Summit17 hard dayediting_wkshop_final

LINDA OESTREICH
STC Fellow
7 May 2017
STC Summit
Washington, DC

Schedule
AFTERNOON TOPICS
10. Copy and comprehensive
editing
11. Editorial comments
LONG EXERCISE!
~ 2:45 pm Break
12. Technical editor career
13. Now and the future
14. References
~ 4:30 pm Finale!
MORNING TOPICS
1. Introduction and overview
2. Definition and history
3. Tools for your toolbox
4. Mechanics
5. Value and quality
~10:15 am Break
6. Hardcopy editing
7. Online editing
8. Types and levels of edit
9. Determining types
~12:00 Lunch!
2
2
(c) Oestreich/7 May 2017

Introduction and schedule3
INTRODUCTION AND
OVERVIEW

Who am I?
4
 STC Fellow
 Former STC President
 Former board member at chapter and Society level
 Strategic and business analyst
 Technical communicator: manager, editor, writer
 Instructor, trainer, instructional designer
4

Why me?
5
 Writer/editor for science/engineering
 Communications manager and editor for geophysical
software development company
 Policy and procedures writer/editor for corporate
offices of software firm
 Executive of small communications consulting firm
 Senior editor for large software development firm
 Training specialist for government agency
 Strategic analyst for contract company
 Tech Comm instructor for 15+ years
 Lots of experience in different roles—writer, editor,
training specialist, instructor, and manager
5

Who are you?
6
 Writers?
 Editors?
 Managers?
 Liberal arts? Science/tech/IT?
 Companies?
 Why here?
6

Warm-up exercise!
7
 Hurricane exercise
 Do quick edit….fixing only those things that MUST be
done.
 Review with the key: did you find the mistakes?
 Did you do additional things?
7

Hurricane exercise
key
8

Editorial wisdom
9
“The work of a good editor, like the work of a
good teacher, does not reveal itself directly; it
is reflected in the accomplishments of others.”
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter, Vol. 19, No. 4, July/August 1998
9

DEFINITIONS AND
HISTORY

Technical editing: Three definitions
11
 Tarutz: Technical is any specialized subject that
addresses a specific audience, has its own jargon, and
whose approach is objective. Editing is a craft.
Practicing a craft means recognizing and transcending
its constraints.
 Wikipedia: Technical editing involves reviewing text
written on a technical topic and identifying errors
related to the use of language in general or adherence
to a specific style guide.
 Linda’s version: Take any technical document and make
it more usable for audience and purpose by improving
language, content, design, style, and organization.

Birth of technical communication
12
 Ancient Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans produced
operational information
 Torah, Talmud communicate sanitation procedures
and legal statutes
 Chaucer detailed purpose and operation of a
navigation device (14th Century)
 Copernicus, Hippocrates, Newton, & da Vinci wrote
explanatory notes to demonstrate the use of their
inventions

WWII and technical communications
13
 Sophisticated war machines and equipment needed a
means to explain how to use and repair it
 Documents needed to accompany major technological
upgrades in manufacturing weapons and creating
nuclear technologies
 Defense industry helped initiate technical communication
as we know it today
 Much of early technical communication was to military
specifications
 Topics were usually aircraft, tanks, submarines, and
early computers

STC emerges…
14
 April 1953, 35 professionals who generated reports on engineering
and military topics met in Washington, DC, at the “Workshop on the
Production and Use of Technical Reports”
 Later in 1953, they officially formed the “Association of Technical
Writers and Editors” (ATWE)
 ATWE merged with the Society of Technical Writers (roots in Boston)
in 1957 and formed Society for Technical Writers and Editors
(STWE)
 In 1960, STWE merged with Technical Publishing Society (TPS),
based in Los Angeles, to form Society for Technical Writers and
Publishers (STWP)--Membership rose to about 4000
 In 1971, STWP changed name to Society for Technical
Communication (STC), where it remains today—an international
organization 46 years old!

The profession grows
15
 Computer industry began to grow
 Insurance industry in the news because of language issues
 Plain language
 1978, Carter issues Executive Orders for making government regulations
easy to understand
 1970s through 1980s, Document Design Center at the American Institutes for
Research with Carnegie Mellon identified and published clear principles for
designing and developing documents
 In 1958, the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon
University) established the first degree program in technical communication.
 Today, we have hundreds of programs to choose from!

Today, programs in technical
communication are everywhere!16
Algonquin College۰American River College ۰ Appalachian State University ۰ Arizona State University ۰ Auburn University ۰ Austin Community College ۰
Austin Peay State University ۰.Bellevue Community College. ۰ Bentley ۰ Boise State University ۰ Bowling Green State University ۰ Brigham Young
University ۰ British Columbia Institute of Technology ۰ Brooklyn College ۰ California State University Channel Islands ۰ California State University ۰
Fullerton Extended Education ۰ California State University, Dominguez Hills۰ Carnegie Mellon University ۰ Cedarville University ۰ Christchurch
Polytechnic Institute of Technology ۰ Christopher Newport University ۰ Clemson University ۰ College of DuPage ۰Colorado State University ۰ Columbus
State Community College۰ Coventry University ۰DePaul University۰ Douglas College ۰Drexel University ۰ East Carolina University ۰ East Tennessee
State University ۰Eastern Kentucky University ۰Eastern Michigan University۰ Eastern Washington University ۰ Fairfield University ۰Farmingdale State
College۰ Ferris State University۰ Fox Valley Technical College۰ Francis Marion University ۰ Gateway Technical College ۰George Mason University۰
Georgia Southern University۰ Hilbert College ۰Humber College۰ Illinois Institute of Technology ۰ Illinois State University ۰ Indiana University ۰ Purdue
University ۰Indianapolis Institute of Education ۰Iowa State University ۰ James Madison University ۰Kansas State University ۰Kaplan University۰
Kennesaw State Continuing Education۰ Kutztown University ۰ LA Tech University ۰Laurentian University۰ Lawrence Technological University ۰
Lebanon Valley College۰ Long Island University ۰Louisiana State University in Shreveport ۰ Madonna University ۰Mercer University ۰ Metropolitan
State College of Denver۰ Metropolitan State University۰ Miami University ۰Michigan Technological University۰ Middlesex Community College۰
Milwaukee School of Engineering۰ Minnesota State University ۰ Minnesota State University, Mankato ۰ Missouri State University ۰Missouri University
of Science and Technology ۰ Missouri Western State University ۰Montana Tech of the University of Montana ۰Morehead State University۰ Mount
Royal College ۰ Nanyang Technological University ۰Nazareth College ۰New Jersey Institute of Technology ۰ New Mexico State University۰ New Mexico
Tech۰ New York Institute of Technology ۰North Carolina State University ۰North Dakota State University۰ Northcentral University۰ Northeastern
University ۰ Northern Arizona University۰ Northern Illinois University ۰ Northern Kentucky University۰ Oklahoma State University ۰ Old Dominion
University۰ Penn State University ۰Portland State University ۰Purdue University ۰ Radford University ۰Red River College ۰ Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute ۰Rhetoric & Writing @ Michigan State University ۰ Rochester Institute of Technology ۰Sacramento State University, College of Continuing
Education۰ San Francisco State University۰ Seneca College ۰Sheffield Hallam University۰ Simon Fraser University ۰Southeastern Louisiana University
۰ Southern Polytechnic State University ۰ St. Edward's University۰ State University of NY Institute of Technology۰ Stevens Institute of Technology۰
Swinburne University of Technology۰ Techwriter-Certification Tennessee Technological University۰ Texas A&M University ۰Texas State University۰
Texas Tech University ۰ Towson University ۰ Troy University, Montgomery Campus ۰ U of Alabama in Huntsville۰ UC Berkeley Extension۰ UC San Diego
Extension۰ UCSC Extension in Silicon Valley۰ UNC Charlotte۰ UNC Wilmington۰ Université Blaise-Pascal Clermont 2, UFR Langues Appliquées,
Commerce et Communication Université Paris-Diderot, UFR Etudes interculturelles de langues appliquées۰ University of Akron ۰University of Arkansas
at Little Rock۰ University of Baltimore۰ University of California Berkeley Extension۰ University of California, Santa Barbara ۰University of Central
Florida۰ University of Cincinnati ۰University of Colorado at Colorado Springs۰ University of Colorado at Denver & Health Sciences Center ۰University of
Hartford۰ University of Hawaii at Manoa۰ University of Houston-Downtown۰ University of Illinois at Chicago University of Limerick University of
Maryland, Consortium for ITS Training & Education University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Massachusetts Dartmouth۰ University of
Massachusetts, Lowell ۰University of Melbourne ۰ University of Minnesota ۰ University of Minnesota Duluth۰ University of Nevada--Las Vegas ۰
University of New Mexico ۰University of North Carolina Wilmington۰ University of North Texas۰ University of Northern Iowa۰ University of Phoenix ۰
University of Pittsburgh۰ University of Reading ۰University of Saskatchewan, Ron & Jane Graham Centre for the Study of Communication۰ University of
South Florida ۰University of Texas at San Antonio ۰ University of Toronto ۰University of Twente ۰ University of Washington ۰ University of Waterloo۰
University of Western Ontario۰ University of Wisconsin - River Falls۰ University of Wisconsin-Madison ۰ University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ۰University
of Wisconsin-Stout۰ Utah State University ۰ Vancouver Island University ۰ Virginia Tech ۰ Washington State University۰ Washtenaw Community
College۰ Weber State۰ University West Chester۰ University West Texas A&M ۰University West Virginia۰ University Western Carolina University ۰
Western Technical College۰ Western Washington University۰ Westminster College ۰ Widener University۰ Worcester Polytechnic Institute ۰Wright
State University۰ YEDA Center for Technical Communications۰ Youngstown State University ۰Zewar10

