Proofreading tools have been around for a while now. Most of us had our first interaction with them through Microsoft Word's spell check feature. It has given us headaches but we must agree, it has also saved us from countless embarrassing situations. The most recent cohort of these software include the likes of Grammarly and Ginger. I had an opportunity of interacting with one of them and I was quick to realize that I wasn't getting what I signed up for. Since they are unable to fully comprehend the context of a document, they can some times push a pile of ridiculous recommendations adding on to a writer's misery.
A computer can only be taught to make decisions based on a finite number of parameters. But our written communications often have complex layers of information which even the rules of the language are unable to encompass. Therefore an algorithm doesn't stand a chance in front of another human when it comes to being an effective proofreader. Checkly has been created to address this problem.
I get a fair share of proofreading requests from my friends/colleagues. I was always happy to help and such requests never bothered me until my Graduate studies. While doing my Masters, I started worrying about making silly mistakes myself because unlike my Bachelors degree in Engineering, the assignments were lengthier and text centric*. Also, there is so much time you can spend rereading and re-rewriting a body of text before it starts getting boring and, especially in my case, downright repelling. That is when you miss out small subtle mistakes that would have stood out for a fresh pair of eyes.
Checkly is basically a platform, where writers can post the text they want to get proofread and checkers can either make corrections or provide feedback about the quality of their written work. The demand and supply dynamics of the website is sustained through a currency of points. When you make a correction. you receive points. The higher your points, the higher up your position will be on the Helpboard, a list of all the recently posted texts. In essence, by helping others, you also increase your chances of receiving help when you need it.
A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog about MVP vs Business plan, and in an ideal situation, which should come first. Well, Checkly is an experiment to test my hypothesis. I do plan to create a buzz about it around Waterloo's campus and see where things go from there. In the meantime, it will be great if you could surf to the following corner of the internet and get yourself registered.
*Case in Point: Google or Linkedin's spell check algorithm can not detect the word "centric", it displays a curly red line beneath it...