Policies and procedures: copy editing

Description of the service

We offer top-quality copy editing of text written in most major writing styles—journalism, business, literary, academic, and many others.

Applicable standard

Standards page.

Documentation requirements

Administrative documents: 1) Approved quotation and/or purchase order and/or service cancellation notice; 2) upon delivery of the target document, a completion report with final billing (pursuant to the approved quotation or service order).

Target document: An exact copy of the source document with appropriate corrections incorporated into the text.

Other deliverables: The editor's report, unless the client chooses to omit the editor's report.

Source document

The source document must be an MS Word or HTML document with semantically correct markup.

Because the quality of the target document is a function of the quality of the source document, we encourage clients to ensure that the documents they intend to publish have been properly edited and formatted.

All parties—editor, translator, editor-in-chief, peer reviewer, expert reviewer and client—must verify that the source document coincides with the specifications in the quotation.

Ideally, the editor should have direct contact with the client. The client can help guarantee the quality of the target document by working closely with the editor.

In many cases, the editor's task is affected by time constraints. When time is short, the editor and client must develop a written plan that defines specific goals for the editor.

Target document

Format: The editor will deliver the target document in the same format as the source document, unless the quotation specifies another format.

Typography: The editor must ensure the use of appropriate typographic symbols (as specified in the Unicode standard).

Style: Good style is always a function of the intended audience. Based on the demographic and other information that the client provides to AA Nuncio, the editor will adjust the style to communicate most effectively with readers while remaining within the guidelines established in our internal style guide.

In general, writing should be as clear and concise as possible.

Images: If the client has requested that we edit text in images, the text must be selectable text that is available in an electronic format such as MS Word. If the editor finds images with non-selectable text, he or she must inform the editor-in-chief immediately so that we can convert the image to a selectable format.

Peer review/expert review

Peer review: If the client requests peer review without an expert review, the editor will deliver the target document and other deliverables to the peer reviewer and the client on or before the delivery date. Once the peer reviewer has completed the review (within the time specified in the respective quote), the peer reviewer must deliver the target document and other deliverables to the client, the editor and the editor-in-chief.

Letters of comments: Writers can respond to the peer reviewer or expert reviewer through a letter of comments.