Proofreading is one of the best online side hustles for making side income. It's even possible to make a full-time career out of it if you know how to market your skills.
Obviously, learning everything on your own will take time and will not aid in confidence-building. That is why enrolling in a legit course taught by an industry expert is your best bet.
But the question is, which is the best available course?
That is what I will discuss in this article, as I will list two popular best proofreading courses that have helped many students start their careers as proofreaders.
2 Best Proofreading Courses Online
The first course on this list is one of the most popular, and it has helped many students learn how to proofread.
Yes, I am talking about Proofread Anywhere.
1. Proofread Anywhere
Proofread Anywhere was created by Caitlin Pyle, a professional proofreader with 14 years of experience.
She's been in the proofreading business for so long that she knows exactly what it takes to start a freelance proofreading business from scratch.
Based on her experience and knowledge, she came up with two courses for Proofread Anywhere that were meant for two niches.
- General Proofreading: Theory & Practice
- Transcript Proofreading: Theory & Practice
These courses not only teach you how to proofread but also how to start a freelance proofreading business from scratch in their respective fields.
Here is more information on each course.
General Proofreading: Theory & Practice
- If you want to proofread general documents that don't require any specific subject knowledge, such as blog posts, books, or research papers, this course is for you.
- It consists of more than 80 lessons divided into 14 modules. If you sign up, you'll get worksheets for grammar, real-life job examples, student workbooks and quizzes, case studies, and more!
- The course lasts about a month, and you can earn a certificate of completion if you score 90% or higher on their final hand-graded exam.
Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice
- This course is for proofreading legal documents, like the transcripts used by court reporters.
- This is an advanced course that should only be taken if you are already familiar with proofreading and want to advance in your career.
- This course is comprised of 54 lessons divided into nine modules. It is also the only structured transcript proofreading training program available.
- The duration is two to four months long and consists of two "human-graded" tests and two multiple-choice automated exams. You will receive an official certificate and a certificate number if you score 90% or higher on all of the exams.
Benefits of Enrolling in Proofread Anywhere
- No matter where you are on the spectrum, the course is designed for you. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or experienced, the course will undoubtedly teach you something new that you won't regret. It is intended to take you from a beginner to a more advanced level.
- In addition to providing all of the theoretical knowledge, the course includes practice material designed to hone your skills and get you comfortable with proofreading. You will be given eight grammar-specific worksheets, eight module quizzes, and a 100-question in-depth vocabulary quiz.
- You will learn how to launch your own proofreading business from the ground up. This means that, in addition to learning the skill, you will also be able to become self-employed by running your own online business. This includes creating your website, setting your rates, and learning the best ways to market your company.
- Many courses teach you the skill and that's it. But what about the clients? How do you find them? That's exactly what you'll discover here. Learn about the marketing side so you don't have to struggle to find and attract clients.
- The course includes lifetime access. This means that there are no monthly or yearly memberships. You will have lifetime access to the material once you have paid the full amount. This includes both new updates and new content.
- You can gain access to a proofreaders-only Facebook group where you can interact, ask questions, and seek help. Surrounding yourself with people who share your interests is always a good idea, and this group does the same work, which keeps you motivated.
Drawbacks to Enrolling in Proofread Anywhere
- There are no refunds available. Caitlin used to provide refunds, but she stopped doing so because people would go through the entire course and then ask for refunds to save money. As a result, she canceled the refund system.
- If you’re on a tight budget, the cost of the course will be expensive for you. To be honest, it deserves the price that it is being offered, but there should have been some sort of discount. The good news is that Caitlin occasionally offers her course at a discounted price, with the price reduced by up to 60%.
Pricing
There are two plans for the General Proofreading course.
- Ignite: $397
- Ignite Plus: $497
Ignite provides lifetime access to all the course materials, while Ignite Plus provides additional benefits, such as:
- A certificate of completion
- Access to the hand-graded exam.
- Access to a separate marketing mastermind group for PA General Proofreaders with proven skills.
- Get listed in the Self-Publishing School (SPS) Preferred Outsourcer Rolodex.
The Transcript proofreading course, on the other hand, comes with the following level-based pricing model.
