You will avoid many common errors in writing by proofreading your papers carefully. Taking the time to painstakingly review your paper is an essential step in the writing process. If at all possible, you should also have someone else help you proofread your paper. Many of your common mistakes will be difficult for you to notice because in reading our own work, we often fail to see the types of errors we most commonly make. In any paper, your grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure should all be reviewed carefully. Keep a list of your most common errors and carefully comb through each paper you write to make sure you have not made any of them.

Here are some web resources which offer some helpful tips on proofreading:

University of Arkansas Online Writing Lab:
http://www.ualr.edu/owl/proofreading.htm

University of Wisconsin Writing Center:
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Proofreading.html

University of North Carolina website:
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/proofread.html