CPP Academic & Scientific Proofreading 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In academic writing, 'sic' in brackets within a quotation indicates that:
- The text has been paraphrased
- An error or unusual usage exists in the original source (Correct answer)
- The author disagrees with the quoted material
- A word has been omitted from the quote
Correct answer: An error or unusual usage exists in the original source
[sic] signals to readers that an apparent error or unusual spelling was in the original source and has been reproduced faithfully.
Question 2: Which formatting issue should a proofreader flag in a thesis that uses 'analyze' in the main text but 'analyse' in quoted British sources?
- Both spellings are errors and must be corrected to one form
- The British spelling inside direct quotations should be preserved as-is (Correct answer)
- The British spelling should be standardized to American throughout
- The quotations should be paraphrased to avoid the inconsistency
Correct answer: The British spelling inside direct quotations should be preserved as-is
Direct quotations must preserve the original spelling; only text written by the author should be standardized to the chosen style.
Question 3: A manuscript states: 'As shown in Table 2, results were significant (see Table 3).' The proofreader finds no Table 3. This is best classified as:
- A typographical error
- A cross-reference error (Correct answer)
- A citation error
- A formatting error
Correct answer: A cross-reference error
A missing or incorrect table or figure reference is a cross-reference error, which proofreaders must verify by checking all internal references.
Question 4: In a reference list formatted in APA 7th edition, how should a DOI be presented?
- doi: 10.1000/xyz123
- DOI: 10.1000/xyz123
- https://doi.org/10.1000/xyz123 (Correct answer)
- www.doi.org/10.1000/xyz123
Correct answer: https://doi.org/10.1000/xyz123
APA 7th edition requires DOIs to be formatted as hyperlinks: https://doi.org/xxxxx.
Question 5: When proofreading scientific notation, which expression is correctly formatted?
- 6.02 x 10^23
- 6.02 × 10²³ (Correct answer)
- 6.02X1023
- 6.02 * 10(23)
Correct answer: 6.02 × 10²³
Scientific notation uses the multiplication sign (×), not the letter x, and superscripts for exponents.
Question 6: In academic proofreading, what is the purpose of checking 'widow and orphan' lines?
- To verify that all authors are credited
- To ensure no single lines of a paragraph are isolated at the top or bottom of a page (Correct answer)
- To check that citations match the reference list
- To confirm headings are consistently formatted
Correct answer: To ensure no single lines of a paragraph are isolated at the top or bottom of a page
Widows (last line of a paragraph alone at top of a page) and orphans (first line alone at bottom) are typographic issues that affect readability and professional presentation.
Question 7: A proofreader encounters the abbreviation 'cf.' in a footnote. What does it instruct the reader to do?
- Read the cited source for a contradicting or contrasting view (Correct answer)
- See the same source cited previously
- Consult the full bibliography
- Compare the following figure
Correct answer: Read the cited source for a contradicting or contrasting view
'Cf.' (Latin 'confer') means 'compare' and directs readers to a source that offers a contrasting or different viewpoint.
CPP Academic & Scientific Proofreading 3
In academic writing, 'sic' in brackets within a quotation indicates that: