The Science Editor
The Science Editor is a journal published by the Council of Science Editors in order to help those involved with scientific publishing. Their main purpose is to help those editors in their jobs by providing support groups for them to seek assistance. The group also discusses current issues that involve copy editing and the field of science.
Article Overview
In this article, the monthly meeting of the Council of Science Editors discussed technology in copy editing. However this article was more concerned with how technology has affected providing information to those in the scientific field. Clarity was one of the main concerns amongst the council. Even though the copy editors' job has not changed much over the years, clarity of information has. With today's society being so wrapped up in getting information as soon as possible, more errors pop up. And because of this, some of the scientific information can be skewed and is often confusing. Also, the design aspect of copy editing is very important as well. Since many authors no longer listen to their editors all of the time when it comes to design, the author's message can be lost in the confusing format of their literature.
When talking about something as specific as the sciences, it is vital that all published information is correct in all aspects. However, since it is common belief that speed is better than accuracy, editors are no longer able to edit information before it is accessed by the public. With this being said, wrong information is being sent out to all of those concerned about the sciences. So, is it really better to get wrong information out quickly instead of correct information out a little slower? In his TEDx Talk video, Larry Ingrassia furthers this point but discusses the publication process in general.