Professional Editorial Standards

The skills listed in this publication are those most commonly required for editing English-language text, whether on paper or on screen. The editor's functions start when the writer declares the manuscript more or less complete and continue through to the point at which it is ready for publication, regardless of the medium. Editors perform many tasks along the way, including structural editing, stylistic editing, copy editing, markup/coding, and proofreading. The technologies used in editing and in publishing change, but the fundamental tasks and the editorial skills required to work with words remain relatively constant.

EAC (1999). Reference>Editing>Standards

The Professional Editors Network  

Bush reports on a meeting of the San Diego Professional Editors Network, at which several experienced editors discussed their relationships with authors, offered tips for finding jobs, and emphasized the importance of content editing.

Bush, Donald W. Intercom (2002). Articles>Editing

Proofreader's and Editor's Symbols

The following marks are standard proofreading and editing marks. A professional proofreader puts a mark (usually a line or caret) in the line and writes the correction in the margin. An editor makes corrections within the line rather than in the margin (in part because an editor's changes are typically more extensive), which is why editors prefer to work with double-spaced copy.

University of Colorado (2002). Reference>Editing

A Rapid "Debugging" Technique    

Provides an effective method for checking the content-accuracy, completeness, and logical order of a document. Notes that this technique is not a substitute for more careful review when time and the document's importance allow.

Hays, Robert. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Editing>Assessment

Readers Background Characteristics and Their Feedback on Documents: The Influence of Gender and Educational Level on Evaluation Results    

What is the influence of demographic variables such as gender and educational level on the reader feedback collected under the plus-minus method? To answer this question, an analysis was made of the problems detected in four public information brochures. The average amount of feedback per participant did not vary among the four brochures, but the severity of the problems did. Male participants mentioned more problems than female participants, but the problems detected by female participants were on average more severe. Highly educated participants detected more problems than participants with a lower level of education. No differences in problem types mentioned were found between male and female participants, and only one difference was found between the two educational levels: Highly educated participants focused more strongly on the structuring of information. In general, brochure characteristics had more effect on the types of feedback collected than the two demographic participant characteristics.

de Jong, Menno D.T. and Peter Jan Schellens. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2001). Articles>Editing>Assessment>Gender

Le Rédacteur Technique

Un weblog qui cherche à servir de coin aux auteurs techniques.

Flacke, Marie-Louise. Rédacteur Technique, Le (2007). (French) Resources>Writing>Technical Editing>Technical Writing

Redaction

Le site des spécialistes de l'information en ligne.

Redaction. (French) Resources>Web Design>Editing

Redtech

Grâce à ce site, vous découvrirez peut-être le métier de rédacteur technique ainsi que ses multiples intérêts pour l'entreprise. On y parle de documentation papier bien sûr mais aussi de tous les nouveaux supports désormais utilisés pour aider les utilisateurs dans leur travail quotidien et leur formation (aide en ligne hlp, documents html, sites web...).

Redtech. (French) Resources>Editing>TC

Ressourcen für Technische Redakteure und User Assistance Spezialisten

Informationen, Fachartikel, Links, Downloads, Arbeitshilfen und Dienstleistungen zu den Themen User Assistance, Technische Dokumentation, Software-Dokumentation (Technische Dokumentation für Software, Online-Hilfen, Online-Dokumentation), Single Source Publishing (Single Sourcing, Cross Media Publishing)

Achtelig, Marc. indoition engineering (2005). (German) Resources>Information Design>Technical Editing

Ressourcen für Kollegen

Von dieser Seite aus erreichen Sie ganz konzentriert Angebote im Internet, die für Übersetzer und Technische Redakteure besonders interessant sind. Naürlich gibt es auch in dieser Linklisten, getrennt für Übersetzer und Technische Redakteure. Bei Bedarf erscheinen Themen auch in beiden Listen, Sie können sich also wohl auf eine der Listen konzentrieren.

von Obert, Alexander. Techwriter.de (2003). (German) Resources>Directories>Technical Editing>Localization

Restoring Damaged Photos  

Time isn't kind to treasured photographs. See Photoshop Diva Katrin Eismann's digital techniques for repairing creased, stained, torn, and damaged photos.

Eismann, Katrin. Creative Pro (2004). Design>Graphic Design>Image Editing>Adobe Photoshop

Reviewing a Peer's Work  

If we've been asked by a peer to review his or her work before it is sent out to be scrutinized by the world, our job is to neither edit nor rewrite the information. Our job is to give helpful, specific feedback about where the information communicates well and where it needs work. The more we understand about how to review a peer's work effectively, and how doing this is different from editing, the better feedback we can provide.

