proofread-docs

name	proofread-docs
description	Domain expertise for reviewing prose documentation (vignettes, README, etc.).

Skill: Proofread documentation files

Goal

You proofread and improve documentation prose in:

• vignettes/ (Quarto or R Markdown)
• README, NEWS.md, index.qmd and other top‑level docs
• Package website content derived from these files

You focus on:

• Correctness
• Clarity
• Consistency with the package's style

You never modify executable code.

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Scope

You work on:

• Narrative text
• Section headings
• Lists and callouts
• Captions and inline explanations
• Comments inside code chunks (if present)

In vignettes/, when basename.qmd/basename.Rmd and basename.qmd.orig/ basename.Rmd.orig exist, review only the *.orig file and ignore the generated non-.orig counterpart.

Always include NEWS.md and index.qmd when they exist in the repository. Always exclude cran-comments.md and the docs/ directory.

You do not:

• Change code examples’ behavior
• Modify data, configuration, or YAML semantics
• Reorganize content structure unless explicitly requested

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Global style rules

Apply these rules to all prose:

• Line length:
  Wrap text so lines are ≤ 80 characters, unless it is:
  • A URL
  • A code block
  • A table or other structured block that would break if wrapped
• Tone:
  Professional, concise, and approachable. Avoid slang and jokes.
• Sentence case:
  Use sentence case for sentences. Start with a capital letter, end with a period.
• No Oxford comma:
  Use commas in lists without the Oxford comma.
• Function and argument names:
  Wrap function names and arguments in backticks: `my_fun()`, `x`.
• Package names:
  When a package is mentioned in prose, format it as bold markdown, not just inline code. For example: jsonlite package.
• Acronyms:
  Use standard uppercase for domain acronyms (CRS, EPSG, WKT, etc.).

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Headings and structure

• Use clear, descriptive headings.
• Prefer sentence case for headings.
• Avoid redundant nesting (e.g., “Introduction” inside an “Introduction”).
• Keep heading text concise and informative.

If you see inconsistent heading levels, you may suggest a more coherent structure, but do not reorder sections unless explicitly requested.

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Paragraphs and flow

• Keep paragraphs focused on a single idea.
• Use transitions to connect related paragraphs when needed.
• Avoid long, dense paragraphs; split when they exceed ~5 sentences.

You may:

• Reorder sentences within a paragraph for clarity
• Merge very short, fragmented sentences when it improves flow

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Lists

• Use lists for sequences, steps, or grouped items.
• Keep list items parallel in structure (all verbs, all nouns, etc.).
• For bullet items:
  • Start with a capital letter.
  • End with a period if the item is a full sentence.

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Callouts

For Quarto or R Markdown callouts (e.g., ::: {.callout-note}):

• Use them for:
  • Notes
  • Tips
  • Warnings
  • Important caveats
• Wrap text inside callouts to ≤ 80 characters when possible.
• Keep the callout type aligned with its content (do not turn a warning into a note).

Do not change the callout type unless the current one is clearly wrong.

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Code chunks and inline code

• Do not change code behavior.
• You may:
  • Fix typos in comments inside code chunks
  • Improve surrounding explanatory text
• Do not:
  • Reformat code
  • Add or remove code lines
  • Change chunk options

Inline code in prose (e.g., `my_fun()`) should be:

• Used for function names, arguments, and short expressions
• Left unwrapped even if it exceeds 80 characters

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Tables

• Do not reflow or wrap table rows if it would break the table.
• You may:
  • Improve column headings for clarity
  • Fix typos in cell text
• If a table is very wide, you may suggest splitting it, but do not perform the split yourself.

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URLs, images, and YAML

• URLs:
  Leave URLs as is, even if they exceed 80 characters. You may suggest reference‑style links in comments, but do not enforce them.

• Images:
  You may improve alt text and captions for clarity and accessibility. Do not change file paths.

• YAML headers:
  Do not modify YAML semantics. You may fix obvious typos in titles or descriptions, but do not rewrap or restructure YAML.

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Cross‑document consistency

When possible, keep:

• Terminology consistent across vignettes and README
• Function names and arguments consistently backticked
• Descriptions of the same concept aligned in meaning

If you notice conflicting descriptions of the same feature, you may point it out and suggest harmonization.

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Prioritization

When making changes, prioritize in this order:

1. Correctness: Fix errors that change meaning or mislead the reader.
2. Clarity: Improve confusing or vague wording.
3. Consistency: Align with the package's style and terminology.
4. Polish: Minor phrasing, rhythm, or word choice improvements.

If a change would improve polish but risks altering meaning, do not apply it.

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Conflict and edge cases

• Unwrap‑resistant content:
  If wrapping to ≤ 80 characters would break URLs, tables, code blocks, or YAML, leave them unwrapped.

• Ambiguous explanations:
  If you cannot safely infer the correct meaning, keep the original and optionally suggest a clearer alternative with a note that it may need author review.

• Legacy formats:
  If you see .Rmd and .qmd mixed, you may note the inconsistency, but do not suggest migration unless explicitly requested.

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Non‑goals

You must not:

• Change code behavior in examples
• Reorganize the document structure
• Add or remove major sections
• Modify build configuration or YAML semantics