Type and Production

Chapter 22, Questions 1, 2, 4

1. The typography is very discouraging. Repetition and capitalization together make it seem that the sign is shouting. Also, “hearing” is the most important word, but it is not horizontal, which makes it the most unintuitive to read. Finally, there is no semantic reason for “aids” to be repeated. The sign seems to be encouraging AIDS. I would suggest capitalizing no more than the first letter of each word and making “hearing” horizontal. Also, not all of the letters need to be outlined in white. That tactic should be saved for the information that needs the most pop.

2. This text comes from a motivational placard. Times New Roman takes up the least space, and the rest are comparable in size, although Comic Sans appears bolder than the others. Microsoft San Serif portrays the message best, because it looks clean and confident. Times New Roman looks boring, juvenile Comic Sans seems condescending, and SimHe suggests that the speaker is a computer or robot, neither of which are reassuring creatures.

4. My textbook is a paperback book, bound with perfect binding. Most of my books are the same, since my classes typically require several novels or historical collections. Even most of my textbooks are paperbacks with perfect binding.

Editing Illustrations

Chapter 19, Questions 1-3, 6

1. After rading this brochure, readers should trust that the Society is a worthwhile cause and believe that the Society is taking responsible steps to increase its funds. I would suggest separating the three sections into their own column, uniform alignment of titles and chart components, illustration titles, justified text, and including the Society’s full name upon first mention.

2. To clearly and trustworthily communicate with users of varying literacy levels, HealthCare.gov uses a large font and a simple color palette of blue and grayscale that does not distract from the text. Also, there is a tab labeled “Get Insurance” at the center of the top, which provides the most direct answer (“Open enrollement is over”) to the most basic and common user question.

3. The first image that appeared on Clemson.edu’s slider was a photo of the New York City skyline. It accompanied an article entitled “Clemson Marketing Students Take on NYC.” It is jarring to see a photo that is so clearly not representative of the city of Clemson, or of any city in South Carolina for that matter. The first impression of Clemson feels misleading.

6. While the visual below was not actually included in an instruction manual, it serves as a good reminder to check over visuals with the utmost care. At least the title is accurate and the parts are labeled clearly.

Grammar and Usage

Grammar and Usage

Chapter 10, Questions 1-8

1. a. Transitive verb, direct object

b. She laid the results of the MRI down.

c. Transitive verb, direct object

d. Transitive verb

e. Intransitive verb,

f. Transitive verb, direct object

g. Intransitive verb, subject complement, adjective

h. To be verb, subject complement, adjective

2. b. Transitive verb, but in a. it’s an intransitive verb. An editor could turn the sentence into a question: a) What did she graduate from? b) What did she graduate? B is the correct choice.

3. a. take – present, hope – present, is – present, had – past, were – past, hope – present, will follow – future

b. We take great pleasure in welcoming you to our staff. We hope that our relationship is one of mutual understanding and support. The owners have many years of experience in the operation of successful and profitable businesses. We were fortunate in the past with our choices for our staff, and we sincerely hope that you will follow this path.

4a. subject - condition, verb - are, complement – good

            The overall condition of the facilities is good to very good.

b. subject – resources, verb - dedicated

The resources dedicated to repair are minimal.

c. subject - disease, verb – are, complement – treated

            A dynamic bone disease in patients is tread by decreasing or eliminating calcium-based phosphate binders.

d. subject – range, verb – are

            A wide range of noninvasive treatments are available to patients.

e. subject – shipment,

            Shipments of factory-sealed cartons from our warehouse are made in the cheapest and fastest way.

5. a. The licensing can be determined pursuant to my institution’s policies and procedures on royalty income.

b. The field offers little research investigating the process of creating valid and reliable assessment instruments, despite the presumable acceptance of their pedagogical value.

c. Purchasing a Research MiniCycler and an ultra-pure injection-quality RO water system can reduce the cost of production.

d. the internship would provide me with an opportunity to work with technical documents outside my familiar “comfort zone” of technical manual, as a Principal Technical Editor/Writer for Alpha Communications.

e. Lead-free gasoline does not release harmful lead oxides and lead chlorides and bromides into the atmosphere, as is the case with leaded (regular) gasoline.

