Introduction

Written manuscripts, whether essays, books, or dissertations, are a result of a multifaceted effort which begins with interest, is fueled by research, and terminates with the written word. Yet, this written product is not the final product that one will see when the said written document is either published or turned in to the appropriate overseers of the project. The bridge that connects this gap between the written draft of a document and the finalized product is the process of editing and proofreading. So, what is editing and proofreading?

To fully arrive at the answer, the questions that many will first need to ask are: “What is the basic definition of editing?”, “What is the basic definition of proofreading?”, and “What is the relationship between the two?” These questions will be answered below and, as a result, one will be able to understand how key these critical processes are in all writing projects, regardless of size or scope.

The Basic Definition of Editing: Developmental and Manuscript Editing

The first question to be fielded is, “What is the basic definition of editing?” Simply put, editing can be defined as preparing the finalization of a written document by correcting or modifying it in several different ways. Under this broad definition there are several different types of editing that can be done to written draft documents.

The most drastic form of editing that can be done to a written draft document is developmental editing. Developmental editing involves directly shaping “the content of a work, the way material should be presented, the need for more or less documentation and how it should be handled.” Developmental editing may also involve a total rewrite of a draft or, at least, a significant reorganization of it. Thus, developmental editing occurs before what is normally called manuscript editing, which is the next editing that will be discussed.[1]

The Chicago Manual of Style defines manuscript editing as follows: “Manuscript editing, also called copyediting or line editing, requires attention to every word and mark of punctuation in a manuscript, a through knowledge of the style to be followed, and the ability to make quick, logical, and defensible decisions.”[2] As said above, this level of editing involves reading every single portion of a draft manuscript in order to insure that grammar, spelling, punctuation, and even factual claims made in a draft document are correct. If a written draft requires developmental editing, then this step must be completed before manuscript editing can begin.

Besides looking for any grammar, misspellings, and punctuation errors or typos, manuscript editing can also involve two other types of editing. These two other types are mechanical editing and substantive editing. Mechanical editing involves “the consistent application of a particular style to a written work.” It also involves attention being paid to grammar, usage, and syntax.[3] Examples of mechanical or format editing include MLA, APA, and Chicago formats. Individual publishing houses or journals may have additional guidelines for their editing preferences. Substantive editing “deals with the organization and presentation of existing content.”[4] Substantive editing usually involves written content that is good, but it merely needs transitional writing and narrative clean up activity to arrive at a good final draft before being sent to the proofreading stage. It usually does involve some minor revision, but these revisions are more for stylistic purposes and clarity of language, in contrast to rewrites within developmental editing that can involve a total rewrite or reorganization of the authors thoughts.

The Basic Definition of Proofreading

Next one must ask, “What is the basic definition of proofreading?” Proofreading is the process of reading a text and analyzing every component to find errors and mark them for correction.[5] The stage of proofreading commences after all developmental, copy, mechanical, or substantive editing has occurred. Proofreading occurs after all forms of editing are finished, yet it occurs before the written document is sent for either publication or being assessed.

In fact, since the author bears the final responsibility for all errors in the final text, many editors will send the draft back to the author for the final round of proofreading. Thus, proofreading is for well written documents that need only minor errors fixed and minor revisions to spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

Conclusion: What is the Relationship between Editing and Proofreading?

Editing and Proofreading are best seen as two distinct stages in the journey of a written document from the initial first draft to the final draft. To answer the question, “What is editing and proofreading?”, one must know the basic definitions and differences between the two. One must also understand how both editing and proofreading are joined together as two distinct and necessary stages for either the publishing or a final turn in draft of a written document. If one understands these concepts, then one will understand how key these critical processes are in all writing projects, regardless of their size or scope.

Joshua R. McIntyre, M.Div., Th.M.

Founder, Senior Editor

Tenth Legion Solutions

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[1] The Chicago Manuel of Style
(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 2.48.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid., 2.49.

[4] Ibid., 2.50.

[5] Ibid., 2.100.