What Is a Style Guide?

While proofreading and editing, you will often need to use a style guide. A style guide is a set of standardized guidelines for writing, formatting, and editing documents (or other types of contents). Style guides can include:

• Guidelines for grammar and punctuation usage
• Preferred spellings and word choices
• Descriptions of the desired voice and tone
• Instructions for formatting and design layout
• Expectations on adherence to (or divergence from) official style guides (e.g., APA, Chicago)

Style guides are important because they ensure consistency. If an individual or organization is producing multiple documents or pieces of content, they typically want them to be consistent and coherent.

What Is a Style Sheet?

Style sheets include much of the same information that style guides do and are also made to ensure consistency. However, they are much more concise.

Style guides can be many pages long and cover any issue that might come up when writing or editing a wide range of documents.

A style sheet is often created for a specific document or set of documents. The longer the work becomes, the more important it is that it has its own style sheet. 

A style sheet can be created by the original author, but it is often made by the first editor that works on the document to outline choices they made that need to be adhered to.

When Do I Need to Create a Style Sheet?

If a client specifies using a style guide (e.g., the AP Stylebook or CMoS), you can check it when proofreading should you come across any contentious stylistic issues. In other cases, a client may provide an in-house style sheet covering the same information.

However, if a client does not provide a style sheet, you may need to create one.

This isn’t necessary for shorter, one-off documents, as you should be able to identify stylistic preferences and inconsistencies by eye (and you can resolve any ambiguities with a comment or email). But you should create your own style sheet when:

1. Proofreading a very long document (e.g., a novel manuscript or PhD dissertation) where you may need to ensure consistency across dozens or hundreds of pages
2. Working regularly for one client who wants to ensure consistency across documents.

But what should you include in a proofreading style sheet? Let’s take a look.

What to Include in a Proofreading Style Sheet

The idea of a style sheet is to ensure consistency within a document or set of documents by noting down any stylistic preferences. And while the exact content of a style sheet will depend on the client and/or document in question, it will usually cover things such as the following.

Linguistic Preferences

• English dialect (e.g., British English, American English)
• General writing style (e.g., academic, formal, informal)
• Spelling preferences (e.g., ebook or e-book)
• Preferred terminology or vocabulary choices
• Favored abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms
• Whether to write numbers as words or numerals
• Time and date formats

Punctuation and Capitalization

• Comma usage, including whether to use the Oxford comma
• Use of hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes
• Use of ‘single’ or “double” quotation marks
• Spacing of ellipses (i.e., spaced or unspaced)
• Capitalization preferences (e.g., sentence case or title case)

Formatting and Layout Issues

• Preferred font size and typeface
• Use of bold, italics, and underlining
• Heading and subheading styles
• Indentation and line breaks
• How to begin new chapters and sections
• Page numbering style and consistency
• Use of page footers and headers
• Margins and page orientation
• Presentation of images and other non-textual elements

Not all these will be relevant to every document, so keep your style sheet streamlined by only including necessary information. Likewise, don’t worry about basic rules of grammar or punctuation (e.g., capitalizing proper nouns); focus on what makes your client’s style unique.

How to Structure a Style Sheet

When you know what your style sheet will include, break it down into sections for easy reference. Each section should have a clear heading and cover one aspect of the document’s style: one section for linguistic preferences, one for punctuation, one for formatting, etc.

This will make the style sheet easier to use for yourself, the client, and any other editors who are working on the same project (e.g., if a company hires several editors to work on different documents but needs to ensure consistency across all written content).

Specialist Style Sheets: Academic and Creative Writing

The list above covers general issues that any style sheet might include. However, there are other things that you may need to cover, especially with academic or creative writing.

For academic writing, for instance, you might also need to include:

• Information on your client’s chosen referencing style
• Technical terminology where precision is important
• Labeling and presentation of figures, tables, and charts
• How to format the title page, list of contents, appendices, etc.

For fiction or narrative non-fiction, meanwhile, you may need to cover:

• Character names and key details
• Locations, including details about geography and buildings
• Major plot points and a timeline of events
• Non-standard spellings or slang, especially in dialogue
• How to present characters’ speech and thoughts

As with any style sheet, though, the key is tailoring its content to your client’s requirements.

Template Style Sheets

If you’re not sure how to create a style sheet, have no fear! We have template style sheets available to download for: 

• Fiction
• Non-fiction
• Business writing
• Academic writing

Become a Proofreader with Knowadays

If you’d like to learn more about proofreading, try our Becoming A Proofreader course. It covers everything you need to know to start a career as a freelance proofreader! Our Becoming An Editor course can take your skills to the next level, teaching you all about copy editing, line editing, and comprehensive editing on a wide range of document types.

And if you pass both the Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor courses with scores of 80% or more, you can benefit from our work guarantee with our partner company, Proofed. Get in touch today to find out more!

The post How to Write a Style Sheet for Proofreading or Copy Editing appeared first on Knowadays.

In today’s blog post, you’ll learn:

• What active and passive voice are
• Examples of them in context
• When you should opt for passive voice
• How to change passive voice to active voice when proofreading documents

What Is Active Voice?

Active voice is a sentence construction where the subject performs the action. In active voice, the subject is the doer, and the action is directed toward an object.

