SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Edit manuscripts 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
246546  Edit manuscripts 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Publishing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language Communication Studies 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  15 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
The Unit Standard is aimed at learners who will be working in the publishing sector in South Africa. Credited learners can edit a manuscript according to given specifications. The unit standard adds value to individuals who are seeking to develop a career pathway within the field of communications and language by developing entry-level competence in manuscript editing.

The purpose of the learning is to be able to edit a variety of straightforward manuscripts, in accordance with organisational requirements and procedures. Competent editing of manuscripts will result in improved quality of products in the publishing industry.

Credited learners are capable of:
  • Assessing manuscripts to determine whether given specifications have been met.
  • Editing manuscripts for language correctness and consistency.
  • Editing visual elements of manuscripts.
  • Marking up manuscripts for production. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credits and level assigned to this unit standard is based on the assumption that learners have already attained the following competencies:
  • Communication and language, NQF Level 4.
  • Computer literacy, NQF Level 3. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    All outcomes for this unit standard must be achieved in terms of a variety of publications. At this level, learners are required to be able to edit various manuscripts, but the level of competence required is entry-level, and does not include deep-level edits on more complex manuscripts. Other range statements are included with the relevant specific outcomes and assessment criteria where appropriate. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Assess manuscripts to determine whether given specifications have been met. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Specifications can include ethical, legal, production, design and content specifications, etc. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    All specifications relevant to given manuscripts are identified and checked for adequacy and/or completeness according to the requirements of the specifications given. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Requirements can include extent, format, structure, language level, design elements, etc.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Anomalies between manuscripts and identified requirements are recorded, including accurate details of the anomalies on query sheets, and communicated to all relevant persons. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Feedback on queries regarding anomalies is implemented accurately, in accordance with organisational procedures and according to given schedules. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Elements of manuscripts requiring legal action are identified and recorded, including all the details needed to facilitate the required action. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Elements requiring legal action would include extracts or images requiring permission, libellous or defamatory statements, etc.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Permission for copyright material is applied for according to organisational procedures. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Edit manuscripts for language correctness and consistency. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Editing must be done on hard copy and electronically; language can include spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, concord, word choice, etc. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Language errors are correctly identified and alterations are made without changing meaning or author's voice. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Manuscripts are edited accurately with reference to house style or other given style requirements, to ensure compliance with these requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Editorial style sheets are drawn up relevant to specific manuscripts in accordance with organisational requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Consistency issues are correctly identified and alterations made achieve consistency throughout specific manuscripts. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Consistency can include spelling, punctuation, italics, use of numerals or words, etc.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    All alterations are marked clearly and in accordance with organisational requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Information sources are used effectively to ensure correctness and consistency of language. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Information sources can include dictionaries, editorial reference works, etc.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Edit visual elements of manuscripts. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Visual elements include photographs, hand-drawn and computer-generated artwork, maps, charts, etc. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Visual elements of manuscripts are identified correctly with justifications that distinguish them from verbal elements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Different kinds of visual elements are identified and distinguished from each other in accordance with the required medium. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Medium can include paintings, line drawings, maps, charts, photographs, graphs, etc.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    All visual products required by manuscript specifications are recorded in accordance with organisation procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Specific visual products required are described in formats that are clear and accessible. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Specifications for required visual products are communicated to relevant persons clearly and accurately, including all details needed for successful execution of the products and in accordance with organisation procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Adherence of visual products to specifications given is appraised with regard to accuracy of detail, context, medium and technical production quality. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Mark up manuscripts for production. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Marking up must be done on hard copy and electronically. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    All elements requiring marking up are identified in accordance with given specifications. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Elements can include headings, tables, lists, boxes, etc.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    All identified elements requiring marking up are marked up clearly and in accordance with organisational requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Internationally recognised copy-editing symbols are used legibly, accurately and consistently when marking up hard copy. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Marked up elements are recorded and communicated clearly and accurately to relevant production persons in accordance with organisational procedures. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Assessment of learner achievements takes place at providers accredited by a relevant ETQA (RSA, 1998b) for the provision of programs that result in the outcomes specified for this unit standard.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with a relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with a relevant ETQA.
  • The relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines and the agreed ETQA procedures will oversee moderation of assessment and is responsible for moderation of learner achievements of learners who meet the requirements of this unit standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Credited learners understand and can explain:
  • The publishing process, and the production process in particular.
  • The difference between proofreading and copy-editing.
  • The difference between kinds of editing.
  • The international copy-editing symbols.
  • The use of query sheets, editorial style sheets.
  • House or other styles, and the importance of adherence to house styles.
  • The relationship between a house style and project style sheet.
  • Onscreen editing.
  • The components of a variety of publications.
  • Legal requirements regarding, for example, copyright and intellectual property, libellous or defamatory statements, etc.
  • Visual and verbal elements of manuscripts.
  • Author's voice.
  • Manuscript consistency and consistency issues. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems where responses to problems show that such critical and creative thinking has been used to make responsible decisions when language errors are correctly identified and alterations are made without changing meaning or author's voice, manuscripts are edited accurately with reference to house style or other given style requirements, to ensure compliance with these requirements, and consistency issues are correctly identified and alterations made achieve consistency throughout specific manuscripts. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation or community when internationally recognised copy-editing symbols are used, and marked up elements are recorded and communicated clearly and accurately to relevant production persons in accordance with organisational procedures. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively when feedback on queries regarding anomalies is implemented accurately, in accordance with organisational procedures and according to given schedules, and permission for copyright material is applied for according to organisational procedures. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information to assess manuscripts to determine whether given specifications have been met, edit manuscripts for language correctness and consistency, and edit visual elements of manuscripts. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematic and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation to mark up manuscripts for production, and when anomalies between manuscripts and identified requirements are recorded, including accurate details of the anomalies on query sheets, and communicated to all relevant persons, editorial style sheets are drawn up relevant to specific manuscripts in accordance with organisational requirements, all alterations are marked clearly and in accordance with organisational requirements, and specifications for required visual products are communicated to relevant persons clearly and accurately, including all details needed for successful execution of the products and in accordance with organisation procedures. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others when specific visual products required are described in formats that are clear and accessible. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation when all specifications relevant to given manuscripts are identified and checked for adequacy and/or completeness according to the requirements of the specifications given, visual elements of manuscripts are identified correctly with justifications that distinguish them from verbal elements, and different kinds of visual elements are distinguished from each other in accordance with the required medium. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to Assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the learner is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the learner can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  58977   National Certificate: Publishing  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2015-06-30  FPMSETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.