Barbara Gastel, MD, MPH
Texas A&M University
Knowledge Community Editor,
AuthorAID @ INASP

• Definitions
• Copyediting: reasons, levels, tasks, tools, advice, resources
• Proofreading: purposes, types, things to look for, ways to indicate changes, advice
• Characteristics of good copyeditors and good proofreaders

• Copyediting (also called manuscript editing)— revision of material written by others to increase its suitability for publication or distribution
• Proofreading—correction of typographical and other errors in written material before it is published or distributed

Reasons to Copyedit:
The 4 (or 5) Cs
• Clarity (defined in terms of the intended reader)
• Correctness
– Of grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage
– Of facts
• Conciseness (briefness)—(saves reader time, saves publisher space)
• Consistency
– Within a manuscript
– With the publication’s style
• (Courtesy—respectful wording)

• At least 3 constituencies:
– Reader
– Author
– Publisher
• Ideally, reader comes first
• Should try to serve the interests of all

• Light editing—limited largely to correcting mechanical problems (such as errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and reference format)
• Medium editing—also can include, for example, making wording more concise and improving sentence structure
• Heavy editing—can include, for example, reorganizing a document or rewriting part of it

• Tends to be a continuum
• Boundaries can vary
• Underlying concepts to remember
– Existence of various extents of editing
– Helpfulness of determining early what extent of editing is desired
• Level of editing doesn’t mean how many editorial changes were made; something can be lightly edited but contain many corrections

• Microediting—focuses on small-scale aspects of a manuscript—for example, grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Macroediting—deals with large-scale aspects of a manuscript—for example, the overall structure

Copyediting:
Some Examples of Common Tasks
• Correcting errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage
• Making sure the specified style and format are followed
• Making wording clearer, more concise, and more graceful
• Making language by non-native speakers more idiomatic
• Checking logic

Copyediting:
More Examples of Common Tasks
• Improving the organization of the manuscript and its parts
• Improving the design of tables
• In some cases, inserting instructions for typesetting or posting
• Querying the author when information is needed to ensure that the writing is clear, correct, and consistent

• Definition: asking the author questions
• Some items to query about
– Missing information
– Inconsistencies (for instance, between table and text)
– Ambiguities
– Possible inaccuracies (for example, unusual spellings)
– Revisions that might change meaning
• Something not to query about: routine editorial changes

• Attaching paper tags or self-adhesive notes
• Writing notes by hand in the margin
• Inserting queries in text—for example:
– Using the “Comments” feature in Track Changes
– Inserting the queries in the text, for example in boldface or in a different color
• Providing a separate list of queries
• Combining two or more of these methods

• Use wording that helps elicit the needed information:
– Not: “Is this correct?”
– But: “These numbers don’t seem to add up.
Please check them and make any needed corrections.”
• Word queries concisely.
• Word queries politely and respectfully.

• Dictionaries
– General
– Specialized (for example, medical dictionaries)
• Other reference works in the journal’s field
• Online resources
– OneLook Dictionary Search ( www.onelook.com
)
– Various sources for fact checking
– Other

• Style manuals
• Style sheets
– For a journal as a whole
– For specific manuscripts
• Other

• The ACS (American Chemical Society) Style Guide
• AMA (American Medical Association) Manual of
Style
• The Chicago Manual of Style
• The MLA (Modern Language Association) Style
Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association
• Scientific Style and Format
• Other

• Make changes only if you can state reasons for them.
• Don’t over-copyedit. (If an item is clear, correct, concise, consistent, and courteous, leave it as is, even if you would have said it another way.)
• If in doubt, check.
• Review the piece of writing more than once.
• Keep learning.
• Enjoy copyediting! It can be fun and satisfying.

• The Copyeditor’s Handbook , 2nd edition, by Amy
Einsohn. University of California Press, 2005.
• Editing and Publication: A Training Manual, by Ian
Montagnes. International Rice Research Institute,
1991.
– Posted on Google Books and at books.irri.org/getpdf.htm?book=9712200094
– Also available through the AuthorAID website
( www.authoraid.info
)

• To correct typographical errors
• To correct serious errors somehow not corrected during copyediting
• To correct some kinds of page-layout problems
• Other

• Comparison: compare current version (“live copy”) and previous version (“dead copy”)— possible approaches:
– One person (looking back and forth)
– One person plus voice recorder
– Two people (with one person reading aloud)
– Other
• Noncomparison: proofread without looking at previous version

Main Source:
“Proofreading” by Russ Sprague. In: Essays for
Biomedical Communicators: Volume 2 of
Selected AMWA Workshops. American Medical
Writers Association, 1997.

• Typographical errors
• Errors in grammar and punctuation
• Deviations from the requested editorial style
• Inconsistencies in editorial style
• Inconsistencies in information
• Mechanical problems (smudged type, misaligned type, etc)
• Incorrect typefaces or type sizes
• Spacing errors

• Problems in positioning (for example, of page numbers or running heads)
• Failure to update material in template (for example, issue numbers)
• Widows (single lines of text at tops of columns)
• Orphans (single lines of text at bottoms of columns)
• Consistency between captions and figures

• Omissions
• Errors in alphabetical or numerical sequence
• Incorrect cross-references
• Incorrect arithmetic
• Poor appearance of graphics
• Poor appearance of tables
• Poor spacing of type (for example, “rivers” or
“lakes”)

• By hand
– Use standard proofreading marks (available in many reference works and, for example, at www.merriamwebster.com/mw/table/proofrea.htm
) .
– Clearly mark both the text and the margin.
– Circle instructions.
• Electronically—for example on a PDF file
– Mark changes in text.
– Highlight changes that might not be noticed.
– Use the “comment” feature.

• Find out and follow the editorial style.
• Consider using a checklist.
• Review the document more than once.
• Query if necessary.
• Don’t make excessive changes (proofreading isn’t copyediting). Proofreaders mainly delete, insert, replace, and transpose—not rewrite.
• Keep learning.
• Enjoy proofreading! It can be fun and satisfying.

Some Characteristics of Good Copyeditors and Good Proofreaders

Some Characteristics of a Good Editor
(from Editing and Publication, by Ian Montagnes)
• reads widely and has great curiosity
• can analyze a manuscript even when the subject is unfamiliar, spot difficulties, and suggest solutions
• is tactful and persuasive in working with authors
• is enthusiastic about work and can inspire enthusiasm in others
• has good judgment about what is important and what isn’t
• has a sensitive understanding of language
• keeps secrets
• shows initiative
• is resourceful and enjoys solving problems
• cares about details
• does everything possible to meet schedules
• understands what happens to a manuscript after it leaves the editorial department: design, production, distribution

Characteristics of Good Proofreaders
(from “Proofreading” by Russ Sprague)
• Excellent memory
• Understanding of and eye for linguistic and typographical detail
• Thorough understanding of grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure
• Excellent spelling ability
• Good judgment, tact, and diplomacy; sensitivity to deadlines and issues
• Technical knowledge about type, page design, printing
• Persistence
• A sense of humor