Study plan

 

What’s on this page? 

(Check this list for updates)

  • What to do (general) – a quick guide to getting started on study for any exam
  • Study plan for editors studying for IPEd Accreditation Exam
  • Help with particular needs (for editors)
    • Workshops and guided practice:
      • Grammar in a nutshell
      • Copyediting
    • Choosing what to take into an open-book exam
    • Personal preparation
    • Preparing a personal study timetable
  • Reading guide for editors

Contact us for help in building your study timetable. Some resources are available at no charge. Moderate fees apply to recommended group workshops and private mentoring or tutoring. 

What to do (general):

  • Start or join a study group – studying in isolation is not often as beneficial as studying with like-minded group members. Commit to attendance at regular group sessions, either in person or virtual.
  • Find out what the exam covers and where the gaps are in your knowledge or practical skills and experience.
  • Aim for a balance of activities that suit you.
  • Set a regular period for study and skills practice – frequency will depend on the size of the task and the timeframe – however small, a regular amount of time is likely to work better than a heavy load close to the exam. 
  • Have at least the minimum recommended practical experience – OR take steps to remedy any lack of recent experience if practical skills are required.
  • Get all of the recommended study materials: exam regulations, books, articles, any necessary tools.
  • Work through practice exams methodically where available, building up to timed practice to get used to exam pressure (particularly important if you haven’t done an exam recently).

 

Studying for the IPEd Accreditation Exam 2024

We have prepared a study plan that may be useful in planning for the 2024 exam for accreditation of editors. The exam will be held on Monday 12 August 2024 all round Australia and New Zealand, so the sooner you start on your planned study, the easier it will be.

Studying alone is not always a good idea. Join a study group or start one yourself and work out a specific plan that takes into account your and your study group’s needs. We can help you do this if necessary. Send us a message about your needs.

We also run grammar workshops which you may want to join to brush up your English grammar. These are run in small groups (max 6 in person or 12 by Zoom) on an ‘as needed’ basis. As part of a study plan, we recommend Elizabeth’s Grammar in a nutshell. Read about it in the ‘Training and Mentoring’ page and Contact us to register your interest.

We also offer individual mentoring or tutoring in specific aspects of the IPEd accreditation exam if you would like to contact us about any part of the exam in which you need guidance. There are moderate charges for workshops, mentoring and tutoring.

If you have questions about the study plan below, please ask.

  

emma study plan

For editors preparing for IPEd Accreditation Exam

(See also the flowchart below, which illustrates this plan.

1. Read ALL guidelines and advice from IPEd about the exam on the IPEd website.

Keep checking the IPEd website for updated advice, instructions, timeframes and registration information.

2. Be sure that you are ready to proceed with studying for and taking the exam on 12 August 2024. Ask yourself the same question ‘Am I ready to continue?’ throughout this process. If you think at any point that you are not ready to proceed, here are some actions you can take:

    • get more experience
    • take courses and workshops
    • seek mentoring
    • seek one-on-one tuition or other guidance.

3. If you are ready to continue:

  • Identify key reading and other resources, for example:
    • the style manual you will use for the exam, noting that the current default choices are the Australian government style manual, the Australian manual of style, and the Aotearoa New Zealand style manual Fit to print (see the reading guide for editors below)
    • books (including Australian standards for editing practice   iped-editors.org/about-editing/australian-standards – the Standards; these are the basis of the exam; also see the reading lists on the IPEd website https://www.iped-editors.org/accreditation-scheme/iped-accreditation-exam/exam-resources/
    • websites (including this emwords website)
    • networks (including Facebook Secret editors’ business)
    • study group
    • mentoring (guidance from an experienced editor/mentor in your choice of topic)
    • workshops and other guidance (including Grammar in a nutshell and Copyediting)
    • one-on-one tuition (in aspects of editing that you may need to update, such as Track Changes).