TOOLS FOR YOUR
TOOLBOX

What’s in your editorial toolbox?
18
On your desk In your head
 Style guides (general & industry-
specific)
 Dictionaries/grammar checkers
 Checklists & style sheets
 Editing markup system (proofreaders
marks)
 Desktop publishing tools
 Use of English language
 Data presentation (information
architecture)
 Typographic & layout knowledge
 Content strategy
 Editing types/levels
 Editorial commenting
 Time management
 People skills
Clements and Waite: “…one of the most important skills you can cultivate as a technical editor
is the ability to get along well with people. For technical editing is not solitary work.”

Style guides
 General
 Chicago Manual of Style
 Elements of Style
 GPO Style Manual
 Modern Language Association
 Associated Press
 Editing Canadian English
(Freelance Editors’ Assoc. of
Canada)
 The Canadian Style: A Guide
to Writing and Editing
 Industry-specific
 American Psychological
Association
 Council of Biology Editors’
Style Guide
 Microsoft Manual of Style
 Read Me First!
19

Dictionaries
 General
 Webster’s 3rd New
International (unabridged
pub. 1961)
 Merriam-Webster’s
Collegiate Dictionary (11th
ed. 2009)
 American Heritage
Dictionary (5th Ed., 2012)
 A plethora of specialized ones
(http://www.yourdictionary.com/diction4.html)
 Technical
 Scientific
 Chemical
 Medical
 Agricultural
 Biological
 Biographical
20

Checklists and style sheets
21
 Checklists:
 Each activity in the publication process could have a
checklist: doc plan, writing, editorial, publication
 Ensures consistency
 Aids collaborative and team projects
 Style sheets
 Addition to style guides (company or industry level)
 Document or project level
 Individual guide

Editorial checklist
22
 Build your own checklist:
 Base your checklist on the context (industry, industry
standards, document type, and project life cycle phase)
 Follow a logical progression of activities
 Update checklists as required to reflect new
requirements or changes in supporting documents
 Can be detailed or high-level, or both

Self-made editorial checklist
23
Task
Description
Grammar Correct grammatical mistakes.
Passive Voice Revise passive sentences to make them active, where appropriate.
Lists Check that bulleted, numbered, procedure, and terminology lists are used and styled
appropriately.
Headings Check that headings are used appropriately; check for organization, parallelism,
“orphans,” and so on.
Tables and Figures Check that table and figure numbers are consecutive. Check that table and figure titles
and captions are title capped, are phrases (as opposed to complete sentences), and
that they accurately and concisely describe the table or figure.
Cross-References Check that cross-references are accurate and relevant, and create links.
Terminology Research technical terms and acronyms for consistency, accuracy, and inclusion in a
larger project’s glossary or index. Ensure that new terms are appropriately defined in
the text. Compare definitions with other book or series definitions, and ensure published
definition is consistent and the best one available.
Formatting Check for and fix obvious formatting issues. If project doesn’t have a production
department, ensure all formatting is correct and fits style guide.

Company editorial checklist
 A checklist can
act as a reminder
and offer a way
to keep within
the type or level
of edit
24

Company-provided checklists
25
Items a company feels
are important!

Writer checklist: use before submitting information for an edit
26
26

Editor’s rough style sheet
27

Style sheet template
28

Exercise: Read passage and create a rough
style sheet
29

Did you include these things?
 Inches
 Feet
 Fahrenheit
 Degree signs
 Serial commas
 Hyphen use
 Number use
 Acronyms
Why or
Why not?
30

Grammar checkers and spell checkers
31
 Spell checkers? Yes (most of the time)
 Grammar checkers? No (most of the time)
 Blog on pros and cons:
http://www.mywritingblog.com/2011/07/automated-grammar-checking-
tools-pros.html
 How to use MS Word 2007 Grammar Checker:
http://www.uwec.edu/help/Word07/grmrchck.htm
 Other possible checkers you may find at work:
 AcrolinxIQ (can plug in to many word processors):
http://www.acrolinx.com/acrolinx_iq_en.html
 MaxIt, which also does controlled language and simplified English
(FrameMaker plugin):
http://www.smartny.com/maxit.htm
 Language Tool Open Source language checker:
http://www.languagetool.org/

Hard skills and soft skills
32
 Corbin:
 Hard skills: writing ability, superb sensitivity to language
and communication; information design, graphic arts,
project management, time management, environment-based
(for example, programming, industry-based jargon, basic
laws of science)
 Soft skills: problem-solving, negotiating, diplomacy, tact,
learning quickly, coaching, teaching, patience, attention to
detail, sympathy, insight, breadth of view, sense of humor,
and imagination
 Tarutz: empathy, restraint, good judgment, adaptability,
flexibility, persuasion, decisiveness

What traits make a good editor?
33
 Which of these traits is most important in a good
editor?
 Personality?
 Skills?
 Talent?
 Passion?
 Problem solving?

Exercise: Editor or predator?
a) Suggests restructure so
that train of thought is
smooth and logical
b) Catches misspelled words
c) Requires multiple
iterations for minor
revisions
d) Bases changes on rules
e) Returns paper on time
f) Approaches the writer as
equal
g) Shows patience
h) Makes changes because
it sounds better the new
way
i) Asks writer to rewrite
without stating problem or
how to fix it
j) Points out areas that are
not clear to reader
k) Rewrites passages for
writer
l) Makes decisions without
collaborating with author
m) Replaces words with
synonyms
n) Edits promptly and without
malice
o) Makes comments based on
personal preferences
34

MECHANICS

What are mechanics of editing?
36
 Rude: Spelling, capitalization, hyphenation,
abbreviations, numbers, and type styles
 Einsohn: “Mechanical editing comprises all editorial
interventions made to ensure conformity to house
style…requires sharp eye, solid grasp of a wide
range of conventions, and good judgment.”

Punctuation, grammar, and usage
review
 Subject/verb
agreement
 Dangling and
misplaced modifiers*
 Noun strings
 Passive voice*
 Ambiguity*
 Parallelism
 Style sheets!
 Colons, semicolons,
and commas
 Hyphens and dashes
 Parentheses and
brackets
 Slashes/ampersands
 Parallelism
 Lists*
37
37

Untangle these danglers
38
 Now you can recondition your furs
while hanging in the closet.
 By wearing carefully selected glasses,
the scars were completely hidden by
the side pieces.
 Being only 3 feet tall, you can easily
see why the bus ran over the child.
 The couple sat watching the sun set in
sandy bathing suits.
 Applying algorithms to large volumes
of data, interesting values are
discovered.

Misplaced modifiers
39
 The ticket agent told us eventually the train would
arrive.
 Sharon decided the next day to start studying.
 A train stopped at our town only on weekends.
39

Active and passive
40
 Passive Mother Goose
 Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the moon was jumped over by
the cow.
 The tuffet was sat on by Little Miss Muffet while her curds and whey were
eaten.
 When the subject of the verb is acted upon, the sentence is in passive voice.
 When the subject of the verb acts, the sentence is in active voice.
 When is it appropriate to use passive voice?
 When actor is not known
 When you do not want to blame the user

Ambiguity
41
 After stirring for 10 seconds, add three drops of
solution to the iodine mixture.
 The manager told Mr. Jones and then he told me.
 The records include all test reports for engines
received from the new test facility.
 John said during lunch he would take a walk.

Humorous mistakes
42
 I once shot an elephant in my pajamas…how he got
there, I’ll never know!
42

Exercise: Rewrite to clarify
43
You should sign block 23 of form 2139 if you make
over $50,000, are a resident of the city, and are
under age 65, or are self-employed in the city.

