: The Structure Edit
• 4: The Style Edit
• 5: The Presentation Edit

You’ll learn how the best copy editors captivate loyal readers. Almost any kind of writing will be taught to be proofread well in this course. After completing the course, you will be given an Editing Mastery Certificate of Completion.

You will learn how to produce captivating writing with ease and how to effectively elevate a document. You will also learn techniques and certain tools that will make you stand out from the rest.

14. General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ (GPTP) (Proofread Anywhere)

• 1: Introduction To General Proofreading
• 2: Grammar Refresher
• 3: Sentence Structure
• 4: Spelling And Word Use For Proofreaders
• 5: Punctuation Principles
• 6: Proofreading Methods
• 7: Proofreading Practice
• 8: Types Of Proofreading
• 9: Turning Proofreading Into A Business
• 10: Finding Clients
• 11: Marketing Basics
• 12: Your Workflow
• 13: Getting The Most Out Of The Freelancing Life

Yes, this is a pricey one but I can tell you that this course is well worth the investment. 

All there is to know to work successfully as a proofreader or editor will be covered in this course. You’ll be taught how to start an internet proofreading side hustle, how to locate clients, and the most recent proofreading techniques.

15. Becoming A Proofreader (Knowadays)

• 1: Introduction To Becoming A Proofreader
• 2: Proofreading And Editing
• 3: The Basics Of Microsoft Word
• 4: Common Spelling Mistakes
• 5: Common Grammar Mistakes
• 6: Common Punctuation Mistakes
• 7: Other Common Errors
• 8: Proofreading In Practice: Style
• 9: Academic Proofreading
• 10: Academic Proofreading: Referencing And Citations
• 11: Creative Writing And The Publishing Industry
• 12: Proofreading Business Writing
• 13: Finding Work And The Final Assignment

Another pricey yet worthwhile course is Becoming A Proofreader by Knowadays (formerly known as Proofreading Academy). 

This course emphasizes fixing obvious tone issues, such as degrees of formality and improper language use. It is incredibly thorough and extensive, giving you all the resources you need to obtain a proofreading job.

The course outline is well-defined and simple to understand.

It is jam-packed with helpful advice and activities where you may put your newly acquired abilities to use. The practice tests strengthen your knowledge and comprehension, and the course can be completed at your own pace.

FAQs on Best Proofreading Courses

How can i learn proofreading for free.

THIS FREE Proofreading workshop that will help you learn basic proofreading skills

At the end of the day, regardless of the course, you can only achieve the goals you set for yourself to become a proofreader by taking action. 

You may hear people preach about really expensive courses or professional proofreaders trying to convince you that their course is the best. Remember that you can start with a free proofreading course first before deciding to splurge. 

Especially if you are a complete beginner to this field, you might find that being a proofreader is not your cup of tea. So why spend money which you will not be getting back. 

How Much Does It Cost To Proofread 1,000 Words?

The average proofreader charges $0.014 – $0.018 per word, amounting to $14 to $1 8  per 1000 words. 

Factors Affecting Rates

Document to be proofread.

The element that typically results in the biggest price fluctuations is the deadline set by your client. 

If a client demands a document to be submitted very quickly, that will result in a higher premium. Another scenario is if a client changes the deadline at the last minute, then you can impose a higher fee. 

The type of document is one thing to take into account. Different types of texts require different levels of proofreading. 

For example, if can proofread a 6-year-old preschool English language text quicker than an academic paper that is about to be published. 

Additionally, compared to most other types of writing, corporate papers often attract a higher premium. 

One way to ensure you earn big bucks is to niche down with the type of documents you proofread. Say you have a background in science and mathematics, you should start offering your services in the STEM field. 

With more scholarly papers being published now, you will find that there is a demand for proofreaders in this field. 

When you offer your service to a niche that is high in demand, you will be able to charge a higher fee.

The educational backgrounds, level of expertise, and previous experience of proofreaders vary widely and so does the fee imposed by them.

Due to these variations, average rates for independent proofreaders fluctuate greatly from one another.

This is given because just like any other field, a ‘specialist’ in a field will charge more than the generic worker. Similar to when you consult a general doctor compared to a neurologist in the hospital. 

Since the level of expertise varies, so does the fee imposed. 

As a beginner, you can start by proofreading documents of your friends, family, or colleagues to start building a portfolio. Once you have accumulated a few samples and attracted clients, you will then be able to charge your clients more.

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Can You Be A Proofreader With No Experience?

Yes, you can be a proofreader with no experience. (I had no experience when I started!)