6. A dangling modifier is an entire phrase at the beginning or end of a sentence, while a misplaced modifier is often incorrectly directly preceding the subject.

a. Smoke only in the break room.

b. Only safety goggles with indirect vents and anti-fog lenses are allowed.

c. Almost every experiment, nearly 90 percent, failed.

7. a. When staff members need to trander material to another lav under the Uniform Biological Materials Transfer Agreement, they should contact the Lab Supervisor to ensure that proper transfer procedure is followed.

b. If the meaintenance technician needs to replace the lliquid filtration system, he or she must inform the staff.

c. He and I will conduct a workshop on investments.

8. a. The subject is not capable of being an active agent.

b. The adverb hopefully can be used as a replacement for “it is hoped” if it is also applicable if it describes how the hoping was being done. Here, it would be a matter of usage rather than grammar.

“The reason is because…” seems grammatically incorrect because “is” is a linking verb, and “because” is not a verb.  

Organization: The Architecture of Information

Chapter 17, Questions 4-6 and website analysis

4. The two phases in this example are not parallel because Phase 1 is in paragraph format, while Phase 2 is broken up into three sentences. Phase 2 includes the cost last instead of time. If those items were reversed, then the phrases would be parallel.

Revised order:

Phase 1: 2, 4, 3, 5

Phase 2: 6, 7, 8

Some other options for Table 1 and 2 might be to switch the vertical and horizontal labels. The total should be more visible and easy to identify at the bottom of each.

5. If readers are first time users in the library, then this is not following the "readers needs rule." Things may be illogically out of order, and do not make the process quicker and more efficient. Patterns that might work: content based order. It may work well if readers are experienced users. 

Most important things: Reserve materials, book returns, computer study areas, hours of the main library, borrowing books, library cards, etc.

Not so important: water fountains and stairs, lounge areas.

6. The Amazon seller’s FAQ page is organized with the customer in mind. The questions are grouped together in response to potential user questions. The search bar is easy to find.

FAQ page: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200365260

Website Organization Assignment Memo

By: Alyssa Glazener and Marissa Kozma

Overall, it is apparent that the website is designed to showcase the diverse range of projects in the Center for Advanced Visual Studies and be visually creative, however, our first impression was that the website is lacking in style consistency, and that certain elements of it may be confusing to potential viewers attempting to quickly locate information.

It is important to balance creatively displaying multiple artworks with the users need for organization. It needs to be clear where each section of information is located, so that the user knows how to find it. Since this webpage may most likely be used by students of MIT Design and the rest of the MIT community whose academic interests intersect with art, information about upcoming events and current projects that might be of academic interest to them should be easy to find. The intended purpose of this website is to showcase the diverse art projects, and the website should be reflective of this on the homepage, which is momentarily mostly white space.

Currently, the website attempts to organize by matching structure to meaning and grouping related topics. The homepage connects to information by clicking on different artworks, however, it’s not organized by importance or has any sort of consistency in structure (such as being arranged from general to specific). On a macro level, while it is great that the user can tell that there is a broad range of projects, it is very difficult for the user to find the content he or she is looking for and the website does not anticipate reader’s needs. It is struggle to find all available information on the website due to small links and confusing typefaces. While information seems to be grouped according to common topics, the headings and subheadings are incoherent. The information on the links is at times sporadic, and the information does not seem to be currently updated. The visuals and text are inconsistent and scattered across too much white space. On a micro level, here are some suggestions:we would suggest shrinking the current visual and adding tabs to the left hand side or beneath it. Headings and subheadings should be much bigger, and we suggest getting rid of the lined background because it does not follow the rule of thirds. The animated visuals, while interesting, are a little distracting and we suggest limiting the amount of them used on the homepage. A better use of white space would be to display pictures and headlines that are bold and eye-catching. More color in addition to the bright blue would be more appealing to the eye and would better grab viewers’ attention. The informative and introductory paragraph at the front should be much bigger, and we suggest using a different font for the quote as well. The IAP Center Sponge visual should be either much bigger or transferred to another link since it is not large enough to be informational.

