How to Write Glossaries  

Glossaries can be quite difficult to write, mainly because some definitions require so much research. While many definitions can be found online, others cannot. For these, you will have to read standards, Requests for Comments (RFCs), and books—a lot of work for a three- or four-line definition!

Docsymmetry (2003). Articles>Editing>Glossary

Humor in the Workplace?

Over the years, I've been accused of not taking life seriously enough. Although life certainly is no joke, it's not all Sturm und Drang or Weltschmerz, either. Mostly, I think, it's like Mozart: exhilarating and joyous except when it's not.

Tyler, Craig. Editorial Eye, The (1999). Humor>Workplace>Editing

Identifying Additions and Deletions, Part I: Using Compatible Software  

Hart describes the problems and possibilities of Microsoft Word's Track Changes feature.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2001). Articles>Editing>Software>Word

Identifying Additions and Deletions, Part II: Incompatible Software  

Hart describes the difficulties of viewing electronic edits when the editor and the author are using incompatible software, and offers tips for working around these difficulties.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2002). Articles>Editing>Software>Video

Implementing On-Screen Editing  

On-screen editing offers obvious advantages over paper editing, including greater accuracy, shorter turnaround times, and improved consistency. Because authors don’t have to retype handwritten edits, there’s less risk of misreading or missing corrections. Moreover, the edits have already been typed and spellchecked, so no new typos are introduced. Most editors can also enter corrections faster with a keyboard than with a pen, particularly when complex edits require restructuring of the document or extensive rewording, and eliminating the retyping phase further reduces turnaround times. Last but not least, using the search tools makes it easier to achieve consistency in long or complex documents.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2004). Articles>Editing>Online

Improving The Documentation Process Through Structured Walkthroughs  

Documentation walkthroughs simplify the technical review process for both writer and reviewer. Walkthroughs are focused, interdisciplinary meetings at which technical reviewers evaluate the technical accuracy of documentation specifications. Documentation producers can use documentation specifications and walkthroughs to keep technical reviewers focused on technical accuracy rather than editorial issues. This, in turn, leads to fewer technical errors in the first draft and earlier reviewer involvement.

Chatfield, Carl S. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Editing>Collaboration

Improving Your Editing Efficiency: Software Skills, Soft Skills, and Survival Skills  

Editing efficiently involves a mix of software skills, soft (human) skills, and strategies for surviving chaos. Although software skills are certainly important--we never have as much time as we need, and computers really can help--we must still nurture author-editor relationships. Knowing the strategies battle-scarred editors have developed over the years can save you from duplicating those scars. In this paper, I'll discuss the software skills you'll need to work efficiently, how to cope with the human factors involved in editing, and some strategies for managing the often-chaotic editorial life.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Editing>Software

Incorporating Peer Review

Peer review is an exercise in which students review each other's written work. Peer review is often connected to revision, a part of the writing process in which writers refine and make substantive changes to their written work.

University of Minnesota (2004). Articles>Education>Editing>Writing

Incorporating Revision

Revision refers to the process of reviewing one's work and making changes (either local or global) to improve the writing.  Most teachers of writing encourage students to revise their work by creating drafts and going through a process of review -- either by having teacher review drafts or having other students review drafts.

University of Minnesota (2004). Articles>Education>Editing>Writing

Indexing Standards and Usability Tests  

This paper provides reference information and complements the demonstration: 'Using Indexing Standards and Usability Tests' by Deborah Swain and Rebecca Oliver. Information covered in the paper includes historical background on indexing and on the ANSI Z39.4 standard for indexes. Questions about the effectiveness of standards are discussed. In addition, the paper describes one way to conduct a usability test on a back-of-the-book index: random analysis. (Three testing methods will be explained in the demonstration.)

Swain, Deborah E. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Editing>Indexing>Usability

Indexing Technical Documents

If a document contains the information that a reader needs, but if the reader cannot find that information, then the document is useless. Worse than useless, it’s a hindrance. If I know that some information is not available, I won’t waste my time looking for it. However, if I think the information is available, and if I can’t find it after a period of fruitless searching, all I will have achieved is frustration.

TechScribe (2004). Articles>Indexing>Technical Editing

Indexing Technical Documents: An Interview with Lori Lathrop

Indexes are as important to your documentation as your documentation is to the product. Just as it would be difficult, if not impossible, for people to use your product without any documentation, it is equally difficult for people to use documentation without a good index.

Vega, Barbara. Writing World (2001). Articles>Indexing>Technical Editing

Indexing Workshop  

Although we all agree on the importance of a good index, many technical writers find themselves in the position of having to produce an index in a short amount of time with no training or experience.

