Copy Editing Policy

Procedure: Copy editing for external publications

Purpose: To ensure that all print publications (newsletters, brochures, etc.) published with the Christopher Center name (regardless of whether we are creating the document in-house or are co-sponsoring an event with another group that is creating a publication on our behalf) have been reviewed for editorial accuracy.

Required Knowledge/Skills: Copy-editing skills including: spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.

Keywords: Proofreading, reviewing

Procedure:

1. If we are working with another group on campus to co-sponsor an event, they must be made aware of this procedure early on in the collaboration to ensure that if they are creating a brochure or other publication with our name on it, that it goes through this vetting procedure.  Outside groups must be provided with the procedure and copy editing team member names.
2. A copy editing team consisting of at least two volunteers (but with no cap on the number of volunteers) will be maintained and the list of members will be available on the wiki.  It is the responsibility of the publication creator to check the membership list to know to whom rough drafts should be distributed.
3. Whenever a print publication is created for an outside audience, the publication creator must digitally distribute the rough draft two full business days in advance of its release to the copy editing team (ex. if a brochure is needed for an event at 2pm on Monday, the rough draft must be distributed to the copy editing team by 2pm on Thursday).  If the publication is created in a proprietary format, it must be saved as a PDF or other universally read format before distribution.
4. All members of the copy editing team should make a good-faith effort to review the document.  Reviews must be completed within one business day (in the example above, the deadline would be 2pm on Friday).  Any comments received after the one business day deadline will likely not be able to be incorporated.  At minimum, one copy editor needs to review the document. It is understood that not all team members will always be available to review a publication on one day notice.
5. If a copy editing team member reviews a document and finds no needed changes, they should email that information to the content creator so that the creator is aware that a review has taken place.
6. After one full business day, the publication creator will incorporate the suggestions/corrections received, and can at that point print the publication.  

Team members as of December 2012:

• Nora Belzowski
• Ruth Connell
• Rachael Muszkiewicz