Architecture (Year 1) Editing and Proofreading

Íde O’Sullivan and Lawrence Cleary Writing Centre www.ul.ie/rwc

The writing process

    Pre-writing Drafting Revising (global) Editing and proofreading (local) Regional Writing Centre 2

What is editing?

• • Editing a document is revisiting it for publication.

It is ‘sharpening a thought to a gemlike point and eliminating useless verbiage’ (Leedy 2001:54).

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Macro and micro edits

   Macro issues   content and organisation logical sequence of ideas   audience adaptation purpose Micro issues  grammar   style format Only edit one thing at a time Regional Writing Centre 4

Copyediting / Proofreading

   This is the careful editing of each line and each graphic to ensure that the material is expressed in simple, clear correct English – checking errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, format, sentence structure.

Proofreading is not editing in the broader sense – it is an effort to achieve correctness in the elements mentioned above.

Correctness is the most important criterion of excellence.

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Spelling

    Make sure to set the language to BrE or AmE but stick to one (-ise/-ize) Standard forms Double letters Don’t rely on spell check – it doesn’t catch everything for foe - form - quiet from quite - practice - affect - there practise effect their Regional Writing Centre 6

Grammar

     Sentence structure Complete sentences Agreement Tense Grammar check is not always correct - passive sentences - defining and non-defining clauses The woman who lives in apartment No. 34 has been arrested.

Mrs. Jackson, who is very intelligent, lives on the corner. Regional Writing Centre 7

Punctuation

    Commas, semi-colons, full stops Apostrophe  its Vs it’s  1920s Possessives  The dog’s bone  The dogs’ bone  The horses’ mouths  Seamus’ car Capitalisation Regional Writing Centre 8

Examples

   Falling water embodies the natural landscape around it, it is designed in such a way that it appears as if it has been build out of (…) A book case, work table and a sofa type seat with white linen cushions.

These spaces are clearly defined, the public spaces are open and oriented to the south west for the midday to evening light and the private spaces are separated and oriented to the east for the morning light. Regional Writing Centre 9

Examples

 Aswell as this, news of their affair was spreading back home destroying wrights practise and friendships, leaving them as social outcasts [...]  Wright built Falling Water around the site as opposed to changing the sites nature, he let the nature of the site determine his design, thus […] Regional Writing Centre 10

Examples

 During 1910-11 Frank Lloyd Wright and his then mistress Mamah Borthwick were facing public outcry over their affair.  Totally at peace.  The private area of the house we find the kitchen, this is a more cave type space.  The columns are 40x40. they are made from the butter coloured ashar sandstone quarried nearby at Salina’s. Regional Writing Centre 11

Stylistic features

 Mechanics   Spelling Capitalisation  Punctuation: Careful use vs casual, random use Regional Writing Centre 12

Stylistic features

  Sentences  Short v. long  Simple v. complex Vocabulary   Short vs long phrases Ordinary vs grandiose      Familiar vs unfamiliar Non-technical vs technical Concrete vs abstract Normal, comfortable idiomatic expression vs special, stiff scientific idioms Direct incisive phrasing vs roundabout, verbose phrasing Regional Writing Centre

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Stylistic features

 Verb Forms    Active vs passive Personal vs impersonal Informal vs formal Regional Writing Centre 14

Tips for editing

        Set it aside for a few days and come back with a fresh eye Get someone else to proofread it as well as you Use the print preview button to check layout before you print Always proofread on hardcopy Hold paper below the line you are proofreading Use the find button to make changes Be consistent!!

Editing a reference list is separate Regional Writing Centre 15

Checklists and feedback

  Before flying, pilots go through a methodical check of their plane. Do you have in?

a checklist for your assignments before you hand them How can you anticipate problems that you are unable to see? Get a peer to help.

 Ask for the feedback that you need and that is appropriate to the context.

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