Even with minimal to zero experience, you can still find work as a freelance proofreader. There are online courses, tests, and certifications that you can obtain when you are starting out with being a proofreader. 

Skills Needed To Be A Proofreader

The main skills needed to be a proofreader are – grammar skills, spelling, and punctuation. Then, later on, with the best proofreading courses online, you can discover how to identify typical mistakes in writing.

You will learn the fundamentals of grammatical structures and syntax in a proofreading-free course as well.

Having attention-to-detail skills is also a proofreading quality that you should have. You should have the patience to catch every single sentence-level inaccuracy. To make sure the text is flawless, go line by line through it and look for any mistakes. 

Another skill that is good to have is good communication skill. 

A proofreader with this skill is adept at negotiating their fees, keeping clients informed of their progress, and providing constructive criticism.

Maintaining professionalism also includes keeping an open line of communication with the customer.  

How Do I Study For Proofreading?

So, how do I study for proofreading? When it comes to proofreading, there is no studying required. However, there are some things you can do with the help of the best online proofreading courses to start a career in freelancing.

Decide On Your Niche

When it comes to proofreading, you can decide either to be a general proofreader or a specialized proofreader. 

In specialized fields like the legal, medical, scientific, or technology industries, you can anticipate earning more money.

This includes editing and proofreading research papers, legal files, medical reports, thorough transcripts of court sessions , and other court reporters’ work.

If you already possess knowledge in one of these areas, don’t be afraid to go for specialized employment where you can be paid more.

To decide on your niche, take into account your interest, work background, and current interests you have. 

Keep Developing Your Skill

The truth is that the English language is continually evolving, and even the most proficient writers can develop undesirable habits.

No matter how many proofreading courses online for free that you take online if you do not start practicing at the beginning of your journey, you will probably lag behind. 

Attempt to read as many papers and books as you can, but read critically and look out for mistakes. Then, put your knowledge to the test. You can find a lot of free tests online that will determine how well you can spot important proofreading issues.

Here are some platforms that offer free proofreading tests:

• Test Yourself
• Free Proofreading Quiz – Test Your Skills
• Sample Proofreading Tests

The most essential thing to remember is that if you want to earn from proofreading, is enrolling in the best editing and proofreading courses online to improve your abilities and expand your toolkit.

A good quality course can assist you in getting past the early obstacles that so many new people encounter. 

The one course I recommend multiple times is the General Proofreading course from Proofread Anywhere . It is a pricey course only because it is worth every penny. 

Key features:

• Free 7-day program on proofreading.
• Additional resource manuals are available for all service-provider markets.
• Lifelong accessibility to program content
• Certification

No Degree Required

The majority of corporations and authors merely request to examine your resume. You can also be required to provide a portfolio of sample projects that are relevant to the literary topic. 

Remember that a large portion of professional proofreaders in the market lack degrees. Even those who provide online training on how to be outstanding proofreaders can only speak from their own professional experience. 

Who Should Take A Free Proofreading Course?

Now, who should take a free proofreading course? Anyone who wants to their proofreading journey seriously will benefit from proofreading training free.

You can familiarise yourself with style guides by taking a proofreading course.

You can test out your proofreading abilities on a variety of texts when studying the program to see where you thrive and which part needs enhancement.

Courses can help you assess your abilities and determine whether you are prepared to begin working for potential clients with thorough practice.

Teachers or trainers will be able to provide you with constructive feedback that can help simulate real-world jobs.

Last but not least, enrolling in a free proofreading course with a certificate will boost your self-confidence because you’ll be sure that you can do the job well.

Some courses award certificates for attendance or success on the final test. Your customer base will be curious to know that you have received professional education. 

Now you can choose the best proofreading course that suits you!

These 15 incredible free proofreading courses may develop your proofreading abilities and become an authority in this field.

Learning proofreading procedures has become crucial because of the growing importance of competent proofreading in the field of digital media.

These classes, with ample modules, include subjects including editing and writing. These courses provide tools and approaches to help you grow your talents and accomplish your goals, even if you are just starting out.

• How To Become A Proofreader Online [In 8 Simple Steps]
• How To Become A Freelance Editor With No Experience In 2023 [From An Experienced Freelance Editor]
• 61 Best Proofreading Jobs Online No Experience Required!
• 11 Proofreading Courses Online In 2023 (Personal Experience!)