Winsberg, Freya Y. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Indexing>Editing

The Influence of Text Factors on Readers  

The objectives of the research study presented here are to increase the discipline's knowledge about reader performance with technical documents, help writers and editors better allocate their efforts, and explore multivariate studies of text variables. For this study, subjects read and recalled one of two technical texts. Their recall protocols were analyzed for syntactic and semantic characteristics. Preliminary results suggest that information has a greater chance of being recalled if it is in clauses, independent clauses, more important idea units, or the first paragraph of the document. Additional results will be discussed at the conference.

Spyridakis, Jan H. and Carol S. Isakson. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>TC>Editing

Interactive Editing and Revision Exercises

These example exercises are intended to help you better understand how to write paragraphs according to the five patterns of organization listed above. Each example exercise is followed by an assignment that asks you to use the example exercises and the textbook as a guide in writing paragraphs that are clear and well organized.

Dobrin, Sidney I., Christopher J. Keller and Christian R. Weisser. TCTC. Academic>Course Materials>Editing

Internet Resources for Editors  

This month, I’ll depart slightly from my usual topic and focus on onscreen practices that aren’t actual edits—but that support activities such as fact-checking that we must perform while editing. Specifically, I’ll describe how to use the Internet as a research tool to improve the quality of your editing.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2003). Articles>Editing>Online

Into the 21st Century: The Changing Role of Editors  

The historical perception that defined editors as guardians of the language falls short in describing editors in high-technology environments today. Essential skills for the 21st century require technical editors who can demonstrate sophisticated and extensive tool knowledge, product knowledge, and an appreciation for current professional trends—in addition to being guardians of the language.

Swartz, Michelle A., Gail M. Wilson, Dan Bakely and Barbara S. Muench. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Editing

Introduction to Editing and Abstracting

Course goals: to prepare you to communicate effectively, ethically, responsibly, and professionally in a professional environment; to provide you with skills, strategies, and conceptual knowledge to help you understand aspects of editing and abstracting; to help you understand the symbiotic relationships among form and content, and audience and purpose; and to give you practice expressing writing and editing your own work as well as peers' and to improve your own individual communication and management skills.

Tovey, Janice. East Carolina University (2003). Academic>Courses>Editing

Is Anal Retentive Hyphenated?

If you publish something on the Web and you get it wrong, fix it and move on. View the Web as a temporary home for your designs and ideas. If we allow ourselves to become bogged down in a morass of corrective detail, we'll miss the bigger picture and stifle creativity in ways we can't yet imagine.

Shafer, Dan. Builder.com (1998). Design>Information Design>Editing

The Joy of Indexing: How to Make a Good Document Better  

An index is a road map for a document. A good index helps the user find information easily and quickly. It anticipates the user’s needs and provides logical headings and a parallel, consistent structure. Creating an index involves five steps: 1) analyzing the audience; 2) determining the physical appearance and standards of the index; 3) reading and marking the text; 4) producing, editing, and proofing the index; and 5) testing the index for clarity and usability and revising it as necessary.

Gyure, Gloria M.D. and Colleen S. Kelley. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Indexing>Editing

"Just-in-Time" Documentation  

Discusses innovative ways to provide notations in electronic documents using Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, and HTML. These methods include inserting text and voice comments, and displaying short messages.

Linderman, R. Ivan . Intercom (2000). Articles>Editing>Online

Keeping Things Consistent When You're the 'Guest' Editor

Consistency is the cornerstone of intelligent editing. In these days of leaner staffs and smaller budgets, however, many organizations don't employ full-time editors and depend on contract or freelance editors to make sure their publications are written in a consistent — and thus coherent — manner.

Goode, Judith. Editorial Eye, The (1996). Articles>Editing>Publishing

Keyboard Shortcuts and Other Tricks  

This column focuses on using a computer to increase the effectiveness (both the productivity and the quality) of editing manuscripts, with an emphasis on tools and techniques rather than issues of grammar and usage.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2003). Articles>Editing>Online

The Knowledge Editor(SM): Innovative Editorial Solutions to Meet Your Quality Objectives  

This paper represents over 30 years cumulative work experience, as both corporate staff members and as consultants, and shares recommendations for providing highly valuable editorial contributions. The authors also introduce a new concept for innovative editorial methods that meet the technological and productivity challenges facing today’s information design organizations.

Holland, Mary T. and Kristen Sutton. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Editing>Collaboration

Knowledge Management - Challenge for Technical Editors

Knowledge management - is it a challenge for technical editors? Shouldn't knowledge management be more than just taken for granted in technical editing? And isn't the technical editor also the knowledge manager, per se?

Sturz, Wolfgang. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>Knowledge Management>Technical Editing