Editing & Proofreading Flashcards

Which of the following best describes 'copyediting' as distinct from 'proofreading'?

Answer: Copyediting addresses grammar, style, consistency, and usage before layout

Copyediting occurs before layout and addresses grammar, punctuation, style consistency, and usage, while proofreading is the final check of typeset pages.

A sentence reads: 'Neither the manager nor the employees was informed.' What is wrong?

Answer: 'Neither...nor' requires plural verb when the closer subject is plural

With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closest to it; 'employees' is plural, so the verb should be 'were.'

What is the purpose of a style sheet maintained by a copyeditor?

Answer: To record author-specific or project-specific usage decisions for consistency

A copyeditor's style sheet logs decisions about spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, and usage to ensure consistency throughout the document.

The phrase 'more importantly' at the start of a sentence is sometimes flagged. Why?

Answer: Some editors prefer 'more important' as an absolute adjective in this construction

Traditional grammarians prefer 'more important' as an elliptical construction ('what is more important'), though both forms are widely accepted.

An editor finds an em dash used where a hyphen should be in a compound modifier. What is the correct fix?

Answer: Replace the em dash with a hyphen

Compound modifiers before a noun use a hyphen (e.g., 'up-to-date report'), not an em dash or en dash.

Which sentence avoids a comma splice?

Answer: I edited the document; she proofread it.

A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction, avoiding the comma splice.

When an editor queries the author with a question mark in the margin (e.g., 'AU: ?'), what is the standard expectation?

Answer: The author should review and resolve the editor's question or concern

Author queries (AU:) flag uncertain content or editing decisions that require the author's review and response.