Grammar Girl here. This week guest writer Erica Enoch has some great tips you can

use when you have to edit or review someone else's work. At some point someone is

going to ask you to review or edit a document. Maybe a friend admires your

writing and wants you to proofread a paper she's working on for school. Maybe

your boss needs you to finish a report started by someone who's left the

company. It can be a challenge. You may have trouble figuring out what changes

to make and the writer may be unhappy with your choices. Good editing takes

finesse but with practice and the tips that follow it gets easier. First think

like a carpenter. The old adage measure twice cut once literally means be

sure your measurements are correct before you cut. Figuratively you can think

of it as meaning planned carefully before taking action and that's good advice

when you're editing. The Chicago Manual of Style notes that most editors read

a manuscript before making any changes. Doing so can help you the editor

identify the writer's voice in tone and familiarize yourself with the subject

matter. If you can take some time to read the whole document before you make

changes. It's also a good idea to ask the writer or whoever's asking you to

read the document what kind of suggestions he or she wants. Should you make

sure the information is correct? Suggest where things could be expanded? Or

just make sure everything's spelled right? If they only want you to check the

spelling and you make broad suggestions it increases the risk they'll be

offended. Most people at the very least check their work for typos but some

things invariably fall through the cracks. The most common errors students make

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