Proofreading is the foundation of Wikisource, providing the best quality texts in our library.

To proofread a page, you should edit the text in the left section so that it matches the scan in the right section as much as possible.

You do not have to make an identical, photographic copy of the scan. Wikisource is a website, not a book and the text is more important than the typography. You should just try to get as close as possible. Some things work in books but do not work on Wikisource.

For example, columns of text are not necessary and do not work well on Wikisource; they should be ignored during proofreading. Remember that several pages will be added together in the main namespace when proofreading is finished. Things like columns will not be readable.

Page status

When you save the page, you should also set the page status. You should see a row of color-coded radio buttons just above the save button (above). If you have just started a page with no (or not many) changes, then select the red button (for “Not proofread“). If you have completely proofread the page and corrected every error you can find, then select the amber button (for “Proofread“).

Some pages will have been proofread already by other people. You can check these and upgrade the page status. Look through the page for any remaining errors or things that need to be changed. If there are no errors, or you have fixed everything that needs to be fixed, increase the page status by one level.

“Not proofread” (red) pages become “Proofread” (amber), which become “Validated” (green).

Validated pages are finished and should not need any more editing.

• For more information about page status, see: Help:Page Status

Proofreading demo: A Daughter of the Rich by M.E. Waller

1. You will each be given a page number.
2. To proofread the page, you will need to have an account on Wikisource and be logged in. If you already have a Wikipedia account, you can use the same login details and login here. If not, please click Create Account to set one up now.
3. Click on the A Daughter of the Rich link to access the Index page.
4. Click on the red-linked page number you have been issued with.
5. Using the scan on the right hand side of the screen, edit the text in the ‘Page body’ section of the left hand panel so they match. For paragraph breaks, press the return key twice.
6. When you have completed the proofreading of the page, type ‘Checked text’ in the Summary box at the bottom of the page, and move the page status from red to yellow.
7. Click Save.

Use other Wikisource exemplars to keep yourself right.

e.g.

1. A Vindication of the University of Edinburgh
2. Edinburgh (1914)

Common Wiki markup

1. {{rh|left|centre|right} = Running header. This should be placed in the header. Replace left/centre/right with text that should appear in the header in these positions (if any).
2. {{c|text}} = centring text. Replace with the text you wish to be centred.
3. ”’text” = bolds text.
4. ”text” = italicises text.
5. [[text]] = adds Wiki link to text.
6. {{smaller|text}} = reduces text size.
7. {{larger|text}} = increases text size.
8. {{{xxx-larger|text}} = makes text lot larger.
9. {{smallcaps|}TEXT} = adds smalls capitals.
   
10. {{dropinitial|F}} = adds large capital dropped below line of text.
11. {{left|16|2em}} = adds a small page number to left hand side in the footer. This must be placed in the footer. Change number for the page number and change to right hand side if need be also.
    
12. {{hanging indent}} = adds a hanging indent.
    
13. {{hyphenated word start|bad|badger}} = To re-connect a word split across two pages.
    
14. {{hyphenated word end|ger|badger}} = To complete the re-connection of a word split across two pages.
    
15. {{nop}} = Marks the end of a paragraph if it is also the last text on a page.
    

More reading

1. Beginner’s guide to Proofreading
2. Beginner’s guide to Typography.
3. View the Wikisource Style Guide.
4. Have a go at the latest Proofread of the Month here.

YOU ARE NOW WIKI-SOURCERORS!

“The future of the public library system is usually understood as a consequence of technology and economics leading to the collapse of old fashioned literacy…. Libraries are as well equipped as anyone to distribute digital media and some have done this the right way. The excellent work being done by the Bodleian Library, the British Library and the Wellcome Trust to digitise their collections and make them available is only a tiny fraction of what needs doing, but shows it can be done.” – The Guardian Editorial 25th August 2014.

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