Spelling and punctuation findings carry the lowest severity in quality measurement, but they are the first thing the reader sees. This contradiction matters: a flaw that counts as technically minor creates a large difference of impression on the visible face of the organisation.
Definition
It is a breach of the spelling and punctuation rules of the target language. The sources of the rules are known. The finding is objective.
Low severity
These findings are counted at the lowest severity. They do not affect the content. The criterion is set accordingly.
High visibility
The reader notices these flaws at once. The effect on impression is large. The contradiction is known.
Corporate effect
In outward-facing texts a single spelling error damages trust. Severity is raised according to the text type. The criterion is adapted.
Punctuation that changes meaning
Some commas change the meaning of the sentence. In that case the finding is moved to the meaning level. The category is raised.
List punctuation
Punctuation at the end of list items is applied consistently. It is defined in the guide. A check is made.
Use of capital letters
The rule is followed in headings and job titles. The preference is written in the guide. Consistency is sought.
The apostrophe
The rule is applied to suffixes attached to proper names. In Turkish it is a frequent source of error. Care is needed.
Hyphens and types of dash
Dashes of different lengths carry different functions. Their use is tied to the guide. Consistency is secured.
Forms of quotation marks
Languages have different quotation mark conventions. The form of the target language is used. The rule is written down.
Use of spaces
Double spaces and wrongly positioned spaces are findings. They are scanned with a tool. A clean-up is carried out.
Writing numbers
Which numbers are written in figures is defined in the guide. The application is consistent. A check is made.
Use of separators
Thousands and decimal separators follow the rule of the target language. Confusing them produces a numeric error. Severity rises.
Date format
Dates are written according to the guide. Confusion of formats produces misreading. The check is made.
Notation of units
The rule on the space between number and unit is applied. The detail is visible. Consistency is sought.
Scanning with a tool
A spell checker finds this type to a large extent. The tool is a mandatory step. Its coverage is wide.
Limits of the tool
The tool does not find words that are spelled correctly but used in the wrong place. Human reading is needed. A layer is added.
Catching them at proofreading
These findings are best found at the proofreading step. The step is short but effective. It is not skipped.
The role of the guide
Spelling preferences are defined in the organisation's guide. The basis is in writing. The assessment becomes objective.
Separating severity from effect
That they carry low severity in measurement does not mean they are unimportant; a text with a high quality score but visible spelling flaws leaves the client with a far worse impression than the measurement shows. That is why low severity does not mean low priority. The distinction is preserved.
Limits of measurement
Preferences not defined in the guide do not count as findings. The basis is the written rule. The limit is kept.