Editing for Print Quiz

1 What is an editor's job in journalism?

Only correcting spelling mistakes Giving assignments, helping with revisions, fact-checking, and ensuring standards Writing all the articles themselves Only choosing headlines

Correct Answer: B - Giving assignments, helping with revisions, fact-checking, and ensuring standards

An editor's job includes: "Giving journalists assignments, Helping journalists make changes to their stories in the revision process, Fact-checking articles, and Making sure stories comply with the newspaper's standards for providing evidence and fair reporting."

2 What does copy editing mean?

Copying articles from other newspapers Finding issues with written conventions Writing multiple drafts Interviewing sources

Correct Answer: B - Finding issues with written conventions

The chapter defines copy editing as "finding issues with written conventions." This includes spelling errors, punctuation issues, formatting, and typos.

3 What does copy editing include?

Only checking for spelling errors Spelling errors, punctuation, formatting, and typos Only fact-checking Only organizing paragraphs

Correct Answer: B - Spelling errors, punctuation, formatting, and typos

Copy editing includes: "Spelling errors, Issues with punctuation, Making sure stories follow the standard academic writing format, and Finding typos (AKA typographical errors)."

4 Why is it important to have someone else do your copy editing?

Because they have more free time It's easy to miss your own mistakes They type faster They know more words

Correct Answer: B - It's easy to miss your own mistakes

The chapter explains, "Every writer makes these types of mistakes. It's important to have someone else do your copy editing because it's easy to miss your own mistakes."

5 What does the chapter say about people who think they "can't write" because they have "bad grammar"?

They should give up writing This is almost always not the case—conventions are learned over time and we get help correcting them They need to go back to elementary school They should only write in their native language

Correct Answer: B - This is almost always not the case—conventions are learned over time and we get help correcting them

The chapter reassures writers: "A lot of people think they can't write because they have 'bad grammar.' This is almost always not the case. These conventions are learned over time and we always get help in correcting them."

6 What is editing for clarity?

Only fixing typos Making sure your story is well-organized and easy to read Changing the topic Making sentences longer

Correct Answer: B - Making sure your story is well-organized and easy to read

The chapter defines editing for clarity as "making sure your story is well-organized and easy to read." This is considered "A much more important step than copy editing."

7 What pattern of organization are editors usually looking for?

Chronological order only The inverted pyramid structure Random organization Alphabetical order

Correct Answer: B - The inverted pyramid structure

When checking for clear organization, "Editors are usually looking for the inverted pyramid structure, making sure each paragraph discussed a single topic, and that each paragraph has a topic sentence."

8 When editing for readability, what are editors looking for?

Complex sentences with lots of jargon Clean, simple sentences, removing jargon and making the main idea easy to understand As many big words as possible Technical language only

Correct Answer: B - Clean, simple sentences, removing jargon and making the main idea easy to understand

For readability, editors look for "clean, simple sentences, removing jargon and 'official speak,' and seeing how easy it is for the audience to understand the main idea."

9 What are the steps in fact-checking an article?

Just reading it quickly Ensuring evidence for claims, checking that evidence can be substantiated, and looking for bias Only checking the spelling Asking the author if everything is true

Correct Answer: B - Ensuring evidence for claims, checking that evidence can be substantiated, and looking for bias

Fact-checking has several steps: "First, editors make sure that reporters provide evidence for all claims that they make. Then, they check to ensure that all evidence provided can be substantiated. Editors also use this step to look for possible bias that the author might have."

10 What does "substantiated" mean in the context of fact-checking?

Made up Backed up by credible research, data, and other sources Based on opinions only Unverifiable

Correct Answer: B - Backed up by credible research, data, and other sources

The chapter defines substantiated as "backed up by credible research, data, and other sources." This ensures that "readers are getting facts and fair reporting."