Inside

President’s report ..............................4

Macquarie words ................................5

December dinner ................................6

December 2015–January 2016

Evidence of hype: Accuracy and clarity in science writing and editing

Tuesday, 2 February

Speaker: Dr Julie Irish

Taken from her paper on scientific editing at the Write | Edit | Index Conference, Julie offers valuable, practical suggestions for editing sometimes dense copy, often containing ineffective jargon. Her presentation offers useful information not just for scientific editing, specifically, it can be used for editing any copy suffering from overly-complicated construction.

Dr Julie Irish, AE, works as a science writer and editor for Biotext and specialises in health and medical topics.Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts 280 Pitt Street, Sydney 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm start.

Drinks and light refreshments provided. $20 for members, $25 for non-members and $10 for students or concession card holders.Book on: editorsnsw.wildapricot.org/event-2132797

Next meeting: AGM/SGM, Tuesday, 1 March

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Some editors lack confidence when it comes to working on documents that contain charts, tables, graphs and diagrams. They are not sure they know the difference between a chart and a graph (the terms are interchangeable) and numbers make them nervous. Although they are confident editing prose they feel some anxiety when numbers are involved and may avoid

this type of work altogether.Why does an editor need to know

about numbers? Editors work with words don’t they?

I contend that an understanding of the principles behind clear presentation of numerical information should be part of an editor’s skill set. This view is supported by definitions of the terms editor: ‘one who prepares

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Demystifying numbers: A guide to editing numerical content in prose, diagrams,

tables and graphs

2 December–January 2016

the work of others for publication’ and editing: ‘carefully reviewing material before it is published and suggesting or making changes to correct and improve it’ (my italics). Neither of these definitions implies the role is limited to text. The following extracts from IPEd’s Australian standards for editing practice confirm this broad view of the editor’s role.

• Substantive (structural) editing is assessing and shaping material to improve its organisation and content.

• It is editing to clarify meaning, improve flow and smooth language.

• Copyediting is editing to ensure consistency, accuracy and completeness.

• The goal of editors, regardless of their role or the type of publication, is to ensure that the material is consistent and correct, and that its content, language, style and layout suit its purpose and meet the needs of its audience.

All of these statements can be applied to numerical content as well as text.

ProliferationIt seems to me that documents containing numerical content are proliferating – partly because it is easier now than it was a decade ago to collate large amounts of numerical data, and partly because anyyone with Microsoft Office can now create charts and tables almost as easily as they can write an email. The creators of marketing materials like to present the public with graphs and tables because they imply greater accuracy and reliability. Even the utilities bills provide little graphs comparing usage to the previous period and same time last year. If editors avoid working on this content they limit their employment opportunities.

If not the editor, then who?Another reason why you as an editor should worry about numbers is simply that ‘somebody has to’. Not everyone comes to their job with the skills to write a concise, coherent report. If they did, we editors would be out of a job. Similarly, few people arrive in the workplace skilled in, or knowledgeable about, the principles underlying good numerical data presentation.

Editors can introduce their clients to these principles, as the grammar and syntax of numerical data presentation.

Everyone benefitsYour clients will love you. Many clients do not appreciate the meaning of plain English until presented with an edited document showing them the effectiveness of simple, clear language. In the same way, many clients cannot appreciate simple, clear presentation of numerical information until it is shown to them.

Readers will be happy with numerical content that has been edited with their needs in mind, with tables and graphs that are easy to read and easy to interpret

Editors who are confident working with numerical content in manuscripts will have a wider range of work opportunities both freelance and in-house, whether for publishers or for organisations that produce this sort of material regularly.

The goal is the sameIn straightforward prose documents, editors aim to make the meaning of each sentence clear in the first reading. The goal with numerical content, such as tables, charts and diagrams, is the same: to make sure the reader can understand them easily, without needing to puzzle over or interpret them.

So the things to keep in mind when editing numerical content are broadly similar to the things we strive for when editing prose. Tables, charts and diagrams should enhance communication and understanding. The overriding goal is to make things easy for the reader.

