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/proofread

Mechanical scan for typos, LaTeX formatting slips, punctuation and spacing.

Category: editing
Field: general
License: MIT (repo LICENSE, "Copyright (c) 2025 Alex Dickerson")
Updated: 2026-03-11
Stages: revision-editing

Proofread Skill

Scan for mechanical errors that /style-check does not cover: typos, LaTeX formatting issues, punctuation around equations, and spacing problems.

Examples

  • /proofread -- proofread the main .tex file
  • /proofread introduction -- proofread only the introduction section
  • /proofread path/to/file.tex -- proofread a specific file

Input

The user provides an optional section key, file path, or line range. If omitted, scan the project's main .tex file.

Workflow

Step 1: Extract Target Text

  • If a section key is given, extract that section using %% BEGIN/END markers
  • If a file path is given, read that file
  • If no argument, read the main .tex file
  • Note line numbers for all findings

Step 2: Spelling & Typo Scan

Search for common typos in prose and math-adjacent text: - Misspelled words (e.g., "componet", "assigment", "misraking") - Doubled words ("the the", "is is") - Common academic misspellings ("accomodate", "occurence", "seperate", "consistant") - Wrong word usage ("it's" for possessive, "affect/effect" confusion)

Step 3: LaTeX Formatting

Check for formatting issues: - \ref{eq:...} where \eqref{eq:...} should be used (equation references) - Missing non-breaking space: Eq.\eqref should be Eq.~\eqref - Same for: Table\ref -> Table~\ref, Figure\ref -> Figure~\ref, Section\ref -> Section~\ref - Eq,~ instead of Eq.~ (comma vs period) - Inconsistent \citet vs \cite usage - Unclosed braces or environments

Step 4: Spacing Issues

  • Double spaces in prose (outside of LaTeX commands)
  • Missing space after period (except in abbreviations like "e.g." or "i.e.")
  • Tab/space mixing in indentation
  • Trailing whitespace on lines

Step 5: Equation Punctuation

For displayed equations (\[...\], equation, align): - Check trailing punctuation: equations ending sentences need a period, mid-sentence need a comma - Consistent punctuation style across the paper

Step 6: Capitalization

  • Section/subsection titles: check for consistent capitalization style
  • "Theorem", "Lemma", "Proposition" capitalized when used as proper nouns with numbers
  • "equation" lowercase when used generically, but "Eq." when followed by a reference

Step 7: Output

Text Only
PROOFREAD REPORT
================

File: [filename]
Scope: [section or full file]
Lines scanned: [count]

TYPOS: [N found]
- Line 109: "componet" -> "component"

LATEX FORMATTING: [N found]
- Line 153: "Eq,~\eqref" -> "Eq.~\eqref" (comma should be period)
- Line 245: "\ref{eq:delay}" -> "\eqref{eq:delay}" (equation reference)

SPACING: [N found]
- Line X: double space between "the  signal"

EQUATION PUNCTUATION: [N found]
- Line X: displayed equation ends sentence but has no period

CAPITALIZATION: [N found]
- Line X: "theorem 1" -> "Theorem 1"

SUMMARY:
- Total mechanical errors: N
- Typos: A
- LaTeX formatting: B
- Spacing: C
- Punctuation: D
- Capitalization: E