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I have a paper which has accepted in a journal published by Springer.

Today I have received the proofs from the production team. After checking the proofs carefully, we have detected some typos and minor errors in equations and data. To correct them we must change something in some equations and values of the parameters and these corrections do not effect to the results of the papers. On other words, the paper is still exact with the corrections.

My question is that what should I do to make the corrections?

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  • I suggest you delete the first two paragraphs from your question so that it does not get closed because it "depends on the exact contents of your work."
    – Anonymous Physicist
    Jul 24, 2019 at 10:33
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    By proofs do you mean the proof of a theorem in a mathematics paper, or do you mean the proof as in the document you should check for final errors before it goes to press?
    – Tommi
    Jul 24, 2019 at 13:56
  • FWIW, PLOS states that no content corrections will be accepted at the proof stage. I do not know why they claim to be so strict or whether it's really enforced.
    – Reid
    Jul 25, 2019 at 14:40

4 Answers 4

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Here is my method of correcting proofs. I write my corrections in a text document. You can also use the review mode of a PDF viewer.

  1. The copyeditor provides a numbered list of questions. I respond with a numbered list of answers, with one answer for each question.
  2. If there are repeated errors, I list those first.
  3. I give a numbered list of corrections. These go from the start of the paper systematically to the end. Each correction begins with the location, including page and line or figure number. Each correction quotes the error and correction explicitly.
  4. If figures need to be replaced (which does not happen in practice) then I prepare those as separate files.
  5. I verify author names, affiliations, and grant numbers in acknowledgments.
  6. I ask the copyeditor to send me a second proof, if the corrections are significant.
  7. Everything is submitted according to the instructions, which are different for each copyediting company. Usually there is a web form.
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  • Thank you for your comment. My equation is that can I correct mistakes in proofs?
    – MichaelCarrick
    Jul 24, 2019 at 11:33
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You follow the instructions given to you by the journal.

If you haven't been given instructions you email your scientific editor and/or the production editor to ask for instructions.

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I suppose that your proofs came with detailed instructions on how to perform the check. Did you read those instructions carefully? Usually also the scope of admissible corrections is discussed in those instructions.

Typically the following will apply:

  • Fixing typos - certainly OK
  • "changing something in some equations" - this is hard tell from your description. What is being changed?
  • Changing values of some parameters - this not OK, since it affects the substance of the paper. If you want to change parameters you should certainly contact the editor before you do that.
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  • I have contacted the editor but I have sent the corrected proofs before.
    – MichaelCarrick
    Jul 24, 2019 at 11:34
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Are the errors ones that have been introduced in typesetting, or are they ones that were present in your original work?

If the former, just correct them using the journal's facility for doing so - this is the whole point of sending you proofs.

If the latter, then if they are clearly just typos then correct them, but if there is a chance that they change the meaning from what was reviewed - or if data is changed - then you should probably check with the editor first.

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