Copy Editing Terms

Question 1

This term stands for author’s alteration and includes changes made by the author on a set of proofs.

Answer 1

AA

Question 2

This is the synopsis of an academic paper, which usually appears before the main text.

Answer 2

Abstract

Question 3

This abbreviation means that the text is in all capital letters.

Answer 3

All cap

Question 3

This is the white space on a printed page.

Answer 3

Air

Question 4

This term is the full name of the ‘&’ (‘and’) character.

Answer 4

Ampersand

Question 5

Encompasses all illustrations, maps, graphs, photographs, and drawings to be included in a text.

Answer 5

Art

Question 5

This term is the full name of the ‘@’ character that usually comes before an email, Twitter, or Instagram address.

Answer 5

‘At’ sign

Question 6

The list of sources cited or consulted in the writing of a book or paper, which are usually published as part of the end matter.

Answer 6

Bibliography

Question 7

An extract or quoted passage that is set out of, or next to, the running text without being enclosed by quotation marks.

Answer 7

Blockquote

Question 8

Text or copy that is reused without any changes (e.g. the “About” section for Prolifics).

Answer 8

Boilerplate language

Question 9

Text or type that is framed by a border to make it stand out from the rest of the text or to highlight discrete blocks of information.

Answer 9

Box-out

Question 10

This describes an individual letter, number, symbol, or even a space between actual characters in the case of online text.

Answer 10

Character

Question 11

An entry–usually numbered or alphabetized–which directs the reader to other texts that serve as source materials or factual support.

Answer 11

Citation

Question 12

The action of incorporating the author’s responses to the copyediting into the final hard copy or computer file (usually before it is proofread).

Answer 12

Clean up

Question 13

A manuscript which is to be typeset.

Answer 13

Copy

Question 14

A printer’s error which has been discovered too late to be corrected in a document or published product and has had to be included in a separately printed list.

Answer 14

Corrigendum or addendum

Question 15

A phrase which mentions another part of the same document and is usually referred to in a standard, often abbreviated, way.

Answer 15

Cross-reference (a.k.a. x-ref)

Question 16

These are double inverted commas which are curved and are usually placed around the quoted text.

Answer 16

Curly quotes OR smart quotes

Question 17

This term describes a manuscript that has been finished, typeset, and proofread.

Answer 17

Dead copy

Question 18

An ornamental character, such as a smiley face, which is used on printed matter (sometimes in a similar way to emoticons online).

Answer 18

Dingbat

Question 19

This is the large type used for chapter titles, headings, and crossheads.

Answer 19

Display type

Question 20

This is the correct name for the three dots (‘…’) character which indicates a pause or absent material.

Answer 20

Ellipsis

Question 21

The name for the longest dash (‘-‘) character, which is often rendered in manuscripts as two hyphens (‘–’).

Answer 21

EM dash

Question 22

This is the name for the medium-length dash (‘-‘) character.

Answer 22

EN dash

Question 23

The material found at the end of a manuscript or book, including the appendices, endnotes, glossary, bibliography, and indexes.

Answer 23

End matter

Question 24

An illustration or graph printed within and as part of the continuing text.

Answer 24

Figure

Question 25

This term describes a page number in a type-set text.

Answer 25

Folio

Question 26

This is the page number found at the bottom of a page.

Answer 26

Drop folio

Question 27

This has no page number, even though that page is included in the numbering of the text.

Answer 27

Blind folio

Question 28

This term describes the characters which are part of a given style and size of a typeface.

Answer 28

Font

Question 29

These two terms describe one or two lines of copy which are set at the bottom of every page of a document.

Answer 29

Footer OR Running foot

Question 30

The usual material found at the front of a manuscript or book, which can include the title and copyright pages, preface, table of contents, lists of maps and illustrations, acknowledgements, and introduction.

Answer 30

Frontmatter or prelims

Question 31

This is the initial printed version or proof of a document.

Answer 31

Galley

Question 32

This term describes the space or margin between facing pages; at the printers, this often has color tests on it before the pages are trimmed.