This form of expression is straightforward, direct, and often more engaging for readers. As a result, writers are encouraged to use active voice.

Active Voice Examples

Sentences that use active voice follow this formula:

Subject + Verb (action) + Object.

For example:

The chef prepared a delicious meal.

The team won the championship.

Mark threw the ball.

We use active voice when we want the reader to focus on the subject and action of the sentence.

You might notice that fiction writers often use active voice in their stories. It works particularly well in character-driven narratives, where the focus is on the character’s emotions and decisions. Active voice can help writers “speed up” the narrative by making the action more direct and immediate. Similarly, because active voice places emphasis on the subject performing the action, it can help readers place themselves in or envision a scene more vividly.

What Is Passive Voice?

On the other hand, passive voice is a construction where the subject receives the action. In passive voice, the object becomes the sentence’s subject, and the doer is placed at the end or omitted.

Passive Voice Examples

Sentences that use passive voice follow this formula:

Object + A “Be” Verb (e.g., is or were) + Past Participle of Main Verb + By + Agent.

For example:

A delicious meal was prepared by the chef.

The championship was won by the team.

The ball was thrown by Mark.

When Should You Use Passive Voice?

Readers tend to favor active voice due to its direct and clear tone. However, there are times when it’s appropriate to use passive voice:

1. When you want to emphasize the action: Passive voice can be useful when the action itself is more critical than the doer. For instance, “The documents were stolen” emphasizes the theft over who committed it.
2. When there is an unknown or unimportant doer: If the doer is unknown or unimportant in a sentence, passive voice is a handy choice. For example, “Mistakes were made” doesn’t specify who made the mistakes.
3. To create object-centric focus: When you want to emphasize the object or the recipient of the action, passive voice is apt. “A new product was launched” places emphasis on the product, not the entity that launched it.

How to Change Passive Voice to Active Voice

Proofreaders often encounter passive sentences that can be improved for clarity and readability. Making such changes isn’t difficult. The key is identifying the subject performing the action and restructuring the sentence accordingly. Let’s look at some examples of passive-to-active transformations:

Passive: The presentation was given by Tom.

Active: Tom gave the presentation.

Here, we’ve shifted the focus from the passive “was given” to the active “gave.”

Passive: The report has been reviewed by the manager.

Active: The manager has reviewed the report.

In this example, we’ve restructured the sentence to highlight the manager as the doer of the action.

Passive: The project will be completed by the team next week.

Active: The team will complete the project next week.

A client might prefer using passive voice, so it’s best to verify that they are happy with your changes. You can simply do this by leaving a comment in the document.

Summary: Active vs. Passive Voice

Understanding the difference between active and passive voice is vital for effective communication. Active voice is direct and engaging, while passive voice can be useful when focusing on the action or when the doer isn’t important.

Changing from passive to active voice involves identifying the subject or doer and reordering the sentence accordingly.

By mastering both voices, you can help your clients tailor their writing to their audience and purpose as well as improve clarity and readability.

Becoming a Proofreader

Do you dream of working remotely as a freelance proofreader or editor? Our comprehensive courses, Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor, can help you launch your new freelance career. Try them for free today!

The post What’s the Difference between Active and Passive Voice? appeared first on Knowadays.

• What sic means
• How and when to use it
• The alternatives to using sic
• How to proofread documents with quotations

Read on to learn more about using sic in quotations.

What Does Sic Mean?

Sic is short for the Latin phrase sic erat scriptum, which means thus it was written. As this suggests, people use sic to show that a quote has been reproduced exactly from the source – including any spelling and grammatical errors and non-standard spellings.

How and When to Use Sic (with Examples)

There are several ways that you can use sic in a quotation:

1. To show that you’ve copied an error in a quotation from the original text (rather than introducing it accidentally). 

This is the most commonly used version of sic. You simply put sic in square brackets after the word that is misspelled. For instance: 

They started there [sic] company in 1992.

Here, we have added sic in square brackets to show that we know there is incorrect. If we didn’t do this, a reader might think we’ve misquoted the source and introduced an error.

1. For archaic or dialect spellings that could be interpreted as errors.

UK and US English spell certain words differently, so you can use sic to indicate this. For example: 

The best flavour [sic] of ice cream is chocolate.

If you’re using an older text, some of the words may have older versions of spellings, and you can use sic to indicate this. For instance: 

Shakesper [sic] is the greatest playwright of all time.

1. To show irony or poke fun at the original writer.

Although this is less common, some writers use sic to indicate irony in a text or tease the original writer. This use is similar to using scare quotes. For example: 

The Titanic is unsinkable [sic].

Alternatives to Using Sic

Writers commonly use sic to show that they have reproduced the text as it was written in the original document. But sic isn’t the only way to do this. In fact, there are three other ways:

1. Paraphrase

Paraphrasing means to write the information in your own words. This means that you would remove the need for the word sic in your writing. Just be sure to properly reference the original text to avoid plagiarism. 

1. Replace

You can just replace the incorrectly written word with the correct spelling in square brackets:

Go over [there].

This is cleaner but not always appropriate. For instance, if you’re writing about how spelling has changed over time, it would be more appropriate to show the incorrect spelling and use sic.

1. Recte

Recte means rightly in Latin and can replace sic. Recte is usually used with the correctly spelled word: 

Go over their [recte there].

Proofreading Documents with Quotation

As a proofreader, you will not need to add sic to a quotation if you spot an error. After all, unless you have the quoted source to hand, you won’t know whether the error was in the original version. But you may need to:

• Make corrections or leave a comment if you see sic being misused.
• Suggest alternative ways to address errors in quotations.

This last point is key, as sic is most useful when an author needs to preserve an error in quoted text (e.g. if they’re analysing typos in a body of writing).

In other cases, it would be simpler for the author to correct the error. This may involve marking the correction with square brackets to indicate the change:

They started [their] company in 1992.

However, different style guides have different rules for how to treat typos in quotations, so you may also want to check your client’s chosen style guide on this matter.

Style Guides on Sic

As mentioned above, different style guides have different rules on how to approach errors in quotations. And this includes how they use the word sic. To help you out, then, we’ve compiled a list of what a few major style guides say:

• The AMA style guide suggests using sic in square brackets to indicate a spelling or grammar error in a quotation, but not typically for archaic or obsolete spellings.
• APA style involves using sic (italicised and in square brackets) to indicate a typo in a quotation, but it does not use it for archaic or regional spellings.
• The Associated Press Stylebook suggests paraphrasing text that contains spelling or grammar errors rather than quoting it exactly.
• The Chicago Manual of Style says to use sic (italicised and in square brackets) to draw attention to an error in a quotation. However, unless it is important to preserve the error, it is better to simply correct minor errors in quoted text.
• MLA style suggests using sic (italicised and in square brackets) to highlight spelling or grammar errors in quoted text.

For more information on how to proofread documents that contain quotations, see our Becoming A Proofreader course (in particular the academic proofreading module).

Becoming A Proofreader

Want to be able to proofread any business, creative, or academic document to a professional standard? Our comprehensive Becoming A Proofreader course will take you from complete beginner to confident, trained professional. Sign up for a free trial today.

The post How and When to Use Sic in a Quotation appeared first on Knowadays.

In this blog post, we’ll explain:

• The way editing and proofreading fit into the document publication process
• The different types of editing and what an editor does
• The different types of proofreading and what a proofreader does

Read on to learn more.

The Stages of the Publication Process

Editing and proofreading are both ways to polish a piece of writing. However, they serve different functions and occur at different stages of the document publication process.

You can think of the document publication process as a timeline:

Developmental editing ➜ Line/stylistic editing ➜ Copy editing ➜ Proofreading

As you can see, several rounds of editing may take place before someone proofreads a document.

What Is Editing?

Editing is a very broad term that can cover everything from rewriting and restructuring a text to tweaking the phrasing of individual sentences. There are, therefore, many types of editing. And while the terminology can vary (meaning it’s important to check exactly what level of editing a client requires), we can divide editing roughly into four main categories:

• Developmental editing, where an editor helps an author to plan and draft a document
• Comprehensive editing, which involves making substantive changes to a document, potentially including to its structure, content, tone, and style
• Line editing, which refers to revising a document at a line-by-line level to improve the flow and quality of the writing (e.g., rewriting sentences for clarity and impact but leaving the overall structure, style, and content unchanged)
• Copy editing, which traditionally refers to editing a document to apply a mechanical style

A document may go through multiple rounds of editing from the first draft through the finished product, with each step seeking to refine the writing and address any outstanding problems, especially for longer or complex works (e.g., a novel or a nonfiction book).

What Does an Editor Do?

Generally, an editor will be expected to:

• Ensure that a document’s overall structure makes sense and flows well
• Check that the content and word choice are appropriate for the intended audience
• Edit wording and sentence structure to improve clarity
• Work closely with the author to make substantial changes to the text

Keep in mind that there are also tasks specific to the type of document you work on. If you’re editing a novel, for example, the author may expect you to fix continuity issues.

What Is Proofreading?

Proofreading usually takes place after all the other stages of editing have been completed and, traditionally, once a manuscript designed for print has been typeset. In these cases, it’s simply checking for issues missed during editing and for errors introduced during the typesetting process.

There is often more of an overlap between proofreading and copy editing in a modern context, especially outside of the publishing world. For example, if a client asks you to proofread a letter or an essay, they will likely want you to work directly on the document in a word processor, correcting any typos you spot and making other small changes to refine the writing.

However, as we’ve discussed in a previous post, proofreading and copy editing are still distinct tasks. As such, you should always check the type and level of changes your client requires before you start editing or proofreading a document.

What Does a Proofreader Do?

A proofreader will usually focus on:

• Correcting typos, grammatical mistakes, and incorrect punctuation
• Making sure spelling, capitalization, and typeface are consistent
• Checking that the document follows the relevant style guide

As with editing, tasks will be specific to the type of document you work on. For example, if you’re proofreading an academic essay, you should pay attention to how your client presents their citations and references.

Summary: Differences Between Proofreading and Editing

Providing the Right Service for Your Clients

It’s common for freelance proofreaders to offer editing services also. Keep in mind, though, that clients may be unaware of the difference between proofreading and editing.