Online Proofreader

Try our other writing services

Correct your document within 5 minutes

• Proofread on 100+ language issues
• Specialized in academic texts
• Corrections directly in your document

Instantly correct your entire document in minutes

Nobody's perfect all the time—and now, you don’t have to be!

There are times when you just want to write without worrying about every grammar or spelling convention. The online proofreader immediately finds all of your errors. This allows you to concentrate on the bigger picture. You’ll be 100% confident that your writing won’t affect your grade.

What does a proofreader do?

The proofreading process is your last chance to catch any errors in your writing before you submit it. A proofreader makes sure your spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors are reviewed and fixed. This can be done automatically by an AI-powered tool like the one at the top of this page or by a real human. Both options have their advantages, so pick the one that suits you most.

Fix mistakes that slip under your radar

✔ Fix problems with commonly confused words, like affect vs. effect, which vs. that and who vs. that.

✔ Catch words that sound similar but aren’t, like their vs. they’re, your vs. you’re.

✔ Check your punctuation to avoid errors with dashes and hyphens, commas, apostrophes, and more.

✔ Avoid sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement errors, and problems with parallelism.

How does the proofreader work?

The online proofreader.

It’s really straightforward. Just paste the text into the tool. All your errors will now be underlined in red. You can hover over these mistakes to see how they can be addressed. If you agree, just click on the button “Fix all errors,” and your mistakes will be fixed instantly! 

The professional proofreader

Upload your entire document first. Choose the pages you want proofread, the extra services you want to use, and the deadline. Then fill in some key details like your field of study so that we can find you the best proofreader. When you’re done, you pay for your order, and we make sure that your writing is checked by a proofreader. You’ll be contacted when the job is done!

Who should use this proofreader?

Avoid a bad grade and hand in your documents with absolute confidence.

Businesspeople

Look like a pro by writing error-free emails, reports, and more.

Ensure your work is clear and readable to increase the chance that it’ll get published.

Want your whole document checked and corrected in a matter of minutes?

Would you like to upload your entire document and check all your documents for 100+ language issues? Then Scribbr’s AI-powered proofreading is perfect for you.

With AI-powered proofreading, you can correct your text in no time.

• Upload document
• Wait briefly while all errors are corrected directly in your document
• Correct errors with one click

Proofread my document

Fantastic service!!

“Excellent review of a paper that was deciding my grade. I appreciate both the edits and the feedback to increase my knowledge of correct APA formatting and accurate citations. I needed the paper returned quickly, and the team worked hard to make sure I had what I needed. I just got my grade back, A+. I would 100% use this service again, it was worth every penny!!!!!!”

A proofreader for everyone

Don’t let typos and grammar keep you down. make your writing count, ask our team.

Want to contact us directly? No problem.  We  are always here for you.

• Email [email protected]
• Start live chat
• Call +1 (510) 822-8066
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Frequently asked questions

Our support team is here to help you daily via chat, WhatsApp, email, or phone between 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. CET.

Yes! Our personal statement editors can help you reduce your word count by up to 25%. You can choose to receive this feedback through direct edits or suggestions in comments – just select your choice when you upload your personal statement.

Our APA experts default to APA 7 for editing and formatting. For the Citation Editing Service you are able to choose between APA 6 and 7.

It is not necessary to reserve a time slot for your edit. As soon as your document is ready to be proofread, you can upload it at any time via our website . Based on your chosen deadline, our editor(s) will then proofread your document within 24 hours, 3 days, or 7 days.

If you are unsure about the availability of our services or are planning to upload a very large document (>13,000 words) with a 24 hour deadline, we recommend that you contact us beforehand via chat or email .

Scribbr is following the guidelines announced by the WHO (World Health Organization). As an online platform, all our services remain available, and we will continue to help students as usual.

Can I still place an order? Will my order be completed within the deadline? Yes, you can still place orders and orders will be delivered within the agreed upon deadline. Scribbr is an online platform – our proofreading & editing services are provided by editors working remotely from all over the world. This means Scribbr can guarantee that we will process your order with the same diligence and professionalism as always. The same holds true for our Plagiarism Checker .

Can I still contact customer support? Yes. Our support team is available from 09.00 to 23.00 CET and happy to answer any questions you might have!

Yes, if your document is longer than 20,000 words, you will get a sample of approximately 2,000 words. This sample edit gives you a first impression of the editor’s editing style and a chance to ask questions and give feedback.

How does the sample edit work?