4. Review selected practice exam questions and identify gaps in knowledge.

  • It’s important that your knowledge is up-to-date and reflects contemporary Australian editing practice. For example:
    • Are you confident that the grammar and style rules you are applying are best current practice?
    • Have your learned about, understood and applied contemporary approaches to issues such as inclusive language and accessibility?

5. Continue preparation:

  • start assembling bound book (of material that is not available in chosen style manual, or that you may need more detail about)
  • continue with focused reading (for example, see the Reading Guide below on this page of this website)
  • identify personal weaknesses and develop resources
  • attempt selected practice exam questions in non-timed setting
  • mentoring / workshops / one-on-one tuition

6. Continue:

  • attempt sections of practice exam in timed setting
  • finish assembling bound book
  • mentoring / workshops / one-on-one tuition

7. Take full practice exam under timed conditions.

8. Get everything ready for exam day.

8. Rest and relax!

10. Take exam.

Study Plan Fow Chart

We can email you a blank template for you to use to make your own timetable. Please contact us and ask for it. It’s free.

 

Help with particular needs:

Contact us so that an emma team member can help you develop any aspect of this plan. Things that can be included are:

  • Workshops and guided practice relevant to your exam preparation:

Grammar in a nutshell is a popular workshop with an optional add-on of an in-depth review of some aspects of English grammar such as complex verb structures, prepositional idiom, detailed punctuation, parallel structure in bullet lists (ask us for a workshop outline). This workshop includes practice in correcting grammatical errors, similar to the LANGUAGE part of the IPEd exam. NEW: The workshop content can also be offered in small sections of particular interest to you.

Copyediting guidance includes reading a client’s brief carefully, preparing a style sheet, practice in the use of Track Changes to mark up text and provide comments to authors and so on (ask us for an outline). This guidance is relevant to the copyediting MANUSCRIPT part of the IPEd exam.

  • Choosing what to take into an open-book exam:
    • Books – standard references (know whether to read, skim or skip and what to flag – see the reading guide for editors below)
    • Selected extra information in a personal, spiral-bound booklet form (needs careful selection and brevity); this booklet is for typed or printed information you find that doesn’t appear in your standard references – such as updates about technology, editing practices in other countries, specialist medical or legal editing conventions, accessibility, inclusive language (some or all of which may help you with the KNOWLEDGE part of the IPEd exam).If you have attended a recent Grammar in a nutshell workshop, and if you have typed in the blanks in the workbook provided (not handwritten), you could print it and include it in your spiral-bound booklet as a personal grammar reference. If you quote from the workbook, be sure to acknowledge the source.
    • Tools such as calculator, stationery items.
  • Personal preparation:
    • Everyone is different and has different ways of learning. You may have difficulties that others don’t have – we can help you work through them – a private mentorship or tutoring can be arranged for the duration of your study time until the exam if required. Ask us for study plan and timetable help.
  • Preparing a personal detailed study timetable:
    • Done the planning? Time to draw up a timetable just for you? Ask us for help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

READING GUIDE FOR EDITORS

Whether you are preparing for accreditation or just looking to deepen your knowledge on some areas of editing or improve your confidence, you may find the following advice useful. These are suggestions only and are not designed to comprehensively cover topics.

Note: this is not an official or IPEd-endorsed guide. If you are looking for information about the IPEd Accreditation Exam, you should see the IPEd website.

The resources referenced in this guide include:

Australian government style manual (free, no account required)

Australian manual of style (AMOS) published by Biotext Pty Ltd and Macquarie University (subscription only, IPEd member discount available)

Australian style guide (ASG) published by the Plain English Foundation (free, account required)

Flann, E, Hill, B & Wang, L 2014 The Australian editing handbook, 3rd edition. Milton, Queensland: John Wiley & Sons.

Mackenzie, J 2011 The editor’s companion, 2nd edition. Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.

Snooks & Co. 2002 Style manual for authors, editors and printers, 6th edition. Australia: John Wiley & Sons.