Many of the characteristics we strive for in editing – both prose and numerical content – begin with the letter C.

Broadly we aim for clarity, consistency and completeness, and in editing numerical information we also aim for accuracy.

ClarityEditors focus on three dimensions to help achieve clarity in numerical text – and notice we have some more ‘C’ words: clutter, context and conciseness.

Readability is enhanced when clutter is reduced. An early exponent of the principles underlying clear data presentation was Professor Edward Tufte who published his first book on the subject in the early 1980s. Tufte recommends anything that is not data should be eliminated from graphs. He coined the term ‘chart junk’ for ink that does not represent data, features like grid lines, shading and design elements. Another way to think of it is as ‘non-data ink’.

Sometimes readers need context to understand the numbers they are seeing. If a report says a person drank two litres of water yesterday the general reader probably understands exactly how much that is. But if the volume of a lake is reported as five hundred gigalitres how many readers are likely to understand what that means?

If the text explains that this volume is approximately the same size as Sydney Harbour then most Australian readers will be able to grasp the quantity involved. Depending on the type of document and the audience, some numbers benefit from being put into context like this.

Sometimes readers do not need to be presented with absolutely every quantity to understand the point being made. Conciseness is appropriate. A well-chosen selection of only a portion of the data, or summary statistics such as totals or averages, may be sufficient. Consider what information can be omitted without detracting from understanding.

ConsistencyChecking for consistency in numerical information involves much the same approach as for text. Ensure the same spelling for words throughout the document, that numbers are presented according to the organisation’s style guide, that numbers are rounded to the same degree, that the same measurement quantities are used throughout – not litres in one section and gallons in another.

Tables, charts and diagrams should have consistent design, labelling, captions and colours.

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CompletenessCompleteness means making sure that all the parts of a table, chart or diagram are present so that it can be easily understood in isolation. Consider the tendency of readers to flip through a report and skim read, stopping at pages of interest. Readers should not have to refer to surrounding text to understand a table or a chart.

AccuracyShould an editor check the accuracy of the figures in a document? This is something that can be discussed and agreed at the start of the project. It may not be expected but it will be appreciated, especially if you detect errors.

At the very least you should check all the numbers have the same degree of accuracy, whether measured by decimal points or significant figures, that the totals and percentages are correct. The three dimensions to consider under accuracy are: rounding, comparing and order.

Only some types of documents, such as reference tables, require a high level of accuracy in the way the figures are presented. Rounding numbers helps the reader to better comprehend quantities and helps with mental arithmetic. It is easier to appreciate the difference between 450,000 and 300,000 (150,000) than it is to work out the difference between 451,372 and 299,750.

Another approach to rounding, rather than consistent decimal points or thousands, is to round to two or three significant digits. This is appropriate when the data has a broad range of values and rounding to the nearest thousand, say, would mean all values less than 500 were written as zero.

Any rounding applied to figures must be explained in the notes to the chart or table.

One of the principles for presenting numbers put forward by Professor Ehrenberg of the London Business School in the 1970s was to keep comparisons close. Often it is only through comparing quantities, say for Australia versus other countries, that meaning is conveyed. This is similar to the concept of context mentioned earlier.

Numbers to be compared should be placed physically close to one another and in columns. Our brains are trained to add and subtract numbers in columns. Placing numbers to be compared in rows makes mental arithmetic more difficult.

Closeness also implies narrow columns and single spaced rows. A lot of space between columns and rows makes it more difficult for the reader to mentally add, subtract and compare.

Another principle that aids understanding is to put numbers in some kind of order. The order depends on the type of information and the story it tells. Largest to smallest down a column is easiest for mental arithmetic. Smallest to largest left to right in a chart demonstrates growth, while largest to smallest demonstrates a decline.

Sometimes other kinds of order are appropriate: alphabetical, seasons, months, a timeline showing years. Consider how the reader will use the information and what order it should be in to aid their understanding.

