The problem of this study was to examine errors located by subjects proofreading hardcopy versus softcopy business documents. Hardcopy refers to a business document typed or printed on paper; softcopy refers to a business document displayed on a computer screen. Data were obtained by 61 Southwest Virginia high school business students completing a background information sheet and proofreading the same three documents—a letter, a report, and a memo—on both hardcopy and softcopy media; for each media, the students proofread each document for 15 to 20 minutes over a 1-hour period. The number and types of errors found, the number of times each document was proofread, and personal characteristics of the subjects were analyzed.

The following outcomes are based on the results of the study: (a) subjects located the same number of errors when proofreading from hardcopy and softcopy media; (b) subjects located one to two more errors in the letters and reports than in the memos; (c) the medium was not related to the specific types of errors found; (d) subjects who proofread a document five times located one to two more errors than those who proofread fewer times; (e) subjects with 0 to 2 years of computer experience located one more error than those with more experience.

The two main conclusions of the study were: (a) students need not print hardcopies of documents in an attempt to locate more errors than in softcopy documents; and (b) teachers should be aware that students are more likely to locate some types of errors than others.