You will receive the sample edit within 12 hours after placing your order. You then have 24 hours to let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Read more about how the sample edit works

When you upload a large document (20,000+ words), we will ask your editor to send a sample edit of approximately 2,000 words as soon as possible. This sample edit gives you a first impression of your editor’s editing style and what you can expect from the service. You will receive it within 12 hours after uploading your order.

Why do we provide you with a sample edit?

We always aim to make you 100% happy, and Proofreading & Editing is a complex service. We want to make sure that our editing style meets your expectations before the editor improves your entire document.

Our editors are trained to follow Scribbr’s academic style . However, your preferences might deviate from our conventions. The sample edit gives you the chance to provide feedback – you can let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Once your editor has completed your sample edit, you will receive a notification via email. You have 24 hours to reply to this email and provide us with feedback. If we receive your feedback in time, your editor will go the extra mile and adjust the edit according to your input.

What sort of feedback can you give?

Give us feedback that will help your editor meet your requirements. For example:

• “I am completely happy. The editor can continue editing like this.”
• “I forgot to mention that my school has the following rules for gendered pronouns.”
• “The editor changed the spelling of a technical term, but my professor spells it differently. Please keep the original spelling of this term.”

The  Structure  and Clarity Check can only be purchased in conjunction with Proofreading & Editing . Providing feedback on structure and clarity requires extensive knowledge of the text, which the editor acquires while proofreading and editing your text.

However, our Paper Formatting Service,   Citation Editing Service and Plagiarism Checker can be purchased separately.

Yes, Scribbr will proofread the summary in another language as well.

Who will proofread my summary?

If your document contains a summary in a different language, we will send this part to another editor who is a native speaker of that language. The editor will check your summary, applying our standard Proofreading & Editing service.

If you ordered any additional services, such as the Structure Check or Clarity Check, the editor will not apply them to your summary. This is because the summary is a translation of your abstract – you already receive Structure and Clarity feedback on the text in the original language. Therefore, when proofreading your summary, the editor will focus on making sure your language and style is correct.

How does it work?

We will create a new assignment within your order and send you a confirmation email. This also means that you will receive a separate email/SMS notification from us when the editor has finished proofreading your summary. Once your summary is proofread, you can download it via your Scribbr account and read the editor’s feedback.

Yes, we can provide a certificate of proofreading.

As soon as the editor delivers the edit, you can email us at [email protected] to request a certificate.

Please indicate the following in your email:

• Your order number
• Your full name
• The title of your work

We will create a PDF certificate and email it to you as soon as possible.

Scribbr specializes in editing study-related documents . We proofread:

• PhD dissertations
• Research proposals
• Personal statements
• Admission essays
• Motivation letters
• Reflection papers
• Journal articles
• Capstone projects

Yes, when you accept all changes and delete all comments your document is ready to be handed in.

How to accept all changes:

• Word for Mac 2011

How to remove all comments:

When you’ve finished this, others will no longer be able to see the changes made by the editor.

• Read your last version one last time to make sure everything is the way you want it.
• Save your document as a .pdf file to come across more professional and to ensure the format of your document doesn’t change.

Yes, in the order process you can indicate your preference for American, British, or Australian English .

If you don’t choose one, your editor will follow the style of English you currently use. If your editor has any questions about this, we will contact you.

Yes, you can upload your thesis in sections.

We try our best to ensure that the same editor checks all the different sections of your thesis. When you upload a new file, our system recognizes you as a returning customer, and we immediately contact the editor who helped you before.

However, we cannot guarantee that the same editor will be available. Your chances are higher if

• You send us your text as soon as possible and
• You can be flexible about the deadline.

Please note that the shorter your deadline is, the bigger the risk that your previous editor is not available.

If your previous editor isn’t available, then we will inform you immediately and look for another qualified editor. Fear not! Every Scribbr editor follows the  Scribbr Improvement Model  and will deliver high-quality work.

However, every editor has a slightly different editing style, so you may notice small inconsistencies in editing choices. As with every proofreading order, be sure to carefully review your editor’s changes and suggestions as you finalize your text to ensure that everything is as you want it.

The fastest turnaround time is 12 hours.

You can upload your document at any time and choose between three deadlines:

At Scribbr, we promise to make every customer 100% happy with the service we offer. Our philosophy: Your complaint is always justified – no denial, no doubts.

Our customer support team is here to find the solution that helps you the most, whether that’s a free new edit or a refund for the service.

Every Scribbr order comes with our award-winning Proofreading & Editing service , which combines two important stages of the revision process.

For a more comprehensive edit, you can add a Structure Check or Clarity Check to your order. With these building blocks, you can customize the kind of feedback you receive.

