Development Editing

Development editing is an important stage in educational publishing that comes before copy editing. It involves reading the author’s manuscript to ensure that it:

• meets the publisher’s brief and adheres to the exam board’s specification
• contains all the right pedagogical features
• covers all topics to the appropriate level
• is written in language that will be understood by the target age group
• uses illustrations and tables in an effective way.

Development editing involves working closely with the author to ensure that the final manuscript meets the intended purpose. Recent development editing jobs include work on a biology text for the International A and AS level syllabus, a new International Baccalaureate biology course and an international Primary science course.

Creation of educational resources often involves repurposing material that has already been written and published. Mapping parts of a curriculum between old and new versions of a product is an important part of this job, and one that I have experience with.