Copy editor

Copy editing (also copy-editing or copyediting, sometimes abbreviated ce) is the process of reviewing and correcting written material to improve accuracy, readability, and fitness for its purpose, and to ensure that it is free of error, omission, inconsistency, and repetition. In the context of publication in print, copy editing is done before typesetting and again before proofreading, the final step in the editorial cycle.

In the United States and Canada, an editor who does this work is called a copy editor. An organisation's highest-ranking copy editor, or the supervising editor of a group of copy editors, may be known as the copy chief, copy desk chief, or news editor. In book publishing in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world that follow British nomenclature, the term copy editor is used, but in newspaper and magazine publishing, the term is subeditor (or sub-editor), commonly shortened to sub. The senior subeditor of a publication is frequently called the chief subeditor. As the prefix sub suggests, copy editors typically have less authority than regular editors.

In the context of the internet, online copy refers to the text content of web pages. Similar to print, online copy editing is the process of revising the raw or draft text of web pages and reworking it to make it ready for publication.

Copy editing has three levels: light, medium, and heavy. Depending on the budget and scheduling of the publication, the publisher will let the copy editor know what level of editing to employ. The type of editing one chooses (light, medium, or heavy), will help the copy editor prioritize their efforts.

Within copy editing, there is mechanical editing and substantive editing: Mechanical editing is the process of making a text or manuscript follow editorial or house style. The role of this particular type of editing is to keep the preferred style of publication consistent across all content, as well as make sure that generally accepted grammar rules are followed throughout. It refers to editing in terms of spelling, punctuation, correct usage of grammatical symbols, along with reviewing special elements like tables, charts, formatting footnotes, and endnotes. Content editing, also known as substantive editing, is the editing of material, including its structure and organization. In this type of editing, internal inconsistencies and discrepancies can be dealt with. Content editing oftentimes can require heavy editing or rewriting as compared to mechanical editing.

Mechanical editing is the process of proofreading a piece of writing for consistency, either internally or in accordance with the publisher's house style. According to Einsohn, mechanical editors work with such things as the following:

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Wikipedia