Use list to clarify meaning
44
You should sign block 23 of form 2139, if you meet
either of these conditions:
 Make over $50,000, are a resident of the city, and
are under age 65
 Are self-employed in the city

What about the mechanics? What’s
changed?45
 What gray areas do you feel strongly about?
 Capitalization
 Serial comma
 Good style guides eliminate gray areas!
 Spaces after a period
 Ending sentence with preposition
 Punctuation, grammar, spelling, capitalization—why
bother?
 Spacing?
 Language?
45

Exercise: Fixing mechanics
46
 How will the new company stationary effect the
secretaries
 He stared at the liqued-crystal display of her calculator
and thought about the billl; a 15-percent tip seemed
like to much, a seven-percent tip seems like too little. Is
10% an inadequate tip,” she asked herself? Looking
directly at the placemat on the table.
 IF you want the answer be sure to read pages 445-461
in Gone with the Wind because thats the place where
your going to findit

Key to mechanics exercise
47

VALUE AND QUALITY

The value of technical editing,
as defined by STC Technical Editing SIG
49
 Improves document readability and usability
 Increases the writers’ overall productivity
 Increases writers’ product knowledge
 Reduces translation costs
 Protects the company from legal oversights by helping keep copyright
information and other legal lingo that is current and consistent
 Reduces calls to Customer Support by frustrated clients
 Increases sales
 Eliminates lost revenue and the costs involved in saving face after a poor,
negative, or offensive message has been sent out

The who, what, where, when, and why
of technical editing50
 (for) Whom do we edit?
 What do we edit?
 Where do we edit?
 When is the best time to edit?
 Why do we edit?

The who of technical editing: Audience
51
 In technical writing classes, we learn that end users (audiences) fall into one
of four categories:
 Layperson
 Technical
 Expert
 Administrator
 In technical editing, you must consider these folks as well as the end user:
 Writers (technical writers, subject matter experts, administrators)
 Managers (yours and others’)
 Fellow editors

The what of technical editing: Media
 Computer-based training
materials
 Tutorials
 Data sheets
 Procedures
 Animation
 Multimedia
 Videos
 Podcasts (audio)
 Screencasts
 User interfaces
 Printed materials
 Books
 White papers
 Reports
 Pamphlets
 Quick reference cards
 Electronic materials
 PDF files
 Online help files
 Online documentation
 Web pages
52

The where of technical editing:
Industries53
 Computer software and hardware
 Website development
 Engineering
 Medicine
 Sciences
 Government
 Legal, banking, and brokerage services
 Wherever clear technical information is needed

The when of technical editing: Timing
54
 When in the cycle
 Design (edit in internal documents, storyboards)
 Development (edit drafts)
 Production (edit actual deliverables)
 Ownership can determine the “when”
 Writer owns information, provide markup early
 Editor owns information, modify files directly before
release

The why of technical editing: Quality
55
 Editing is quality control for written communication
 “Quality control (QC) is a planned and systematic
pattern of all actions necessary to provide adequate
confidence that the product optimally fulfills customer's
expectations.”
(http://csqa.blogspot.com/2006/12/kc-141-quality-assurance-quality.html)
 Definitions of quality for technical information
 Linda’s list: clear, concise, consistent, correct, concrete
 Michelle’s list: accuracy, clarity, completeness,
concreteness, organization, retrievability, style, task
orientation, visual effectiveness

Defining quality and value
56
 Before you can measure anything, you must know
what the end goal is:
 Adhering to guidelines
 Meeting defined criteria
 Exhibiting quality characteristics
 Satisfying customers
 Improving usability testing
 Increasing productivity

Measuring quality and value
57
 After you know what your goals are, you have to
“quantify” them to measure them:
 Most involve numbers, ratings, rankings
 Any metric or measurement is valid, if applied
consistently and appropriately
 Perform baseline measurements to start, then use the
same metrics over time to show quality improvement

Quantify your measurements
58
 Any metric is valid: if consistent and applied
appropriately!
 Begin with baselines, then use same metrics over
time
 Track # of hours spent on various edits
 Develop metric for average # of pages per hour
 Track editing of new vs. changed pages
 Track percentage of deliverable edited
 Caveats: Some industry standards exist, but those based on your context
and your productivity are best (for example, what is a page or a topic?
what is the markup style?)
58

Value-add resources
59
 Articles and information about adding value as technical communicators:
 Adding Value: Using Technical Communications to Cut Costs and Build Sales:
http://www.impactonthenet.com/addvalue.html,
http://www.impactonthenet.com/addvalue.pdf
 Defining "Value-Adding Work" of In-house Information Development
Groups, William O. Coggins, http://www.ocstc.org/ana_conf/we6r/value-
added.html
 STC TechEdit SIG: Understanding the Value of a Technical Editor: http://stc-
techedit.org/tiki-
index.php?page=Understanding+the+Value+of+a+Technical+Editor
 Value Added Calculation for Tech Writing Team at Aardvark Enterprises
https://siobhanomahony.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/value-added-
calculation1.pdf
59

Demonstrating the value of editing
60
 From Geoff Hart’s article in Corrigo: Five broad
categories
 Defense against embarrassment
 Elimination of reprinting costs
 Defense against lawsuits
 Ensuring clear communication
 Reduced translations costs
 Article contains some numbers and facts that prove
our worth!

True definition of value-add
61
 “Value-add means whatever clients say it means --
to them and to their organization. In addition,
value-add means incorporating new technologies
and social media research when time and budget
allows.”
What 'Value-Added Deliverables' Means Today, Angela Kangiser, Jan/Feb
2011 Online, a division of Information Today, Inc.
https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-
247634450/what-value-added-deliverables-means-
today
61

The value of editors
http://www.ftrain.com/editors-ship-dammit.html
62
 Paul Ford, in Real Editors Ship, says some things I’ve (Jean Weber) been
trying to tell people for years. Other editors will understand what he’s
talking about; many of the people who need us most won’t get it. Here’s a
quote:
 Editors are really valuable, and, the way things are going, undervalued. These
are people who are good at process. They think about calendars, schedules,
checklists, and get freaked out when schedules slip. Their jobs are to
aggregate information, parse it, restructure it, and make sure it meets
standards. They are basically QA for language and meaning.

HARDCOPY EDITING

Guidelines for hardcopy editing
64
 Use only the basic, standard proofreading symbols for your markup
 Write neatly and legibly, so that writers can quickly read your comments
 Set off your markup by using colored pens, maximizing white space, and
uniquely identifying style changes
 Skim and scan TOC, tables, and entire text for organization and consistency
issues before you start marking things up
 Print single-sided to use the blank back page for extra white space for
comments
 Photocopy your edits (or scan them to a PDF) to keep a copy for yourself
and return the original to the writer

Standard proofreaders’ marks: A
necessary staple of editing on paper
65
 Insert letter
 Insert period
 Transpose
 Delete
 Lowercase a letter
 Uppercase a letter
 Italicize a word (toggle)
 Boldface a word
(toggle)
 Stet

Setting off your markup
66
 Use a contrasting color for your pen
 Use highlighter pens to help you locate key
elements or to flag larger issues
 Maximize the use of white space
 Connect textual changes with “kite strings”
 Add queries in margin
 Keep markings at least 1/8 inch from page margins
(for photocopying)
 Uniquely identify style guide issues (in box, circle,
label), give specific cross-references
 Use page flags to highlight larger issues for the
writer

Skim and scan to avoid “course-correcting”
your edits67
 Skim the TOC (for organization)
 Skim the figures and tables (for consistency)
 Skim the rest of information from front to back
(for consistency and continuity)
 Scan through document page by page looking at
headers/footers, pagination, capitalization, etc.,
etc.

