Editing

Good editing makes your document stand out from the rest.

Editing is more than scanning for typos and grammatical errors. It takes into account the users, purpose, and content of the document. Here are some of the questions a good editor asks:

Are the tone and the terms used appropriate to the users? Has the author assumed that they know more (or less) than they actually do?
Is it too long, or too short, or too detailed? Is the formatting appropriate? Should it be cut down? If so, how?
Is the content readable? Are the paragraphs and sentences of appropriate length? Does the content conform to the style guide that is in force?
Does the document include all that the user needs to know? Are there topics missing, or topics that are irrelevant? Are they in the right order?
Can the users find the information they need easily?
Do the graphics actually show what they purport to show? Do they add to the content, or detract from it?

Typically a document will go through at least two editing cycles, followed by a final proofread.