Some other things to think about changing:

-The title seems to be stuck on every web page. It is on every single thing you click on.

-The webpage does not alter with the change of laptop screen size.

-The graphics, while interesting, are sporadically located and too small to make much significance.

-There are pictures overlapping pictures, which is visual overcrowding.

Overall, while this website has much potential, there are still various design/information errors that must be addressed in order for this information to be effective for viewers.

Copyediting for Consistency

Chapter 8, Questions 2-6

2.  A style sheet is meant to be a quick reference resource for writers and editors for frequent questions, and for when they make similar documents in the future. Style sheets record edits that address a matter of choice, not edits that were simply careless mistakes. However, if any edit is made repeatedly, it is recorded, because the editor is likely to run across that mistake again, and the writer may not realize that they always make that mistake.

3. Features that require a decision about consistency of mechanics: use of hyphens, italicizing or punctuating terms, variation of sentence beginnings, use of transitions. One-time spelling errors and other edits that do not require a decision between viable option will not be included in the style sheet.

4. Boart Longyear’s corporate style guide is 67 pages long. There is more emphasis on visuals and labeling than on mechanics and questions on longer amounts of text.

View the style guide here: http://www.boartlongyear.com/wp-content/uploads/StyleGuide-Finalapp-ready.pdf

5. Clemson has created a Clemson University Editorial Style Guide for Creative Service’s promotional and marketing publications. There is also a guide for their website.

6. View the Chicago Manual of Style’s FAQ page here: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/latest.html

Style: Verbs and Other Words

Chapter 16, Questions 1-4

1. a. Prolonged use of the battery drains its energy.

    b. The crimper of the alfalfa mower breaks the stem every inch to release fluids.

    c. Bend your legs and point your toes outward at a 45 degree angle.

    d. The trend toward fewer and larger farms will cause an increased demand for machinery, which will     decrease the demand for laborers.

    e. The report recommends simple, cost-effective advertising, with the aid of either an advertising agency or an account executive from a media service.

    f. The project needs to entail further research.

2. a. Passive voice made active: The engineers wrote the report collaboratively.

   b. Past tense: The report was informative but too long.

   c. Passive voice made active: The engineers sent the report to the editor.

   d. Past tense, weak verb: The report has been shortened by three pages.

   e. Weak verb: This method of writing and editing is effective for us.

3. The four sentences mean the same thing, but the first and last sentences place emphasis on how the specimens must be prepared (thoroughly), while the second and third examples emphasize who must prepare the specimens (laboratory personnel). The first sentence is the “worst” stylistically, because it has a weak verb, passive voice, the subject and verb are separated, and the agent is at the very end.

4. a. The revision made the agent more active, but changed the meaning because the revised sentence suggests that the writes are purposely applying to the positions.

Alternate revision: Technical writes now finds themselves in product design and production management roles.

    b. The revision eliminated nominalization, but it also changed the meaning because it made the subject an acting agent, which makes no sense.

         Alternate revision: The problem involves deriving objective methods for evaluating the effect of     adriamycin on the heart.

Style: Definition and Sentence Structures

Chapter 15, Questions 1-8

1. a. The focus of the test for Experiment II was tangential to and not a direct approach to leadership. For Experiment II, the test was tangential to leadership.

    b. The major framework of her policy involves presenting a discussion of health care funding. Her policy discusses health care funding.

    c. Some studies have revealed that there has been a small increase in mastitis cases involved with BST-supplemented cows. Studies reveal that mastitis cases have increased slightly in BST-supplemented cows.

    d. The expected results of the use of BST supplements is an increase in the profitability of the dairy producer operations. BST supplements are expected to increase the dairy producer’s profitability.

    e. The reason why video vignettes are less used than lecture in corporate ethics training is because of the higher cost and less available resources. In corporate ethics training, video vignettes are used less than lecture because of higher cost and limited resources.

