My Craft
Copyediting and formatting are activities performed by hand that require a particular set of skills and knowledge, so each may be considered a craft.*
A brief overview of each craft is provided, below. Additionally, the UK-based Society for Editors and Proofreaders provides a factsheet on copyediting vs. proofreading that you may find useful. Often the terms copyediting and proofreading are used interchangeably, but the tasks involved in each differ substantially.
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Copyediting
Editing text for grammar, syntax, word choice and usage, spelling, punctuation, and other style issues; consistency in style (e.g., spelling, capitalisation, date and number formats) and language, and internal consistency of facts; flow (i.e., clear and logical connections between phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, and sections), tone (with consideration to audience), clarity of meaning, and ease of reading; removing ambiguity, wordiness, and needless repetition; appropriate use of technical and specialised terminology, including discipline-specific terms (reducing jargon, if possible), abbreviations, and units of measurement; formatting references and citations to appropriate style; consistency in presentation of tables, figures (inc. diagrams and illustrations), and lists; checking for broken links; and flagging potential legal issues.
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Copyediting does not include substantive or structural editing, fact-checking, or the checking of complex mathematical calculations.
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Formatting
Applying genre-appropriate document, page, and element layout to manuscripts so that appearance is consistent throughout, including: the application of title, heading, paragraph, header and footer styles; font type, colour, size, alignment, and kerning; standardising margins, paragraph and line spacing; adding section and page breaks, and controlling “widows” and “orphans;” creating a table of contents, list of figures, and list of tables; standardising the presentation of tables, lists, and captions; reformatting tables, including re-orienting pages to landscape and moving page numbers; adding bookmarks and cross-references; changing page number styles (Roman/Arabic); preparing PDF and/or PDF/A document versions with fonts embedded and clickable links.
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Speaking plainly, document formatting can transform a "sow's ear" into a "silk purse" (despite the idiom saying otherwise)!
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