The final hurdle: Proofreading your academic paper.

Abstract

Academic publishing is a key aspect of most academics working in the field of public health and social sciences. When the paper in which you have put in your heart and soul is finally accepted for publication it feels like the time to celebrate. This may, however, be slightly premature. In this article four authors share their experiences of proofreading – the final stage in having an academic paper published. They explain the importance of careful proofreading, the dangers of assuming that there are no mistakes or omissions, and the challenges of online publishing and layout. The authors highlight areas in which particular care is needed such as proofreading in teams, and they stress the importance of allocating sufficient time to proofread. The key messages in this paper are: (1) proofreading is exact business; (2) it is most certainly time consuming; and (3) feeding back mistakes to a journal editor is not without its trials and tribulations. Surmounting this last obstacle, the authors suggest, will hopefully ensure that when the article is published you can feel proud of it.