Before agreeing to work on a document, then, you should make sure your client understands what service they’re requesting. Find out whether the document has been edited before and to what level. You can also ask to see a sample of the writing to get an impression of the level of edits the client needs and advise them accordingly.

If you have a website, direct the client to your service descriptions. And finally, remember to agree on a brief and quote an appropriate rate!

We don’t recommend proofreading a document you’ve already edited because doing this can make spotting mistakes harder, especially in long documents that you may work on for prolonged periods. If a client asks you to proofread and edit the same text, it may be best to say that you’re happy to do one and then recommend another freelancer for the other task.

Becoming A Proofreader and/or Editor

If you want to learn more about proofreading and editing, check out our comprehensive courses: Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor. They’ll teach you all the skills essential to success as a professional proofreader and/or editor.

You can also buy both courses as a bundle and save 15%!

Sign up for a free trial and try them out today.

The post What Is the Difference Between Proofreading and Editing? appeared first on Knowadays.

In this post, you’ll learn:

• The definition of dialogue tags
• How to use them effectively
• When to use “said,” and when not to
• Ten other creative ways to say “said”

What Is a Dialogue Tag?

Before we dive into alternative dialogue tags, let’s first clarify what a dialogue tag is.

In writing, a dialogue tag is a word or phrase used to attribute speech to a specific character. It provides context to the reader, an indication of who is speaking and how they are saying it. Common dialogue tag examples include “said,” “asked,” and “replied.”

The dialogue tag can come before, between, or after the character’s direct speech. For example:

Marc said, “I’m always here for you.”

“I’m sorry,” said William, “but I can’t come tonight.”

“I’m going to the store to buy some milk,” Hailey said.

Notice that if we use “said” before direct speech, we must add a comma after said.

If a dialogue tag is used in the middle of the dialogue, we add a comma before the tag (inside the closing quotation mark) and after the tag (outside of the opening quotation mark).

When the dialogue tag is at the end of the sentence, the punctuation goes inside the closing quotation mark.

If it’s at the start of the sentence, we capitalize the first letter.

How to Use Dialogue Tags

“Said” is the go-to dialogue tag for most situations. It’s simple, unobtrusive, and serves its purpose well. It’s so common, most people don’t even notice it’s there! However, there are times when using alternative tags can enhance a piece of dialogue.

When selecting dialogue tags, first consider how the characters would say what they’re saying. What’s the context of the scene? What emotional state are they in? Most aspiring authors know the “show, don’t tell” technique in fiction writing. They must paint a picture for the reader when describing a scene. However, they often overlook the powerful impact that dialogue tags can have. Using dialogue tags effectively can make a piece of writing more engaging and immersive.

Here are some tips on how to use them:

1. Be subtle: While attributing dialogue is essential, avoid overusing dialogue tags, especially if two characters are speaking to each other. Here’s an example of overusing dialogue tags:

“Where are you going?” Ashley asked her sister, Melissa.

“I’m going on a date,” said Melissa.

“Who are you going with?” asked Ashley.

“Just a guy,” said Melissa. ✘

Sometimes, if you’re confident the reader will be able to keep track of who’s speaking, dialogue tags can be omitted:

“Where are you going?” Ashley asked her sister, Melissa.

“I’m going on a date,” said Melissa.

“With who?”

“Just a guy.” ✔

2. Show, don’t tell: Alternatively, you could use descriptive action or character behavior to imply who is speaking, and how they’re speaking, rather than explicitly stating it. Action beats can be used in the place of dialogue tags. They set the scene but allow the reader to imagine how the speech is delivered. For example:

“I hate spinach!” She said grumpily. ✘

 “I hate spinach!” She knitted her brows and folded her arms. ✔

You can also provide the gist of what the character said in the form of indirect dialogue. This is a way of informing the reader that a conversation took place between two characters, without all the details of how it went down.

3. Match the tone: Choose dialogue tags that reflect the character’s emotions and the scene’s mood. If a character’s emotions are running high, consider using a more expressive tag.

Dad said, “I told you to clean your room!” ✘

Dad shouted, “I told you to clean your room!” ✔

4. Consider character personality: Tailor your dialogue tags to fit the character’s personality. A character with a penchant for humor might “joke” or “tease,” while a reserved character might “murmur” or “whisper.”

Ten Other Ways to Say “Said”

Drum roll, please! The moment you’ve been waiting for! Let’s get creative with ten alternative ways to say “said”:

1. Bellowed: to utter in a loud, deep voice when angry.
2. Chimed in: suggesting enthusiastic participation.
3. Concurred: when agreeing with someone.
4. Exclaimed: used for moments of excitement or surprise.
5. Grumbled: to murmur or mutter in discontent; a character that complains sullenly.
6. Muttered: when speaking quietly or indistinctly.
7. Proclaimed: for bold, confident statements.
8. Quipped: great for humorous remarks.
9. Threatened: ideal for intimidating or instilling fear in a character.
10. Ventured: indicating a cautious or hesitant statement.

These are just some of the options – there are many creative ways to say “said”.

Remember, the key to using alternative tags effectively is context. Choose the one that best suits the situation, character, and tone of the writing.

