For instance, one student assumed that the man in a photograph was the person referred to in the caption underneath.
He wasn’t. The author had found the image online – and it was another man with the same name. A mistake like that could cause embarrassment – and could even be defamatory.
If proofreaders are going to assume anything, they should assume that every single word is wrong, and look it up in the style guide, otherwise make sure that it is accurate and if not, query it.
Assuming something is right without checking it is unprofessional – and risks compromising quality.
See our proofreading course