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EDITING STANDARDS
English Department
TUSCARORA HIGH SCHOOL
(January 2008)
The following are practical standards which students are expected to meet in all revised writing:
A. Sentence Structure
1. Avoid sentence fragments.
Example: Running up the hill. (fragment) I fell running up the hill. (sentence)
2. Avoid run-on sentences.
Example: I was tired, I went to sleep. (run-on)
I was tired, so I went to sleep. (compound sentence)
B. Commas
3. Commas are used to separate items in a series.
Example: Anne, Sarah, and Amena won awards.
4. Use commas to set off items in an address and items in a date.
Example: The new election was set for November 10, 1996, in every state.
5. Use a comma after the greeting of a friendly letter and after the closing of every letter.
Examples: Dear Aunt Louise, (greeting)
Love, (closing)
6. Commas are used to set off appositives.
Example: Mark Twain, an American writer, is known for his sharp wit.
7. Use commas to set off nouns of direct address.
Examples: Tad, please give me your phone number.
Don't you realize, Dwayne, that you are making a mistake?
8. Use a comma to separate an adverb clause or a long modifying phrase from the independent clause which follows it.
Examples: If you go, I will go too. (adverb clause)
In the big closet, Margo felt small. (long phrase)
9. Use a comma before the conjunction of a compound sentence.
Example: My friend loves sports, and he goes to some type of game every weekend.
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10. Commas are used to separate adjectives which equally modify the same noun.
Example: The soft, wet snow felt cold.
C. Titles of Works
(When using a word processor with the italics function, italics are preferred over underlining.)
11. Italicize the title of a book, magazine, play, and newspaper.
Book: Catcher in the Rye
Play: The Crucible
Magazine: Seventeen
Newspaper: The Washington Post
Painting: Mona Lisa
Movies: The Sixth Sense
12. Use quotation marks around the title of a short story, a ballad, a song, a poem, or other short works of art.
Short story: "The Tell-Tale Heart"
Ballad: "Jesse James"
Song: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
Poem: "Mary Had a Little Lamb"
D. Capitalization
13. Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives.
Examples: Canada Canadian
America American
14. Capitalize the first word of a title, the last word, and every word in between except articles (a, an, the), short prepositions, and short conjunctions. Follow this rule for titles of books, newspapers, magazines, poems, plays, songs, articles, films, works of art, and stories.
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Example: The Diary of Anne Frank
E. Semicolons
15. Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses not joined by a conjunction.
Example: I once owned a Honda motorcycle; that was the first vehicle I ever bought.
16. Use a semicolon before and a comma after words such as however, therefore, consequently, and other conjunctive adverbs when they are used to join independent clauses.
Example: George studied for hours; consequently, he earned an A on his exam.
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F. Colons
17. Use a colon and a capital letter to join two independent clauses when the second clause further explains or clarifies the first.
Example: I have always respected my mother for making the following statement: "Follow the golden rule."
Or after an independent clause that introduces a series.
Example: To be a hit, our party needs three things: good food, great music, and fun people.
G. Apostrophes
18. The possessive form of singular nouns is usually made by adding an apostrophe and s.
Example: The girl's grades really improved. (one girl)
Note: Do not use an apostrophe and s to form the plural of singular nouns.
Example: The girl's ran home. (Incorrect)
The girls ran home. (Correct)
19. The possessive form of plural nouns ending in s is usually made by adding just an apostrophe.
Example: The girls’ locker room is on the right.
H. Quotation Marks
20. Quotation marks are placed before and after direct quotations. Only the exact words quoted are placed within quotation marks. This includes dialogue.
Example: "I feel great today," said Mark.
21. Commas and periods always are placed inside quotation marks.
Example: I really enjoyed reading "The Tell-Tale Heart."
22. Put a dash, question mark, or exclamation point within the closing quotation marks when the punctuation applies to the quotation itself and outside when it applies to the whole sentence.
Example: Philip asked, “Do you need this book?”
Does Mr. Smith always say to his students, “You must work harder”?
I. Effective Writing
23. Use transitions to move logically from paragraph to paragraph.
Use transitions to move logically from sentence to sentence.
24. Avoid non-standard English and slang.
25. Use active and passive voice for effect.
26. Avoid Dangling Modifiers
Example: Swimming in the pool, the ducks had a great time. (dangling modifier)
The ducks had a great time when they swam in the pool. (correct)
or While the ducks swam in the pool, they had a great time. (correct)
27. Avoid Misplaced Modifiers
Example: The young girl was walking the dog in the pink skirt. (incorrect)
The young girl in a pink skirt was walking the dog. (correct)
28. Use parallel construction.
Example:
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield are part of Ulysses' philosophy. (correct)
To strive, seeking, finding and that a human should not yield are part of Ulysses' philosophy. (incorrect)
29. Do not switch tenses.
Example: Jerry is a good student, and he always does his homework. (correct)
Jerry is a good student, and he always did his homework. (incorrect)
30. Utilize clear pronouns and antecedents.
Example: When Jerry goes shopping for a used car, he must be careful not to get a lemon. (correct)
When Jerry goes shopping for a used car, they must be careful not to get a lemon. (incorrect)
31. Utilize Subject Verb Agreement
Example: He flies to the moon. (correct)
He fly to the moon. (incorrect)
32. Avoid clichés when using figurative language.
33. Use diction to indicate audience awareness.
J. Editing Symbols
AWK Awkward SS Sentence Structure
WC Word Choice INF Too informal
MW Missing word/words SP Spelling error
PR Proofread WDY Wordy
Source: Sebranek, Patrick, et al. Writer's Inc. Burlington: Write Source Educational Publishing House, 1992.