Proofreading

For any team, editing and proofreading is an integral part of content creation. All users must be able to access and understand the information we are publishing.

To ensure this, it must be:

• suitable for the audience
• easily understandable and accessible
• complete and free of errors.

Grammar and punctuation

The use of proper grammar and punctuation in writing indicates professionalism and competence and improves the readability and understanding of your content.

The Australian Government has a style manual to help with consistency across all government communication channels, and to make information easy to understand for everyone. Keep your content simple and clear, ensuring your writing style uses plain and inclusive language and an active voice where possible.

Different types of editing

The editing process has three levels, each with specific tasks for content development.

In each of these steps, the proofreader ensures nothing has been changed or missed.

It's better to proofread with two people

It's best for proofreaders to work in teams of two. The team consists of a copyholder, who reads aloud from the master copy, and a reader, who checks the final version for changes and errors and marks up the content. This method is particularly useful when reviewing complex, data-rich content like mathematical or scientific material, annual reports, or long financial tables.

Readability and comprehension

Developing effective web content starts with understanding how people read. People rarely read word for word, as revealed by Nielsen Norman Group's eye tracking studies.

Users scan instead of reading

Users primarily scan content, rarely reading all or even most of it. In fact, only 20 to 28% of a webpage is typically read. Users scan for keywords that can guide them to their desired information.

Use a clear structure to help readers understand the content. People need to find information quickly and easily. To determine if the content is relevant, they skim headings for ‘signposts' and consider other elements before reading, such as:

• headings
• links
• images
• tables
• lists.

Layout and typography play a crucial role in improving readability. A well-structured page with an easy-to-read font allows for quicker scanning and reading.

It's important to note that reading content on a screen differs from print. On smaller screens, like phones, people tend to scan the entire screen before focusing on text or other elements. On larger devices, they typically start at the center of the screen and scan left to right. Make sure the most useful content stands out on the page.

Tips for proofreading for accessibility

• Write clear page titles that align with the first heading on the page. This is crucial for screen reader users, as it is the first thing they will hear.
• Organise content with a clear structure using section headings. In their respective headings, describe the topics of the following sections.
• Make sure all content can be navigated in the intended order, regardless of the user's technology. Maintain consistency in navigation elements throughout the content.
• Page structure should not be solely determined by colour.
• Explain things without relying on sensory characteristics like shape, size, visual location, orientation, or sound.

Complex sentences

Reading complex sentences is harder than simple ones. You only need to focus on content briefly. Readers won't read everything. They decide if the content is relevant in seconds based on the page title and headings. Once they are on a page, they might only scan 20% of it before deciding whether to read more closely.

Tips for proofreading for accessibility

• Use plain and inclusive language when writing. All users benefit from this, and some find it essential.
• Level AAA requires a reading level equivalent to lower secondary education, typically achieved by Year 7 students between 12 and 14. Proper names and titles are excluded from this requirement.
• Make sure to avoid (or explain) uncommon words, phrases, and idioms. Whenever an acronym is used for the first time, it should be expanded.

How to test readability

You should include readability testing in your content workflow process – from creation through to review and publishing. You can use free tools such as:

• Hemingway App
• Readable.com

These tools will help you assess if your content is in plain English. They score its reading age level. Note you will need to convert US reading grades to the Australian-equivalent age. US grades 3 and 4 are equivalent to an Australian age 9.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines success criteria

Resources

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