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Copyediting

Gain a Solid Foundation in the Tools and Techniques of Copyediting

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About the Copyediting Program

Courses

Delivery Method
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  • Live Online
  • In-Person
  • Online
  • Hybrid

Find out more about the program in a free, online information session.

Copyediting and Technical Communication Information SessionINFO-70034

Units: 0.00

Free

Copyediting and Technical Communication Information Session (INFO-70034)Free | Online Are you interested in a new career as a copyeditor or technical communicator, but not sure where to begin? Explor...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

All 4 units are required to earn a Copyediting Certificate. Classes must be taken in order and can not be taken simultaneously.

Grammar LabWCWP-40234

Units: 3.00

$675

Grammar Lab (WCWP-40234)10 Weeks | OnlineThis ten-week online Grammar Lab course is skillfully designed to meet the needs of all students. It is beneficial for those with little grammar experience and...

Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Copyediting IWCWP-40236

Units: 3.00

$675

Copyediting I (WCWP-40236)10 Weeks | OnlineAs a copyeditor (or copy editor), you will be expected to proofread text for errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling and check for readability, style, ...

Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Copyediting IIWCWP-40237

Units: 3.00

$675

Copyediting II (WCWP-40237)10 Weeks | OnlinePractice judicious and defensible editing in Copyediting II so you can master how to thrive as a copyeditor (or copy editor ) in the modern-day workplace. ...

Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Copyediting IIIWCWP-40238

Units: 3.00

$675

Copyediting III (WCWP-40238)10 Weeks | OnlineAre you ready for your first major editing assignments? In this course, you carry out heavy edits on all elements of two manuscripts. You will also work on...

Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

These classes do not apply to the certificate. They can be taken in any order.

Copy Editing with Associated Press StyleWCWP-40335

Units: 2.00

$450

Copy Editing with Associated Press Style (WCWP-40335)6 Weeks | Online This class takes a deep dive into the AP Stylebook. The Associated Press style guide is widely used by newspapers and magazines,...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Copyediting for FictionWCWP-40343

Units: 3.00

$675

Copyediting for Fiction (WCWP-40343)10 Weeks | OnlineAs a fiction copyeditor, you will be expected to guide the author through a full edit of the manuscript, including working with the author on sente...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

The Business of CopyeditingWCWP-40333

Units: 2.00

$450

The Business of Copyediting (WCWP-40333)6 Weeks | Online In the Business of Copyediting course, students will be prepared to launch their own copyediting or proofreading business or grow an existing...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
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Required Tools

  • Internet access
  • Scanner access (for use in Copyediting I course)
  • Acrobat Reader 11.0 (or newest available)
  • Microsoft Word 2016 or newer

Certificate Guidelines

Grammar Lab, Copyediting I, II, and III must be taken in sequence. You must earn a Pass (C-) or better grade in each course.

Conditions for Admission

You must have native-level fluency with English and must write clear, logical, and grammatically correct sentences. You will need a computer, a high-speed internet connection, MS Word 2016 or later, and proficiency with all of the above.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Additional questions?

For questions regarding our classes and certificates, please contact us at ahl@ucsd.edu or 858-534-5760.

What is the difference between proofreading and copyediting?

Copyediting
Copyeditors make multiple passes and work directly with the author. They look at the following::

  • Spelling

  • Punctuation

  • Capitalization

  • Hyphenation

  • The use of italics and bold type

  • Treatment of quotations

  • Treatment of numbers and numerals

  • Treatment of special elements, such as lists and charts

  • The formatting of footnotes and endnotes

  • Consistency and clarity throughout a document.

  • Fact-checking information—for instance, whether an important date is correct in the text

  • Rephrasing awkward language

  • Maintaining author's voice

Proofreading
Proofreading is the final stage of editing a manuscript before it is printed. Proofreaders are unlikely to do multiple passes or to have any interaction with the author, as they are working directly with editors. They look for egregious errors and formatting issues, like the following:

  • Errors that were introduced during the formatting process, such as dropped words or even dropped paragraphs.

  • Other typographical and layout errors, such as whether a word breaks badly at the end of a sentence or whether a paragraph breaks at a bad spot over two pages.

  • Any misalignments, such as incorrect margin and line spacing.

  • Consistency between the table of contents and chapter names as well as page numbers.

  • Whether the front matter and back matter are in the right place. Front matter includes the title page, copyright page, and table of contents. Back matter may contain the author’s bio, an appendix, an index, and a glossary.

  • Whether headlines or titles, photographs, text, and even advertising all make sense on a page. For instance, in a newspaper or magazine, you typically do not want an ad from an airline company next to a story about a plane crash, or on a corporate website, an article about a bank collapse and neighboring ads inviting the reader to apply for the bank’s credit card.

Advisory Board

Samantha Enslen

Copyeditor

Julie Frey

Copyeditor

Teresa Schmedding

Copyeditor

Sara Ziegler

Copyeditor

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All applications are automatically accepted and there is no fee to apply. Twenty four to forty eight hours after applying, a button will appear in your MyExtension account that will allow you to pay the $95 certificate fee. Classes may be taken without being enrolled in the certificate.