Exercise: Practice hardcopy
editing
As a result of a Nationl Bureau of Standard’s study of the problems associated
with excavation safety, it has been concluded that there is a need for a simple
soil classification system that can be used by field supervisors to make rapid
decisions on slopping or shoring requirements. The soil classification system
should meat the following criterion it should be comprehensive (cover
essentialy all the conditions that could be encountered; it should consider (at
least implicitly) all critical conditions; should be be usable by construction
supervisors and OSHA complience officers’ in the field with-out the assistance
of an supervisoring engineer.
68

Key to exercise
69

Sample of hardcopy edited text, with
queries70

Why choose hardcopy editing?
71
 Writers are local
 Might be quicker for some tasks
 Might keep you focused on editing, not rewriting
 Might find more wording errors

ONLINE EDITING

Essentials for online editing (Hart)
73
 Essential features of an online editing tool
 Inserting text
 Deleting text
 Adding comments/queries
 Other tools used while online editing
 Research tools: search tools, research portals, etc.
 Communication tools: email, instant messaging, etc.
 File transfer tools: sharing large files
 Three common methods of online editing
 Plain text
 Microsoft Word track changes
 Adobe Acrobat Pro

Microsoft Word guidelines
74
Set options for track
changes

Microsoft Word - Track changes –
all markup view75

Microsoft Word - Track changes –
markup in balloons76

Accepting or rejecting comments &
edits77

Guidelines for editing online in Adobe
Acrobat78
 Set preferences to make commenting more efficient for you and your writer
 Use the commenting and markup tools consistently, and don’t overuse them
 Use the text edit tools to insert, replace, delete, and attach a comment on
selected text
 Use sticky notes in place of margin comments; use sticky notes for queries
about the text
 Use bubble note associated with replacement text, deleted text, or
highlighted text – insert comment explaining the edit if necessary; do not use
a sticky note in addition to the text edit tool, as they are treated as
separate comments
 Use text boxes to put the editing comment directly on the page, like
hardcopy editing; use sparingly for more global comments
 Encourage your writers to use the Comments tab to review and mark off
addressed comments

Setting comment preferences
79

Comment and markup tools
 Substitute Adobe
Acrobat tools for
your colored pens:
 Sticky notes
 Text edits tool
 Text highlighter
 Callout tool
 Text box tool
80

Editing with Adobe Acrobat Pro
81

Exercise: Edit this paragraph online
(with either Word or Adobe)
Until recent times, doctors spoke a magic language, usually Latin, and mystery was part of
your cure. But modren doctors are rather in the situation of modern priests; having lost
their magic language, they run the risk of losing the magic powers too.
For us, this means that the doctor may lose his ability to heal us by our faith; and doctors,
sensing powerlessness, have been casting about for new languages in which to conceal
the nature of our afflictions and the ingredients of their cures. They have devised two
dialects, but neither seems quiet to serve for every purpose. For this is a time of
transtion and trial for them, marked by various strategies, of which the well known
illegible handwriting on your prescription is but one. For doctors themselves seem to
have lost faith too, in themsevles and in the old mysteries and arts. They have been
taught to think of themselves as scientists, and so it is first of all to the language of
science they they turn, to control, and confuse us.
82

Key to exercise (in Microsoft Word)
83

Why choose online editing?
84
 Writers are remote
 Easier to read editing comments (even the best handwriting in tight spaces is
difficult to read)
 Might be quicker for some tasks
 Might be easier to find more structural errors (organization of paragraphs,
topics, etc.)
 Can edit your edits or revisions
 Can automate and mark or change things globally
(but do this carefully!)
Note: Edit a copy of the text, not the source of the text.

TYPES AND LEVELS OF
EDIT

Why levels/types of edit?
86
 From “Levels of Edit” by Robert Van Buren and Mary
Fran Buehler, Jet Propulsion Laboratory California,
Institute of Technology; Pasadena, CA, January 1980
(2nd ed) (First edition published March 1976)
“The edit-level concept has enhanced understanding and
communication among editors, authors, and publication
managers concerning the specific editorial work to be
done on each manuscript. It has also proved useful as a
management tool for estimating and monitoring cost.”

Levels and types of edit
87
 Classic
 Informal
 Negotiation-based
 Content-based

Defining what we do: “...imposing upon it a sense of
organization and rationality...” (Van Buren and Buehler)
88
 Types of edit (9 types)
 Categories of editorial functions
 Coordination, policy, integrity, screening, copy
clarification, format, mechanical style, language, and
substantive
 Levels of edit (5 levels)
 Number of specific editorial functions (types of edits)
 Level 5 contains least number of editorial functions
(types of edits); Level 1 contains most number (all)

“Classic” levels of edit from Van Buren
& Buehler89
Level of Edit
Type of Edit Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
Coordination X X X X X
Policy X X X X X
Integrity X X X X
Screening X X X X
Copy Clarification X X X
Format X X X
Mechanical X X
Language X X
Substantive X
 Nine types classified into five levels

An “informal” approach: hierarchy of tasks
(Tarutz)
90
 Hierarchy of tasks (Tarutz):
 Define a hierarchy, based on task difficulty, time on
task, and skill level involved
 Typical uses: establish common language, sizing &
estimating, training new editors, scheduling
 Task levels (Institute Professional Editors--IPEd)
http://iped-editors.org/About_editing/Levels_of_editing.aspx
 Substantive (structural or content)
 Copyediting
 Proofreading

“Informal” levels from Tarutz
91
 Turning pages – superficial look at text
 Skimming – obvious spelling, grammar, punctuation
 Skimming and comparing – internal consistency,
cross-references
 Reading – writing style, such as wording, usage
 Analyzing – organizational flaws, missing info,
redundancies, technical inconsistencies
 Testing and using – technical errors, usability
problems

Readable or usable or both?
92
 Readability is commonly defined as reading ease.
The Literacy Dictionary defines it as "the ease of
comprehension because of the style of writing."
 In human-computer interaction and computer
science, usability studies the elegance and clarity
with which the interaction with a computer program
or a web site (web usability) is designed.
 ISO defines usability as "The extent to which a
product can be used by specified users to achieve
specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and
satisfaction in a specified context of use."
92

Negotiation-based types of edits
(Weber)93
 Rules-based editing
 Make a document correct, consistent, accurate, and complete, using company
standards and guidelines; spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization,
hyphenation, legal
 Not negotiable with the writer: the editor makes corrections, enforces the
rules
 Analysis-based editing
 Make a document functional and appropriate for readers, focusing on
concepts, content, organization, form, and style
 Negotiable with the writer: the editor suggests improvements, identifies
possible issues

Content-focus instead of rules-focus
(Nadziejka)▪94
 Non-sequential, independent list of 3 levels; all
deal with “traditional editorial concerns of
language, grammar, format, and style, but also with
the technical content” (p. 9)
 Lowest level of edit must include focus on content
and purpose, not just on grammar and style (or
less); limited time should not mean that we limit our
focus on the content
 Trade-off: Some typos or grammatical errors will
exist within a document (p. 7)

How to solve issue…
95
 Complexity is an artifact of the environment in which one works
 Larger corporations or teams might choose to define more types of edits
and adopt the levels as well
 Smaller companies or teams might choose to define fewer types of edits
and ignore the levels
 People used “levels” to mean “types”; much confusion over how “levels”
different from “types”; some moved towards “model”
 Define each type with specific sets of editing tasks to be completed; many
editors “nest” the types of edits (for example, a copy edit includes a legal
edit)
 Types of edits are most frequently used as job description, project
management tool, and training tool

DETERMINING TYPES

Defining your types of edits
97
 Must have a clear definition of the standard types of
edits you will complete
 For most uses, the following types are a minimum you
need:
 Legal edit – notices, trademarks, copyrights, licenses
 Copy edit – legal edit + “rules-based” errors in style guide,
especially for grammar, style, punctuation, and formatting
 Comprehensive edit – copy edit + “analysis-based” errors,
especially for organization, completeness, logic, and
accuracy

Characteristics that affect your choice
98
 Importance of project or release to the business
 Importance of project or release to the customer
 Importance of the information
 Type of information
 Amount of new and changed information
 Quality of existing information
 Experience of the writer
 Availability of resources (editor, writer, SMEs)
 Availability of time
 Globalization and translation of the information

Exercise: What type of edit would you choose?
(legal, copy, comprehensive?)
99
Characteristic of the information Choose this type of editing
Information is critical to customer
Information is important to customer
Information is mostly guidance
Information is mostly conceptual
Information is mostly reference
Information contains known issues
Information is accurate/complete
Writer of information is experienced
Writer of information is new
Schedule allows ample time
Schedule allows minimal time

Develop a “decision tree”
100
Characteristic of the information Choose this type of editing
Information is critical to customer Comprehensive edit
Information is important to customer Copy edit
Information is mostly guidance Comprehensive edit
Information is mostly conceptual Comprehensive edit
Information is mostly reference Copy edit
Information contains known issues Comprehensive edit
Information is accurate/complete Legal edit
Writer of information is experienced Copy edit
Writer of information is new Comprehensive edit
Schedule allows ample time Comprehensive edit
Schedule allows minimal time Legal edit
 Time and resources are gating factor
 Choose most comprehensive type of all characteristics in decision tree
 Document decisions in editing plan, which should be part of a doc
plan

Developing a “triage” system (Tarutz)
101
 Triage = Deciding on the desired quality of the
product, and then how much effort is required to
attain that level of quality
 Evaluate a project by rating on a scale of 1 (low) to
3 (high) the following variables:
 Importance of the project
 Rapport with the writer
 Difficulty of the project
 Add the total points, books with the highest points
need more comprehensive editing

