Proofreading & Editing Editorial Ethics & Professional Practice 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'preserving the author's voice' mean in editing?
- Refusing to change any part of the text
- Making edits that improve correctness without changing the author's unique style or tone (Correct answer)
- Rewriting the text to match a preferred style guide
- Removing all colloquialisms from the text
Correct answer: Making edits that improve correctness without changing the author's unique style or tone
Preserving the author's voice means making only necessary corrections while respecting the author's distinctive writing style and tone.
Question 2: Which organization provides a professional code of ethics for editors in the United States?
- Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
- Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) (Correct answer)
- American Library Association (ALA)
- National Education Association (NEA)
Correct answer: Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA)
The Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) provides professional guidelines and a code of ethics for freelance editors in the United States.
Question 3: What is 'ghost editing'?
- Editing a document anonymously without credit (Correct answer)
- Editing only for errors that are invisible to most readers
- Removing all traces of an author's revisions
- Editing text after it has already been published
Correct answer: Editing a document anonymously without credit
Ghost editing involves an editor substantially improving a text — sometimes even rewriting it — without receiving public credit for the work.
Question 4: What should an editor do if they discover potentially factual errors in a manuscript?
- Correct the errors without notifying the author
- Delete the questionable content
- Query the author to verify or correct the information (Correct answer)
- Reject the manuscript immediately
Correct answer: Query the author to verify or correct the information
Editors should flag potential factual errors with a query to the author rather than silently changing or deleting the content — fact-checking is ultimately the author's responsibility.
Question 5: What is the significance of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in editorial work?
- It sets the editing fee schedule
- It requires the editor to keep the content of the manuscript confidential (Correct answer)
- It transfers copyright from the author to the editor
- It specifies the deadline for the editorial project
Correct answer: It requires the editor to keep the content of the manuscript confidential
An NDA requires the editor to keep the manuscript's contents confidential and not share or disclose the work to third parties.
Question 6: When editing a document, what is a 'conflict of interest'?
- Disagreeing with the author's argument
- A personal relationship or financial stake that could bias the editor's judgment (Correct answer)
- Editing in a field you are not an expert in
- Charging more than the standard editing rate
Correct answer: A personal relationship or financial stake that could bias the editor's judgment
A conflict of interest arises when an editor's personal, financial, or professional connections could compromise their objectivity in editing the work.
Proofreading & Editing Editorial Ethics & Professional Practice 1
What does 'preserving the author's voice' mean in editing?