COPY-EDITING
What is copy-editing?
Copy-editing takes the raw material (the 'copy': anything from a novel to a web page) and makes it ready for publication. The aim of copy-editing is to ensure that text is accurate, easy to follow, fit for purpose and free of error, omission, inconsistency and repetition. This process picks up embarrassing mistakes, ambiguities and anomalies, alerts the client to possible legal problems and analyses the document structure for the typesetter/designer. When copy-editing, I will do the following:
Check that copy is complete: Do chapter titles and other elements match the list of contents? Are all the illustrations present? Is there a list of captions? What system of referencing is required? Are there footnotes/endnotes?
Clean up a copy of the document, fixing page set-up, spacing and fonts, cutting unwanted formatting, creating a stylesheet and identifying problems.
Correct errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, style and usage including overuse of italic, bold, capitals, exclamation marks and the passive voice.
Raise queries about doubtful facts, weak arguments, inconsistencies, confusing terms, incomplete references and more.
Check content and structure: Is anything missing or redundant? Is the order logical? Do the headings work? Are footnotes essential? Is a bibliography needed?
Check heading levels and sentence structure: Sentences should be short and straightforward, with paragraphs to introduce new ideas and break up the page.
Check illustrations, graphs and tables, making sure images support the text, with self-explanatory labels and captions that match. I will advise the typesetter on the location of each element, check that all the artwork is suitable for publication and note the existence of permissions and wording of acknowledgements.
Check wording: Is the language pitched at the right level for the likely readers? Do any terms need explaining? Are tone, style and vocabulary appropriate?
Consistency: I keep a list of decisions on alternative spellings, hyphenation, italics, capitals, units of measurement, how quotations are presented and much else. The text must not contradict itself, nor any illustrations, tables, graphs and captions. Internal links/cross-references must work.
Accuracy and anomalies: Spotting misquotations, errors of fact, misspelt names, misused words, numbers that don't add up and incomplete references.
Legal issues: I will flag up any instances I see of plagiarism or breach of copyright, libel, obscenity or incitement to racial hatred.
Extent: I can suggest ways to reduce length or give ideas of where text can be expanded to increase word count if necessary.
The result of this work is a document that is clear, correct, coherent, complete, concise, consistent and credible – the seven Cs of editing.
