 When you're at the end of the writing process, it's generally time to proofread. I like to think at this point you're sure the paper makes sense, you've got credible sources that support your claims, and it's somewhat interesting. The proofreading bit is about catching little errors, like spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. But before we get into our top three proofreading tips, we'd like to acknowledge that not everyone has had the same education experience when it comes to language learning. Some people had English grammar and punctuation rules taught to us as young children, some didn't. Some of us didn't read a ton when we were kids, some did. Some of us aren't native English speakers, and some of us are. Because of this, we don't place a lot of value on correctness. We value ideas, finding credible sources to support those ideas, making people think, capturing their attention, and creative problem solving. The finishing touches stuff is toward the end of the priority list. That said, we also acknowledge that you might value correctness, and your instructors might even grade you on it. So we'd like to share with you the three most effective ways you can proofread your paper for errors, no matter your skill level. Number one is read out loud. Reading aloud kind of feels weird if you're not the type of person who thinks reading aloud is cool and or fun. But hear me out. When you slowly and deliberately read aloud, you catch so many mistakes. Words out of order, wrong tense, forgotten word endings. It's because when you read silently, a lot of times your brain automatically corrects things for you. But when you make a point to say each and every word, you catch some of those little typos your eyes tend to skim over. It's awkward, but super effective. Number two is have someone else read it. This is my favorite tip, because remember when I told you your brain kind of automatically fixes things for you when you read? Mine is amazing at convincing me I make sense, when in reality, a lot of times I do not. So ask for help. A roommate, a sibling, a friend, a classmate. If you feel weird about asking for help, offer to read something of theirs, or wash their dishes or something. Fun fact, I had Emma proofread the script. Number three is identify your common errors. This can be hard to do, obviously, because if it's some grammar or punctuation rule that you aren't familiar with, how are you going to know if you're doing it wrong in the first place? This is where you'll need some help. If an instructor has ever marked up one of your papers with a red pen, take a look at it and see if you can figure out a common error. Or visit the Research and Writing Studio, either in person in Haggard Hall or online at library.wwu.edu.rws. You can submit a draft of your work or use the chat feature. A studio assistant can help you identify one or two common errors. Then, once you've figured out what rules are giving you trouble, dive in and learn all about them. This is also a bummer if that's not fun and or cool with you. But after you do the hard work, those common errors won't pester you any longer. Here are a few resources you can use to help you learn about specific grammar rules. First, the studio. In person, Haggard Hall, second floor, or online at library.wwu.edu.rws. Grammarly.com Or Grammar Girl, quickanddirtytips.com slash grammar dash girl.