Sample Manuscript Edit

Since the manuscripts I’ve edited for clients are not mine to share publicly, I am sharing an excerpt of the editing project I submitted to fulfill the capstone requirement for completing my copyediting certificate program (UCSD Extension). My professor remarked that while she usually recommends students remove large chunks of the text in this portion of the manuscript, my revisions and restructuring were very creative and worked nicely to honor the author’s voice and intent while preserving the maximum amount of original content.

This sample also includes a corresponding excerpt of the endnotes and the chart included in the manuscript so as to provide a broader range of sampling to aid you in your considerations. Track changes in the edited version of the manuscript are hidden for ease of reading and comparison of original and edited versions. However, I have left queries/comments visible to provide a taste of what kinds of issues might be flagged for attention. My natural tendency/editorial style is to err on the side of caution and thorough communication so that you have the maximum understanding of why I’m calling something to your attention, which will hopefully be helpful as you address suggested revisions and continue to develop your manuscript toward completion.

This manuscript was edited in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition.