Editing, self-editing and engaging a professional editor
The art of editing scientific publications
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One of my favourite parts of being a science editor is being able to speak to audiences about what I do, and about editing in general. In 2019 I had the opportunity to write a paper and speak at the 50th Annual Meeting of the International Research Group on Wood Protection (IRG) in Quebec City, Canada. I have been a member of this group since 1998. It was a very supportive forum whilst I completed the research for my master’s and my PhD.
I wrote the paper titled ‘Word wrangling: The art of editing scientific publications’ to assist entry-level researchers to better understand editing. In particular, the paper covered the various stages of editing, self-editing tools and how to engage a professional editor.
One of the main points in the paper is that the task of editing or reviewing the content of a paper may be done by many people, including the author, their supervisor and colleagues, or by others in the field. However, it also highlights that using a professional editor can improve the readability, consistency and professionalism of the final document.
The abstract from the paper (below) outlines other aspects of how scientific publications are edited by both authors and professional editors.
Word wrangling: The art of editing scientific publications
Abstract
The main method by which scientists communicate their findings to the world is through journal papers, but many scientists struggle with the task of self-editing, and some find writing itself to be a chore. Understanding the different stages of editing, and what takes place in each of those stages, can help to reduce the complexity of the editing task, assist an author to self-edit, and reduce costs of engaging an editor at a later stage. Further, use of a variety of self-editing tools and resources can reduce the time it takes to edit a document and increase the accuracy of the edit. These include the use of a dictionary, creation of a word list, use of a style guide, and creation of a style list. There are also tools that are available in Microsoft Word as macros, add-ons and software. Some of these tools and resources can be used by the authors but others, because of cost or technical complexity, are used at the corporate-support level or by editors. Online resources may be used to assist in engaging an editor, and understanding the standards expected of a professional editor, codes of practice and expected codes of professional behaviour. Whether the intent is to self-edit, have a colleague review the document, or to engage an editor, the ultimate goal is to improve the communication of the author’s intended main points to the reader, and to ensure the paper itself is accurate, consistent and professional.
I gratefully acknowledge the generosity of IRG in allowing their members to freely distribute their published papers from conference proceedings.