- Level 1: For $77, you get access to module 1 for 7 days.
- Level 2: For $197, you get access to modules 1 and 2 for an extra 30 days.
- Level 3: For $400, you get access to modules 1-5 for an extra 60 days.
- Level 4: For $500, you get access to modules 1-9 for a lifetime.
Do They Offer Any Free Courses?
They don't provide any free courses, but they do provide a free workshop designed to help you decide whether proofreading is right for you.
When you enroll in it, you will get to know their teaching style as well as learn some awesome lessons, such as:
- 5 signs to know whether proofreading is right for you.
- How proofreading can help you work from anywhere
- Learn how to attract clients and much more.
If you're interested, you can sign up for their workshop by clicking the button below.
2. Knowadays (Previously Proofreading Academy)
There is a digital proofreading and editing training program called Knowadays that was made by a team of professional proofreaders.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has certified it because it meets a number of standards. This means that it is good enough to be called "HIGH-QUALITY."
Their "Becoming a Proofreader" course teaches people how to become successful proofreaders and earn a living as one.
Anyone can benefit from the course modules because they are well-organized and teach the basics, advanced techniques, and time-saving strategies of proofreading.
The Benefits of Joining Knowadays
- Most proofreading courses teach proofreading in American English, but Knowadays goes a step further. You will learn how to proofread in American, British, and Australian English by understanding the differences in accents, pronunciation, and spelling. Knowing how to proofread in different English dialects can lead to more job opportunities.
- You will be able to proofread academic, creative, and business documents. You can also proofread documents written by non-native English speakers. In short, you won't be limited to a single type of document, which will improve your job prospects.
- Learn how to use different software for proofreading. For example, you will learn how to use Track Changes in Microsoft Word, the Suggesting feature in Google Docs, and Adobe Acrobat Reader to proofread PDFs. This makes proofreading easier and allows you to communicate better with clients by giving them the final output in the format they want.
- When you pass their final exam, you will be given a certificate of completion. They do not have any score requirements like Proofread Anywhere. So there's no need to be concerned about scoring 90% or higher. Just make sure you pass their exam.
- Their customer service is excellent. You can contact them not only via email and live chat, but you can also schedule a free phone call. However, you must plan ahead by selecting a day and time.
- Unlike other courses, they guarantee a job opportunity with their company, Proofed. To be eligible, you must score 80% or higher on their final assessment in three attempts.
Drawbacks To Joining Knowadays
- The course does not cover how to start your own proofreading business because it is only designed to teach you how to proofread and market yourself as a freelance proofreader.
- As more students join Proofed, the guaranteed job may become overcrowded. The disadvantage of this is that, as the number of students grows, it will be difficult to pick jobs from the job board because it is on a first-come, first-served basis. As a result, you must act quickly or someone else will take your job.
Pricing
Their flagship course is priced at $399, and you can request a three-month payment plan by contacting them. Unlike Proofread Anywhere, they do offer refunds, but there are some conditions listed below:
- All course refunds requested within 14 days of purchase will be refunded in full unless it is determined that the course has already been accessed.
- If the course has been accessed, a refund for the part that hasn't been accessed will be given, less a $30 administration fee.
- If you want to get a refund after 14 days but before 30 days have passed since you bought the course, the same above rules apply.
- If the course has been accessed and more than 30 days have passed since the purchase, no refunds will be issued.
Do They Offer Any Free Courses?
Knowadays offers a free trial to help you decide whether their flagship course is right for you.
Their free trial is an excellent way to learn about their teaching style and get a taste of what to expect. This will undoubtedly help you in deciding whether or not to purchase the course.
You can click the below link to try their free trial.
Final Thought
So, these are two popular online proofreading courses in which you can learn proofreading so you can apply for proofreading jobs online.
If you're on a tight budget, Knowadays is your best bet. However, Proofread Anywhere is the better option if you want to learn how to run a successful freelance proofreading business.
But, at the end of the day, it is up to you to make the final decision. So, choose wisely.
Read Next:
- 5 Proofreading jobs online that require no experience
- Essential skills required to become a proofreader
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