Editing Course
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Essential Editing Distance Learning Course
Course Overview
Editing is one of the least taught but most frequently required media skills. This course will help you to develop copyediting and proofreading skills. The course will guide you through each activity involved in transforming a typescript into printed pages, and includes techniques for correcting spelling, punctuation and page layout.
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Pre-requisites
You will need a reasonable standard of English, preferably a GCSE grade C or above for this course.
Support
As an UK Open Learning home learning student you will have access to your own personal tutor helping you with your course work and with any questions you may have. To complete this course it will take in the region of 100 study hours which can be spread over a 12 month period.
Qualification
On successful completion of you assignments you will receive a UK Open Learning Diploma in Essential Editing.
Assessment
Assessment takes the form of a series of tutor marked assignments. These have no word count, however you do have to prove to your tutor that you have fully understood the question asked.
Will I need any additional materials
You will need a copy of The Oxford Guide to Style, Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, 2002 by R. M. Ritter and also a good dictionary for example the Concise Oxford Dictionary or Chambers English Dictionary.
Your course materials will contain
an introduction to your personal tutor who will be assisting you in your learning
a student handbook containing valuable advice about your course
a total of 7 units with 53 self-contained topics that are structured to help you learn
Key Topics
Unit 1 - Copyediting
Where do you find copyeditors?
What does a copyeditor actually do?
Where does the copyeditor fit into a book-production team?
What skills are needed by a copyeditor?
How do you mark up a typescript?
Unit 2 - Making the meaning clear
Is it ambiguous?
Is it a parochialism?
Sexist language
Idiomatic English
Is it the correct word?
Abbreviations, contractions and acronyms
What should I check with the author?
What is a house style?
Unit 3 - Getting it organised
How to organise the headings in text
Where do illustrations go?
Organising complicated text
Distinguishing between hyphens and dashes
Uses of italic and bold type
Other organisational matters
Newsletter production: getting started
Unit 4 - Proofreading
What exactly is proofreading?
How do you read proofs?
What colours do you use to mark up proofs?
How do you mark proofs?
Authors' proof corrections
From page proofs to final proofs
Passing for press
Unit 5 - Computers in the editorial process
The computer revolution
Using authors' disks
What is the best way of using the disk?
Who will make the changes?
What is actually done on disk?
Publisher's template
Marking up hard copy
Can you edit directly on screen?
An ideal way of working
Is proofreading necessary?
Unit 6 - Production processes
What does a designer do?
A word about type
To justify or not to justify?
Making up pages
Desk-top publishing
