Read the editorial overview first
Before accepting individual changes, read the accompanying note or editorial letter. It explains recurring issues and the reasons behind larger decisions. This gives context to changes that might otherwise appear arbitrary.
Save an untouched copy of the returned file. Create a separate working copy for your review, and make sure your software is showing insertions, deletions, and comments. Hiding markup does not remove it from the file.
Review for meaning, not only preference
Read a changed sentence in its paragraph. Ask whether the revision preserves the intended meaning, uses the right level of certainty, and fits the voice of the document. A shorter sentence is not automatically a better sentence if it removes an important distinction.
Pay particular attention to technical terms, quantities, dates, qualifications, and words such as ‘may’, ‘must’, and ‘should’. Small changes can affect the strength of a claim. If a correction seems to change the facts, explain the intended meaning before choosing the final wording.
Answer queries explicitly
An editorial query usually marks something that cannot safely be decided from context. Answer it directly. If the query asks which date is correct, provide the correct date rather than replying only that the paragraph looks fine.
Group related questions when a single decision affects the whole document. If you change a preferred term, check headings, captions, tables, and other occurrences. Record the decision in the style sheet so later revisions do not reintroduce inconsistency.
Check what your own revisions introduce
New writing deserves another read. An edit made while answering a query can create a repeated word, a missing reference, or a grammatical mismatch in the next sentence. Read revised passages without markup after reviewing the changes.
Before publication, remove resolved comments from the release copy and confirm that the file contains only the intended final text. If the document has moved into a designed layout, check the proof separately. Text flow, headings, page references, and captions can change during production.
Keep the reviewed manuscript, final release file, and style decisions together. They provide a useful starting point when the document needs an update, and help future collaborators understand choices that would otherwise have to be reconstructed.
More Margin Notes