1. Comprehensive Editing

2. Purpose Improve writing and design
Improve a text’s readability and comprehensibility
Achieve improved outcomes of a document’s use

3. Process
Analyze Context
Purpose
Readers
Uses

4. Process Evaluate Document Content Organization Style
Illustrations/figures
Accessibility/Usability
Reuse/repurposing

5. Process Establish Editing objectives (goals)
What is the goal?
What is the scope
What is your role
Review plans with writer/others
Complete editing
Copy edit (again)
Evaluate Outcome (goals)
Review with others

6. Style Write (persona and tone) Reader (expectations and comprehension)
No set guidelines
Common sense
Meaning
Reader expectation
Reader experience

7. Style Considerations Vocabulary Sentence length and structure
Locate the main idea—put in the structural core
Locate subordinate ideas in subordinate clauses
Make parallel items parallel in structure

8. Style Considerations Sentence arrangement Sentence length and energy
Place Subject and Verb near the beginning of sentence
Connect sentences and ideas—”end focus” and “cohesion” (p. 258)
Sentence length and energy
Avoid monotony, create interest
Increase comprehensibility, reduce cognitive load

9. Style Considerations Use “active” sentences when appropriate
People as agents
Active, strong verbs
Use positive constructions
Make sure necessary negatives are clear
Use fair, unbiased language

10. Content Organization Follow existing document structures
Elaborated (rules)
Custom (reader expectations)
Anticipate reader needs and questions
Arrange from general to specific, familiar to new (given-new structure)
Match structure to meaning (time, space, etc.)

11. Content Organization Group related material
Use parallel structure (sections, chapters)
In the text
In headings
In arrangement
In tables, illustrations