Create copywriting.md

content-strategy/copywriting.md

@@ -0,0 +1,260 @@
+# Copyediting Test Preparation Guide
+
+## General Guidelines
+
+* Clarity and Correctness: Ensure sentences are clear and correct within the scope of your responsibilities.
+* Multiple Problems: Be aware that a single sentence may have multiple issues.
+* Judgment Calls: If unsure about a correction, add a comment labeled NOTE TO SARAHto explain your thinking.
+
+## Specifics to Look For
+
+### Sentence Structure
+
+* Imprecise Language: Correct vague or imprecise sentences for better clarity.
+* Restrictive vs. Nonrestrictive Clauses: Decide if clauses are restrictive or nonrestrictive and use commas accordingly.
+* Ambiguity: Identify ambiguous comparisons or statements and restructure for clarity.
+
+### Punctuation
+
+* Commas with Coordinate Adjectives: Insert a comma between coordinate adjectives when necessary.
+* Comma Splices: Correct comma splices by dividing into separate sentences or using conjunctions.
+* Apostrophes: Pay attention to the correct use of apostrophes in possessives and contractions.
+
+### Bias and Assumptions
+
+* Gender Neutrality: Replace gender-specific terms with gender-neutral ones to avoid bias.
+* Assumptions: Address any assumptions that might map characteristics (like intelligence) onto certain behaviors or choices.
+
+### Queries
+
+* When in Doubt: If any edit is a judgment call, query the author.
+* Ambiguity and Precision: Query for clarifications if a statement's meaning is unclear or could be misinterpreted.
+
+### Consistency
+
+* Parallel Structure: Ensure parallel structure in lists and comparisons for readability and consistency.
+* Consistent Language: Maintain consistent language use, especially with serial commas and terminology.
+
+### Mechanics
+
+* Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensure subjects and verbs agree in number and tense.
+* Pronoun Reference: Check pronoun references for clarity and correctness.
+
+## Examples of Specifics to Look For
+
+### Sentence Structure
+
+* Imprecise Language:
+  * Example: "While I was surfing the internet one night, a curious thing happened."
+    * Edit: Clarify who was surfing the internet to avoid misinterpretation.
+* Restrictive vs. Nonrestrictive Clauses:
+  * Example: "The car which they were looking for was drag racing down Deerfoot."
+    * Edit: Determine if the clause is restrictive and edit accordingly, possibly removing commas.
+
+### Punctuation
+
+* Commas with Coordinate Adjectives:
+  * Example: "A green, rotating disco ball."
+    * Edit: Insert a comma if adjectives are coordinated.
+* Comma Splices:
+  * Example: "They wondered if climbing a mountain was worth it, nevertheless the views were beautiful."
+    * Edit: Correct the splice by separating into two sentences or using a conjunction.
+
+### Bias and Assumptions
+
+* Gender Neutrality:
+  * Example: "The average tradesman is a person of the highest intelligence."
+    * Edit: Replace "tradesman" with "worker in the trades" to avoid gender bias.
+* Assumptions:
+  * Example: "He is as likely to read The Economist as the tabloids are to be in his possession."
+    * Edit: Address assumptions about intelligence and reading choices.
+
+### Queries
+
+* When in Doubt:
+  * Example: Ambiguous or unclear statements should be queried.
+* Ambiguity and Precision:
+  * Example: "Unlike Greta Thunberg, I perceive that climate action is already being undertaken..."
+    * Edit: Query for clarification to avoid ambiguous comparisons.
+
+### Consistency
+
+* Parallel Structure:
+  * Example: "Thomas King's style is conversational and indirect, and he learned it from the storytellers he studied with."
+    * Edit: Maintain parallel structure in lists and comparisons.
+* Consistent Language:
+  * Example: Consistent use of serial commas and terminology throughout the document.
+
+## More Examples/Specifics to Look For
+
+### Sentence Structure
+
+* Imprecise Language:
+  * Before: "The meeting was kind of productive in a way."
+  * After: "The meeting resulted in three actionable steps toward the project goal."
+* Restrictive vs. Nonrestrictive Clauses:
+  * Before: "Customers, who signed up early, receive a bonus."
+  * After: "Customers who signed up early receive a bonus."
+
+### Punctuation
+
+* Commas with Coordinate Adjectives:
+  * Before: "She wore a bright, silk scarf to the party."
+  * After: "She wore a bright silk scarf to the party."
+* Comma Splices:
+  * Before: "It was raining heavily, we canceled the picnic."
+  * After: "It was raining heavily, so we canceled the picnic."
+
+### Bias and Assumptions
+
+* Gender Neutrality:
+  * Before: "Every doctor must ensure his equipment is sterilized."
+  * After: "Every doctor must ensure their equipment is sterilized."
+* Assumptions:
+  * Before: "Older employees are less likely to adapt to new technologies."
+  * After: "Employees may vary in their adaptability to new technologies, regardless of age."
+
+### Queries
+
+* When in Doubt:
+  * Sentence: "The software update is supposed to fix bugs."
+  * Comment: "Which specific bugs will the upcoming software update address?"
+* Ambiguity and Precision:
+  * Sentence: "The politician's response was more surprising than her opponent's campaign promises."
+  * Comment: "Was the politician's response to the budget cuts more surprising than her opponent's vague campaign promises?"