2. a. The urgent care center offers a variety of services such as physician appointments, mental health, health education programs, and lab and X-ray work. The urgent care center offers a variety of services such as physician appointments, mental health care, health education programs, and lab and X-ray work.

    b. The report considers important factors in choosing a medical facility, ratings of services at the urgent care center, reasons why HMO members do not use the center, and offers suggestions for increase in member usage. The report considers important factors in choosing a medical facility, such as ratings of services at the urgent care center and reasons why HMO members do not use the center, and it offers suggestions for increase in member usage.

    c. To become a mutual fund shareholder, an investor places an order with a local securities dealer or by contacting the fund sales staff directly. To become a mutual fund shareholder, an investor places an order with a local securities dealer or contacts the fund sales staff directly.

    d. When designing a corporate phone answering system, multiple factors must be considered. For example, some people call to report a change of a meeting, to file a complaint, or any other kind of message. Multiple types of messages must be considered in the designing of a corporate phone answering system. For example, some people call to report a meeting change, and others call to file a complaint.

   

3.   The first version suggests that the historical site is part of the region, while the second sentence implies that the two locations are one and the same.

4.   The passage is more suited for a law textbook, because the style removes the speaker, and therefore the reader, from the process. They are objective observers of the entire probation process. To make the style and persona more appropriate for a volunteer manual, it would be helpful to switch to active voice and a second person point of view. Then, the speaker would be a probation officer or a fellow volunteer, a trustworthy teacher.

5.   A person found guilty of a crime can receive probation, a court-ordered sentence in lieu of incarceration. The offender remains in the community, but they are under the supervision of a probation officer for a predetermined period of time. If the offender complies with the terms and conditions of probation, he or she is discharged from the court’s jurisdiction and his or her debt to society is considered paid. If the offender does not comply, the court may impose another method of sentence, including incarceration.

6.   A volunteer would probably find my edits useful. The length decreased and the sentences are more active, which is suited to someone who is reading to learn how to act. A law student, however, would probably rather have the detail and objectivity of the original iteration.

7.   Pick out the human agent first, and add a verb to make it part of the sentence core.

8.   Several economic factors have resulted in increased-calorie diets. First, food is proportionately cheaper than I was a few decades ago, which means that people can now afford more food. People are also eating more high-calorie restaurant meals. Although they are eating more and consuming more calories, people are exercising less and thus using fewer calories. Eating more calories than are exerted through physical activity creates energy imbalance. Over time, this imbalance results in weight gain, or obesity. It is easier to gain weight than to lose it because the body accommodates overeating more readily than it ignores hunger.

Proofreading

Chapter 13, Questions 1-6

1. Figure 13.3 was copyedited, and Figure 13.4 was proofread after the copyedits had been incorporated. Most of the edits in Figure 13.4 correct mistakes made in revising the dead copy.

2. gullability – the –ible vs. –able suffix is often confusing

    indentification – the -tion vs –cion suffix can be confusing because they make the same sound

    laboratory – this is the British spelling

    manuscritps – the word shape is the same

    progams – the word shape is the same, and there is already one of the missing letter in the word

    edtors – the i is small and easy to miss

    embarassing – words with multiple sets of double consonants are easy to misspell

    responsibilites – the i is small and easy to miss

    comform – the word shape is the same

    comunication – words with double consonants are often misspelled

3. It is best to not proofread something that you wrote yourself. You know what you are expecting to see on the page, so minor misspellings, especially when the word shape is still the same, are very easy to miss.

4. The Errata alerts readers to mistakes that were too costly to be fixed. The company could have also left the errors uncorrected or reprinted the booklets. It was more worth it for the organization to add an Errata that than to fix the mistakes in the actual document. It cost the company extra money to print the Errata, although not as much as it would to print new booklets. The same is probably true for the amount of time the company spent. The Errata calls attention to mistakes that many people would be unaware of otherwise, and the company risks looking careless.

5. 

6. 

