When manually proofreading a business document for a colleague, which of the following answers describes the correct way one would indicate that a section of text should be removed?

The appropriate method for indicating that a section of text should be removed during proofreading is to use a caret drawn at the beginning and end of the text. This symbol clearly signals to the author that the enclosed content is to be deleted, making it easy to identify which part needs to be removed in the final version of the document. The caret indicates a specific area for deletion without altering the surrounding text, maintaining clarity in communication about the changes needed.

The other methods lack clarity or do not conventionally represent deletion in proofreading. For example, a diagonal line, while it might indicate deletion in some contexts, can confuse as it does not specifically delineate what should be removed. Similarly, drawing a horizontal line with a loop, or simply marking an "X," can be misunderstood—they might not provide as clear an indication that a revision is strictly about removing text. Thus, the caret is the most effective and widely recognized way to denote deletions during the proofreading process.