Dialogue tags are more than just functional elements; they’re tools to infuse life into characters and conversations. While “said” is a dependable choice, exploring alternative tags can elevate a piece of writing, making it more engaging and dynamic. Use them wisely to create memorable dialogues that resonate with readers.

Keep our list of alternative tags in mind as you proofread and edit manuscripts that might be inundated with “said” tags.

Becoming a Proofreader or Editor

Do you dream of working remotely as a freelance proofreader or editor? Our comprehensive courses, Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor, can help you launch your new freelance career. Try them for free today!

The post Dialogue Tags: 10 Other Ways to Say “Said” appeared first on Knowadays.

Having a good title is not enough to keep the reader in your grip. You must also have an engaging opening. As a freelance editor, you may work with journalists and journalistic organizations, so you need to understand how a lede comes into play. Today’s post will explain:

• What a lede is
• The different types of ledes
• How to best edit a lede to make it effective

What Is a Lede in Journalism?

According to Garner’s Modern English Usage, a lede may be one of two things: the opening paragraph of an article or, less commonly, the top news story in an edition.

In this post, we’ll talk about a lede as an introductory section of a news story, designed to entice the reader to read the rest of the article.

Lead or Lede?

Have you ever wondered why there are two spellings, lead and lede? Then keep reading!

In the 1970s, when the printing industry was still using linotype machines, differentiating between the lead paragraph in a news story and the thin strip of metal that separated lines of type was difficult. Thus, the term lede was coined to make the distinction clearer.

Types of Ledes in Journalism

The type of lede you choose depends on your topic and audience. Below, we take a quick look at each type:

1. The summary lede
2. The feature lede
3. The question lede
4. The quote lede

1. The Summary Lede

As the name suggests, this lede wastes no time handing the reader all the essential information in the first sentence. Journalists tend to employ this type of lede in hard news stories, such as reports about events of local or international significance.

Articles with a summary lede tend to follow an inverted pyramid structure. The author gives the most important information in the opening of the article. The finer details follow in the main section. Toward the end of the piece, the story tapers to less important background information. Here’s a summary lede:

A tornado early Tuesday morning destroyed multiple homes around Second Street and left many more without power.

2. The Feature Lede

If the lede only hints at the article’s narrative or message, it’s most likely a feature (or anecdotal) lede.

This type of lede spends some time setting the scene and appealing to the emotions of the reader before delivering the main point. Most examples of this kind of lede are from creative journalism or soft news:

It seemed like a regular Tuesday, but no one could have expected what was going to happen in the early hours of the morning.

3. The Question Lede

Sometimes, the author opens their article with a question, which they then answer in the main body of the article.

This approach is arguably tricky to pull off. The lede should be clear yet ambiguous enough to stir your reader’s mind. But more often than not, this type of lede is confusing. In fact, some recommend steering clear of this format completely! Here’s an instance:

Monday night seemed like a regular night, but where were you in the early hours of the morning when disaster struck?

4. The Quote Lede

A quote lede uses a dramatic quotation to launch a story. This technique adds an element of interest that may reach out to the reader.

The quote can be paraphrased or verbatim. The right quotation can lend authority to the article or add an element of humor, drama, or surprise:

“It was the worst disaster we have seen in years,” said the mayor in an interview after Tuesday’s tornado.

Refining a Lede

As an editor, you may need to help your client refine the tone, content, or structure of their ledes. A number of things are worth keeping in mind when you want to write an effective lede:

1. Use the five W’s and one H.
2. Keep it short and simple.
3. Use the active voice.
4. Avoid cliches, puns, and jargon.
5. Consider the context.

1. The Five W’s and One H

This is a well-known framework journalists use to ensure that a story is complete. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What happened?
• Why did it happen?
• Who made it happen?
• When did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• How did it happen?

If you’re working on a summary lede in particular, you should check that it answers all of these questions.

2. Keep It Short and Simple

Don’t assume the reader has a long attention span. Respect the time they’ve given by keeping the lede (no matter which type) short, concise, and coherent.

Avoid unnecessary details and provide only what the reader needs to understand the story.

If your reader is rereading the lede to make sense of it, this could indicate bad writing.

3. Use the Active Voice

A good lede will draw readers into the story by using something they can relate to. Creating a sense of urgency or invoking curiosity will inspire them to read the whole article.

Try to give the lede some personality. For example, you can address your reader directly in the second person and use the active voice to make people feel a connection to the story.

4. Avoid Cliches, Puns, and Jargon

Even if the story is meant to be humorous, you want the reader to be entertained, not annoyed or bored. If your writing is unskilled and your language seems insulting, the reader may move on to something else.

Therefore, it’s good practice to avoid clichés, puns, and jargon – they could strike the wrong chord and put off your reader.

5. Consider the Context

If the reader is already familiar with the topic about which you’re writing, it’s best to get to the point as soon as possible. This is what using a strong lede can do.

Write a lede that enlightens the reader about the topic you’re discussing and adds useful information that will inspire interest in learning more.

Becoming An Editor

If you’re interested in learning how to edit different types of writing, consider checking out our Becoming An Editor course. It offers guidance on editing business, academic, and creative writing, as well as teaching you how to carry out line, developmental, and comprehensive editing.

