I would definitely use a proofreader, sometimes I just do not want to touch my papers/essays when they're done and need someone to really go over them. I think a background in English and an excellent knowledge of usage would be ideal.
Hope that helps!

Hmm, that helps a lot! Thank you!

By, "a background in English", do you mean an English course at university or something less hardcore?

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g.

Hmm, it would really depend on the paper, if it were just some essay/report highschool or university, nothing too hardcore, just another eye. If it were like... a final thesis in a Masters program, then probably something more formal in the way of background and skill.

I see.

Thank you again.

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g.

No way. I know a lot of my friends insist on getting me to proofread their work, but I focus on teaching them where they've made errors, not just perfecting it. Grammar and spelling make an article or essay, and are graded just as much as the material. Surely then, having a proofreader is akin to paying someone to write your assignment? I can't see the logic. People should use tutors to learn, not proofreaders to combat laziness.

Interesting thoughts.

I disagree that having a proofreader go through one's work is akin to paying someone to write the assignment (after all, everyone uses Word's Spellcheck). In my mind, a proofreader would be there to check the how of the writing, not the what, which thus is totally different to a proofreader writing the assignment.

Also, if somebody has read their own work time and time again, then they can occasionally miss some mistakes. The writer sees what they think ought to be there, but not what is. So, having somebody who hasn't spent weeks working on the assignment can pick out any last errors, and tell the writer where they could improve (better length sentences, different setting out, etc).

(Something that I didn't clarify in my initial post was that I was referring to nearly-finished documents. Not hot-off-the-printer, first-draft pieces. I might put that now.)

Thanks for your thoughts

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g.

I don't think using a proofreader is a big issue at all. I think emotions and offenses might come into play if the person switched from proofreader to editor, but in all other cases, why not use a proofreader? The way I see it, the person who's written the paper might not see the errors in his or her writing, so a proofreader would be useful in correcting the spelling and grammar. And, being big on the grammar and spelling, if I had such a person to proofread, I would certainly use that to my advantage. :]

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" i'm damaged bad at best"
-Elliott Smith "Say Yes"

Paint Me Red; Show Me Colour

I agree about people not seeing the mistakes in their own work once they've read it a few million times!

Thanks for the input

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g.

Unless you're going to pay this proof reader for your entire life to fix the grammar and spelling in your letters, emails, reports, proposals and whatever else that you write in your professional life, it's not worth it. There is no point having a perfectly written and grammar mistake free assignment to pass, if your incompetence to produce the perfect piece of writing is going to hold you back in the work force.

The people who are marking the work don't care if there are 4 mistakes in a 5000 word assignment. They care when there are 100's of mistakes in a 5000 word assignment because this demonstrates a weakness that needs to be fixed, not by a proof reader, but by the person who wrote the assignment. It means that they need help in learning correct grammar and spelling.

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mi mano es mi amigo donde está el cuarto de baño