Editing a draft pass by pass

This branch covers revising and editing a draft’s text, divided into editing forms and principles, revision in ordered passes, analytical editing, microediting and proofreading. It leaves exchanges of critique, verification against source data, detailed sentence construction and journal-specific submission requirements to neighbouring topics.

• The forms, levels and principles of editing — editing terminology and levels, copyediting and substantive editing, principles and the author’s voice
• Revise a draft in ordered passes — distance from the draft, reading the whole, structure before detail and language, audience fit and cutting
• Question the research, not only the language — research assumptions and reporting, required knowledge, a worked example, costs and reporting guidelines
• Microedit for consistency and accuracy in the detail — scope, planning and responsibility, document requirements and checking one feature at a time
• Proofread as a task with its own techniques — preparation, reading techniques, breaks and fresh eyes, error types and final checks