Still on the fence? Claim your free trial today to get a feel for the course!

The post What Is a Lede in Journalism? appeared first on Knowadays.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at:

• What makes a source credible
• What the three types of sources are
• Why it’s important to use credible sources
• How to identify a credible source
• What to do if you spot unreliable sources in your client’s writing

What Is a Credible Source?

While the specific definition of credibility can differ between institutions and subjects, generally speaking, a credible source is presented objectively, backed up by evidence, and written by a reputable author or authors.

Types of Sources

Many types of sources exist, and they generally fall into three categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Why Is It Important to Use Credible Sources?

It’s important to use credible sources because authors should strive to provide the reader with the best information possible to support their ideas.

If someone is reading an article and finds an erroneous piece of information or data, they may not bother to continue reading. As a result, the whole piece of work – and the author – may be discredited.

The Role of the Editor

As an editor, your job is to revise a document to ensure clarity, concision, and a proper academic tone.

While you may want to note issues with source reliability for academic clients, be careful about providing feedback on student work! Offering substantive advice on the content of work intended for assessment will often be considered academic plagiarism.

You should, therefore, check whether your client’s writing is subject to plagiarism guidelines. For student work, you can flag a source as unreliable. But you wouldn’t usually suggest an alternate source to use in its place because by doing so, you may be stepping over the line into plagiarism.

How to Tell Whether a Source Is Credible

To check whether a source your client has cited is credible, you should ask yourself a number of questions:

• Who is the author? Ideally, the author should be an authority on the subject area. That is, they should possess a related qualification or be known well within their professional field. And they will usually have a history of publishing similar work. If you can’t find relevant information about the author, view the source with skepticism.
• Who is the intended audience? Academics or specialists in a given field will usually be the intended audience of a credible source. Sources aimed at a general audience may be fine, especially if they’re clearly cited, but a more suitable scholarly or industry source will usually be available.
• Where is it from? The best sources are usually from scholarly publications. Academic journals, for instance, are peer-reviewed, meaning experts in the field have approved the articles within. By comparison, an article on a blog or a Wikipedia page may have been reviewed less rigorously. And articles on news sites or in newspapers may depend on how trustworthy the individual publication is.
• When was it published? For certain topics, recent sources are usually better. In the sciences, for example, it’s better to focus on the most recent research available because this is likely to be up-to-date.
• Does it provide supporting documentation? A reliable source will provide evidence to back up its claims. This documentation may consist of data in tables, graphs, or illustrations, especially for scientific research.
• Does it cite its own sources? Reliable scholarly writing should cite its own sources. Does the article or book your client is using include a reference list, bibliography, or citations? If not, it may not be a suitable source for academic writing.
• Is it free from bias? A source may be biased if the author, the publication, or other involved parties stand to benefit from the conclusions it draws. For example, if a company that manufactures plastic issues a report on the impact of plastic waste on the environment, the piece may not be reliable because the company has a vested interest in the results.

These guidelines are context-dependent, so what determines the credibility of a source can vary depending on the subject. Often, a credible source is just one that experts in that field would agree is valid. In an essay about Charles Dickens, for example, his works will be primary sources. And the reliability of Great Expectations as a source in this scenario is not undermined by the work’s lack of citations or its 1861 publication date.

You can use a number of frameworks to critically evaluate a source. The CRAAP test is a popular method.

However, when an author is citing a source not to discuss it directly but to back up a claim they’re making (e.g., citing a scientific paper to provide background for an experiment), then reliability is pertinent. And if a source doesn’t fit the criteria outlined above, it may not be reliable enough to cite in an academic paper. Should this situation arise, you’ll need to flag the issue with your client.

How to Know Whether an Online Source Is Credible

Online sources are now common in academic writing, but they often lack clear publication dates and authors, and they may be subject to less rigorous review than print sources. This situation can make it hard to determine whether your client has cited a credible web source.

While you won’t always be able to tell whether an online source is credible just by looking at its URL, the following domain extensions can give you some idea of how trustworthy a web source is:

• .edu (academic institutions) – University and college websites are generally geared toward a scholarly audience. However, you should check that content is authoritative, up to date, and unbiased.
• .org (charity or not-for-profit organizations) – Many of these sites will be informative, but they may be biased toward a certain agenda.
• .gov/.gov.uk/etc. (government-run sites or resources) – While government sites are usually reliable and authoritative, they may be influenced by political bias.
• .com/.co.uk/etc. (commercial sites, usually owned by a company) – Commercial sites can provide useful information, but they are not usually scholarly sources, so they should be used carefully. Keep in mind that many will have an explicit marketing or promotional purpose.

Wikipedia is not the most reliable source. The problem is that anyone can add to or edit the information there, so the data could be flawed or even completely incorrect.

You can use Wikipedia to get an overview or simplification of a topic. Information on a given topic can also include links to primary and/or secondary sources, which you can find at the bottom of the page. It’s possible to use Wikipedia, with caution, as a tertiary source.

Becoming An Editor

If you’d like to learn more about academic editing and proofreading, try Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor. As a graduate of both, you’ll be able to spot common errors, clarify arguments, and edit for tone and readability. Plus, buy both courses together and you can save 15%!