You might be familiar with a different set of editing terms. To help you understand what you can expect at Scribbr, we created this table:

View an example

Scribbr not only specializes in proofreading and editing texts in English , but also in several other languages . This way, we help out students from all over the world.

As a global academic writing proofreading service, we work with professional editors  – all native speakers – who edit in the following languages :

This way, you can also have your academic writing proofread and edited in your second language!

Please note that we do not offer Finnish proofreading, but students can still upload English papers on scribbr.fi .

Yes, regardless of the deadline you choose, our editors can proofread your document during weekends and holidays.

Example: If you select the 12-hour service on Saturday, you will receive your edited document back within 12 hours on Sunday.

The footnotes are not automatically included in the word count.

If you want the language errors in your footnotes to be corrected by the editor, you can indicate this in step 3 of the upload process . The words in the footnotes are then automatically added to the total word count.

Need help with your references?

• If you use the APA reference style, you can use our free APA Citation Generator or the articles about APA in our Knowledge Base.
• If you’d like us to check your references for consistency, you can use our Citation Editing Service .

To keep our prices competitive, we do not offer a free trial edit. However, if your document is longer than 30,000 words, we are happy to provide you with a sample edit of 2,000 words to ensure you are satisfied with the editor’s editing style.

Rest assured, our customers are very satisfied with our proofreading services. We’re proud that they have rated us with an excellent 4.6 on Trustpilot. In the unlikely event that you have a less positive experience, we’ll solve that with our 100% happiness guarantee !

After your thesis has been edited , you will receive an email with a link to download the edited document.

The editor has made changes to your document using ‘ Track Changes ’ in Word.  This means that you only have to accept or ignore the changes that are made in the text one by one.

It is also possible to accept all changes at once. However, we strongly advise you not to do so for the following reasons:

• You can learn much by looking at what mistakes you have made.
• The editors do not only change the text, they also place comments when sentences or sometimes even entire paragraphs are unclear. We therefore advise you to read through these comments and take into account your editor’s tips and suggestions.
• Because of the many changes, sometimes there may be double spaces, double periods, or other minor mistakes in a sentence. Checking the changes one by one, you can easily detect these minor errors.

We have written a manual in which we explain step by step how ‘Track Changes’ works.

Check out an example

Our editors are very experienced and will do their utmost to correct all errors in your thesis .

However, with our current rates, an editor can only check your thesis once. This may cause an editor to overlook an error. We can therefore not guarantee that your thesis is 100% error free after you have had your thesis edited.

The editor uses ‘Track Changes’ in Word when editing your thesis.

Don’t know how this works? Then read the following guide  in which we explain step by step how ‘Track Changes’ works.

No, we do not provide you with a clean copy. You will always receive a file edited with tracked changes .

We do this for two main reasons:

• In most papers, there are sentences that the editor cannot edit without additional information from the author. In these cases, your editor will provide guidance but leave you to implement the feedback. If we were to simply accept the changes for you, then these issues would be left unaddressed.
• We believe students should be accountable for their work. Our editors can correct language errors and coach you to be a better writer. However, the end product belongs to you and should reflect your ideas and decisions.

All Scribbr editors are language experts with interests in different subject areas.

You can indicate your field of study when you upload your document . We’ll make sure that the editor who proofreads your work is familiar with your discipline and its specialist vocabulary.

These are the fields of study you can choose from, and examples of the main subjects in each field:

• Business and Management: Business Administration, Hotel Management, Accountancy, Marketing
• Economics: Business Economics, Econometrics, Finance
• IT and Engineering: ICT, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Applied Mathematics, Civil Engineering, Industrial Design, Electrical Engineering
• Natural and Life Sciences: Biomedical Sciences, Biology, Chemistry
• Geography, Agriculture and Environment: Ecology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, Urban Planning
• Health and Medical Sciences: Medicine, Obstetrics, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Dentistry
• Arts and Humanities: Philosophy, History, Literature, Cultural Studies, Theology
• Law and Policy: Law, Political Science, Public Policy, Human Rights
• Social and Behavioral Sciences: Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Communication Sciences

Editors don’t have to be experts in the content of your paper, but they do know how to present it in the best way possible! Our goal is to improve your writing and give you feedback on the readability, structure, logic, and clarity of your text. We know from experience that the most effective editors are specialists in language and academic writing.

We’ve carefully selected and trained all of our editors to proofread theses and other academic documents. Once they’re qualified, we continue to carefully monitor their work to make sure we always deliver the highest quality .