Editorial styles pertain to certain rules or guidelines editors observe while ensuring that submitted material is clear and consistent. There are many editorial styles, but all of them concern themselves with certain standard elements. These elements include punctuation and abbreviations, headings, tables, references/citations and presentation of statistics.

The APA (American Psychological Association) prescribes its own editorial style for submitted manuscripts. It ensures that manuscripts are double-spaced and feature 1" margins on the top, the bottom and the sides. It requires that all pages be numbered (starting from the title page) in the page’s upper right-hand corner. It also eliminates any kind of demeaning or biased language. All spellings must conform to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. The APA documentation style requires the writer to list citations for information sources within the text, rather than in footnotes and endnotes. Here is a brief guide to this editorial style - http://www.writinghelp-central.com/apa-format-rules.html

 The CMS (Chicago Manual of Style) editorial style guide also deals with various aspects of editorial practice. Primarily, it ensures that all submitted text features proper American English grammar and that it conforms to required document preparation parameters. It is applicable in submissions pertaining to social science publications and historical journals. The CMS style uses the Author-Date method of citation for papers on natural and social sciences, as well as a Notes-Bibliography style for submissions on fine arts, history and literature. Guidelines for Internet writers - http://gateway.lib.ohio-state.edu/tutor/les7/guide.html

 Many publishers of academic papers prefer that writers and researchers use the MLA (Modern Language Association of America) style. The MLA editorial style is applicable in writing and research documentation pertaining to humanities, papers on modern languages and literatures, literary criticism and media/cultural studies. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is very useful for students in secondary schools, undergraduate colleges and universities who write on the above subjects. Some basic guidelines - http://www.mla.org/store/CID24/PID159

 The ACS (American Chemical Society) editorial style is a standardized process focusing on proper citation in academic publications. While there are various citation styles, many publishers prefer the ACS style for chemistry papers.

 Technical editing is applicable in technical writing. It reviews technical text to identify errors in technical language, and to ensure that the material conforms to the publisher’s style guide. The best technical editors have technical backgrounds themselves. In all cases, it calls for attention to detail, sustained focus while editing lengthy technical manuscripts and advanced people/communication skills.

Arun Chitnis