Copy-Editing

What qualifications do I need?

No specific qualifications are required, but you should have an understanding of proofreading symbols and principles. Understanding the publishing process would also be an advantage. You will also need:

• an eye for detail
• the ability to concentrate
• a good command of UK English grammar, spelling and punctuation
• good general knowledge and an enquiring mind.

Who will benefit from the course?

• editorial staff in publishing houses
• freelance proofreaders interested in editing

Course materials

This is a thorough and up to date editing course, which covers the entire copy-editing process. You will receive a binder containing the first two units of the course on enrolment. As you work through the assignments, further units will be sent to you.

Your own tutor

When you begin the course, a tutor will be assigned to you. All tutors for Copy-Editing either are or have been working editors with many years' publishing experience.

Free copy of the New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors

This is the essential A-Z guide for everyone who works with words. Drawing on the expertise of the Oxford Dictionaries department, it provides authoritative advice on those words and names that raise questions time after time because of spelling, capitalisation, hyphenation, or cultural or historical context. As well as lexical terms, there are many proper names included, from place names and personal names to names of institutions, literary references, and books of the Bible.

Online training and support

During the course, you'll also have the option of accessing additional training and support online, which includes a number of useful resources and additional exercises. Note that you do not have to access this area in order to complete the course.

Certificate

On successful completion of the course, you will receive a certificate, indicating the level of pass you have achieved (pass, merit or distinction). If you're an SfEP member, the course is worth between 10 and 20 points (depending on your grade) towards upgrading your membership. You will also be eligible to enter your details on The Publishing Training Centre's Freelance Directory.

Course fees

Copy-Editing by Distance Learning is £550, which can be paid in instalments. This covers all course materials, marking of modules, professional tutor support and a copy of The New Oxford Dictionary for Writers & Editors. It does not cover your postage costs or the cost of telephone calls to your tutor. An additional £35 is charged for postage if you are based outside the UK.

Payments can be made in instalments. This option is only available on credit card purchases and the instalments are: £250 (or £285 if you are based outside the UK) immediately, followed by one instalment of £150 between the tenth and fifteenth of the next month and another instalment of £150 between the tenth and fifteenth of the following month.

How to enrol

To enrol, you need to click on the Add to Cart button on this page. You will be asked to register (if you have not already done so). You will at that point be able to pay immediately by credit card, request a pro-forma invoice or download and print a PDF enrolment form for payments by cheque or instalments. This form can be faxed to us at 020 8870 8985 or sent to the Publishing Training Centre, 45 East Hill, Wandsworth, London SW18 2QZ.

Money back guarantee

If, within 30 days of receiving your course materials (and before any assignments have been marked), you decide that the course is not for you, simply return the materials to us, in perfect condition, to receive a full refund.

Important note:

You must complete the course within 18 months of enrolment or, if you wish to continue the course, you can study for a further 18 months following payment of a re-registration fee. After this time it is possible that changes and updates will have been made to the course and that your copy is out of date. If this is the case you may have to re-enrol at this point.

Barbara Horn's career in publishing spans more than forty years. Beginning as a copy-editor in educational publishing, she later worked in trade publishing and packaging, eventually leaving her job as Editorial Director of an illustrated books division to work freelance as an editor, project manager and consultant. She began her work as a trainer at the London School of Publishing (LSP), which she co-founded in 1983. After selling LSP in 1986, Barbara created and tutored courses at The Publishing Training Centre, the Scottish Publishers Association (now Publishing Scotland), Clé (now Publishing Ireland), and companies and institutions throughout the UK and in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Singapore and Spain. She has also been a guest lecturer at West Herts College, Oxford Brookes, and the Centre for Publishing at Stirling University, and has run workshops at the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) conferences.

Nominated by the SfEP to the Graphic Technology Committee at the British Standards Institution, Barbara managed the revision of the British Standard of Marks for Copy Preparation and Proof Correction, BS 5261: 2005. As part of the British delegation to the ISO Technical Committee for Graphic Technology, Barbara was the convenor of the working group on terminology and initiated the revision of the International Standard for Proof Correction Marks, ISO 5776.

Barbara is the author of The Effective Editor's Handbook (O/P), Editorial Project Management by Distance Learning and Copy-Editing by Distance Learning; and the corresponding books Editorial Project Management with exercises and model answers, and Copy-editing with exercises and model answers. She also was one of the authors of the National Occupational Standards in Publishing.

Barbara was made an Honorary Member of the SfEP in 2010.