In summary, when editing numerical content we look at the four dimensions of clarity, consistency, completeness and accuracy, with a focus on clutter, context and conciseness to achieve clarity; and on rounding, comparisons and order to provide accuracy.

Framework for editing numerical content

Choosing presentation formatWhen should prose be a table? When should a table be a graph? There are no clear cut answers to these questions. The type of data and the author’s purpose will determine the most appropriate format. Some chart formats are better for presenting certain types of information, for example, line graphs are ideal for trends over time. Sometimes format choice comes down to aesthetics such as visual interest and variety in a report, or practical issues such as space limitations that will determine whether to use a table or chart.

There is no right or wrong answer. Context is important. And so is the audience. If the intended audience is highly numerate and well versed in the topic, then presenting complicated data in tables may be acceptable.

Charts are more appropriate for persuasive purposes, to illustrate the argument being put forward by the author and to make it clear to the reader. Annotations on charts can point out features that the author is focused on.

TablesTables can be classified as either reference tables or demonstration tables according to their purpose.

Reference tables contain complete and precise information that must be in a particular order, things like bus and train timetables, sporting or lottery results.

Demonstration tables are used to illustrate a point or argument in the text and generally present only a selection of the full data set.

No matter what kind of table it is, the design and structure should contain certain information that will answer the following questions about the data: Who? Where? When? What? Readers should be able to look at a table and understand it without reference to any text.

A set of data with a broad range of values is better shown in a table, as small quantities can be lost on a chart.

Tables are also preferable when comparing two or more units of measure because graphs that plot data on two different y-axes can be confusing and misinterpreted.

Large data sets are also better presented in tables, as charts with a lot of variables are virtually impossible to interpret.

ChartsCharts, like tables, have specific parts and also should answer the questions of who, where, when, what – and be understood in isolation.

Grid lines help the eye to scan up and down and across the

Consistency Completeness

Clarity Accuracy

Clutter Context

Conciseness

Rounding Comparisons

Order

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4 December–January 2016

chart but are not always necessary. A chart can include the data values on each of the data blocks and eliminate the need for values on the y axis.

It’s preferable also to do away with a legend if possible and label the data blocks directly so the reader doesn’t have to scan backwards and forwards matching colours to understand the chart.

Notes and source provide additional information as in a table.

The simplest graph types present information unambiguously. The four main types are the column, bar, pie and line. Column and bar charts are interchangeable. Choice of whether to use one or the other depends on characteristics of the data. Bar charts are good for variables with long descriptions because they are easier to read horizontally. Bar charts can also fit more variables in the same space legibly than column charts.

Other standard graph types available in Excel are radar, scatter, bubble, doughnut, area, surface and stock charts. Only two of these (scatter and bubble) can represent data meaningfully to the untrained eye.

Simple relationships can sometimes also be presented more clearly in a chart than in a table. A chart can isolate particular items within a data set to draw the reader’s attention to the information that supports a point or argument in the text.

Sometimes the author’s intention is not full and frank disclosure but rather to present only certain elements to support a position. Charts can focus the reader’s attention and persuade them to a point of view

Perception can also be distorted in charts, intentionally or unintentionally, through the choice of scale or colour. Adjustments to the scale on the y-axis can make differences, increases or decreases, appear more dramatic than they would on a scale that starts at zero. Shapes in vivid, bright colours appear larger than those that are dull and dark.

Understanding number wordsEditors of numerical texts should be clear about the meaning and appropriate use of words such as average and the various definitions of mean, median and mode. They should know how percentages are calculated and the difference between per cent, percentage point and per cent change; and the meaning of ratio, rate and rates of change. They should know the appropriate measurement style for the publication. If data is compiled from a survey then the sample size should be disclosed.

Authors can misunderstand or misuse words with quantitative connotations such as less and fewer. Consider the phrases ‘less flour in the recipe’ and ‘fewer flowers in the vase’.