    

Quantitative and Technical Material

Chapter 12, Questions 1-6

1. a. When the electrode is fully in the spinal cod tissue, the resistance shoots up to 1,000 Ω or more.

b. There are two methods of applying a coagulating current. One uses a fixed time (e.g. 30 s), and varies the power applied (e.g. 5 mA, then 15 mA, etc.), up to a limit given by the manufacturer. The other method fixes the power (e.g. at 30 mA), and varies the time (e.g. 5 s, then 10 s, 15 s, etc.).

         Query: What is the unit mA? Please double check that capitalization and spacing are correct.

c. The spinal cord at the C1-C2 level is about 15 mm across and 10 to 12 mm from front to back, so the maximum lesion needed is 6 x 4 mm. Furthermore, a cylindrical electrode with a 2 mm uninsulated tip will provide a lesion somewhatbarrel shaped; an exposed tip of 3 mm is also used and will proved a lesion of about 4.5 x 3 mm.

2.   

3. a. 1/16

    b. 3/(a + b)

    c. (x + 2)/2y

4-6.

    

Punctuation

Chapter 11, Questions 1-10

1. Phrase: genetic instructions

    Phrase: have recently determined

    Clause: researchers have determined the cause

    Phrase: on the bottom

    Phrase and Clause: in the event that the program crashes

2. Complex, compound-complex, complex, complex

3.

4.

  

5.

5.   

6a. Today’s presentation will contain:

            -Employee request for dress code change

Query

            -Job stress discussion

            -Employee moral discussion

            HFS Committee evaluation

            -New policy on July 1

 b. Some qualities that are needed are the ability to communicate orally and in writing, good judgment, and tact.

 c. We have spoken to banks about loans and to a foundation about getting grants. We have also fundraised.

 d. Reasons for the policy change: supports your success, builds goodwill, reflects industry standards, cannot be changed, estavlished new stress management benefits effective August 1, 2011.

7.  

8.

9.

  

10a. The first sentence communicates that unfamiliar or specialized terms are not part of general style. The second sentence includes unfamiliar or specialized terms as an element of the general style.

   b. The first sentence proposes two different courses of action and specifies when which is appropriate. The second sentence leaves it up to the reader to decide which course of action to take.

Spelling, Capitalization, and Abbreviations

Chapter 9, Questions 1-3, 6

1. 

2. A computerized spell checker would not catch these spelling errors:

            Weather          

There

            Personal

These are correct spellings out of context, but the wrong words in context.

3. Mneumonics for frequently misspelled words:

            Forty (not fourty) – When you’re that old, you don’t need another year, let alone another letter.

Leave the u out.

Separate (a in the second syllable) – “pare” like a pairing knife, which is used for separating things. Or like partager, which is French for “to share,” which might require separating your baguette into pieces to share with other people. If it’s difficult to tear the baguette, well, consider separating it with a pairing knife.

Irresistible – It’s irresistible because you aren’t able to resist it.

6.  

Basic Copyediting: An Introduction

Chapter 7, Questions 1-2

1. 

2. 

Collaborating with Writers

Chapter 3, Question 1

All of the following are strategies I would use to prevent mistakes with an author and actions I would take to minimize the damage should the same mistake occur.

