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The copy editor's job is to make a piece of writing (copy) ready for print. This includes correcting spelling, grammar, and typos; conforming the copy to house style; checking facts for accuracy; and adjusting syntax so the copy flows. The copy editor will use a style manual such as Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, The Chicago Manual of Style, The AP Stylebook, or the MLA Handbook as a reference guide. Each publisher (of books, magazines, or newspapers) uses a particular style manual to proscribe their house style.

Copy editors traditionally do their work on hard copy (pages printed on paper) but occasionally they correct copy directly on the computer screen. Most agree though, that it is easier to catch errors on hard copy. Working this way also decreases eye-strain which often plagues those who spend hours in front of a screen.

In order to perform this job well, one must have a good command of the language, a great eye for detail, and a wide range of general knowledge to catch fact inaccuracies. Most copy editors hold a degree in English, or journalism, though many good copy editors excel because they have a good understanding of the material they are editing. For instance, a copy editor of historical fiction may hold a degree in history, and the text will benefit from his knowledge.

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