Copyediting

1
Copyediting

• Notes from Ch 7 and Ch 8

2
Goals for Copy Editing

• Correctness
• Consistency
• Accuracy
• Completeness
• Chapter 7 focuses on accuracy and completeness

3
Correctness

• conforms to the standards of the language in
  which it is published (108)
• Errors in language use are more apparent to
  readers than are errors of argument and
  organization (108)
• Errors distract readers from the content and
  interfere w/ the documents effectiveness (108)

4
Consistency

• Document
• Avoids arbitrary and confusing shifts in
  terminology, spelling, numbers, and abbreviations
  
• Uses predictable visual features such as
  placement of elements on the screen or page
• Basic standards of consistency listed on page 108

5
Accuracy

• What is the difference between accuracy and
  correctness?

6
Accuracy

• Incorrect content damages the documents
  credibility
• Confuses readers
• Invites possible legal entanglements
• Endangers users (in extreme cases)

7
Accuracy

• Check for accuracy in elements such as the
  following (109)
• Quantitative data
• Words
• Illustrations
• Organizational information

8
Accuracy

• Check simple calculations
• If errors are detected, check other calculations
• Query writer to determine the source of the
  error.
• Be alert to possible errors
• Check for inconsistencies (dyadic vs. dynamic)
• Query writer

9
Accuracy

• Avoid introducing error
• Check context for meaning
• Frequent queries annoy writers
• Use specific evidence from the text to support
  queries (109)
• Spot facts that contradict logic
• For example, photographic process in 1796 (109)

10
Accuracy

• Catching one error should alert you to other
  errors in similar instances (110)
• Attending to a suspicion of error may lead to
  more accurate copy (110)

11
Completeness

• A complete document contains all its verbal and
  visual parts as well as the necessary front
  matter and back matter. (110)

12
Completeness

• Check for all parts
• Index missing?
• Blank pages?
• All pages included?
• Pages in order?

13
Completeness

• Preliminary elements
• Body elements
• Back matter

14
Copy Editing Illustrations

• Correctness and Consistency
• Accuracy
• Completeness
• Readability

15
Parts of Illustrations

• Labels
• Numbers
• Titles
• Callouts

16
Parts of Illustrations

• Column/Row
• Headings
• Legends
• Captions
• Footnotes

17
Figure 2.4 EPA National Priorities List
18
Steps in Copyediting

• Read document more than once
• Be methodical
• Read with an agenda (119-120)

19
Consistency

• Same elements are treated the same uniformly
  throughout the document (124)
• Headings
• Illustrations/graphs
• Type (size, font)
• Hyphenation
• Spelling

20
Consistency

• Verbal
• Visual

21
Verbal Consistency

• Definition
• meanings and arrangements of words (125)
• Clarifies meaning
• Types of Document Consistency (125-126)

22
Visual Consistency

• Definition
• anything a reader can see on the page or screen,
  including typography, spacing, and illustrations
  (127)
• Role of copyeditor
• To ensure consistent placement of visual elements

23
Consistency

• Mechanics (128-130)
• Structural (130)
• Content (130-131)
• Foolish (131)

24
Style Manuals

• Definition
• establish conventions accepted in various
  disciplines or organizations (132)
• Save time
• Ensure consistency among corporate documents

25
Style Manuals

• Comprehensive (132)
• Chicago
• Oxford Guide to Style
• International (132)
• Interinstitutional
• The Canadian Style
• Discipline Specific (133-134)
• APA
• MLA
• CBE

26
Style Sheet

• Definition
• Includes choices about punctuation,
  abbreviations, spelling, capitalization,
  hyphenation, and other matters of consistency
  (136)
• Records editorial choices

27
Copyediting

• Must ensure the following elements
• Correctness
• Consistency
• Accuracy
• Completeness