Correct use of the words number and amount is similar to that for less and fewer. Consider a number of flowers in a vase but the amount of flour in the recipe.

The words about, around and approximately have slightly different connotations of accuracy. Numbers used with these terms should always be rounded and never precise, not ‘There are approximately 1,736 spaces in the carpark’.

The words over and growth are commonly used with numbers. For example, ‘over 1500 people attended’ instead of ‘more than 1500’, or ‘attendance grew by 1500 people’ instead of increased. Some style guides now consider this acceptable usage.

A quote from Edward Tufte is worth remembering as you approach an editing task involving numerical content:

‘If your numbers are dull you should find some exciting numbers – not decorate the ones you’ve got.’

Denise Holden

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President’s report 2015Many remarkable events have taken place for the society. The Write | Edit | Index Conference saw many of our members contribute with presentations and papers, and many more attend the event to learn new skills, refine others, and connect with new and old friends. For those members who were unable to make it to the conference, papers and presentations by our members continued to be available through the Blue Pencil and our monthly members’ meetings.

Another remarkable event for 2015 was the acceptance by our membership of the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) Transition Plan for a Direct Membership Model. Although there is still a lot to be done before the transition date of 1 July 2016, the positive vote by our membership has set the ball in motion for the society to wind down and

become a branch of our national editing organisation.

Workshops were well-attended, with topics such as social media, copyediting, and indexing for editors. Meetings covered topics such as fiction continuity, directions of Australian style, editing within and for mark-up languages, and editing within the world of ebook applications. We also joined the national mentoring program for editors, which any financial members can be part of to better their skills, or give back to the editing profession by mentoring a less-experience editor.

This will be another big year for the society, as we prepare for transition to direct membership. More details about this process and how it will affect members will be released soon. We also have a great line-up of workshops for the first half of the year, with our

popular InDesign workshop running in February, and Young Adult fiction editing occurring in March. The accreditation exam for editors will also take place this year, for the first time in electronic format, and what better way to prepare for this than to take our accreditation exam workshop in May. For those not planning to take the exam, this workshop is also a fantastic way to brush up on your editing skills and identify areas of improvement.

The committee continues to work hard on the various aspects of running the society, and my heartfelt thanks goes to each of them for what they contribute; the society cannot best serve our membership with only a President, it needs a team of dedicated volunteers who care about the needs and desires of our members.Zoë Hale

5 December–January 2016

The Macquarie Dictionary Online (www.macquariedictionary.com.au) gives you access to the Macquarie Dictionary, Sixth Edition with annual updates of new words, along with its companion reference the Macquarie Thesaurus.Society members receive a 10 per cent discount for online individual subscriptions. Just visit www.macquariedictionary.com.au/subscription/new/ and use the promo code SOCEDNSWMQ10.

Whip the cat

to vent frustration over something that can't be changed; to cry over spilt milk. An Aussie slang expression since the 1840s.

Bibliography: Macquarie Best Aussie Slang. © 2008. James Lambert, editor. Macquarie Dictionary Publishers Pty Ltd (online edition 2015).!

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knocker /ˈnɒkə/ (say 'nokuh)

noun 1. someone or something that knocks.

2. a hinged knob, bar, etc., on a door, for use in knocking.

3. Colloquial a persistently hostile critic or carping detractor.

4. (plural) Colloquial breasts.

5. Shearing a piece of wood, cork, leather, etc., affixed to the heel of a pair of hand shears to prevent the blades closing completely.

6. Also, knacker. (in folklore) a dwarf, goblin or spirit heard but rarely seen in the mines of Cornwall, Wales, and, following the migration of Cornish miners in the 1800s, South Australia.

–phrase 7. on the knocker, Colloquial at the right time, punctually: he was there at 4 o'clock on the knocker.

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The society sure knows how to throw a Christmas party. The annual event was held at the Kirribilli Flying Squadron’s yacht club, down by the water. We met early for pre-dinner drinks on the back balcony, overlooking the harbour on a balmy summer’s evening. 2015 had been a long year for many and even then, in early December, many of us were working hard. But when can an editor ever say no to a glass of wine with friends?

