Editing
Auxiliary
Publications
By: Carol Rickard
Publications Officer
• Serves as an important communicator
• Uses unit newsletter as primary
communication tool
• As newsletter editor:
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Collects
Prepares (Edits)
Designs
Proofreads
Distributes the publication
Collector
As collector, the Publications Officer
gathers information from –
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The membership
Other units within the Auxiliary
Other sources, e.g., the Internet
Elected and staff officers
The Publications Officer verifies that material is
informative, interesting, timely … and accurate
Editor
The Publications Officer is responsible for –
• Correctness of information and compliance
with Auxiliary policy in copy, graphics, and
photographs presented
• Correctness of spelling, grammar, usage and
punctuation
• Condensation of copy when necessary
Correctness in Copy
• The flotilla or division masthead includes
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Name of publication
Designated unit number
Location
Date of issue
Issue number (Roman numerals)
• The editor’s name and contact information
appear in the issue
Correctness in Copy (cont’)
• Designate flotillas by Arabic numbers,
indicating first the division then the flotilla
number (separated by a hyphen if the number
of the flotilla exceeds nine), e.g., FL 84, not
FL 8-4; FL 6-10
• Do not use a “0” before a flotilla or division
designation, i.e., it’s FL 15-1, not FL 15-01;
Division 6, not Division 06
Correctness in Copy (cont’)
• Designate divisions by Arabic numbers, not
Roman numerals, e.g, Division 8 (not
Division VIII)
• Always capitalize Auxiliary and Auxiliarist
when referring to the Coast Guard Auxiliary
• Place the titles of Auxiliarists in the proper
location (only current or past commodores
may have their title precede their name)
Correctness in Copy (cont’)
• Capitalize titles only when they appear with
a person’s name
• Spell out abbreviations and acronyms the
first time they are used in an article (they
may then be used later in the article)
• Verify that credit and any appropriate credit
lines are given for newspaper articles or
other copyrighted material
Correctness in Photos
• Auxiliarists pictured are clearly identified
and in proper uniform for the activity
depicted
• The activity or event pictured is described
in the caption
• The photographer is credited
Correctness in Graphics
• Use the correct USCG Auxiliary logo in the
publication, i.e., use the Auxiliary emblem
(not the present hat device – shown at right)
Auxiliary Emblem - Yes
Auxiliary Logo - No
Correctness in Graphics (cont’)
• Verify that credit is given for copyrighted
graphics
• Display the Homeland Security seal and
signature correctly
Homeland Security Logo
Preferred signature lockup
Homeland Security Logo (cont’)
Alternate signature lockup (to be used only when
insufficient horizontal space) and seal alone
Homeland Security Logo (cont’)
Minimum clearspace around the signature
Homeland Security Logo (cont’)
Incorrect uses of the Homeland Security signature
Correctness of Grammar
• Subject-verb agreement
• Active versus passive voice
• Clear use of pronouns, i.e., noun-pronoun
agreement
• Correct use of its, the possessive form of the
neuter pronoun (it’s is a contraction for it is
or it has)
• Ambiguous pronouns, e.g., this, that, these
• Clear use of modifiers
Correctness of Usage
• Words used correctly
• States abbreviated correctly (ZIP codes are
code letters, not abbreviations)
• Latin abbreviations used correctly:
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i.e., id est (that is)
e.g., exempli gravia (for example)
etc., et cetera (and so forth)
a.m./p.m., ante merideum/post meridiem
(before/after noon)
Punctuation
Punctuation contributes substantially to
the meaning of a sentence
• The comma - The most frequently used
mark of punctuation in a sentence. It
– Clarifies the structure and meaning of a
sentence
– Indicates emphasis, pauses, and stress
Punctuation (cont’)
• If omitting a clause or phrase would change
the meaning of a sentence, the clause or
phrase is restrictive or essential. Commas
are not used to set the clause or phrase off
Example: The article that he wrote in 2002
won the Pulitzer Prize.
Example: The Baroque composer Bach
influenced him greatly.
Punctuation (cont’)
• If omitting a clause or phrase would not
change the meaning of a sentence, the
clause or phrase is nonrestrictive or
nonessential – or parenthetic. Commas are
used to set the clause or phrase off
Example: His most recent article, written in
2003, won a literary award.
Example: Sarasota, where I live, is right on the
Gulf of Mexico.
Punctuation (cont’)
Appositives are words that give additional
meaning to the main idea but are not crucial to
the basic meaning
• Nonrestrictive appositives are set off by
commas
Example: Tom Jones, chairman of the
committee, called the meeting to order.
Example: His favorite author, Stephen King,
entered the room.
Punctuation (cont’)
• Restrictive appositives are necessary for the
meaning of the sentence and are not set off
by commas
Example: Tom’s friend Joan started with her
speech.
Example: The crowd fell silent when the author
Stephen King entered the room.
Designer
• Readability: Font, font size, leading –
color of page, i.e., amount of white space
• Layout
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Contrast
Alignment
Repetition
Proximity
• Eye-appeal – the more eye-appealing, the
more likely the newsletter will be read
Proofreader
It was a once in
in a lifetime opportunity.
Proofreading (cont’)
UNIVERSITY
DRAMA SOCIETY
SPING SEASON
1999
Proofreading (cont’)
Mental “correcting” tends to tune out
errors, i.e., we tend to see things not as
they are but what we think they should be
Proofreading (cont’)
Proofreading requires –
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Extreme attention to details
Intense focus on information being read
Sitting for up to 20 minutes at a time
Knowledge and use of the basic rules of the
English language
Proofreading (cont’)
Editing versus Proofreading –
Editing may require some rewriting to achieve –
• Clarity of thought
• Accuracy of information
• Appropriateness of tone
• Effective use of language
• Conciseness
• Attention to the audience’s needs, interest
Proofreading (cont’)
Proofreading might require making minor
changes but no rewriting in the following areas –
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Punctuation
Spelling
Capitalization
Typographical errors
Correct and consistent use of language
Adherence to established style and format
Appearance
Proofreading (cont’)
Direct proofreading (preferably using
hard copy) –
• Read the document through for overall
content and meaning
• Read the document again … slowly …
focusing on trouble spots
• Read the document in a different
environment
Proofreading (cont’)
Some common trouble spots –
• Transposed numbers in dates or numbers
• Incorrect months, days, or years in dates
• Misspelled proper names, especially of
people, organizations, or programs
• Typos, e.g, an for and, you for your
• Punctuation errors, e.g., underuse of
commas or apostrophes
Proofreading (cont’)
Some common trouble spots (cont’):
• Words incorrectly capitalized
• Words frequently misused, e.g., affect
versus effect
• Subject and verbs that do not agree
• Inconsistent verb tenses, e.g., sunk for sank
• Missing parts of a document, e.g., masthead
not complete
• Inconsistent use of abbreviations
Distributor
• After the newsletter has been reproduced –
on paper or electronically – distribute it to
the membership as well as to individuals
and offices on the mailing list for unit
publications (there are separate lists for
flotilla and division newsletters)
• Mail hard copies of newsletters produced
electronically to those members who want
to receive a copy by post
Save hard copies of all issues of your unit
publication for the year and submit them to
the DSO-PB 7 for consideration in the annual
District 7 competitions for Best Flotilla and
Best Division Publication
Be proud of your newsletters –
You put a lot of time, thought, and effort
into their production
Many thanks to Carol Rickard, a former
DSO-PB D7 for preparing this slide
presentation. We are proud to offer her
presentation as a resource to all of our
Publications and Public Affairs officers.
Dottie Riley, DSO-PB D7 2008-