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.