The Importance of Proofreading in Reducing Students’ Mistakes in Writing

Abstract

The present study aims at highlighting the importance of proofreading in reducing and polishing mistakes and errors from student’s production. The hypothesis of this research study is if students proofread their writing, they will reduce the amount of mistakes and produce well formed pieces of writing free from mistakes. To confirm this hypothesis, two instruments have been used a teachers’ questionnaire and a test for students. After analyzing the results obtained from the first tool (the teachers’ questionnaire) we have found that students make many mistakes when writing and that the great m majority of them do not proofread their written materials before submitting them, thus their writing is full of blunders. Then, we have analyzed the results obtained from the test which is designed to second year students at the University of Jijel. Only one group which have been randomly chosen to carry out with this test, so students have pre- tested through essay writing, to check whether they proofread what they write or not, and then they have post- tested again after a treatment period. The results have shown that students can reduce the amount mistakes in their writing by means of proofreading