Course Fee: €515
Distance Learning Course of 10 modules

Course Details:

This course will give you the necessary skills to take on freelance work in editing and proofreading assignments working from home. It is a course of considerable substance. While it is not absolutely necessary to have a computer and printer there are a number of assignments set at the conclusion of various lessons where, if you don't have this equipment, you will have to get it done in a typing bureau or the like for submission to your tutor.

Proofreaders are always in demand for the very simple reason that the amount of material published every day is enormous. Add in the skill of editing and your chances of success are even brighter.

The course commences with a look at the publishing industry and examines the difference between copyediting and proofreading. There then follows a section on grammar, punctuation and spelling which all our students tell us is a terrific refresher especially for those who have been away from this topic for several years.

You will learn how to identify and avoid clich? and jargon, avoid overwriting, and how to get your message across quickly and easily. Good editing skills are vitally important in order to be able to express a thought in a few words rather than a few pages. Writing effective Press Releases and effective reports are also covered.

The marks or symbols used by Proofreaders are covered in detail together with assignments to practice these.

House styles are discussed and a suggested house style is supplied.

There is a comprehension section on Irish Media Law that covers the critically important topic of copyright.

Editing skills is the next topic covered in this course and this section includes the craft of summarising and indeed re-writing, two of the areas where there is always a demand for these skills.

Optional:

Personality/Intelligence Test

All our students have the option to take this revealing test for an additional cost of €25.00.

The test asks questions to determine:

• Are you a 'Take-Charge' type?
   
• Are you a manipulative person?
   
• Are you a real friend when the going gets rough?
   
• How popular are you?
   
• Could you be your own boss?
   
• What's your leadership potential?

The objective is not only to help you achieve greater personal and professional success - but to show you how to get what you really want out of life.

Management/Leadership Skills Test

All students of this course have the option to take a Management/Leadership Test for an additional cost of €50.00. This test is conducted on our behalf by Verax international. This test has to be taken on line and the results will be sent directly to each student by email usually within 3/4 working days.

We urge you to complete this test as it will provide you with invaluable help and guidance in enabling you to get the most out for your learning. The assessment sent to you when you complete the test will not count in any way to your eventual qualification. It is intended to enable you to understand your strengths and weaknesses and so concentrate on those parts of the course that are most valuable to you.

You may think that you are already aware of these. However, systematic research shows that just over half the population are unaware of their real strengths, let alone their real weaknesses.

This test provides you with a systematic way of assuring these for yourself. Answer honestly. There are no right or wrong answers. Only you will see the results.

The test will allow you to assess your own performance against 16 key management/leader competencies – such as customer focus, decision making, creativity and team working – which are valued by employers and which are very important for effective performance as a manager or team leader. There is one test for managers in the public sector and a separate test for all other managers. Depending on which version chosen, your performance is benchmarked either against 15,000 or so managers in the database or against public sector managers only.

In summary, this unique test will show you what to stop doing (or do less of) and what to start doing (or do more of) in order to become more effective in your current role/activity. In effect, you are told what you need to do to become a more effective manager and team leader and most important of all, how to do it.

Good luck with your studies.

Accreditation

When you have completed this course you may take a final examination. Full details of this examination are automatically sent to you as you near the end of the course. The examination costs €65 and is taken at home at your convenience.  If you receive 70% or more in this examination you will receive an ITEC Diploma.

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