Copy and Proof Editing for Web Content

May 2001

This section covers general proof and copy editing guidelines, and problems unique to the Web.

Develop style guides

Poorly edited and inconsistent copy online will deeply affect the clarity of your messages and the identity and trustworthiness of your organization. Style guides are indispensable so that you don't have to reinvent the wheel with every new piece of material.

You may work with many different contributors. Kindly but strictly enforce that they refer to your style guides so that they become natural.

You may be re-purposing or re-directing materials that have previously been published in print. Editing this copy for a Web site requires special attention to brevity, structure and voice. Copy that is easy to read on the Web is more personal than many formal documents, with many small breaks and changes in rhythm. Online copy with a "voice" makes a stronger connection with your readers.

Copy editing and proof editing are the final phases of preparing copy, and in each kind of editing you look for different problems. It can be difficult to edit, for instance, a long and awkward paragraph when you get distracted by spelling errors.

Copy editing

Copy editing looks at paragraph and sentence structure, styles, consistency, flow and brevity.

Proof editing

Proof editing is the final look-through before posting on the Web site, or is best done on a test site before launching. When proof editing, you're looking for the tiny errors:

• Typos – switched letters such as 'ht', merged words, missing spaces
• Spelling errors – put easy-to-misspell words you use regularly in your style guide
• Capitalization – for titles, names and sentence starts
• Grammar – verb/subject consistency, plurals, punctuation
• Vocabulary – check for proper word usage

And don't forget to check your designer's work! Many spelling and placement errors happen regularly in:

• Buttons, navigation, alt tags (are the correct items in the correct place?)
• Titles, animations, pull quotes
• Captions of illustrations, photographs and charts

Ways to edit

You can edit either on hard copies, or on screen.

On Screen
Excellent for on-screen editing is the Track Changes function in Microsoft Word (found under Tools). It's useful when working on a document collaboratively or across distances, because you

• can easily see the suggested changes, and
• can try alternatives, then change your mind.

On hard copies
If you can, ask writers to use 1.5 line spacing and wide margins if you anticipate needing to edit heavily. Establishing proofreading marks with your writers facilitates quick editing and response.