How many times you see the text
102
 In an ideal scenario, you’d see the text twice:
 Comprehensive editing (sans copy editing, or with
minimal copy editing)
 Copy editing after corrections made (as final check
before publication)
 In real-world scenario, you get to see it once:
 Choose type of edit (per editing process)
 Type of edit chosen for you (limited time)

COPY AND
COMPREHENSIVE
EDITING

Copy editing defined
104
 Markup of language
 Looking at grammar, punctuation, style
 Focusing at sentence-level, word-level
 Rules-based, or rules-focused
 Focus more on these quality characteristics:
clarity, style, visual effectiveness (adhering to
style guide and to rules)
 Can do a copy edit separate from a
comprehensive edit (but a comprehensive edit
often includes the copy edit)

Copy editing – Center of the universe
(Weber)
 Copy editing is interrelated with
all other types of edits
 Focus on clear communication, not
just rules, rules, rules:
 Essential rules – required for
clear, unambiguous
communication
 Nonessential rules – not
required for clarity or
unambiguous communication
 Fake rules – matter of choice,
our own little bugaboos
105
S = Substantive editing
D = Development editing
C = Copy editing
P = Production editing
Pr = Proofreading
U = Usability editing

Copy editing, “bridge from writing to
production” (Rude)106
 Correct: spelling, grammar, punctuation
 Consistent: spelling, capitalization, terminology,
visual design
 Accurate: dates, numbers, links, references
 Complete: all parts are present
 Attention to detail, reading closely
 Queries content, but directs on style and form

Copy editing steps, a la Rude
107
1. Gather information about the project
2. Survey the document overall
3. Run all computer checks (spell checker, grammar
checker)
4. Edit paragraphs and headings for correctness,
consistency, and accuracy
5. Edit illustrations, equations, reference list, table of
contents, front matter, and back matter
6. Prepare the document for production

An editor’s objective findings
108
 Grammatical mistakes
 Misspellings, typos
 Incorrect punctuation
 Inconsistent usage
 Ambiguous technical information
 Ambiguous titles, index entries
 Wrong scientific terms, conflicting with general scientific knowledge
 Wrong units and dimensions
 Inconsistent significant figures
 Improper data or chart presentation
 Citation errors

Exercise: Copy edit this text
109
There are at the present time in the vicinity of
Dayton 3 similar systems installed and operating
individually, and each system generates a monthly
quantity of reports equal in volume to
approximately one-half it’s total 2009 output
(about 300 pages), than these reports are stored
on location or distributed for referance purposes in
locked down vaults below the streets of Dayton
where they will be forgotten like yesterday’s dinner.

Copy edits and revised paragraph
110

Comprehensive editing defined
111
 Insert comments about the content
 Check and comment on organization, usability, logic
 Focus at topic-level, paragraph-level
 Task is more analysis-focused
 Focus more on quality characteristics such as
accuracy, completeness, concreteness, organization,
retrievability, task orientation
 Include copy edit, which might be done by a
separate person

Comprehensive editing, “systematic process of analysis and
applies principles of good writing” (Rude)
112
 A rose by any other name: substantive editing,
development editing, macro editing, analysis-based
editing
 Analyze the purpose of the document, understand
the readers and their tasks
 Usability – anticipate the user’s needs by imagining
the information in use
 Comprehension – focus on the content, organization,
visual design, and overall style
 Comprehensive editing precedes copy editing, does
not include copy editing (according to Rude, but not
according to us!)

Comprehensive editing steps, a la Rude
113
1. Analyze the purpose, readers, and uses for the
document
2. Evaluate the content, organization, visual design,
style, and reader accommodations
3. Establish editing objectives and document them in a
specific plan for editing
4. Review the plan with the writer, and work toward
consensus on changes to make

Exercise: Comprehensively
edit this text114
There are at the present time in the vicinity of
Dayton 3 similar systems installed and operating
individually, and each system generates a monthly
quantity of reports equal in volume to
approximately one-half it’s total 2009 output
(about 300 pages), than these reports are stored
on location or distributed for referance purposes in
locked down vaults below the streets of Dayton
where they will be forgotten like yesterday’s dinner.

Sample comprehensive edit
 Some copy edits included in this long list of comments
 Comments include coaching as to why revising is necessary, along with recommendations
 Comments include queries to the writer to help clarify technical details
115

Comparing copy and comprehensive
 Copy Editing  Comprehensive Editing
 Scope: Language:
Grammar
Punctuation
Style
Content:
Organization
Usability
Logic
 Focus: Word-level
Sentence-level
Paragraph-level
Topic-level
Entire deliverable
 Based on: Rules-based Analysis-based
 Types of
comments:
Imperatives
Queries
Suggestions
Queries
Imperatives
Opinions (few)
 DQTI quality
characteristic
s:
Clarity
Style
Visual Effectiveness
Accuracy
Completeness
Concreteness
Organization
Retrievability
Task Orientation
 Includes
other edits:
Includes legal editing Includes some copy editing
(some rules-based copy editing,
more analysis-based copy editing
116
Review these articles from
Jean Weber on her site,
Technical Editors’ Eyrie:
Escape from the grammar trap:
http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite
/?page_id=23
Classifying editorial tasks:
/?page_id=27
What is substantive editing:
/?page_id=28

EDITORIAL
COMMENTS

Editorial commenting
118
 Comments are statements that an editor makes to
improve the information.
 Types of comments:
 Imperative - an editing comment based on facts, guidelines, standards, or
requirements and that must be addressed in some way
 Suggestion - An editing comment that presents an alternative way to address a
problem and that the writer can choose to implement
 Opinion - An editing comment that represents the opinion of the editor and does
not reflect a specific guideline, standard, or requirement.
 Query - An editing comment that aims at pointing out ambiguity of information,
or that expresses a need for the editor’s enlightenment.
 Tone, style, and content
118

TONE
119
 Can set the stage for your relationship with the
writer and affect the outcome of the edit.
 Affects how well you and the writer collaborate to
produce quality information.

Be constructive (objective and factual),
not accusative
120
Instead of this:
It looks like you copied this paragraph from a
marketing document. We don’t need to sell the product.
Customers have already bought it.
Say this:
You can delete this paragraph, which contains
marketing information that's not needed in this context.

Do not insult the writer
121
Instead of this:
Your main problem is that you use too much passive
voice.
Say this:
I noted quite a bit of passive voice—try to write
more active sentences to keep the user engaged.

Provide guidance in a positive tone
122
Instead of this:
You frequently use the wrong type of list. You
seem to favor bulleted lists.
Say this:
Whenever the first word or phrase of an
unordered list is in bold, use a definition list.

Exercise: Rewrite these comments to
improve tone123
 Comment: This can’t be right. Didn’t you read the spec? Try again.
 Comment: Awkward. Rewrite.
 Comment: You really need to avoid passive voice. This is very difficult
to understand!

Possible rewrites with better tone
124
 Comment: This can’t be right. Didn’t you read the spec? Try again.
 Rewrite: This information is not logically consistent with information
in the previous section. Review the spec and ensure both sections
state things accurately.
 Comment: Awkward. Rewrite.
 Rewrite: This sentence is awkward because the adverb is in the
wrong place.
 Comment: You really need to avoid passive voice. This is very difficult
to understand!
 Rewrite: Avoid passive voice. Our users will understand these steps
more quickly if we use imperative statements that use active voice.

CONTENT
125
 Include helpful information and details that ensure
that the writer understands what change is needed.
 Use positive reinforcement to build confidence and
ensure that the writer continues doing the things that
are well done.

Content includes scope
126
 Cover all levels of errors, from grammar and
punctuation to overall organization and logic
(depending on type of edit).
 Ensure that the quality of your comments is
consistent throughout—try not to fade out toward
the end.

Use questions sparingly (or in queries only)
127
Instead of this:
What does this mean?
Say this:
I thought that this term meant X. Does our product
use it in a different sense? Is this the correct term
for us to use?

Avoid hint-based comments
128
Instead of this:
A different type of list might be good here.
Say this:
Use a definition list to emphasize both the
component and its description.

Explain why a change is necessary
129
Instead of this:
Remove note tag.
Say this:
Change this note to a paragraph because it is
not a special hint, tip, or restriction.

Provide enough detail
130
Instead of this:
Incorrect use of name.
Say this:
Write all trademark names as adjectives
instead of as nouns. The common nouns to use
are "operating system," "systems," or
"platform," which denote a combination of
software and hardware.

Include pointers to reference
information131
Instead of this:
Don’t abbreviate.
Say this:
Explain all abbreviations unless they are
standard industry terms. See the style guide
topic on abbreviations.

Focus on the strengths, without sending
mixed messages132
Instead of this:
Good job, but this example still needs work.
Say this:
This example really helps the user understand
what steps to take. Good job!

