Course Overview
Editors are often compared to mechanics. Both inspect what they are given, locate the faults, and return it in working order.
“Better Proofreading and Copyediting” is a self-paced online course that sorts the metaphors about editing from the facts. It teaches the foundational principles of copyediting, the golden rules of proofreading, and what professional editors do within the wider publishing process. Learners will define the three levels of editing, identify and correct the most common errors in grammar and punctuation, and compare the most popular style guides. They will also learn to use and update a customized style sheet for each editorial project, recognize standard editing symbols, and use digital tools such as track changes to communicate suggested edits.
Someone Has to Check the Draft
More text is produced today than anyone has time to read closely, and some of it comes from writing tools that produce clean sentences quickly. Clean is not the same as correct. A draft can be smooth, consistent, and wrong in a name, a date, a figure, or a claim, and no one finds the error unless someone reads with an editor’s eye.
The course teaches that reading. You learn the three levels of editing so you know what kind of check a document needs, the style guides and style sheets that keep a project consistent, and the marks and digital tools that let you pass your corrections to the writer.
Who Should Take This Course?
You review documents before they go out, or you want to. The course serves writers who edit their own work, editors in training, and anyone who signs off on other people’s text.
Use Cases
The Draft That Looks Finished. A document arrives from a colleague or a writing tool, and every sentence reads cleanly. The levels of editing tell you how deeply to check it and what each pass is for.
The Style Question Nobody Can Settle. Your team capitalizes a term three different ways across one report. A style sheet for the project records the decision, and the course shows how to build and update one.
The Reviewer Who Marks Up Everything. Your corrections come back in four colors, and the writer cannot tell which corrections count. Standard editing symbols and track changes make suggested edits clear.
Learning Objectives
- Define the three different levels of editing.
- Identify and correct the most common errors in grammar and punctuation.
- Recall and apply publishing standards for material like images, front matter, and back matter.
- Recall the differences between the most popular style guides.
- Understand how to use and update a customized style sheet for each editorial project.
- Explain what a professional editor does within the wider publishing process.
- Recognize and replicate standard editing symbols by hand.
- Use digital tools like track changes to communicate suggested edits effectively.
Course Details
Estimated time to complete: 5 hours
Access time: 90 days
Price: $119 per learner
Credits
- 5 ATD CI Credits.
- 0.50 IACET CEU Credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three levels of editing?
The course defines them and shows how they differ, so a reviewer can choose the right kind of check for each document.
Does the course cover style guides and style sheets?
Yes. It compares the most popular style guides and shows how to use and update a customized style sheet for each editorial project.
Does the course teach editing symbols and digital tools?
Yes. Learners will recognize and replicate standard editing symbols by hand and use digital tools such as track changes.
Who is this online proofreading and copyediting course for?
Writers, editors, and anyone who reviews text before it is published or sent.
What professional credit does this online course offer?
The course offers credit from ATD CI and IACET. The amounts appear under Credits.
Will I receive a certificate?
After logging in, learners can download and print a PDF certificate of completion from their course records page. The certificate remains available after access to the course ends.
Does the course include an assessment?
The course includes an assessment.
What do I need to take the course?
A current browser with cookies and JavaScript enabled, and a broadband connection. Some ad blockers keep course videos from appearing, so turn yours off if a video does not load.