Editorial smarts: contextual and single sentence editing tools

Contextual editing emphasizes the context and purpose of a text, enabling the editor to focus on the writer's intent before editing for grammar. The approach discussed here builds on Mathes and Stevenson's procedure for editing sentences in context, also taking into consideration other editorial issues such as the given/new principle, active and passive voice, transitions, nominalizations, jargon, and wordiness. In this workshop, we are provided with a breakdown process for editing for style that addresses these editorial issues. The purpose of this workshop is threefold: to introduce you to contextual editing, to provide you with an opportunity to experiment with this approach, and to solicit your feedback for the usefulness of this approach for editors and new technical communicators.