Types of Edit
There are four types of edits nSight's Edit Express team can do for you:
1. Proofread
When you request a proofread, nSight's Edit Express team checks your document for grammar, spelling, consistency, and format. The job of nSight's professional copyeditor is to clarify, correct, and standardize your document. It is not to rewrite or reorganize. nSight checks accuracy and consistency of:
- Capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar
- Abbreviations/acronyms; spelled out at first reference
- Treatment of numbers
- Italics, quotes, foreign words, special terms
- Numbering/parallel wording/punctuation of lists
- Figure and table legends, source information
- Anything numbered in sequence: lists, tables, figures, equations, outlines, etc.
- Reference style
- Footnotes/endnotes
2. Copyedit
The copyeditor corrects a draft for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation; checks facts, cross-references, and other verifiable details; and ascertains that the document conforms to house style. This may include elimination of:
- Run-on sentences
- Wordiness
- Sexist language
- Non-parallel construction
- Awkward constructions; vague language
- Passive voice
We also query:
- Misused words
- Inappropriate content or tone
- Major organizational problems
- Awkward or confusing passages
- Uncredited material that may need permission from author
3. Substantive Edit/Rewrite
A substantive edit includes all the proofreading and copyediting tasks, as well as a deeper level of editing to improve the language or organization. It requires greater editorial judgment than a basic copyedit. We retain the author's style unless directed otherwise.
A substantive edit includes the following:
- Correct errors of word usage (redundancy, passive voice, wordiness, poor diction, word choice)
- Edit sentence structure (syntax, variety, parallelism, clarity)
- Edit paragraph structure (organization, length, coherence, transitions)
- Check organization (logic and unity, structure, transitions, summaries); query major problems
- Monitor style (appropriateness of tone and voice, level of language to audience)
- Verify that headings reflect text that follows
- Check for too many or too few headings
- Rewrite awkward or confusing sections; query the writer if we are not sure of meaning
- Review manuscript for sentences, paragraphs, and sections that could be cut
- Check math, numbers, problems, and answers to questions in exercises
- Check descriptions of tables/figures in text against information in the tables/figures themselves
- Other specific requests such as reviewing text that may have been written by an author whose first language is not English
4. Page Check/Final Review
When nSight does a document Page Check/Final Review for publishing in print or electronically, we scan the final file(s) for editorial and production problems that may not have been caught during final rounds of corrections. Note: Usually, editing and proofreading are done before the Page Check/Final Review stage, so at this stage, we look for the kinds of problems listed below rather than reading word for word. However, if you prefer, we will be happy to read your work very carefully to spot all possible errors at this stage.
A page check/final review involves checking:
Printed Media
- Cover, title page, and copyright page for consistency
- Front matter for appropriate copyright information and date, acknowledgements, table of contents, list of conventions, and/or trademarks, when appropriate
- Corrections from previous versions
- Table of contents against text to ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency
- Text flow (spot-check end of one page, beginning of next)
- Unexpected electronic production glitches (word breaks for no reason, poor spacing)
- Art for appropriate reference and labeling
- Page numbers, running heads, and footers for completeness and consistency
- Page alignment as appropriate
- Registration marks if needed
- Completeness of files/project
Interactive Media (e.g. Web Sites, Online Courses)
- Cover, title page, and copyright page for consistency
- Check the site map and its consistency with the button labels and page titles
- Be sure the "big picture" information is at the top of the page with links to the rest of the information below
- Check for navigation feedback or cues for each action a user makes on the site
- Be sure required fields are marked on forms and that the system doesn't accept forms with empty required fields
- Check for appropriateness of ALT tags and that the site can be used by a screen reader for accessibility
