15 Proofing
Candidates should be able to:
15.1 software tools
• use software tools to ensure that all work produced contains as few errors as possible – explain why the automated suggestions given by spell check software do not always give the correct response – use automated tools, including spell check facilities, to remove errors – use validation routines to minimise errors – explain why validation checks must be appropriate to the data that is being checked
15.2 proofing techniques
• accuracy of data entry – describe the importance of accuracy and the potential consequences of data entry errors – correct errors in data entry, including: transposed numbers, spelling, consistent character spacing, consistent case and factual errors (following proofreading by a third party) – check to ensure consistent line spacing, to remove blank pages/slides, remove widows/ orphans, ensure that tables and lists are not split over columns or pages/slides
• verification – define the term verification – describe visual verification (i.e. visual comparison of data entered with a data source) – describe double data entry (i.e. entering data twice and the computer compares the two sets of data, either by comparing them after data has been entered or by comparing them during data entry) – explain the need for validation as well as verification