When we moved indoors for our meal, we were treated to a dedicated function room surrounded by the history of the yachting club. The spread was festive: smoked ham, mint peas, roast vegetables, chicken and turkey. And a delicious pudding for dessert. The lucky door prizes were drawn and many of our members walked away with a free book, courtesy of our corporate member Penguin RandomHouse and our friends at HarperCollins.

It was certainly a wonderful way to celebrate the past year

December dinner

7 December–January 2016

Society of Editors (NSW) Inc.2015 committeePresident: Zoë Hale

Email: president@editorsnsw.com

Vice-president: Julie Ganner Email: vp1@editorsnsw.com

Secretary: Shelley Reid

Email: secretary@editorsnsw.com

Treasurer: Russell Noakes

Email: treasurer@editorsnsw.com

Newsletter editor: Meredith McGowan

Email: bluepencil@editorsnsw.com

Professional membership coordinator: Robyn Short

Email: pmc@editorsnsw.com

Mentoring coordinator: Shannon Kelly

Email: mentoring@editorsnsw.com

Social media coordinator: Abigail Nathan

Email: online@editorsnsw.com

Editors’ lunch host: Terry Johnston

Email: lunch@editorsnsw.com

Meetings coordinator: Susie Pilkington

Email: meetings@editorsnsw.com

General committee members: Rhonda Daniels

Email: committee5@editorsnsw.com

IPEd councillor: Julie Ganner

Email: iped@editorsnsw.com

Accreditation Board representative (NSW): Julie Ganner

Email: accreditation@editorsnsw.com

Office manager: Susie Pilkington

Administration officer for publicity, membership and events coordination. Email: membership@editorsnsw.com

Society of Editors (NSW) Inc.PO Box 254, Broadway NSW 2007 Voicemail: 9294 4999www.editorsnsw.com© 2016 The Society of Editors (NSW) Inc.ISSN 2202-1361 (Online)

Blue PencilEditor: Meredith McGowanAssistants: Susie Pilkington and Shannon KellyBlue Pencil is available in interactive digital format (PDF). Open with Adobe reader to get the best results.Published: generally 11 issues a year (combined January–February issue).Your comments and contributions are welcome. Post them to the Editor, Blue Pencil, Society of Editors (NSW) Inc., PO Box 254, Broadway NSW 2007, or email the editor at bluepencil@editorsnsw.com

Copy deadline February issue is 9 FebruaryThe views expressed in the articles and letters, or the material contained in any advertisement or attachment, are those of individual authors, not of the Society of Editors (NSW) Inc.

Advertising ratesFull page $375; half page $200; one-third page $125; quarter page $100; one-sixth page $75 (half of one column). Circulation: approximately 400. Please note that the committee reserves the right to decide whether advertisements are appropriate for this newsletter.

MembershipMembership of the Society of Editors (NSW) Inc. is open to anyone working as an editor for publication (print or electronic documents) and anyone who supports the society’s aims. Membership is available in different categories.

Membership runs for a calendar year. The 2016 fees are $105 for professional members (new or renewal), $85 for associate members (new or renewal) and $45 for student members. Interested organisations can become corporate associates for $400 per year.

To obtain a membership application form visit the Society of Editors (NSW) Inc. website www.editorsnsw.com, phone 9294 4999 (voicemail) or email membership@editorsnsw.com.

NB: The society transits to become NSW branch of IPEd, 1 July 2016.

Listing in the Editorial Services DirectoryThe Editorial Services Directory is available online at www.editorsnsw.com/esd

New listings and updates can be added throughout the year. The cost is $40 per year in addition to the fee for professional membership of the society. New listings can be made using a template available from the office manager.

Committee meetingsAll members are welcome to attend the society’s committee meetings, generally held on the second Tuesday of each month. Please contact the office manager for details if you wish to attend the next meeting.

ABN 53 030 428 517