+
+### Consistency
+
+* Parallel Structure:
+  * Before: "The job requires communicating effectively, to be organized, and dedication."
+  * After: "The job requires effective communication, organization, and dedication."
+* Consistent Language:
+  * Before: "The study utilized a complex algorithm, but the results were simple to interpret."
+  * After: "The study employed a complex algorithm, yet the results were straightforward to interpret."  
+
+## Rubric Overview
+
+### Acuity
+
+* Error Identification: Aim to identify almost every error without misidentifying or inventing errors.
+
+### Conduct
+
+* Markup Legibility: Ensure your markup is legible, efficient, and precise.
+* Query Politeness: Queries should be polite, concise, meaningful, and well-justified.
+
+### Priorities
+
+* Balance Needs: Balance the needs of the author, publisher, and readers while suppressing personal tastes.
+
+## Reminder Notes
+
+* Comma Usage: Review rules for comma usage in complex sentences.
+* Restrictive Clauses: Brush up on restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clause identification.
+* Gender Bias: Be vigilant about gender neutrality in language.  
+
+# 
+
+# "Precision" Reading
+
+## Maintaining Subject-Verb Continuity
+
+* Stick to the same subject when moving from one clause to the next to avoid forcing the reader to refocus attention unnecessarily.
+* Exceptions: Sometimes changing subjects is necessary or beneficial for precision, variety, etc. Use judgment.
+
+## Ensuring Precise Comparisons
+
+* Directly juxtapose the two things being compared. Don't compare a thing to a concept.
+* Avoid illogical comparisons like comparing someone to themself ("worse than anyone on his team").
+
+## Clarifying Pronoun References
+
+* Ensure pronouns clearly and explicitly refer to their intended antecedent.
+* Avoid vague pronouns referring to entire ideas rather than nouns.
+* Repair unclear pronouns by replacing with the noun, rewriting to be more explicit, etc.
+
+## Preventing Misplaced or Dangling Modification
+
+* Place modifiers close to the words they modify.
+* With introductory phrases, put the modified noun immediately after.
+* Check sentence-ending modifiers for unintended meaning.
+
+# "Bias-Free Language" Reading
+
+## Querying or Revising Biased Material
+
+* Query or revise text, images, etc. that promote stereotyping, marginalization, or insensitivity.
+* Balance author freedom with preventing unintentional offense.
+* Have a policy for when/how much to intervene on generic "he" and other issues.
+
+## Avoiding Gender Bias
+
+* Replace gendered job titles (chairman, businessman, etc.) with gender-neutral alternatives from style guides.
+* Query examples with stereotypical gender roles or imbalance.
+* Respect transgender and nonbinary individuals' pronoun preferences.
+
+## Using Appropriate Terminology for Groups
+
+* Use current preferred terms for racial, ethnic, religious, and other groups.
+* Query questionable/outdated language
+* Avoid defaulting unmentioned groups to the "majority" (e.g. "5 men and 2 African American women").
+
+## Flagging Legal Issues
+
+* Watch for potential libel, privacy violations, obscenity, and copyright infringement.
+* Alert editorial coordinator/author about risky passages to review with attorney.
+* Note policy differences in books vs. corporate publishing regarding legal review.
+
+# "What Copy Editors Do"
+
+## Mechanical Editing
+
+* Impose consistency in spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, punctuation, numbers, quotations, abbreviations, italics, bold, headings, lists, etc.
+* Follow house style guides or verify the author's consistent alternate style.
+
+## Correlating Parts
+
+* Cross-check in-text references, footnote/endnote numbers, table/figure callouts and lists, captions vs illustrations, table of contents vs headings.
+
+## Language Editing
+
+* Correct or query errors in grammar, usage, diction while avoiding imposing personal stylistic preferences.
+* Know when to query vs self-correct mechanical issues and when to query substantive issues.
+
+## Content Editing
+
+* Flag substantive issues like inconsistencies, omitted info, organizational problems, etc. for author or publisher to address.
+* Check select facts to catch pervasive errors; query individual fact errors. Don't attempt to verify every statement.
+
+## Permissions
+
+* Remind the author to obtain permissions for long prose excerpts, poem excerpts, borrowed illustrations, etc. Ensure source lines are provided for borrowed content.
+
+## Markup
+
+* Identify/style special document elements like headings, extracts, tables, etc. for design and production staff.
+
+# "Philosophical Reflections on Editing"
+
+## Fostering Constructive Community
+
+* Aim to improve submitted manuscripts through feedback, not just select the best pieces.
+* Choose reviewers who can identify potential and suggest improvements constructively.
+* View process as a collaborative community of authors, reviewers, editors working to strengthen scholarship.
+
+## Communication Skills
+
+* Write queries that are succinct, specific, polite, framed as requests for clarification.
+* Phrase queries and decisions respectfully considering authors' needs and perspectives.
+* In decision letters, balance honesty with encouragement; emphasize potential in weaker submissions.
+
+## Editing Judgment
+
+* Edit changes should aim to achieve the purposes of the author's work, not impose editor's preferences.
+* But also consider audience needs for clarity; query if meaning seems unclear.
+* Find the right balance between author voice/style and audience comprehension.
+
+## Representativeness
+
+* Aim for diversity of authors, approaches, geographies, etc. to reflect breadth of field.
+* But ensure a rigorous yet constructive review process for all.