Proofreading Practice Materials

[Note: The following instructions are written exactly as they appear in the actual exam]

Section Three
Proofreading

Carefully read and follow the instructions. Failure to do so may result in a loss of points.

This section tests your ability to read accurately and to identify braille errors. There are two documents that comprise the proofreading section: 1. The Proofreading Passage; and 2. The Reference Passage.

The Proofreading Passage is a separately bound booklet that is double spaced for your convenience. It contains embedded errors that you must identify, and it is what you will submit as your work to be scored.
The Reference Passage follows these instructions in your test booklet, and is a replica of the proofreading passage, but contains no errors or mistakes. You may use this to check for the intended punctuation and spelling.

Clearly circle each error in the proofreading booklet; one circle should represent one error. Errors may be in letters, contractions, punctuation marks, composition signs, and/or spacing.

Extra space errors should be indicated by circling the space. Missing space errors should be indicated by circling the two characters between which the space should exist.

You may want to open the booklet so that the page you are evaluating is by itself with no braille pages beneath it. This will reduce the possibility of accidentally erasing or flattening dots on the other pages.

If you are unable to erase a mark that you want to change, put an asterisk next to the mark and write the word “Ignore” in the margin. You may ask the administrator to do this for you.

An ID label should be placed on the back of the booklet. Notes and/or scrap paper should be folded in half and placed in the envelope with the rest of the materials.

When you have completed this section, let the administrator know so that all test materials can be collected in an orderly fashion.

Practice Passages

Click each of the following links to open or download each practice passage. You should note that for the Proofreading section, the practice passages consist of two separate files (1) the Reference passage, which is created in Microsoft Word 2003 format, providing you with the text of the passage in case you have questions about spelling or sentences; and (2) the Proofreading Passage, which is created in either (a) a BRF Formatted Braille file, which is translated into contracted braille and contains embedded errors that you must identify; or (b) PDF format, which is an image file of the contracted braille file with the embedded errors that you must identify.

You can download these files to your computer. The BRF file can be opened in Duxbury and embossed on 11X11.5 paper so you can identify the embedded errors tactually.

Finally, answer keys are provided for each passage in BRF as well as PDF formats. The answer key contains the document with embedded errors identified for you. The BRF formatted key may either be viewed on your computer, using a braille-equipped note taker, or embossed into hard copy braille. The PDF versions are image files.