Use factual statements when a change
is required133
Instead of this:
You aren’t supposed to use “Caution” in
software information.
Say this:
Change “Caution” to “Attention” per legal
requirements. See the Notices entry in the style
guide.

Exercise: Rewrite these
comments to fix content134
 Comments: Why did you organize these topics in categories?
 Comments: Don’t use so much italics.

Rewritten with better content
135
 Comments: Why did you organize these topics in categories?
 Rewrite: I think you should organize these reference topics strictly
alphabetically, instead of in these categories. The categories add an extra
layer of grouping that is already apparent in the names of the commands.
 Comments: Don’t use so much italics.
 Rewrite: Italics is difficult to read online. Use italics to identify new terms in
concept topics only. Use monospace for information the user must type.
Review the highlighting entry in our style guide.

STYLE
136
The manner in which you present your comments
to the writer can affect how they are received
and whether they are incorporated.

Follow your own guidelines
137
Instead of this:
don’t forget to check prod names etc
Say this:
Verify that you are using the latest, accurate
product names and versions in this list of
requirements.

Use good handwriting on paper
138
Instead of this:
Use legible, readable handwriting

Use good typing etiquette in online
formats139
Instead of this:
MARK THE FIRST OCCURRENCE OF EACH
TRADEMARK WITH A TRADEMARK OR
REGISTERED TRADEMARK SYMBOL.
Say this:
Mark the first occurrence of each trademark
with a trademark or registered trademark
symbol.

Summarize and prioritize
140
 When you are done marking up the draft,
write an editing report or summary of general
comments.
 Meet with the writer to discuss the comments.

Include a global assessment if possible
141
 For example, list the highlights and summarize the
good, the bad, and if necessary, the ugly:
“This set of topics is well-organized and includes all
the necessary tasks. The majority of my comments
address clarity and style issues, including many
typos.”

List the global comments
142
For example, include a separate section in your editing report for the
global comments. Tell the writer if you marked every occurrence of
the issue. Provide explicit instructions about how to handle the global
comments.
“Throughout the task topics, search for the word menu, and make sure
that you follow our style guide to format and highlight menu
selections. For example, use ‘From the File menu, select Preferences
> User Preferences.’ I marked the first few occurrences, but only
circled the word menu from then on.”

Prioritize the comments
143
For example, describe what absolutely must be done, what
should be done, and then what can be done, time permitting.
“You must address the following comments: Trademarks,
copyrights, and notices; product names; and terminology issues
related to our new line items. Of the other comments, I’d
strongly encourage you to focus on the separation of concept
and task information. This reorganization will greatly enhance
the usability of the content.”

When you have only a few comments,
consider these options…144
 Make a list of the pages that have comments in
the editing report so that the writer does not
have to search for the comments in the
document.
 Return only the pages that contain comments.

When editing…
145
 Develop your own standard or style
 Fixing it yourself
 Suggesting how they can fix it
 Be consistent with how you present your edits
 Familiarize your writers with your style, ask for their
feedback on what works or doesn’t work
 Establish personal contact
 Process is important!
 Establish it
 Communicate it
 Stick to it

Exercise: Your body’s many
cries for water146
1. Use the handout that contains this paragraph. Comprehensively edit the text. Query
the author where needed, but move ahead and make changes as needed. Assume
that you have ultimate responsibility for making the paragraph readable. (How
would you edit it if you could NOT speak to the author?)
2. EEI (Editorial Experts, Inc.) used this paragraph as a sample to show how different
editors would edit the same paragraph. We’ll review their comments along with
yours. You have up to 20 minutes—depending on how long the majority of the class
needs!
Because of a gradually failing thirst sensation, our body becomes chronically and increasingly
dehydrated from an early adult age. With increase in age, the water content of the cells of
the body decreases, to the point that the ratio of the volume of body water that is inside the
cells to that which is outside the cells changes from a figure of 1.1 to almost 0.8. This is a very
drastic change. Since the 'water' that we drink provides for the cell function and volume
requirements, the decrease in our daily water intake affects the efficiency of cell activity. As
a result, chronic dehydration causes symptoms that equal disease when the other signals of
dehydration are not understood — as they are not at present, since these signals are treated
as abnormal and dealt with by the use of medications.

TECHNICAL
EDITOR CAREER

Two main editorial career tracks
148
 Media
 Journalism
 Publishing houses
 Magazines
 Technical
 IT (software, hardware)
 Medical, pharmaceutical
 Science, research
 Government
 Wherever technical writers are?

Media editors
149
 Editor-in-chief
 Managing editor
 Acquisitions editor
 Developmental editor
 Copyeditor
 Proofreader

Technical/business editors
150
 Editor as manager (Dayton study: 10%)
 Full time editor (Dayton study: 4%)
 Writer-editor (Dayton study: 33%)
 Peer editor (Dayton study: 26%)
 Self editor (Dayton study: 18%)

Software or hardware company career
path (Corbin, p. 74)
151
 Senior position, later in career
 Gather core and soft skills
 Gather technical expertise
 Gain a view of “authority”
 Transition from
 Writer
 Teacher
 Other areas?

Technical Writer Salaries in the U.S.
https://www.indeed.com/salaries/Technical-Writer-Salaries
152

Occupational Outlook Handbook
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/editors.htm
153

Employment outlook from BLS
(www.bls.gov) EDITOR154
 Pay: The median annual wage for editors was
$56,010 in May 2015.
 Job Outlook: Employment of editors is projected to
decline 5 percent from 2014 to 2024, as print
media continue to face strong pressure from online
publications. Competition for jobs with established
newspapers and magazines will be particularly
strong.

BLS: Occupational Outlook Handbook
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm
155

Employment outlook from BLS
(www.bls.gov) TECHNICAL WRITER156
 Job Outlook: Employment of technical writers is projected to
grow 10 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all
occupations. Employment growth will be driven by the continuing
expansion of scientific and technical products and by growth in
Web-based product support. Job opportunities, especially for
applicants with technical skills, are expected to be good.
 Pay: The median annual wage for technical writers
was $70,240 in May 2015.

Bureau of Labor Statistics
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes273042.htm
157

From http://www.bls.gov/soc/2010/soc273041.htm
158

Senor Technical Editor-Amazon, Seattle
159
Job Description
Would you like to join a team focused on producing high-quality technical publications for Amazon Web Services products? Do you have the technical documentation background and the passion for
producing cutting-edge content necessary to maintain Amazon as the premier player in cloud computing and web services technology?
As a Technical Editor in Amazon Web Services (AWS), you will have the exciting opportunity to work with a stellar technical team to create and drive quality standards and edit and produce
product documentation in a cross-functional, distributed environment.
Amazon.com is deeply committed to be a leader in the web services marketplace, and one of the key measures of success is to support the vibrant developer community that consumes the services
provided by AWS. To enable this, the technical publications team plays a vital role in getting our customers up and running quickly and making sure that the details of our products are clearly
described and easy to consume and follow.
The ideal candidates have experience editing in-depth content for developer and IT products and the ability to drive consistency and unity across individual documentation sets in a product suite.
You will have a strong understanding of customer needs and experience and be expected to act as a customer advocate. Working with other editors and writers on the team, you will use the
editorial process to ensure a high-quality documentation experience.
Basic Qualifications
* A minimum of 5 years experience editing online or web content for a large software product or suite of software products
* Degree in English, Technical Communication, or related field
* Advanced grammar skills
* Developmental and copy editing skills
* Knowledgeable in using documentation tools to build and deploy content
* Experience editing highly technical developer or systems administration documentation
* Experience using XML and HTML
* Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communications skills
* Experience managing multiple projects and setting their schedules and priorities
* A proactive attitude and a focus on resolving problems and delivering results
* Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
* Passion for creating a great customer experience
Preferred Qualifications
* Knowledge of storage and database products a plus
* Project management skills
* Knowledge of Git and Oxygen a plus
* Experience writing and editing UI text
* Experience editing blogs, decks, white papers and other non-doc content
* Skills creating and manipulating graphics
* Some writing experience in addition to editing experience
* Experience with metrics collection and analysis
* Experience using social media
https://us-amazon.icims.com/jobs/484731/senior-technical-
editor/job?iis=Job+Posting&iisn=Indeed+%28Paid+Sponsored+Posting%29&mobile=false&width=1247&height=1200&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=-480&jun1offset=-420

