Editors’ Newsroom: A behind-the-scenes look at the copyediting process

Hi Sarah, you’ve worked for nearly 20 years with SBP authors, helping them revise their text to be publication ready. Could you give us an overview of the process that authors can expect when their article is copyedited?

Several SBP team members have indeed reached or are approaching that 20-year milestone. In that time we’ve moved from paper-based editing to a fully online system, although the essentials of the copyediting process remain much the same. After transferring an accepted manuscript to the SBP template for formatting, we cross-check the citations and references, then move on to editing the main text, tables, and figures, using the APA Publication Manual (7th ed.) and our in-house formatting sheet as our guide. Along the way, we note in the page margins any queries for authors to address. In the second stage of copyediting we incorporate authors’ feedback and responses to our queries, and conduct a final, thorough read-through. Next up is layout and proofreading, then the author has an opportunity to review the final version before the paper is ready to go forth and be cited (or sighted, when it also reaches nonacademic audiences)!

Thanks for that. It’s helpful for our authors to see the full picture of this editing process. Could you briefly introduce the copyediting team? We’ve got several experienced editors, and authors will become familiar with their names when they have work accepted at SBP.

We have a fantastic group of experienced, competent editors, comprising Dorothy, Helen, Yvette, Brooke, and myself. Dorothy is our longest serving copyeditor, having started as a proofreader in 2001; she was already well established in the role when I joined the team in 2007, during my undergraduate studies in psychology. More recently, Helen joined the team in 2021 after finishing her PhD in creative writing. Yvette took on the dual roles of Associate Editor and Copyeditor in 2023 after completing her PhD studies in psychology, and our most recent addition is Brooke, who joined us last year, bringing a wealth of experience in editing and publishing roles.

What part of this work do you most enjoy?

It is so rewarding to hear from freshly published authors who appreciate the work our team does to polish their manuscripts. I also enjoy seeing each new copyeditor integrate into the team as we complete the training process together.

And I know our authors will find your answer to this next question to be invaluable: what tips do you have for authors to ensure the copyediting process goes as smoothly as possible?

Even before submission, there are a few things authors can do to simplify the acceptance and editing process. For example, it’s worth letting your complete paper rest for a few days, so you can read it over with fresh eyes before submitting it. To get ahead of the most common author queries, take a look through our published papers to get an idea of the layout we use for tables and figures, and check that each citation has a matching reference and each reference is cited in the text at least once. If you’re using generative artificial intelligence as a writing tool, please keep in mind our journal policy on its usage and be aware that this technology requires human oversight and fact checking. Also, it never hurts to conduct one last spellcheck!

Finally, for many researchers who submit to SBP, English is not their first language, and preparing a full research paper in this language can be intimidating. Do you have some words of encouragement for these authors as they prepare their work?

Absolutely! SBP is an international journal, so we appreciate seeing research presented from multiple perspectives and cultural backgrounds. Our Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Bob Stewart, consistently emphasizes the geographical spread of SBP’s authorship as a point of pride and achievement for the journal, and as a team we are very comfortable working with authors who speak English as a second or subsequent language. We’re here to help present your work in a way that’s readable and accessible, while maintaining your authorial voice.

Thank you so much for these insights, Sarah. Our authors can be confident that their work is in safe hands with you and the copyediting team!