But . . . is proofreading really necessary?

We’re used to reading published texts with a low error rate, so we tend to forget that these texts are usually checked many times, by several different people (the author, editor, and two or three different proofreaders), before they get into print – and yet still there are occasional mistakes. When the level of available funding falls, the error rate rises. So the answer is clearly yes – texts of every kind need to be proofread, and the need for further proofreading increases proportionally to the importance of the text.

The problem is worse for translations as there is a minefield of potential language traps. Translations require proofreading of a specialist nature, by someone familiar with both languages and preferably with a good knowledge of the subject as well as the ability to use Internet resources to quickly make up for any shortfalls in knowledge.