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.”