For the IPEd exam, you will have to specify which style guide you wish to use as your default – you can nominate one of three: Australian government style manual, Australian manual of style (Macquarie/Biotext) and Fit to print (Aotearoa New Zealand style guide) – or nominate another one entirely. You will have online access to both the Australian government style manual and the Australian manual of style – and the Macquarie online dictionary.

 

General

  • Australian standards for editing practice (IPEd)

All Australian editors should make sure they are familiar with these standards. In addition, they form the basis for the IPEd Accreditation Exam. See the IPEd website for details.

  • For any exam you are intending to sit, it is vital to read everything that the examining body provides to candidates ahead of time. This often includes practical advice about what to expect and what you’ll need to do to prepare, information about how best to study, and about practice exams. If you’re thinking of taking the IPEd Accreditation Exam, keep your eye on the IPEd website and make use of all IPEd’s available information and resources.

Editing topics

Editing briefs

The Australian editing handbook, pp. 46–52

 

Project management

The Australian editing handbook, chapter 2

Style manual (6th edition), chapters 1, 2 and 26

The editor’s companion, chapter 3

 

Legal issues

The Australian editing handbook, pp. 70–76 (be cautious, as some of this material could be outdated)

The editor’s companion, pp. 35–41 (be cautious, as some of this material could be outdated)

Australian Copyright Council, including:

‘Editors and Copyright’

‘An Introduction to Copyright in Australia’

https://www.copyright.org.au/browse/book/ACC-An-Introduction-to-Copyright-in-Australia-INFO010

Editors and Copyright factsheet can be found here:  https://www.copyright.org.au/browse/book/ACC-Editors-&-Copyright-INFO080

 

Accessibility and inclusion

Australian government style manual, https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/user-needs/accessibility-and-inclusion

AMOS, https://stylemanual.com.au/contents/engaging/making-content-accessible

Australian Inclusive Publishing Initiative (AIPI) https://aipi.com.au/, including AIPI guides https://aipi.com.au/aipi-guides/

Inclusive language is well covered in the Australian government style manual: https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/format-writing-and-structure/inclusive-language

 

Plain English

Murphy E M with Cadman H 2014 Effective writing: plain English at work – 2nd edition, Westgate NSW: Lacuna (See ‘Books’ page on this website for full details)

Murphy E M 2019 Working words (revised edition), Armidale NSW: Lacuna (See ‘Books’ page on this website for full details)

Australian style guide, Plain English section

 

Grammar

AMOS includes a substantial section on grammar: https://stylemanual.com.au/contents/editing/grammar

Style manual (6th edition), chapter 5 gives a useful introduction to key issues, including a helpful FAQ section.

Tredinnick M 2008 The little green grammar book, Sydney NSW: University of NSW Press – gives explanations for most points of English grammar in a light style

 

Parts of a book

The Australian editing handbook, chapter 4

Style manual (6th edition), chapter 13

 

Citations and reference lists

This is a very large topic. Building expertise in understanding and following a particular style is important, as well as generally understanding the range of approaches used. The reading suggestions below provide useful introductions.

Australian style guide, referencing section

AMOS, referencing systems section https://stylemanual.com.au/contents/editing/references/referencing-systems

Style manual (6th edition) chapter 12

 

Copyediting

Reading about copyediting can be difficult unless it is in the context of practical exercises and application of the rules. The ideas for reading below focus on just a few selected topics, but it is important to put these into practice.

 

Different style manuals may also include different advice on some issues, so it is important to be familiar with the style manual you intend to use in the exam. The examples given here are from the Australian government style manual (https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/), but other manuals also include detailed guidance on these and many other copyediting topics.

Please contact us if you are interested in making an early start on preparation for your next exam or other specific study. And please tell us how we can improve this plan for you. We can help you develop an actual timetable to suit just you or your whole study group.