Senior Technical Editor: Sundance
Consulting, Pocatello, ID
160
•The Senior Technical Editor leads the tech editing team and is responsible for ensuring 100% accuracy in formatting, grammar, spelling, etc. of
deliverables. Produces high-quality documentation that meets applicable standard and is appropriate for its intended audience.
Duties Include:
Supervise and mentor Tech Editing team;
•Implement and communicate effective internal review procedures to ensure highquality, on-time deliverables;
•Work closely with stakeholders to obtain an in depth understanding of deliverable requirements.
•Develop, organize, and edit technical documentation; procedures; etc.;
•Organize basic source material, including applicable specifications and accompanying diagrams and drawings;
•Organize material and complete writing assignments according to specified standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style and
terminology;
•Modify and augment existing documentation;
•As needed, recommend revisions or changes in scope, format, content, and methods of reproduction or binding; and,
•Other duties as assigned.
•Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree in English, Journalism, or other relevant field of study;
•Five years of experience in technical editing; i.e., editing material for reports, deliverables, briefs, specifications, etc.;
•Expertise with standard style guides;
•Excellent written and oral communications;
•Excellent time and material organizational skills;
•Familiarity with version control;
•Ability to multitask and work well under strict deadlines;
•Ability to satisfactorily pass pre-employment and post-employment drug and alcohol tests.
•Preferred Qualifications :
Experience working with documentation for Federal agencies
•https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=f3e4a91a29be780e&q=Senior+Technical+Editor&tk=1bdfjv51hb9abffm&from=web

Critical Elements for Technical Writer/Editor--1983
http://hr.od.nih.gov/performance/perfmgmt/documents/sampleplans/Sample-1083TechWrite.doc
161
Develops and completes writing assignments on complex scientific topics. Writes clearly, logically, and persuasively for a diverse range of scientific, non-scientific, and administrative
audiences. The written products may include, but are not limited to: review articles and summaries of research findings; booklets, fact sheets, pamphlets, and brochures; speeches and
presentations; public service announcements and health education campaign materials; press releases and media advisories; correspondence; content for websites; and routine and special
reports. Demonstrates effective skills through the following:
 Drafts written products with minimal errors within specified deadlines.
 Effectively organizes and expresses complex scientific concepts.
 Presents information in a tone and style commensurate with the target audience.
 Explains clearly IC, NIH, DHHS policies attendant to scientific findings or research administration.
 Employs available technology and information resources in drafting written products.
Employs high-quality editorial skills in the review of written materials developed by research program officials and senior administrators. Demonstrates effective skills through the
following:
 Proofreads written products with minimal errors within specified deadlines.
 Demonstrates familiarity with, and uses, standard proofreading symbols.
 Maintains strict control over all versions of products under development.
 Recommends edits and modifications to avoid misinterpretation by the target audience.
 Rewrites scientific and administrative information for new audiences while maintaining accuracy.
 Follows the editorial style and format requirements specified for a given written product.
 Employs high-quality visual presentation skills in page design and layout.
Demonstrates familiarity with key scientific subjects of importance to the IC. Participates in activities that promote the understanding of important scientific concepts and current research
advances, as well as those that expand important writing and editing capabilities. Demonstrates effective skills through the following: Written communication skills: one meeting attended
to record minutes; one Standard Operating Procedure, paper, article and/or announcement written
 Conducts research of background literature as needed to develop well-written products.
 Reads and reviews scientific literature covering the fields of interest to the IC.
 Attends scientific seminars and presentations relevant to the research of the IC.
 Participates in conferences, courses, meetings, and workshops designed to enhance writing and editing skills.

Senior Tech Writer: RSDCGroup—
Washington, DC ($70,000-100,000)
162
Requirements: Candidate will draft and finalize technical documents in support of continuity communications and information systems
development and deployment; may also produce process and training materials in support of stakeholder education in using the
systems; should possess solid research, language, writing, and revision skills in any combination of the following areas:
Information design
•Information architecture
•Training material development
•Illustration/Graphic Design
•Website Design/Management
•Indexing
•Localization/Technical Translation
•User Interfaces
•Business Analysis
•Qualifications Summary:
Should possesses and apply expertise to interview subject matter experts and conduct research necessary to produce accurate, comprehensive documents; demonstrate ability to gather information and produce well-written documentation
in many forms, such as printed, web-based, or other electronic means
•Candidates should have knowledge of commonly used concepts, practices, and procedures within the field.
•Experience in the Federal contracting arena (DHS/FEMA preferred)
•Experience with communications testing and exercises (e.g. continuity, emergency response)
•Experience with National Security/Emergency Management Policy
•Possess advanced technical writing skills in the Federal Arena (Two writing samples required)
•
•Adept with MS Office Suite (Word, Excel Visio, Power Point)
•Understanding of communications engineering (Satellite and Radio)
•Flexible, adaptable, resourceful team-player with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
•Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree required (Master’s Preferred) in a writing intensive field (e.g. English, History, Policy, Journalism, Social Studies).
•Due to the sensitive nature of the work performed in this environment U.S. Citizenship Required and an Active TS Clearance/SCI Eligible.
•
•Five to Seven (5-7) years relevant experience
•Desired Qualifications:
Familiarity with the DHS System’s Engineering Lifecycle. (SELC) COGCON, PPD-40, NSPD 51, HSPD 20, NSCD 3-10 or 16-1, FCD 1 or 2

Duties and responsibilities of a technical copy editor
http://diplomaguide.com/articles/Technical_Copy_Editor_Career_Info.html
163
Good site for
checking career
info, requirements,
articles, etc., for
the work.

Related titles and information
http://learningpath.org/articles/Technical_Copy_Editor_Career_Info.html
164

NOW AND THE
FUTURE

Editor-Slash Roles
166
 Taking on additional responsibilities, not just more
editing
 Most common:
 Writer/editor (33% + 26% = 59%)
 Editor/manager (10%)
 Editor/information architect (none reported by Dayton)

Editor/information architect–A perfect
fit167
 Editor:
 Development editing
 Usability editing
 Terminology management
 Information Architect:
 Organizing and structuring
 Navigation
 Classifying
 Why a perfect fit?
 Knowledge of users, acting as a user
 Knowledge of entire information set

Editors in tomorrow’s world
168
 Corbin:
 “A fluidity of how information is delivered, including
modular or single-sourcing writing environments”
 “A fluidity of how frequently our information is
published, adopting and adapting to iterative and
agile development processes”
 “Collaborative writing environments, where information
is influenced by the latest Web technologies, allowing
users themselves to add and edit information in
knowledge base, wikis, and blogs.”

Editing in single-sourcing/modular
environments169
 Editing for multiple contexts: print, online, multimedia, social, etc.
 Editing to ensure information can be reused; more focus on topic-based
writing
 Editing across multiple writers, making it sound like it all came from just one
writer
 More focus on content and language, less on layout and formatting,
because XML and tooling taking care of it
 Creating templates
 Editor/architect plays a key role in putting the parts and pieces together

Editing in agile/iterative environments
170
 More focus on topic-based writing
 More focus on minimalist writing (don’t have time to
write about it ALL)
 Automating the editing tasks, via spell-checkers,
grammar checkers, or language checkers
 Getting involved earlier and earlier
 Doing more developmental editing, less and less copy
editing
 More writer/editor roles likely, because can’t cover
multiple projects

Editing in collaborative/social
environments171
 Anyone can be a writer/editor/publisher
 Certain types of information lend themselves more
to this environment: reference, knowledge base, etc.
– less likely to require editing by formal editor?
 Others becoming editors, who care about the
quality of this user-generated content: support
personnel, developers, or marketing
 Editor/architect needed to help structure, navigate,
and find the most relevant information

The reality
172
 Expectation exists that professionally produced
documentation will be edited
 International outsourcing increases the need
 Clear communication is a valued skill or is it?
172

What editing choices do we have?
173
 No editing
 Self-editing
 Peer editing
 Writer acting as editor
 Manager as editor
173

No editing?
174
 Despite an increase in unedited communication…
 E-mail, text messaging
 Blogs
 Podcasts
 . . . editing is still a widely recognized need
174

Self-editing?
175
 Good writers self-edit
 New writers should self-edit
 Editing checklist
 But technical communication needs more
 A fresh set of eyes
 An objective review
 A usability review
 Quality assurance
175

Peer editing?
176
 Can use in combination with a formal technical
editor
 Most common alternative
 Difficult to allocate the time needed
 Difficult to maintain consistency
 Difficult to settle disputes
 Who will own the style guide?
176

Writer acting as editor
177
 Ad hoc appointment
 If editor moves to another group or quits
 Stopgap measure imposed by management
 Political consequences within the group
 Sink or swim for an inexperienced editor
 Opportunity for professional development
 Skills not necessarily the same
177

Editors and writers
Typical editor traits:
 Generalist
 Wide focus (“forest”)
 Short project cycles
 Multiple projects
 General familiarity
with many products or
services
 Likes stability
Typical writer traits:
 Specialist
 Narrow focus (“trees”)
 Long project cycles
 One project at a time
 Intimate familiarity
with a few products
or services
 Likes “cutting edge”
178
178