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1. Define what irony is
2. Outline the three key types (dramatic, verbal, and situational)
3. Explain how to deal with it as a proofreader and editor

Keep reading to learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about irony!

What Is Irony?

Irony is a linguistic and literary device that, according to Merriam Webster, involves “the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning.” Something is ironic if it highlights a difference between how something is perceived and how it actually is in reality.

Writers can use irony to create tension, add humor, or place emphasis on a particular plot point, theme, or character trait.

However, irony is often misused and misunderstood. Many things that people claim are ironic are not. Irony should not be confused with coincidence, surprise, paradox, or unfortunate circumstances. While irony can make use of satire or sarcasm, they are not the same thing.

Perhaps a few examples might help:

You wash your car, and then a bird poops on it.

This is not ironic; this would be unfortunate circumstances or bad luck.

Two sports players from the same hometown go on to play on different teams in different cities but receive the same uniform number.

This is also not ironic; this is just a coincidence.

You can save yourself money by spending it.

This could be considered a paradox, but it is not ironic.

What Are the Three Types of Irony?

There are three main forms of irony:

• Dramatic (or tragic)
• Verbal
• Situational (or the “irony of events”)

Each of these three types uses the concept of irony in a slightly different way and is suited for different purposes.

What Is Dramatic Irony?

Dramatic irony, as the name suggests, is often found in books, movies, and theater. It is a literary device where the audience (or reader) knows something that the characters of a story do not. Those characters will often make ill-advised decisions because they lack information that the audience has.

This type of irony is great at building tension and anticipation.

In the story of Oedipus, it is foretold that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his mother. He decides to flee from his family to prevent that from happening. What he doesn’t know is that he was adopted. By running away from his adoptive parents, he reaches the land where his real parents live, where he will marry a woman and kill a man, not knowing they are his true parents.

In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo takes poison to kill himself because he believes his lover Juliet is dead. But everyone in the audience knows this is not true. Juliet has simply taken a drug to make her fall asleep and appear dead so that she can escape with Romeo. Juliet wakes up just before Romeo dies from the poison he has ingested and realizes his mistake.

What Is Verbal Irony?

Verbal irony is when the literal meaning of a statement or phrase directly conflicts with its intended meaning. Verbal irony can use sarcasm, but it is important to note that not all verbal irony is sarcastic, and not all forms of sarcasm are ironic.

Your stunned silence is very reassuring.

Some animals are more equal than others.

My favorite part of the date was when he insulted the waiter and asked me to pay for both meals.

What Is Situational Irony?

Situational irony occurs when the reality of what happens does not match up to the expected outcome. This can ensure that the plot stays interesting and unpredictable.

Unlike dramatic irony, with situational irony, the audience (or reader) finds out something has not gone as planned at the same time as the characters.

In the movie The Sixth Sense, a psychologist is sent to help a young boy who can see dead people. It isn’t until the end of the movie that the characters and the audience realize the psychologist was a ghost the whole time.

In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the characters all feel like they are lacking certain traits (courage, love, etc.), and they set out to make themselves whole. By the end of the story, everyone realizes those traits were inside themselves all along.

Your Role as a Proofreader or Editor

As a proofreader or editor, it is important to familiarize yourself with how the three types of irony work so you can advise your client if they have made a mistake.

If you find that your client has misused irony or incorrectly called something ironic, you can leave a comment in their document or send them a polite email.

When the problem is easy to remedy, you can outline how to correct it in your comment. If it will require more substantial changes, you could point your client in the direction of educational resources on irony. Perhaps all they need to do is read this blog post!

Becoming a Proofreader and Editor

If the proper use of irony and other literary devices is something that you find interesting, you should consider becoming a freelance proofreader or editor.

Our Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor courses can help you take the first step.

You can even sign up for our free trial right now.

The post What Are the 3 Types of Irony? appeared first on Knowadays.

Whether you’re working on a creative writing project or a professional resume, you should always choose a font that enhances readability and visual appeal while keeping the focus on your content. In this post, we’ll discuss how to choose a font for your (or your client’s) document, including:

1. What are the different types of fonts?
2. What’s the difference between a typeface and a font?
3. What is a serif font?
4. What is a sans-serif font?
5. How to choose a font for your document.

Keep reading to learn more.

What Are the Different Types of Fonts?

Part of why choosing a font is so difficult is because there are thousands of different fonts and typefaces available: script, decorative, display, monospaced, etc. They each have their own unique characteristics, and your ideal font largely depends on your document and target audience. Here, we’ll be focusing on two popular font styles: serif and sans serif.

What’s the Difference Between a Typeface and a Font?

The terms typeface and font are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings within the field of typography. A typeface refers to a set of stylistically related characters with consistent design attributes. It encompasses the overall visual appearance (such as shape and style) of a collection of letters, numbers, or other characters. Arial, Times New Roman, and Helvetica are all examples of different typefaces.

A font, however, refers to a variation of a typeface. It represents a specific style, weight, and size within a typeface family. Fonts are digital files that contain the information necessary to display a particular typeface on a computer screen or in print. For instance, Arial Regular, Arial Bold, and Arial Italic are all different font styles within the Arial typeface family.

What Is a Serif Font?