Answer 32

Gutter

Question 33

Any text that appears printed on paper at any stage of the proofing process.

Answer 33

Hard copy

Question 34

The editorial style preferences of a publisher which cover almost every aspect of the final published page.

Answer 34

House style

Question 35

A copyeditor --------s items of typeset so that the margin is aligned to them. Book pages are generally done so to the left and right, while other documents can often be --------- only to the left (a condition called '------ -----').

Answer 35

Justifies, justified, ragged right

Question 36

To instruct the deletion of text or illustrations or to edit out a story.

Answer 36

Kill

Question 37

The journalists' term to describe the first few sentences or paragraph of a story.

Answer 37

Lead or lede

Question 38

Both of these terms describe the spacing of lines in a text.

Answer 38

Leading OR linespacing

Question 39

These are both explanations that accompany an illustration or a figure.

Answer 39

Legend OR Caption

Question 40

The initial text of an author's work which has been submitted for editing and publication.

Answer 40

Manuscript

Question 41

To insert composition, proofreading, or editing instructions into text or on copy or layouts.

Answer 41

Mark up

Question 42

The abbreviation for a manuscript.

Answer 42

MS

Question 43

The printed version or proof of a document in the page form in which it will appear when published.

Answer 43

Page proof

Question 44

The read-through of a manuscript by a copy-editor.

Answer 44

Pass

Question 45

The abbreviation for 'printer's error'.

Answer 45

PE

Question 46

A printer's unit of measure for type and letters.

Answer 46

Pica

Question 47

A page of images or illustrations separate from the text (though they can certainly have text on them).

Answer 47

Plate

Question 48

A unit of measurement in typesetting which is used to indicate the various font sizes.

Answer 48

Point

Question 49

One of potentially several trial sheets of printed material produced to be edited, checked, and corrected.

Answer 49

Proof

Question 50

The on-screen or hard copy version of a manuscript which indicates which text has been added, deleted, or edited since the previous version or proof.

Answer 50

Redline

Question 51

Describes a high-quality proof produced for the final review before printing.

Answer 51

Reproduction proof

Question 52

An initial, preliminary page layout.

Answer 52

Rough

Question 53

A vertical or horizontal line on a page, often used to position text and images or illustrations.

Answer 53

Rule

Question 54

Both of these terms describe one or two lines of copy set at the top of each page of a document, which usually includes the title.

Answer 54

Running head OR Header

Question 55

A particular typeface that doesn't have a serif or crossline on the main strokes of the characters.

Answer 55

Sans serif

Question 56

Both of these terms are a capitalization style for headlines, headings, and titles in which all words are in lower case except those that would normally be capitalized in a standard sentence.

Answer 56

Sentence-style OR Initial cap only

Question 57

Both of these terms describe a comma that comes before the word 'and' or 'or' in a sentence involving a list of items (e.g. "one, two, and three").

Answer 57

Serial comma OR Oxford comma

Question 58

A short piece of writing, article, or news story that complements or amplifies the point of a major feature or story.

Answer 58

Sidebar

Question 59

The distance from the top of a printed page to any element placed on that page.

Answer 59

Sink

Question 60

Short for specifications, this indicates the typeface used, point size, spacing and margins, or other technical details.

Answer 60

Specs

Question 61

This term indicates that text marked for deletion should be restored and derives from the Latin for "let it stand."

Answer 61

Stet

Question 62

Both of these terms are used to describe a form or document created by an editor or copy-editor to record editorial decisions applied to the text used in a particular company or publication.

Answer 62

Style sheet OR style guide

Question 63

Both of these terms are used to describe the act of reducing the length of a story or piece of writing.

Answer 63

Trim OR Boil

Question 64

Both of these words are used to describe a misprint.

Answer 64

'Typo' OR typographical error

Question 65

This is the publishing and printing industry term for capital letters.

Answer 65

Upper case

Question 66

A specific task which pays attention to the creative content, writing style, and use of language at the level of sentences and paragraphs. It focuses on the way the language is used to communicate the story to the reader.

Answer 66

Line-editing