Manager as editor
179
 Solution can work in some situations
 If manager is experienced editor
 If group is new and uncongealed
 If group is small
 Blurs distinction between two very different roles
 Difficult to allocate time
179

Editing skill is not enough (Zook)
180
 Realize that your work is not an end in itself but is
part of a system
 Learn to work, consciously, at many different levels
 Develop a sense of perspective on your own work
 Know that things are not as simple as they may
seem
180

Editors and writers as allies
181
 Keep reader/user in mind
 Agree ahead of time on rules and roles
 Cosmetics or neurosurgery? (levels of edit)
 Ask questions: understand the purpose
 Listen and explain
 Review the logic
 Reference everything you change
181

Editor’s relationship to writing
182
“An editor’s relationship to writing should be the same as a bartender’s
relationship to drinking . . .
s/he should be fond of an occasional drink,
but it shouldn’t be a regular habit.”
Gordon van Gelder, Night Shade Books
182

Localization considerations
183
 Exclude all culturally-specific idioms, conventions and expressions since they
are hard or impossible translate to another language
 Include the open written forms of all abbreviations and acronyms the first
time they are used. And the rule here is: the less, the better
 Include a Glossary which should define all the technical terms and concepts
used in the source document.
 Include a Unit and Measurement Conversion Chart
 Include a list of terms and concepts that should NOT be translated and used
as-is since they may sound awkward in the local language when translated.
 Leave white space for translation!
183

From Lola Zook,
one of my favorite mentors:184
“A good way to improve editorial skills is to teach
someone else in a one-to-one, tutorial relationship.
With a bright, assertive apprentice who questions
and challenges every aspect of the work, you’ll find
yourself reviewing rules you’ve grown careless
about, looking up items you’ve taken for granted,
sharpening style—all because you had to take a
fresh look at things that had become so familiar you
didn’t even see them any more.”
“Lessons from 50 years Editorial Experience,” Lola Zook, Substance & Style, 1996, EEI Press
184

REFERENCES

References
186
 Adobe Acrobat User Community. https://www.acrobatusers.com/
 Baker, Donna L. Adobe Acrobat 9: How-Tos, 125 Essential Techniques. Adobe Press, 2009.
 Baker, Justin. (2008). “Clarity for Editing.” Direction: The Newsletter for the STC Policies & Procedures Special
Interest Group, 2nd/3rd Quarters, 2-3.
 Clements, W. & Waite, R.G. (1983). Guide for Beginning Technical Editors.
STC-112-83. Arlington, Virginia: Society for Technical Communication.
 Corbin, M. and Oestreich, L., Technical Editing Fundamentals. STC Online Certificate Course. (2011–2016)
 Corbin, M., “The Editor within the Modern Organization,” in A. J. Murphy. (ed.) (2010). New Perspectives in
Technical Editing (pp. 67-83). Amityville, NY, Baywood Publishing Company, Inc.
 Crystal Clear Proofing: http://www.networkedblogs.com/blog/crystal_clear_proofing/
 Corbin, M., Moell, P., & Boyd, M. (2002). “Technical Editing As Quality Assurance: Adding Value to Content.”
Technical Communication, 49 (3): 286-300.
 Corbin, Michelle. “Effective Editing Comments” Webinar presented to TE SIG in 2009.
 Crognale, Heather. “Long-distance editing: Tips for editors on managing the writer/editor relationship.” Intercom,
July/August 2008, pp. 17-19. http://archive.stc.org/intercom/PDFs/2008/20080708_17-19.pdf
 Dayton, D. (2003). “Electronic Editing in Technical Communication: A Survey of Practices and Attitudes.” Technical
Communication, 50 (2), pp. 192-205.
 Doumont, Jean-luc. “Gentle Feedback That Encourages Learning.” Intercom. February 2002. pp. 39-40.
 Doumont, Jean-luc. “Running Group Critique.” Intercom. January 2003. pp. 40-41.
 Dragga, Sam and Gong, Gwendolyn. Editing: The Design of Rhetoric, Baywood's Technical Communication Series
(Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing Company, Inc., 1989).

References (p. 2)
187
 Eaton, Angela; Brewer, Pamela Estes; Portewig, Tiffany Craft; and Davidson, Cynthia R. “Examining
Editing in the Workplace from the Author’s Point of View: Results of an Online Survey.” Technical
Communication, vol 55, no 2, May 2008, pp. 111-139.
 EEI Press: http://www.eeicom.com/tag/editing/page/2/
 Einsohn, A. (2006). The Copyeditor’s Handbook. Berkeley: University of California Press, p.5
 Ford, Paul. Real Editors Ship, http://www.ftrain.com/editors-ship-dammit.html
 Grove, Laurel K., “The Editor as Ally,” Technical Communication, volume 37, number 3, 1985, pp. 235-238
 Hart, G., “The Editor and the Electronic Word: Onscreen editing as a Tool for Efficiency and
Communication with Authors,” in Murphy, A.J. (ed.) (2010). New Perspectives in Technical Editing. Amityville,
NY, BaywoodPublishing Company, Inc.
 Hart, Geoff. Effective onscreen editing.
http://www.geoff-hart.com/books/eoe/onscreen-book.htm
 HCI Journal:
https://www.hci.com.au/library/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Readability
 http://ezinearticles.com/?Technical-Writing---How-to-Generate-Localization-Ready-Technical-Copy-With-
Pre-Production-Guidelines&id=1807890

References (p. 3)
188
 Mackiewicz, Jo and Kathryn Riley. “The Technical Editor as Diplomat: Linguistic Strategies for
Balancing Clarity and Politeness.” Technical Communication, vol 50, no 1, February 2003, pp.
83-94.
 Bookmasters, “Editing on a Computer Screen vs. on a Hard Copy,”
http://www.bookmasters.com/blog/editing-computer-vs-hard-copy
 Sample Editing Checklists
www.people.ku.edu/~cmckit/TechComm/362/handouts/Sample-Editing- Process.rtf
 Nielsen, Jakob., Alertbox: Usability 101: Introduction to Usability
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html
 Oestreich, Linda. “Editing with Heart” workshop presentation to 49th STC Annual Conference, May 2002
 Pritchard, Laurie N. (1994). “Enhancing the Review Process: Giving and Receiving Constructive Feedback.” In
Proceedings of the Society for Technical Communication’s 41st annual conference. Arlington, VA: Society for
Technical Communication, pp. 32-34.
 Rude, C. D. (2006). Technical Editing (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Longman.
 Sartoris, Brenda E. (1993). Editing to Teach. In Proceedings of the Society for Technical Communication’s 40th
annual conference. Arlington, VA: Society for Technical Communication, pp. 179–182.
 STC Technical Editing SIG. (2010). “The Value of Levels of Edit.” Corrigo, 11 (1). Available from:
http://www.stc-techedit.org/tiki-index.php?page=The+Value+of+Levels+of+Edit
 STC Technical Editing SIG: “Understanding the Value of a Technical Editor.”:
http://www.stc-techedit.org/tiki-index.php?page=Understanding the Value of a Technical Editor

References (p. 4)
189
 Sutcliffe, Andrea. (1994). “Editing” (pp. 579-590). New York Public Library Writer’s Guide to Style and
Usage. New York: Harper Collins.
 Tarutz, J. (1992). Technical Editing: The Practical Guide for Editors and Writers. Reading, MA: Addison-
Wesley Publishing Company.
 The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter, Vol. 19, No. 4, July/August 1998
 Troffer, Alysson M. “Editing Online Documents: Strategies and Tips.” Proceedings from the 49th Annual
STC Conference.
 Van Buren, R. & Buehler, M.F. (1980). The Levels of Edit (2nd ed.).
ISBN 0-914548-67-0. Arlington, VA: Society for Technical Communication.
 Weber, J. H. (2002). Classifying editorial tasks. Technical Editors’ Eyrie. Available from:
http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=27.
 Weber, J. H. (2002). The Role of the Editor in the Technical Writing Team. Technical Editors’ Eyrie.
Available from: http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=25.
 Weber, J. H. (2002). Who needs a technical editor? Technical Editors’ Eyrie. Available from:
http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=19.
 Weber, Jean Hollis. (2002). Classifying technical editing. Technical Editors’ Eyrie. Retrieved on January 30,
2011: http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=27
 Weber, Jean Hollis. (2002). Escape from the Grammar Trap. Technical Editors’ Eyrie. Retrieved on
February 13, 2011: http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=23
 Yundt, M. and McMenemy, S. It's In the Numbers: Using Metrics to Plan Documentation Projects. Available
from: http://www.writingassist.com/articles/plan-documentation-projects.htm
 Zook, L.M. (1967). “Training the Editor: Skills Are Not Enough,” STC Conference Proceedings.

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