Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

  • 2

    Chapter 1: Getting Started

    • Chapter Overview

    • Step 1: Step Back

    • Step 2: Turn On Track Changes

    • Step 3: Save and Back Up Your Work. A Lot.
  • 3

    Chapter 2: Double-Checking Your Automated Tools

    • Chapter Overview

    • Your Style Manual

    • Your Publisher’s or Platform’s Style Guide

    • Your Dictionary

    • Your Style Sheet

    • What If the Big Four Disagree?
  • 4

    Chapter 3: Techniques You Can Try Right Now

    • Chapter Overview

    • Change the Format

    • Read Aloud

    • Read Backwards
  • 5

    Chapter 4: Tools in Your Word-Processing Program

    • Chapter Overview

    • Spellcheckers

    • Read-Aloud Functions

    • Find-and-Replace Functions

    • Word's Editor Function

    • Word’s Autocorrect Functions

    • Macros in Word
  • 6

    Chapter 5: Other Useful Tools, Programs, and Websites

    • Chapter Overview

    • AutoCrit

    • Grammarly

    • ProWritingAid

    • OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus

    • One Stop for Writers

    • PerfectIt

    • Editor's ToolKit Plus

    • Hemingway Editor
  • 7

    Chapter 6: English Grammar for Self-Editing

    • Chapter Overview

    • Parts of Speech

    • Phrases vs. Clauses

    • Incomplete Sentences

    • Parallel Structure

    • Subjects vs. Objects and Who vs. Whom

    • Comparative vs. Superlative Adjectives

    • Comparative vs. Superlative Adverbs

    • When to Use Comparative vs. Superlative

    • Subject-Verb Agreement

    • Count Nouns vs. Noncount Nouns
  • 8

    Chapter 7: Style Sheets

    • Chapter Overview

    • Setting Up Your Style Sheet

    • Expanding Your Style Sheet
  • 9

    Chapter 8: “Comma-n” Mistakes and How to Fix Them

    • Chapter Overview

    • Comma Splices

    • Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions

    • Commas with Dates and Locations

    • Serial Commas

    • Paired Commas

    • Commas between Adjectives

    • Commas with Dialogue

    • Commas with Interjections
  • 10

    Chapter 9: Hyphens

    • Chapter Overview

    • What Hyphens Do

    • Do *NOT* Use Automated Hyphenation

    • Hyphens and -ly Adverbs

    • Hyphens Before Nouns vs. After Nouns

    • Hyphens with Prefixes
  • 11

    Chapter 10: Em Dashes and En Dashes

    • Chapter Overview

    • Em Dashes

    • En Dashes in Number Ranges

    • En Dashes vs. Hyphens

    • En Dashes with College and University Campuses
  • 12

    Chapter 11: Other Common Punctuation Errors

    • Chapter Overview

    • Order of Punctuation Marks

    • Orphaned Punctuation

    • How in the World Do You Do Apostrophes?

    • Missing Apostrophes and Unintentional Words
  • 13

    Chapter 12: Capitalization

    • Chapter Overview

    • Proper Nouns vs. Common Nouns

    • Names of Professions and Jobs

    • Seasons

    • Academic Courses

    • College Majors, Minors, Degrees, and Fields of Study

    • Personal Titles
  • 14

    Chapter 13: Acronyms, Initialisms, and Abbreviations

    • Chapter Overview

    • No Periods or Spaces between Letters

    • Use Commas with Certain Abbreviations

    • I.e. vs. E.g.

    • A.m. and P.m.
  • 15

    Chapter 14: Titles of Works

    • Chapter Overview

    • Capitalization

    • Formatting

    • Series Names vs. Book Titles
  • 16

    Chapter 15: Other Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

    • Chapter Overview

    • Common Typos That Change Meaning

    • Commonly Confused Words

    • Excessive Passive Voice

    • Excessive Use of Be Verbs

    • Footnotes and Citations

    • Writing Dates

    • Filler Words in Dialogue

    • Numbers
  • 17

    Chapter 16: Preparing for Professional Editing

    • Chapter Overview

    • The Different Types of Editing

    • Other Reviewing Processes

    • What to Look for in an Editor

    • Where to Find an Editor
  • 18

    Conclusion

    • Go Forth and Edit!