Printer’s Correction Sign – JSS2 Business Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Printers’ correction signs (also called proof readers’ signs) are marks made by editors, writers, secretaries or typesetters on a manuscript to show corrections before the work goes for printing.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define a manuscript and printers’ correction signs;
2. explain why errors must be corrected before a document is printed;
3. identify the common printers’ correction signs in the margin and in the text;
4. state the meaning and use of each sign;
5. use the signs to mark simple errors in a short passage.

What does this lesson cover?

1. Manuscripts and the need for correction signs
2. Where correction signs are written
3. Proof readers’ signs, their identification and meanings
4. Examples of marking a manuscript

What is a manuscript?

A manuscript is the handwritten work of a secretary, author or manager before it is typed or printed.

• Handwritten draft: the first copy written by hand, which may be typed for official purposes.
• Errors: mistakes in spelling, spacing, capital letters, order of words or missing letters may occur.
• Abbreviations: the writer may use long-hand short forms that the typist must read correctly.

Why are correction signs needed?

Correction signs are needed because errors in a manuscript must be corrected before the work is printed.

• Standard signs: everyone who reads the manuscript understands the same marks.
• Guide to the typist: the signs tell the typist, secretary or printer exactly what to change.
• Efficient work: the job is done faster and with fewer repeated corrections.
• Good image of the office: a document containing an error must not be allowed to leave the office.
• Fair copy: before a fair copy is typed, the writer makes corrections in the margin or in the text.

Who uses printers’ correction signs?

Editors, writers, secretaries and typesetters use printers’ correction signs.

• Editor: checks a writer’s work and marks the corrections.
• Writer or author: marks changes on his or her own draft.
• Secretary or typist: reads the signs and types the corrected copy.
• Typesetter or printer: follows the signs when preparing the work for printing.

Where are correction signs written?

Correction signs are written in two places: in the margin and in the text.

• In the text: a mark at the exact place of the error, such as a line, a caret or a bracket.
• In the margin: a short instruction, such as l.c. or N.P., that tells the typist what to do at that place.

What are the common printers’ correction signs and their meanings?

The common signs are new paragraph, spaced capitals, lower case, capitals, close up, stet, transpose, delete and omission.

What does each sign tell the typist to do?

Each sign gives one clear instruction to the typist.

Signs for layout and spacing

• N.P.: start a new paragraph at the bracket.
• Close up: remove the extra space within a word or before a punctuation mark.
• Sp. Caps: type the marked words in capitals with spaces between the letters.

Signs for letter style

• l.c.: change a capital letter to a small letter.
• Cap, u.c. or u/c: change a small letter to a capital letter.

Signs for changing the words

• Delete: leave out the marked letter or word.
• Omission (caret): insert the missing letter, word or punctuation mark shown in the margin.
• Trs: change the order of the marked words.
• Stet: ignore the cancellation and type the word as it first stood.

How do we use the signs to correct a manuscript?

A manuscript is corrected by reading it, marking each error in the text and writing the instruction in the margin.

1. Read the manuscript carefully from the beginning.
2. Find each error, such as wrong spelling, wrong capital letter or extra space.
3. Mark the exact place of the error in the text with the correct sign.
4. Write the matching instruction in the margin, level with the line.
5. Read the work again to check that no error is left.
6. Type the fair copy following the signs.

Examples

• Wrong capital letter: in “The Market opens early”, a line is drawn under M and l.c. is written in the margin.
• Missing capital letter: in “lagos is a big city”, double lines are drawn under l and Cap is written in the margin.
• Missing letter: in “Thre children came”, a caret is placed after Th and e is written in the margin.
• Repeated word: in “the the book”, a line is drawn across one “the” and Delete is written in the margin.
• Wrong order: in “book the”, a transpose sign is made between the words and Trs is written in the margin.

Evaluation

1. What is a manuscript?
2. What are printers’ correction signs?
3. Why must errors be corrected before a document is printed?
4. State the meaning of “Stet” and the sign used for it in the text.
5. What does the sign “Delete/” tell the typist to do?

Assignment

Draw a table of any five printers’ correction signs. For each one, give the sign in the margin, the sign in the text and its meaning.