Home

Getting Started

Syllabus

Schedule

Assignments

Research Topics

Library Guide

Citing Sources

Writing Center

Formatting

Grades

Forums

Canvas

Questions

Instructor

grcclogo.gif (1998 bytes)

Editorial Key
Interpreting Marks

English 127
Research Writing

I use "Track Changes" in Microsoft Word in order to enter my comments directly in the files you send me.  Therefore, my comments will probably appear in underlined red text (unless you have changed the setting on Word to show changes in a different format).  The system I use to comment on and indicate errors in the documents you send to me follows below. Further below you will find a list of abbreviations, and their meanings, that I use in giving editorial feedback. This list more or less corresponds with standard editorial marks (with some additions that are unique to me). For example, Bedford's The Writer's Reference (or any other handbook you may be using) will cross-reference these editorial abbreviations to the relevant sections of the handbook where you can find information and explanation to correct common mechanical and grammatical errors.

[x] = add x
[x >> y] = change x to y
{x} = omit x
[<< x] = x is a comment on what comes before

Comments and editorial marks appear in brackets [ ]. These may appear immediately preceding a word, following a punctuation mark, or at the beginning of, end of, and sometimes within a sentence. Comments appearing in brackets at the end of a paragraph will often refer to the entire content of the paragraph. If it might not be clear what the comment is referring to, then I may include a directional mark [ <<].  I indicate that something needs to be omitted by enclosing it in braces { }.

Example: The [sp]hillls are alive{,} with the sound of music. [<< can you tell us why you’re quoting this song lyric?]

Bracketed comments appearing immediately before or after one of your words without a space refer to your word.

Example: The hills are [wc]confused by the sound of music.
Here, wc=word choice. In correcting "confused" to "alive," you are also responsible for changing "by" to "with."

I will sometimes underline your own words, either with or without a bracketed explanation. This indicates that there is a problem in the word choice or syntax (sentence structure) or grammar.  I may also indicate a change in phrasing you should make or consider.

Example:  The hils are [confused by >> alive with] the sound of music.


Editorial Abbreviations

abbr      
abbreviate
adj         
adjective error
adv        
adverb error
ag          
against
a/e         
change affect (verb) to effect (noun)
a/n         
change amount to number OR number to amount
apost     
apostrophe error
art         
article error
awk       
awkward
b/c         
because
btwn      
between
cap        
error in capitalization
coord     
faulty coordination
cs           
comma splice
dev         
development / develop further
diff(s)    
difference(s)
disc        
discussion
dm         
dangling modifier
e/a          
change effect (noun) to affect (verb)
e.g.         
for example
frag       
sentence fragment
hmmm  
"I'm not convinced"
i.e.          
that is
ital         
italicize or underline
lc            
make lower case
mw
         missing word
(un)nec 
(un)necessary
para      
paragraph
pg          
page
pl           
plural
pnp        
plural not possessive OR possessive not plural
pov        
point of view
prep      
preposition error
pron      
error in pronoun choice or unclear referent
pt(s)       
point(s)
punct     
punctuation error
pv          
passive voice
ref         
pronoun referent unclear
r/o         
run-on sentence
rq           
research question
sent(s)   
sentence(s)
sing       
singular
sp           
spelling
spss       
signal phrase or setup statement (include or revise)
s/v          
error in subject-verb agreement
syn         
problems in syntax (sentence structure)
trans     
transition needed
transp   
transpose words or letters
ts
            revise topic sentence
vt           
error in verb tense or verb form
wc          
word choice (diction)
w/o        
without
#             
number
//            
make parallel
[   ]         
add space or line break
?              something is unclear or requires fixing or further explanation
            error
+              good point