Gillihan, Dana L. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Collaboration>Editing>Writing

Revising a Memo  

One of the best ways to practice writing memos, of course, is to get a job and write lots of memos to actual audiences, but practicing can certainly help. This computer file contains a memo that needs to be revised. In the current version, the main points are difficult to locate, and the supporting details aren’t well organized. You will work to improve this memo to make it work more effectively with its audience.

Burnett, Rebecca E. Thomson (2001). Academic>Course Materials>Editing

Revising Documents for Different Audiences  

In the most effective documents, the data is presented in the way most appropriate for the readers. It matches their expectations for the document, their purposes for reading, and their level of technical expertise. When professionals create documents, they must be mainly concerned with the primary reader. To ensure that you are thinking about your readers, it is often useful to create a reader profile, identifying their key characteristics. This profile allows you to shape the material into a more reader-friendly document. During this exercise, you are going to create an information sheet about melanoma. This exercise has two major stages. First you will complete an audience analysis worksheet by answering questions about your primary audience. Then you will revise text about melanoma of the skin, creating a one-page information sheet that could be distributed to students at a campus science exhibition.

Burnett, Rebecca E. Thomson (2001). Academic>Course Materials>Editing

Rhetoric 3301.03: Editing for Usage, Style and Clarity

Rhetoric 3301 is a writing course in which students work to improve their writing style and clarity while studying the conventions of standard usage.

Nahrwold, Cynthia. University of Arkansas-Little Rock (2002). Academic>Courses>Editing

Rhetoric 5/4304: Technical Style and Editing

Rhetoric 5/4304 emphasizes the editing process of technical materials, which includes the following: knowing different levels of editing, copyediting and proofreading, editing for organization and content, editing graphics, editing for effective document design, and learning how to work effectively and efficiently as a team member. We'll do hands-on editing to give you necessary knowledge/practice and to develop your editing skills.

Nahrwold, Cynthia. University of Arkansas-Little Rock (2002). Academic>Courses>Editing>Technical Editing

The Right Match  

Ever wonder why some graphics file formats have a poor reputation? Sometimes, it's not because they're inherently bad, but because they're not designed to be used in certain ways, on certain printers, or on certain platforms. Knowing how to match a job with the right formats can save you some real headaches.

Kvern, Olav Martin. Adobe Magazine (1997). Design>Graphic Design>Image Editing>Standards

The Role of Indexing in Technical Communication

The success of a technical document depends heavily on the index. The task of indexing a technical document often cannot begin until insufficient time remains to do a good job. However, for many users of the document, a good index is mandatory to its usability.

Northrop, Mary Jane. Boston Broadside (1993). Articles>Editing>Indexing

The Role of the Editor in the Technical Writing Team

Editing today covers far more than printed materials. In this discussion, I am assuming a technical editor may be required to deal with: printed materials (for example, books, pamphlets, quick reference cards); electronic (for example, online documentation, online help, web pages); video scripts; computer-based training materials. I am also assuming that the audience for the material being edited is not comprised of other technical people; or if it is, the editor is not the person responsible for ensuring the technical accuracy of the material.

Hollis Weber, Jean. Technical Editors Eyrie (2002). Articles>Editing>Collaboration>Technical Writing

Screen Captures 102  

This document is about making screen captures for technical writers working primarily in a Microsoft Windows environment. The tools targeted include Adobe FrameMaker, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, along with Techsmith’s SnagIt, Adobe Photoshop, and Ulead’s PhotoImpact 4.2. Certainly, the thoughts and techniques mentioned herein can be applied to other professions, other operating systems, and other tools.

Brierley, Sean. TECHWR-L. Books>Documentation>Image Editing>Screen Captures

'See also' Cross-References

'See also' cross-references assist the user to quickly navigate to the right index term. The same principles that apply to 'See also' cross-references apply equally to hypertext linking. 'See also' cross-references are constructed using the following relationships: a broader term to a narrower term, e.g. 'mammals, See also whales'; sailing craft, See also hulls overlapping meaning between two terms, e.g. 'gold, See also money'

Brown, Fred. Allegro Time! (2000). Articles>Indexing>Editing

Sentence Diagramming: Making Sense of Sentences  

Sentence diagramming is an important tool for technical communicators to use in analyzing their own writing and editing. Sentence diagramming is also a neutral basis from which to discuss and evaluate technical documentation with colleagues and with other co- workers, such as subject-matter experts, who are not professional communicators. Through visual examples, this paper illustrates how to diagram three types of sentences (simple, compound, and complex), how sentence diagramming shows an objective view of three common syntactical errors (misplaced modifier, lack of parallel structure, and dangling modifier), and how the revised sentences make sense as sentences and as diagrams.

Ball, Valerie M. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Editing>Grammar

Seven Discrete Principles for Content Editing  

One of many lessons I learned in 30 years of Technical Editing was to separate myself from the crowd by learning to edit technical content, using seven reader-oriented techniques.

Bush, Donald W. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Editing>Technical Editing