Proofreading Marks & Symbols Flashcards

What does the proofreading mark 'lc' inside a circle instruct?

Answer: Set in lowercase

'lc' stands for lowercase and instructs the compositor to change the marked letter(s) from capitals to lowercase.

A proofreader inserts a caret (^) between two words and writes '#' in the margin. What is being requested?

Answer: Add a space between the words

The '#' symbol in proofreading means 'insert a space,' so a caret plus '#' indicates a space should be added between those elements.

Which mark instructs the typesetter to indent text one em from the left margin?

Answer: A small square at the start of the line

A small square or box symbol placed where the indent should begin indicates a standard one-em paragraph indent.

When text runs into the margin and a proofreader draws a vertical line with an 'X' at the margin, what does this indicate?

Answer: Do not exceed this boundary — the line must be trimmed or re-set

A vertical line at the margin with an 'X' marks the trim or boundary limit, indicating the text is too long and must be adjusted.

The instruction 'ROM' written in proofreading markup refers to:

Answer: Set in roman (upright) type

'ROM' or 'rom' instructs the compositor to set the text in roman (non-italic, non-bold) type.

What does the mark 'bf' or 'bold' underscored with a wavy line indicate in manuscript proofreading?

Answer: Set in bold type

A wavy underline combined with 'bf' or 'bold' in the margin directs the compositor to set the underlined text in bold type.

A proofreader marks 'run in' between two paragraphs. What does this indicate?

Answer: Combine the two paragraphs into one continuous paragraph

'Run in' instructs the compositor to remove the paragraph break and merge the two paragraphs into a single continuous block of text.