A glossary of editing terms for better content writing outcomes
Understanding content review stages enables writers to collaborate more effectively with editors. Familiarizing oneself with editing terminology can also help writers self-edit more effectively.
Here is a list of content editing glossary terms to inform content conversations and achieve better content outcomes:
Accuracy - The extent to which content is free from errors or inaccuracies. Active voice - A sentence structure where the subject performs the action stated by the verb. Example: The editor proofread the document.
Adverb - A word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb. Adverbs frequently end in -ly.
Affix - A prefix or suffix added to a root word to change its meaning. For example, the prefix re- and the root word do make the word redo.
Alliteration - The repetition of initial consonant sounds. For example, “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
Alphanumeric - Consisting of both letters and numbers.
Analysis - The process of closely examining the structure and elements of content.
Annotate - To add notes or commentary to text.
AP Style - The Associated Press's widely used writing style guide followed by news publications.
Article - A piece of nonfiction writing found in publications.
Assessment - The evaluation or estimation of content to judge its quality, readability, structure, etc.
Audit - A systematic review of content to identify problems.
Authoritative - Content that is trustworthy, accurate, and credible due to the expertise of the creator.
Bias - Prejudice in favor of or against something that results in unfair treatment or representation.
Bibliography - A list of references or sources cited in a piece of writing.
Body copy - The main text that makes up the bulk of a written work.
Boilerplate - Standardized text that can be reused in multiple documents with little or no modification.
Brief - Written instructions about the goals, key points, tone, and audience for a content project.
Byline - The name of the author published with a piece of writing.
Capitalization - Writing words with their first letter as a capital letter and the remaining letters in lowercase.
Chicago Style - A writing style guide published by the University of Chicago Press.
Clarity - The quality of being coherent, logical, and free from ambiguity.
Coherence - The logical, orderly flow of ideas in a piece of writing.
Cohesive - Ideas that connect logically using transitions and flow smoothly from one to the next.
Comprehensive edit - An in-depth edit addressing content, structure, and mechanical issues.
Conciseness - Expressing ideas clearly and directly using few words. Removing unnecessary words.
Conclusion - The ending section of a piece of writing that summarizes key points.
Content - The written, visual, or audio information contained in media like articles, blogs, videos, etc.
Content audit - Evaluating and analyzing existing content to determine its quality, relevance, effectiveness.
Content strategy - The planning and governing of content creation across channels to meet business goals.
Copy - The text content of any written material, like brochures, websites, ads, direct mail, etc.
Copyediting - Editing text for grammar, spelling, punctuation, accuracy, and consistency.
Copyright - The exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, and sell creative content.
Draft - The preliminary version of a piece of writing that will undergo revision before being finalized.
Editing - The process of revising written content to improve its clarity, organization, conciseness, and accuracy.
Editor - A person who examines and revises written material to improve it.
Fluency - The clear, natural, easy flow of language in a piece of writing.
Formatting - Arranging text on a page through spacing, fonts, headings, etc.
Grammar - The set of rules that govern how words are used in a language.
Graphics - Visual elements like charts, photos, drawings, maps, etc. used to illustrate or enhance text.
Guidewords - Subheadings that orient readers and break text into logical sections.
Headlines - Short, attention-grabbing sentences placed above articles to summarize content.
House style - The set of editorial rules or guidelines followed within a particular organization.
Index - An alphabetical list of keywords with page numbers used to help locate information.
Jargon - Specialized technical terminology used in a particular field or industry.
Lead/Lede - The opening section of an article that draws readers in and introduces the topic.
Legibility - How easily text can be read based on elements like font, size, and spacing.
Localization - Adapting content for a specific culture, language, country, or market.
Mechanics - The grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, and other technical aspects of writing.
Organize - To arrange pieces of writing in a logical way using structure and sequencing.
Outline - A hierarchical overview of a writing plan including key points for each section.
Page layout - The arrangement of text, images, headers, etc. on a page.
Paragraph - A distinct section of writing covering one main idea.
Passive voice - A sentence structure where the subject receives the action. Example: The document was proofread by the editor.
Pattern - The repeated use of literary devices like metaphors, imagery, dialogue, etc. Peer review - Having colleagues examine and provide feedback on a document.
Plagiarism - Passing off someone else's writing, ideas, or work as your own.
Proofreading - Checking a piece of writing for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Publishing - Preparing and issuing content to make it available to an audience.
Punctuation - Marks like periods, commas, semicolons used to organize and clarify writing.
Readability - The ease with which a reader can understand a written text.
Redundancy - Unnecessary repetition of words, phrases, or ideas. Reference - A work cited by another work.
Revision - The process of rewriting and refining a draft of writing.
Revising - Reworking a piece of writing by adding, organizing, clarifying, and deleting content.
Rhetoric - The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing.
Scope - The parameters, limits, or breadth of a writing project.
SEO - Search engine optimization; crafting content to improve visibility and ranking in web searches.
Sequence - A particular order in which related events, ideas, etc. follow each other.
Simplicity - Expressing ideas clearly and directly without unnecessary complexity.
Source - An original document or text used during research.
Structure - The organization of sections and order of ideas in a piece of writing.
Style - The distinctive way text is written regarding word choice, phrasing, sentence structure, etc.
Style guide - A set of standards for writing and designing content within an organization.
Syntax - The arrangement of words and phrases to create sentences.
Table of contents - An outline at the beginning of a book listing chapter titles, sections, etc.
Template - A predesigned document used as a starting point for new projects.
Tone - The attitude expressed by the language, style, and content of a text.
Topic sentence - A sentence that summarizes the central idea of a paragraph.
Transitions - Connecting words like however, therefore, finally that link ideas and sections smoothly.
Variety - Including different types of sentence structures, words, and phrases to engage readers.
Visual content - Images, graphics, charts, photos, and other visual elements in a document.
Word choice - Selecting specific words and phrases to convey meaning vs. other options.