'''Copy- editing''' is the process when an [[editor]] makes formatting changes to text. ''Copy'', in this case a noun, refers to matter (such as handwritten or typewritten pages) to be set (as in [[typesetting]]) for [[printing]].
Copy- editing typically entails fixing [[misspelling|spelling]] and [[punctuation]] mistakes and correcting [[grammatical]], [[semantic]], and other similar errors, as well as adding standardized [[header]]s, [[footer]]s, and headlines, and so on—all elements that must be addressed before the typesetter can prepare a final proof copy. Traditionally, a copy- editor reads [[printing|printed]] or written text, such as a [[manuscript]], and marks it with handwritten proofreader's marks for correction. A modern alternative is to read the text on a [[computer display]] in [[wysiwyg]] form and enter the corrections directly into the [[computer]].
An important function of the copy- editor is to ensure that the text is not only grammatically correct and spelled correctly, but also makes sense and is clearly written for its intended readership. In many cases the copy- editor may be the only person other than the author to read the entire text before publication. The copy- editor helps the author say what he/she meant to say but didn't quite express properly!
