Editing and proofing is the stage where a document is corrected, made consistent and checked against the task. The aim is to fix what is wrong and leave alone what is right. It is a skill of control, not speed.
This module follows document production, where you built the page, and it draws on images, layout and styles. It is part of the practical side of Cambridge IGCSE ICT; check the current syllabus on the Cambridge subject page for the exact requirements.
What should I already know?
You should be able to open, save and name a file, apply a style, and recognise a table, a header and a footer. Basic spelling and punctuation habits help. If page set-up still feels shaky, revisit the document production module first.
An orienting example
An invented notice says: Book sale on Saturday 12 March in Room 4. Please recieve your ticket at the door. The supplied note says the date is Saturday 14 March. The task says: correct the notice to match the note and keep the layout.
Three faults are present: “recieve” is misspelt, “12 March” does not match the note, and the notice has two spaces after one full stop. That is 3 corrections, all proofreading. Changing the font or moving the picture would be redesign and would go beyond the task.
Notice what the example uses: reading the task, comparing with a source, listing faults, correcting only those and checking the result. The five lessons train each of those moves.
What order should I study in?
- Use find-and-replace without unintended changes: start here, because one careless Replace All can create new errors.
- Correct inconsistent styles: learn to spot hand-made formatting that looks right but behaves wrongly.
- Distinguish proofreading from redesign: decide what you are allowed to change.
- Insert a permitted reference accurately: add a source line or cross-reference that stays correct.
- Compare final output with an original task checklist: test the finished file against every requirement.
What are the common traps?
- Replace All without checking the count. The letters match inside other words.
- Making headings look right by hand. The style name tells the truth, not the appearance.
- Over-editing. Fixing taste instead of faults can break the instruction to keep the layout.
- Typing numbers that should be automatic. A typed table number goes stale after the next edit.
- Checking from memory. Only the saved file shows what you will submit.
How should I use the practice set?
Do the five lessons first, then try the mixed practice set without notes. It has 10 questions that run from easier to harder, with a full explanation for each. The ICT practical task and evidence checker is useful for building your own checklists, and the mistake log and retest queue helps you return to slips later.
If you would like a teacher to look at how you edit and check real tasks, our online one-to-one ICT tuition is built for that kind of individual attention.