Introduction to Proofreading: A Practical One-Day Workshop September 2026

Date: Tuesday 22 September 2026.
Time: 09:30 to 16:30 (with a 15-minute morning break and a 45-minute lunch)

Publishing Scotland's regular tutor Denise Cowle will deliver this course in-person at Publishing Scotland's Edinburgh office with a total of 6 hours of teaching time.

About the course

Designed for complete beginners and those with little formal training, this interactive workshop will introduce you to the core principles of proofreading in a supportive classroom environment. No previous knowledge or experience is required.

Learning in person gives you the opportunity to ask questions as they arise, discuss real examples with fellow participants, receive immediate feedback on your work and benefit from the tutor's guidance throughout the day. Through a series of hands-on exercises using a variety of accessible texts, you'll develop the skills and confidence to proofread documents accurately for both content and layout.

All course materials will be provided digitally before the course. Please bring a laptop, as all exercises will be completed on screen.

During the workshop, you'll cover:

• What proofreading is – and where a proofreader's role begins and ends
• Correcting PDFs on screen using Adobe Reader
• Working with house styles and style sheets
• A methodical approach to checking for consistency
• Best practice for clear and effective PDF mark-up

There will be plenty of opportunities for discussion, questions and individual support throughout the day, allowing you to learn from both the tutor and your fellow participants. You'll leave with practical techniques and the confidence to apply them immediately to your own proofreading projects.

CIEP upgrade points

This course attracts 3 CIEP upgrade points.
NOTE This course takes place in-person. We can only issue a certificate of attendance for CIEP upgrade points and other records if you attend the full day in-person.

Booking and fees

EARLY BIRD FEE
Book by Tuesday 1 September 2026 and pay a lower fee.

• The fee for Publishing Scotland and CIEP members is £160+VAT (£192 including VAT)
• The fee for non-members is £210+VAT (£252 including VAT).
• A 25% discount is available to BookMachine members. Insert the discount code at the checkout stage.

FULL FEE
When Early Bird booking closes, any remaining places will be available at the full fee until Thursday 17 September 2026.

• The fee for Publishing Scotland and CIEP members is £190+VAT (£228 including VAT)
• The fee for non-members is £250+VAT (£300 including VAT).
• A 25% discount is available to BookMachine members. Insert the discount code at the checkout stage.