Copyediting is one of the three main editing tasks (the others are substantive or structural editing and proofreading). It is called ‘copyediting’ because one meaning of ‘copy’ is ‘written, typed, or printed matter, or artwork, intended to be reproduced in print.’
Copyediting involves checking and, where appropriate, correcting the following:
- grammar, punctuation and spelling
- consistency of organization, presentation and spelling
- references and cross-references
- completeness of the document.
Copyediting is about more than simply ensuring that correct English is used: it is also about ensuring that a text meets the specific requirements of the publisher or institution. For example, a given academic publisher may require adherence to APA (American Psychological Association) style guidelines, or an organization may have its own in-house style guide.
It is better to copyedit after substantive editing (sometimes called ‘structural editing’) has been completed. The main reason for this is that substantive editing may lead both to elimination of existing copy and addition of new copy.