On one hand, there are learners who like only major blunders pointed out, while others prefer to have even the tiniest mistake corrected. On the other hand, there are correctors who only correct major grammar and spelling mistakes, while others are nit-picky and sometimes even completely rewrite texts which actually can overwhelm learners.
What kind of corrections do you give and what kind of corrections do you like to receive?
In my case the way I correct is similar to the kind of correction I’d like to receive.
Beginner: I correct all grammar and spelling mistakes and sometimes explain basic grammar and spelling rules (e.g. position of the verb in a main clause, capitalization of nouns) in the comments.
Intermediate: I correct all grammar and spelling mistaks and sometimes explain more advanced grammar rules and give suggestions on how to phrase some sentences/words more naturally.
Advanced: I correct grammar and spelling and get nit-picky about smaller mistakes, explain, if needed, really advanced grammar and give suggestions on how to phrase sentences more naturally. I also give suggestions on style, if necessary, especially when the learner is preparing for an exam.
When I post entries, I sometimes explain how I want a text to be corrected, for instance: “Please only check for typos”, “Please only check grammar but no style”, “I’m learning European Portugese. Please correct accordingly.” And when I correct a text, then I also appreciate, if the learner left similar directions, for instance “I follow Swiss spelling”, “Please correct this text like an informal conversation”
How do you choose the texts that you correct? By topic? By native language of the author (so that they can possibly return the favour)? By length? By the quality of the writing?
I don’t have any criteria for choosing texts to correct. I also don’t shy away from very long texts or texts that are riddled with mistakes. So, when I’m in the mood to correct, I just go through the list entry by entry. When I find a text interesting and well-written, I might follow the author and correct more texts by them. Also, if someone corrected one of my texts and posted something in German, I’d return the favour and correct their text.
What about you?