1. Upon receiving a document to be edited, the editor should immediately do three things. 1) Open the document to verify that everything is there and that your computer has a program that can read the document. 2) Save the document in two different places, under appropriate names. 3) Send an email confirmation of receipt and return date to the writer. If I failed to do this immediately, I would do it as soon as possible. In the email confirmation, I would apologize to the author and reassure her that I will meet the return deadline.
2. It is impossible that an editor will be sufficiently knowledgeable on every subject that crosses his desk. If some research is unable to shed light on the subject, it is appropriate to email the author asking for an explanation. If I was in this situation and unable to gain the necessary knowledge in an acceptable amount of time, I would recommend the author to a suitable colleague. However, if it was alright with the writer, I would prefer to learn about the topic as best as I could. I would offer to at least proofread the document, or edit more deeply and flag uncertainties to be looked over by a subject matter expert.
3. If an in-person meeting is not possible with a new client, I would offer to talk via Skype, phone, or email the client a sample of my edits on a document that is similar to theirs. If there was any sign of a potentially tense relationship, I would also be sure to ask about the writer’s expectations and previous experiences with editing. Anytime a writer is angry about my edits, I should check over my work and maybe even ask a coworker to glance over my edits.
4. An editor should always and immediately do the three things listed in part A upon receiving a document for editing. If he has trouble opening the document close to the deadline, he should exhaust every available effort to open it before contacting the writer. Then, he can avoid alerting the writer to the mistake, inform the writer that he is editing but he won’t be finished by the deadline, or seriously apologize for the mistake and try to renegotiate their agreement to work with a different version of the document.
5. When an editor and client have worked together for years, it is easier for the editor to make tough decisions when the author is unavailable. One way to avoid this situation might be for the editor to make a habit of establishing certain things with long-term clients. In this case, I would provide the writer with two different versions of edits. One version would call for the same amount of revisions I typically provide. The other would be more work, and have the edits needed to get the grant proposal up to par. I would let the writer choose to read what he has time for. I would tell him how many extra hours the rigorous edits took, so that he could offer to compensate me. It wouldn't bother me too much if he didn't offer to pay me for extra time if we continued to work together.

Readers, Users, Browsers, Problem Solvers...

Chapter 2, Questions 1-5

1-2. How origins, impact, readers, use, culture, expectations, accessibility, and constraints on development and production might affect these documents:

1. Boat motor maintenance manual: It would need to be weatherproofed, have diagrams, and clearly labeled headings.

                                                              i.      It would be used near the water, and possibly in emergency situations. It could be used by an expert or a novice.

2. A journal article about bacterial infection: It would need to match the style and layout of the journal.

                                                              i.      Readers will select a couple articles that interest them most. Therefore, it is important that the title accurately encompasses the article.

3. A 5^th grade science textbook: It would need to include lots of colorful pictures and simple language.

                                                              i.      Students will read this because it is assigned. They will need all the help they can get to stay engaged. 5^th graders are in the process of learning how to read academically.

4. Flashlight instructions: It would need to be low budget, so that the production doesn’t cost more than the flashlight. It would be in black and white, with minimal white space, and printed on thin paper.

                                                              i.      Users will be reading selectively for a solution to their malfunctioning flashlight.

5. Community center newsletter: It would need to be layed out clearly, look attractive, possibly be in multiple languages, contain correct contact info, and have big section headings. It would need to be located or distributed effectively.

                                                              i.      This is a document that readers will pick up at their leisure. Some may read the entire thing; others may just glance at headlines. They will read as much as they need in order to feel involved and up-to-date.

6. Photoshop tips and tricks webpage: It would need a neat layout, seamlessly embedded photos in the directions, and specific instructions. The editor would also check for correct vocab.

                                                              i.      This could be used by people with some to no experience. It would be important to organize the content by difficulty level.

3. I would start by doing a web search for “how to write Chinese instruction manual.” My goal would be to learn what a Chinese consumer expects for an instruction manual. If possible, I would also talk someone in my company who works for the international division or with the Chinese client.

                                                    

4. Verbal, structural, and visual signals of webpages:

a.       Hershey’s vs. Godiva: Hershey’s is more interactive than Godiva. Hershey’s homepage includes links, photos, and text about recipes, crafts, and gift ideas. Godiva’s first section is about a discount on expensive orders. Their page is less busy, giving their brand a feel of selectivity.

b.      Hyundai vs. Mercedes: Hyundai is structured to direct the reader straight to each different model, while Mercedes look more like a blog about the amazing features of all Mercedes.

c.       Southwest Airlines vs JetBlue: Southwest is more utilitarian. It is structured to direct readers immediately into purchasing a flight. JetBlue is more colorful and stylish, and takes the space to make large, attractive headings.

