CCE Style Guides & Editorial Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the correct way to handle an inconsistency in spelling (e.g., 'gray' vs. 'grey') found throughout a manuscript?
- Choose one spelling based on the appropriate style guide and apply it consistently, noting the decision on the style sheet (Correct answer)
- Leave both spellings as the author wrote them
- Use whichever spelling appears more frequently
- Change all instances to the British spelling
Correct answer: Choose one spelling based on the appropriate style guide and apply it consistently, noting the decision on the style sheet
Consistency is a core copyediting principle. The editor should select the spelling appropriate to the style guide and language variant (American or British English) and apply it uniformly throughout.
Question 2: What is 'house style' in publishing?
- A publisher's specific set of editorial preferences and standards that may differ from general style guides (Correct answer)
- The architectural style of the publishing company's building
- A genre of writing unique to a specific publisher
- The font chosen for all publications
Correct answer: A publisher's specific set of editorial preferences and standards that may differ from general style guides
House style refers to a publisher's internal editorial standards that supplement or override general style guides (like Chicago or AP) on specific points such as spelling preferences, formatting, and terminology.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a 'cold read' in copyediting?
- Reading the manuscript from start to finish without making changes to understand its content, structure, and potential issues (Correct answer)
- Reading the manuscript in a cold room for better concentration
- Editing the manuscript without reading the author's notes
- Reviewing only the formatting without reading the content
Correct answer: Reading the manuscript from start to finish without making changes to understand its content, structure, and potential issues
A cold read allows the editor to experience the manuscript as a reader would, identifying structural issues, inconsistencies, and areas of confusion before beginning the detailed line-by-line editing process.
Question 4: According to standard editorial practice, how should a copyeditor handle passive voice in a manuscript?
- Flag excessive or unclear passive constructions but do not automatically change all passive voice to active (Correct answer)
- Change every instance of passive voice to active voice
- Ignore passive voice entirely as it is a stylistic choice
- Only fix passive voice in the first chapter
Correct answer: Flag excessive or unclear passive constructions but do not automatically change all passive voice to active
While active voice is generally preferred for clarity and directness, passive voice is sometimes appropriate (scientific writing, when the actor is unknown, or for emphasis). Editors should use judgment rather than applying a blanket rule.
Question 5: What is a 'widow' in typesetting and editorial work?
- A single line of a paragraph left alone at the top of a new page or column (Correct answer)
- A heading with no body text following it
- A blank page between chapters
- A page number that appears on the wrong side
Correct answer: A single line of a paragraph left alone at the top of a new page or column
A widow is a single line of a paragraph that appears by itself at the top of a page or column, separated from the rest of its paragraph. Widows (and orphans, at the bottom) are considered typographically undesirable.
Question 6: What is the copyeditor's responsibility regarding inclusive language?
- Ensure language is respectful and unbiased regarding gender, race, disability, and other identities, following current style guide recommendations (Correct answer)
- Only change language if the author specifically requests it
- Apply inclusive language rules only to nonfiction
- Ignore language choices as they reflect the author's intent
Correct answer: Ensure language is respectful and unbiased regarding gender, race, disability, and other identities, following current style guide recommendations
Modern copyediting standards require attention to inclusive, bias-free language. Copyeditors should follow style guide recommendations on person-first language, gender-neutral terms, and avoiding stereotypical or outdated terminology.
CCE Style Guides & Editorial Standards 2
What is the correct way to handle an inconsistency in spelling (e.g., 'gray' vs. 'grey') found throughout a manuscript?