Defining Style
Defining Style
If proofreading is the final read-through that a document or text receives before it goes to press, gets posted online, or is handed in to the professor, then style from a proofreading point of view is the thing that guides this process. Style refers to the rules regarding spelling, capitalization, hyphenation, abbreviations, punctuation, and the use of numbers. The author, editor, or publisher must determine the style of any work (preferably together) before any editing or proofreading begins.
By defining the style, standards of clarity and uniformity can be established. Aside from the previously mentioned elements, editorial style also dictates the following:
Heading selections
Manuscript elements
Table construction
Reference citations
Statistics
Different texts will require the use of different style guides. Here are some major categories of style guides that we'll be talking about.
House or Author's Style: It is rare that an individual author will have his or her own style, but quite often, large companies and publishing houses will develop their own style to which all internal documents must adhere. This is done for aesthetic reasons as well as practical ones.
Major Style Guide: This one is sometimes difficult to define, but you can think of these style guides as the ones upon which individual organizations base their own house styles.
We'll take an in-depth look at some of these major style guides a little later. For now, here's a list of some of the major styles and manuals you are likely to see as an editor.
The Chicago Manual of Style
MLA (Modern Language Association) Style
APA (American Psychological Association) Style
AP (Associated Press) Style
Harvard Style
Turabian Style CSE (Council of Science Editors) Style
Bluebook
AMA (American Medical Association) Style
ACS (American Chemical Society) Style
The New York Times, the BBC, The Guardian, The Economist, and other major publications and media outlets generally have their own style guides as well, but since these are all journalistic style guides, we will default to the AP style for simplicity's sake.
A proofreader should use the resources at his or her disposal in the following order:
House Style Guide: Start with the in-house style guide, if one exists. If not, default to the next level.
Major Style Guide: In the event that a publisher or client does not have a style guide of their own, ask which major style guide the text should conform to and use it consistently. It's a good idea to have your own preferred style guide as well. In the event that a client asks for your preference, you will want to show that you are knowledgeable about the subject.
Dictionary: In the event that something isn't covered by a style guide (such as the usage of a word), default to a common reference source such as a dictionary. It's a good idea to always use the same reference sources for all texts that you edit and proofread.
Style guides, both the in-house and major kinds, are organized according to the major topics they cover and vary from manual to manual. However, these guides normally contain the following information:
Format: Recommended document length, margins, tabs, font, and printer ink color might be explained in the formatting section. Advice on heading selections, table construction, and manuscript elements may also be included in this section. Sometimes a style guide will include an FAQ or Q&A section to address potential reader questions.
Citations and References: Learning how to quote, paraphrase, and summarize source materials is an important part of writing for an organization or an educational institution. Style guides explain the institution's accepted method of indicating in-text citations and how to format references.
Usage: Some style guides provide samples of required or preferred writing.
Grammar: Most style guides offer a section on grammar usage. These rules are relatively universal, although there can be exceptions in certain circumstances.
Punctuation: Most style guides offer information on accepted use of punctuation, especially in cases where more than one punctuation mark is permissible.
A style guide is a reference work. Use the index to find specific information and the table of contents to guide you to general sections for information. The information and examples found in style guides are useful, but it is impossible to cover every situation. On occasion, a proofreader will need to make choices about how to apply the rules. Mastering a style guide is a matter of experience.
Major style guides are revised periodically to accommodate changes in conventions and usage.
The Chicago Manual of Style defines a style sheet as "a record of terms kept by a manuscript editor to document particular usages for a specific manuscript." A style sheet provides consistency, efficiency, and clarity. The more organized the sheet is, the more time it will save you.
During manuscript editing, the copy editor will create a style sheet for that particular document. Once a style has been established and recorded on the style sheet, everyone who subsequently works with the copy, including the proofreader, should follow the style sheet and be informed if any changes are made. Sometimes, the client will provide his or her own style sheet.
If you encounter a discrepancy in usage when creating a style sheet from a manuscript, the preferred usage should be ascertained (by consulting the author or client) before proceeding, noting it as a preferred usage. If you do not have direct contact with the client or author, edit the document for consistency and leave a note to the author or client thoroughly describing the changes you made. It is important that you not make judgment calls. After the preferred usage has been established, note it on the style sheet.
The following elements should all be considered when constructing or designing a style sheet. All aspects of the text need to be examined even though you may only end up addressing a few of them:
Format
Punctuation
Spelling and capitalization
Foreign words
Hyphenation
Numerals and numbers spelled out as words
Plurals and plural agreement
Abbreviations and acronyms
Possessives
Dates and times
Trademarks, copyright marks, and service marks
Tables and charts
Footnotes, bibliographies, references, and citations
References for sources used by the editor/proofreader
Determining which style guide to follow will often help you identify a whole host of errors. While style guides are primarily used for formatting purposes, they also often provide extensive instruction in terms of punctuation, grammar, and word usage.
You'll most often have to refer to style guides for citations. It's best to memorize as much about each individual reference style as possible to reduce the number of times you have to look up information. Style guides are to be used as reference works. They are extremely helpful in many situations, but you should not rely on them to do your job for you. And remember that style guides are often revised. If you don't keep up with revisions, you may be advising clients to make the wrong kinds of changes to their documents.
Last Updated: 09/09/2022