5. On a document that defines open heart surgery for patients and their families:

a.       Origin: It was written by an M.D.

b.      Impact: It should educate the patient so that he fully understands the procedure and its effects.

c.       Readers: The readers are patients and their families who are faced with immediate surgery. They are likely panicked, and may have no medical knowledge at all.

d.      Use: The patient may use the document to may an informed decision about whether he wants to have surgery or not. Or, it may be used to calm down patients and relatives who don’t know anything about the topic.

e.       Culture: If the reader is not used to academic readings or scientific language, the document may seem unfamiliar and daunting. If the reader is from a country where it is typical for the doctor to answer all questions personally, the document could be offensive.

f.       Accessibility: The document is only in English and in small type. This is not ideal for non-English speakers or people with weak vision.

g.      Development and Production: It is probably easy and cheap to produce. However, whoever is responsible for maintaining the document probably has more pressing duties. Therefore, it may be difficult to keep this document in stock and up-to-date.

h.      Edits: I would make it a Q&A format, add a diagram of the heart, and bold the text that actually defines open heart surgery.

Marking Paper Copy

Chapter 4, Questions 1-6

1.

 2.

3. Any editor’s job is to stick up for the reader’s best interest. If I, as a copyeditor, noticed a poor stylistic choice that could significantly alter the reader’s understanding of the content, I would either send a note to the comprehensive editor or attach a query to the writer.

4. Although circling an abbreviation or number is supposed to tell the writer to spell the word out, circles are also used outside the text around graphic design edits. To avoid confusion, I could delete the abbreviation and spell out the words to be inserted. 

5. No, the editor typically does not have the freedom to make minor spelling changes according to her personal preference. The style is usually agreed upon before the editor has the document. This is so that the document will be consistent with the client’s other work or the norm in a specific field. Hyphens in particular are often governed by which style is used (i.e. AP versus MLA). 

6. Revisions of critical edits:

1. The readers may not have much familiarity with the topic. They might have an easier time with less abstractions, short sentences, and simple vocab.
2. Using first-person and active voice in these instructions would make it clearer to the reader that they are supposed to act.
3. Could these sentences be rewritten to flow more smoothly?
4. Consider adding a section heading and topic sentences at the beginning of each paragraph to highlight the purpose of this section.
5. Consider moving the main objectives of the training session to the beginning. It will be easier for the reader if the info is organized by importance/chronology/etc.
6. In your project statement, consider adding why your work is important.

Editing: The Big Picture

Editing: The Big Picture

Chapter 1, Questions 1, 3, 4, 6

1. I searched for technical editor openings on Clemson JobLink, not because it is my favorite job search engine, but to point out that Clemson’s career services do not cater to the humanities. Entering “technical editor” generated 273 results from all over the world. Common cities included New York, Atlanta, and Fort Worth. Most of the positions were not actually for editors. Rather, many of the descriptions included several instances of the word “technical.” However, the first posting did include an editor position for an international newspaper. It is unpaid and located in Ghana. The editor would “supervise the style and content of the newspaper.” This would require many of the duties and traits that Chapter 1 mentioned. The editor would do comprehensive editing, be part of a team, tactfully interact with writers, and be skilled in language, communication, and envisioning the readers’ experience.

3. Word Works Communications is a technical editing service that specializes in business and technical communications. The staff includes writers, editors, web designers, and publication layout designers. Besides proofreading, copy editing, and comprehensive editing, they also write documents, do eBook formatting, digital format conversion, cover design, and publication consulting. Their prices are not listed, but they do offer to edit part of a project as a sample.
4. This discussion (http://stc-techedit.org/tiki-view_forum_thread.php?comments_parentId=2155&topics_offset=9) is about the use of “over” versus “more than.” It is based on an article from the Grammar Girl blog, a source that I have used to relearn forgotten grammatical particulars, and that often results from Google searches about grammar questions. The discussion participants did not say if they are professional editors, but it is interesting to know that I use the same source as people who care enough about language correctness to engage in obscure online forums.

6.  Most of the journal articles about technical editing on Eserver are concerned with what roles a technical editor ought to fulfill. Others discussed strategies for finding jobs, Q&A’s about common copyediting issues, and theories about technical communications. The most interesting titles is “The Role of Social Construction in Technical Communication.”