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Whew! That's a long download! Sorry, but graphics are really necessary
for this lecture.
While the use of computers, spellcheckers and the such make creating
error-free documents easier these days, it is still valuable to know
how to properly edit paper copy. There are two aspects to that process:
- Knowing what and how
to change copy, and,
- Knowing how to change
copy so that others understand.
To do the latter,
we use copy editing symbols.
Copy editing symbols are often confused with proofreading symbols. Copy
editing symbols were designed to be used after you typed a story, usually
double spaced, to correct errors or indicate changes in your copy. Proofreading
symbols were designed to be used in tighter spaces to indicate errors
in typeset copy, which is usually in smaller type, single spaced and
in narrow columns. The proofreading symbols often have to be inserted
in margins because of the tightness of space.
On one hand, you could say that since we often see copy editing symbols
and proofreading symbols mixed together, why worry about the difference?
On the other hand, it is always best to show how intellegent you are
by doing things correctly.
And while most of your assignments will be submitted in electronic form
and won't need copy editing symbols, the assignments in the first chapter
of your workbook teach you the correct symbols for most copy editing.
Since copy editing requires
pen or pencil on paper, distance education students will have to complete
these assignments on paper and mail or fax them in.
We'll go through that chapter quickly and move on.
You can find a list of sample copy editing symbols on page 5 of your
workbook. Let's go over them. I will be changing some of the symbols
you see in the book because, quite frankly, I think some of them
are sloppy. Minor changes can make them more readable. Please compare
the symbols below with the ones in your workbook.
PARAGRAPHS
One of the clearest examples of how proofreading symbols and copy editing
symbols differ is in marking paragraphs. You've no doubt seen this character
for paragraphing.
Well it is a proofreading mark. The proper copy editing mark is
CAPITALIZATION
We'll talk about capitalization rules when we get to AP Style, but if
you accidently (or mistakenly) type a capital letter that needs to be
lower case you mark through it, thusly
On the other hand, if you type a lower case letter that needs to be
capitalized you place three small lines under the letters to be capitalized.
THE MAGIC CIRCLE
A handy copy editing symbol is the circle. If you need to abbreviate
something that is spelled out, you just need to circle it.
If it is already
abbreviated and you need to spell it out, the circle works again.
This trick even
works for numbers. We'll discuss when to use a figure or to spell out
a number later, but if you need to do the opposite of what you typed,
you would simply circle it.
In other words,
the circle pretty much means do the opposite. Be
warned, though, you cannot use the circle to mean the opposite when
it comes to capitalization. If you circled a letter
to be capitalized or lowercased, technically you'd be saying to abbreviate
that letter . . . which makes no sense. DO NOT use the circle for capitalization
problems.
DELETIONS
A common use of copy editing symbols is to delete copy, whether you
simply don't need it or you made a mistake. The next few symbols help
with deletions. The important thing to keep in mind is that when you
delete something, you need to account for its space. For instance, if
you delete a word, you've got to close up the space for normal spacing.
You do this by building a bridge over the deletion, like this
The same type
of bridge is required if you are simply deleting an unnecessary space
or punctuation.
Even if you are
deleting quote marks you'd simply obliterate the marks and close the
space with a bridge if you can. In this example, for instance, you can
close the gap with the first deletion, but there is no place to build
a bridge to on the right. You DON'T need to build a bridge unless there
is something to build a bridge to.
But suppose the
deletion is simply at the end of a line or at the beginning of a line
WITHIN a paragraph. Then you'd use a giant S like this
or
You DON'T need
the giant S if you delete at the end of a line and the next line is
the start of a new paragraph.
Just remember to build a bridge for NORMAL spacing when you can.
But suppose you are deleting a letter in a word. You need to not only
close the gap, you need to close it completely. So you build a bridge
over the top and and foundation under the bottom.
INSERTIONS
Still another common use of copy editing symbols is to insert material
you either left out or later decide should have been included. Some
insertions, such as words or phrases and some punctuation marks are
inserted from above. Others, such as much punctuation, are inserted
from below.
Here is one area I am going
to teach something other than what is in the workbook.
I think some of the slash marks for insertion that you see are quite
sloppy and can lead to mistakes. Instead, I think it is better to encase
insertions from above in a three-sided box. For instance, if you need
to insert a letter or word, it would look like this:
The three-sided
box concept really takes on special meaning when you have to insert
several words or a phrase:
But also use the
three-sided box for single letters and those punctuation marks that
come from above --such as a question mark, exclamation mark, hyphens,
dashes and apostrophes.
Note the caret below the line indicating where the insertion is to take
place. This is VERY IMPORTANT.
Quote marks are inserted from above, too, but they require special attention.
This is because when a story is typeset there are special quotes for
beginning quote marks and another set of quotes for closing quote marks.
A two-side box with the open end away from the sentence helps determine
which is which:
Again note the
carets below the line. They indicate exact placement of inserts. Apostrophes
and quote marks are good examples of why the caret is needed. In these
examples, for instance, the placement of the apostrophe results in entirely
different meanings.
and 
Are we talking
about one boy or more than one boy? Placement of the apostrophe tells
us.
With quote marks we need to indicate placement, too, especially with
closing quote marks and other punctuation, such as periods. We'll go
into the reasons why later, but just remember that in journalism writing,
we ALWAYS put the period or comma, etc., INSIDE the quote marks. So
note the placement of the caret in the quote mark example above.
Distinguishing between a hyphen and dash is important. One joins words,
the other separates ideas. To simply draw a line for a dash or a hyphen
can be confusing. How long is a dash? How long is a hyphen? So with
copy editing we distinguish between the two by using two lines on top
of each other for hyphens and two lines next to each other for dashes.
Don't ask me how
you insert an equal size. I don't know.
Commas, periods, colons, semicolons, etc. are inserted below. They are
such lowly characters. Encase the punctuation mark in the caret. The
examples in your workbook use wimpy carets and places the punctuation
marks rather high, so that they look like letters in a word. Lower them
a bit and use a nice big caret. IMAGINE putting a line across the bottom
and encasing the mark in a triangle.
Periods are special
cases again. To just put a dot on the paper wouldn't always work. It
might get lost. So for periods we put a small x that has a circle around
it. NO, it DOES NOT mean to abbreviate the x!
It is always a
good idea to encase the mark in a caret, too, to show exact placement.
This is really important in tight spaces.
MISCELLANEOUS
That's most of them. But there are a few miscellaneous marks to learn.
If you accidentially make a change, but realize you had it correct to
begin with, you can undo the change by writing "stet" above
it and circle it. "Stet" is Latin for "leave it as it
was." Of course, "stet" only works if the original version
is still readable.
And if you run across an unusual spelling of something, you can indicate
that you've checked it out and your version is correct by writing "cq"
for "checked" above the questionable material and circling
it.
When you get to
the bottom of a page and there is a another page, you indicate it by
writing in "more" and circling it (NO, you are not abbreviating
it!)
When the story
is done you indicate it with a hash mark or the time-honored "30".
If you TYPE the hash mark, it is probably a good idea to type three
of them:
Answer and e-mail the following
questions to me.
- What is the difference
between proofreading marks and copy editing marks?
- What does circling something
mean?
- Where does punctuation,
such as comma or a period, go in relation to quote marks?
rCameron@cerritos.edu
