Editing Auxiliary Publications By: Carol Rickard

EditingAuxiliary

PublicationsBy: Carol Rickard

Publications Officer

• Serves as an important communicator

• Uses unit newsletter as primary communication tool

• As newsletter editor:– Collects– Prepares (Edits)– Designs– Proofreads– Distributes the publication

Collector

• The membership

• Other units within the Auxiliary

• Other sources, e.g., the Internet

• Elected and staff officers

As collector, the Publications Officer gathers information from –

The Publications Officer verifies that material is informative, interesting, timely … and accurate

Editor

• Correctness of information and compliance with Auxiliary policy in copy, graphics, and photographs presented

• Correctness of spelling, grammar, usage and punctuation

• Condensation of copy when necessary

The Publications Officer is responsible for –

Correctness in Copy

• The flotilla or division masthead includes– Name of publication– Designated unit number– Location– Date of issue– Issue number (Roman numerals)

• The editor’s name and contact information appear in the issue

Correctness in Copy (cont’)

• Designate flotillas by Arabic numbers, indicating first the division then the flotilla number (separated by a hyphen if the number of the flotilla exceeds nine), e.g., FL 84, not FL 8-4; FL 6-10

• Do not use a “0” before a flotilla or division designation, i.e., it’s FL 15-1, not FL 15-01; Division 6, not Division 06

Correctness in Copy (cont’)

• Designate divisions by Arabic numbers, not Roman numerals, e.g, Division 8 (not Division VIII)

• Always capitalize Auxiliary and Auxiliarist when referring to the Coast Guard Auxiliary

• Place the titles of Auxiliarists in the proper location (only current or past commodores may have their title precede their name)

Correctness in Copy (cont’)

• Capitalize titles only when they appear with a person’s name

• Spell out abbreviations and acronyms the first time they are used in an article (they may then be used later in the article)

• Verify that credit and any appropriate credit lines are given for newspaper articles or other copyrighted material

Correctness in Photos

• Auxiliarists pictured are clearly identified and in proper uniform for the activity depicted

• The activity or event pictured is described in the caption

• The photographer is credited

Correctness in Graphics

• Use the correct USCG Auxiliary logo in the publication, i.e., use the Auxiliary emblem (not the present hat device – shown at right)

Auxiliary Emblem - Yes Auxiliary Logo - No

Correctness in Graphics (cont’)

• Verify that credit is given for copyrighted graphics

• Display the Homeland Security seal and signature correctly

Homeland Security Logo

Preferred signature lockup

Homeland Security Logo (cont’)

Alternate signature lockup (to be used only when insufficient horizontal space) and seal alone

Homeland Security Logo (cont’)

Minimum clearspace around the signature

Homeland Security Logo (cont’)

Incorrect uses of the Homeland Security signature

Correctness of Grammar

• Subject-verb agreement• Active versus passive voice• Clear use of pronouns, i.e., noun-pronoun

agreement• Correct use of its, the possessive form of

the neuter pronoun (it’s is a contraction for it is or it has)

• Ambiguous pronouns, e.g., this, that, these• Clear use of modifiers

Correctness of Usage

• Words used correctly

• States abbreviated correctly (ZIP codes are code letters, not abbreviations)

• Latin abbreviations used correctly: – i.e., id est (that is)– e.g., exempli gravia (for example)– etc., et cetera (and so forth)– a.m./p.m., ante merideum/post meridiem

(before/after noon)

Punctuation

• The comma - The most frequently used mark of punctuation in a sentence. It– Clarifies the structure and meaning of a

sentence– Indicates emphasis, pauses, and stress

Punctuation contributes substantially to the meaning of a sentence

Punctuation (cont’)

• If omitting a clause or phrase would change the meaning of a sentence, the clause or phrase is restrictive or essential. Commas are not used to set the clause or phrase off

Example: The article that he wrote in 2002 won the Pulitzer Prize.

Example: The Baroque composer Bach influenced him greatly.

Punctuation (cont’)

• If omitting a clause or phrase would not change the meaning of a sentence, the clause or phrase is nonrestrictive or nonessential – or parenthetic. Commas are used to set the clause or phrase off

Example: Sarasota, where I live, is right on the Gulf of Mexico.

Example: His most recent article, written in 2003, won a literary award.

Punctuation (cont’)

• Nonrestrictive appositives are set off by commas

Appositives are words that give additional meaning to the main idea but are not crucial to the basic meaning

Example: His favorite author, Stephen King, entered the room.

Example: Tom Jones, chairman of the committee, called the meeting to order.

Punctuation (cont’)

• Restrictive appositives are necessary for the meaning of the sentence and are not set off by commas

Example: The crowd fell silent when the author Stephen King entered the room.

Example: Tom’s friend Joan started with her speech.

Designer

• Readability: Font, font size, leading – color of page, i.e., amount of white space

• Layout– Contrast– Alignment– Repetition– Proximity

• Eye-appeal – the more eye-appealing, the more likely the newsletter will be read

Proofreader

It was a once in in a lifetime opportunity.

Proofreading (cont’)

UNIVERSITY DRAMA SOCIETY

SPING SEASON1999

Proofreading (cont’)

Mental “correcting” tends to tune out errors, i.e., we tend to see things not as they are but what we think they should be

Proofreading (cont’)

• Extreme attention to details

• Intense focus on information being read

• Sitting for up to 20 minutes at a time

• Knowledge and use of the basic rules of the English language

Proofreading requires –

Proofreading (cont’)

Editing may require some rewriting to achieve –

• Clarity of thought

• Accuracy of information

• Appropriateness of tone

• Effective use of language

• Conciseness

• Attention to the audience’s needs, interest

Editing versus Proofreading –

Proofreading (cont’)

• Punctuation• Spelling• Capitalization• Typographical errors• Correct and consistent use of language• Adherence to established style and format• Appearance

Proofreading might require making minor changes but no rewriting in the following areas –

Proofreading (cont’)

• Read the document through for overall content and meaning

• Read the document again … slowly … focusing on trouble spots

• Read the document in a different environment

Direct proofreading (preferably using hard copy) –

Proofreading (cont’)

• Transposed numbers in dates or numbers

• Incorrect months, days, or years in dates

• Misspelled proper names, especially of people, organizations, or programs

• Typos, e.g, an for and, you for your

• Punctuation errors, e.g., underuse of commas or apostrophes

Some common trouble spots –

Proofreading (cont’)

• Words incorrectly capitalized• Words frequently misused, e.g., affect

versus effect• Subject and verbs that do not agree• Inconsistent verb tenses, e.g., sunk for sank• Missing parts of a document, e.g., masthead

not complete• Inconsistent use of abbreviations

Some common trouble spots (cont’):

Distributor

• After the newsletter has been reproduced – on paper or electronically – distribute it to the membership as well as to individuals and offices on the mailing list for unit publications (there are separate lists for flotilla and division newsletters)

• Mail hard copies of newsletters produced electronically to those members who want to receive a copy by post

Save hard copies of all issues of your unit publication for the year and submit them to the DSO-PB 7 for consideration in the annual District 7 competitions for Best Flotilla and Best Division Publication

Be proud of your newsletters –

You put a lot of time, thought, and effort into their production

Many thanks to Carol Rickard, a former

DSO-PB D7 for preparing this slide presentation. We are proud to offer her presentation as a resource to all of our

Publications and Public Affairs officers.

Dottie Riley, DSO-PB D7 2008-