A serif is a typeface that features small lines or strokes at the end of a larger stroke in a character. These strokes can be thick or thin and contain several decorative variations and flourishes. Serif fonts are known for their legibility and traditional appearance, making them ideal for print materials such as books and newspapers.

Serif fonts have a long history and many believe they originated from the classical Latin alphabet and were initially designed to mimic the brush or chisel strokes used in stone carving.

As writing systems evolved and manuscripts were produced, various styles of serifs emerged. In fact, the first printed books in the 15th century used serif typefaces that imitated the handwriting of the time.

Some examples of widely used serif fonts include Times New Roman, Baskerville, Didot, Bookman Old Style, Garamond, and Georgia:

What Is a Sans-Serif Font?

A sans serif is a typeface that doesn’t have small lines (serifs) at the end of the strokes. The term sans is derived from the French word for without. Sans-serif fonts have a more clean, crisp, minimalist design than serif fonts. Due to their contemporary appearance, they’re ideal for digital content, such as websites and mobile apps, as they are generally more appropriate for short passages of text and user interfaces.

Some examples of sans-serif fonts are Arial, Lato, Helvetica, Roboto, and Montserrat:

How to Choose a Font for Your Document

Here are three factors to consider when choosing a font for your document:

1. The purpose of the document
2. The target audience
3. Consistent implementation

1. The Purpose of the Document

Different fonts convey different tones and levels of formality, so it’s important to consider the purpose of the document when choosing a font. If you’re working on a document for a client and are unsure of their font preferences, check the brief or style guidelines. Some companies or brands may have established industry standards.

2. The Target Audience

Consider the target audience of the text when selecting a font, as different age groups and demographics have varying levels of reading ability and visual acuity. For example, if you’re writing a children’s book, you should choose a font that’s simple and easy to follow rather than fancy and complex. And if your target audience is seniors, avoid stylized, decorative fonts and stick to clear, readable ones like Times New Roman or Arial.

3. Consistent Implementation

No matter what font you choose, it’s important to apply it consistently throughout the text. When multiple fonts are used haphazardly, it can create a chaotic or disjointed look and appear unprofessional. The focus of your text should be your content, and inconsistent formatting distracts from your overall message.

Knowadays Courses

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In this post, we’ll review the essentials of recording macros and provide you with an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process. We’ll cover:

1. What is a macro?
2. When would you use macros?
3. How do you record macros?
4. How you can learn more about Microsoft Word’s tools and features.

Keep reading to dive right in!

What Is a Macro?

A macro is a recorded sequence of actions or commands that can be used to automate repetitive tasks. To do this, you record a series of steps and then replay them when needed.

Macros can be used to perform various tasks within a document, such as formatting text, applying styles, and inserting content.

When Would You Use Macros?

Since macros automate frequently used functions, they can significantly increase productivity and save time with the click of a button! You might use them to:

1. Standardize Document Formatting

Macros can help ensure consistent formatting throughout your documents. You can record a macro that applies a predefined set of formatting styles, headers, footers, etc. to ensure consistency across multiple documents.

2. Integrate With Other Applications

Macros can facilitate integration between Microsoft Word and other applications. For example, you could create macros that interact with data from Excel spreadsheets, pull information from databases, or generate reports by combining data from different sources.

3. Perform Complex or Repetitive Calculations

Macros can help automate complex calculations within your Word documents. You can record macros that perform calculations, manipulate data, or generate reports based on the document content.

4. Automate Repetitive Tasks

Macros can save you time and effort by automating repetitive tasks. For example, if you frequently apply a specific formatting style with lots of steps or repeatedly insert the same content, you could record a macro to perform those actions with just one click.

How Do You Record Macros in Microsoft Word?

Follow these steps to record a macro in Word:

1. Ensure that the Developer tab is visible in the ribbon. If it’s not, you can enable it by going to the Word Options dialog box, selecting Customize Ribbon in the left-hand navigation pane, and checking the box next to Developer in the Main Tabs section.
2. Once it’s visible, click on the Developer tab. This contains various tools and features for creating and managing macros.
3. In the Developer tab, click on the Record Macro button. This will open the Record Macro dialog box.
4. In the Record Macro dialog box, you can name your macro in the Macro name field. Make sure to use a descriptive name that reflects the purpose of the macro.
5. If you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to the macro, you can do this by clicking on the Keyboard button and selecting the desired key combination.
6. Choose where you want to store the macro. To store it in the document you’re working on, select This Document (normal.dotm). To make the macro available for any document, select All Documents (normal.dotm). You have the option to add a description for the macro in the Description field.
7. Click OK to start recording.
8. Perform the actions you want to record. These can include typing, formatting text, inserting content, applying styles, and any other actions you want to automate.
9. When you finish recording, click Stop Recording in the Developer tab, or go back to the Record Macro dialog box and click Stop Recording.

Knowadays Courses

Are you interested in learning more about how to format in Microsoft Word? Formatting is a great skill to have in your repertoire as a freelancer – and offering it as an additional service can help you attract new clients.

Our formatting course features over 30 lessons that will teach you how to format documents professionally. Learn about key formatting tools and functions in Microsoft Word, and how to build an effective formatting workflow. Check it out today!

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