CPP Legal & Medical Document Proofreading 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A legal document lists damages as '$1,500,00' instead of '$1,500,000.' What category of error is this?
- Spelling error
- Transposition error
- Omission error (Correct answer)
- Punctuation error
Correct answer: Omission error
A missing zero results in an omission error that drastically changes the monetary figure and meaning of the document.
Question 2: In medical documentation, the abbreviation 'q.d.' is flagged by the Joint Commission as dangerous. What is the preferred replacement?
- QD
- Once daily (Correct answer)
- Every day (ED)
- 1x/day
Correct answer: Once daily
The Joint Commission's 'Do Not Use' list prohibits 'q.d.' because it can be misread as 'q.i.d.'; 'once daily' written out is the safe alternative.
Question 3: Which element is most critical to verify when proofreading party names in a legal agreement?
- That all party names are bolded
- That party names are spelled consistently and match the signature block (Correct answer)
- That party names appear in alphabetical order
- That party names are written in all capitals
Correct answer: That party names are spelled consistently and match the signature block
Inconsistent or misspelled party names can invalidate a contract, so consistency between body text and signature block is essential.
Question 4: A pathology report states 'The tumor measured 2.3 CMs in diameter.' What is the correct form?
- 2.3 CMs
- 2.3 cm (Correct answer)
- 2.3 Cm
- 2.3cms
Correct answer: 2.3 cm
SI unit abbreviations are lowercase ('cm' for centimeter) and never pluralized.
Question 5: A court filing reads: 'Pursuant to Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, plaintiff move for summary judgment.' What error is present?
- 'Plaintiff' should be capitalized
- Subject-verb agreement error ('plaintiff moves') (Correct answer)
- The rule citation is formatted incorrectly
- A comma is missing after 'Procedure'
Correct answer: Subject-verb agreement error ('plaintiff moves')
The singular subject 'plaintiff' requires the singular verb 'moves,' not 'move,' which is a subject-verb agreement error.
Question 6: When proofreading a medical record, you encounter 'HEENT: WNL.' A colleague suggests expanding all abbreviations. What is the best practice in clinical records?
- Always expand abbreviations for clarity
- Follow the facility's approved abbreviation list and style guide (Correct answer)
- Expand abbreviations only in patient-facing documents
- Remove all abbreviations from clinical notes
Correct answer: Follow the facility's approved abbreviation list and style guide
Approved abbreviation lists are facility-specific; the proofreader must comply with the institution's standards rather than a universal rule.
Question 7: A legal exhibit label reads 'Exhibit A-1' in the body text and 'Exhibit A.1' in the exhibit tab. How should a proofreader handle this discrepancy?
- Accept both as standard variations
- Flag the inconsistency and query which form is authoritative (Correct answer)
- Standardize to 'Exhibit A.1' throughout
- Standardize to 'Exhibit A-1' throughout
Correct answer: Flag the inconsistency and query which form is authoritative
The proofreader should flag the inconsistency and query the attorney or client, since changing exhibit designations without authorization could create legal confusion.
CPP Legal & Medical Document Proofreading 3
A legal document lists damages as '$1,500,00' instead of '$1,500,000.' What category of error is this?