Instructor's Copy-Editing Symbols

Follow this link, as well as this other link, for a legend of the standard copy-editing symbols.

Some of the more frequently-used are the following.

• SYN: faulty syntax
• GR: faulty grammar
• AWK: awkward wording or awkward expression of idea.
• SP: spelling error
• PRON: missing or faulty pronoun.
• AGR: faulty agreement (grammar.)
• T: incorrect tense (grammar.)
• M: incorrect mood (grammar.)
• //: lack of correct parallelism
• ¶ : faulty paragraph structure
• CAP: capitalise
• MM: mixed metaphor
• NO CAP: don't capitalise
• CAP: capitalise.
• WDY: excessive, roundabout or unhelpful wording that obscures the argument.
• ARG: argument required.
• STET: ignore comment & leave as was.
• DEV: faulty or missing development of the argument.
• TRANS: weak or missing transition.
• D: faulty diction (e.g. use of jargon or informal idiom.)
• PASS: passive (usually adjectival rather than adverbial) form
• WC: faulty word choice
• WW: wrong word
• M: choice of grammatical mood.
• RELEV: irrelevant remark.
• PETITIO: a petitio principii ('begging the question')—assuming as a conclusion that which needs to be established as a premis. Often in essay argument, a statement delivered as a proof which itself is as yet unproven.
• UNCL: unclear expression of an idea
• REP: repetitive wording or repetition of a previously-presented idea.
• REL: faulty relation of idea or no clear relation to surrounding idea.
• TRUISM: statement of the obvious: unnecessary.
• P: faulty punctuation.
• PL: pluralisation error.
• ITAL: italicise this text.
• DEL: delete text
• PLEON: pleonasm
• REPORT: book report--i.e. absence of argument. 
• CIT: missing citation
• DANGL: dangling modifier.
• STR: faulty or missing argument structure.
• R-O: run-on sentence(s).
• FRAG: sentence fragment
• CS: comma splice
• THESIS: misplaced thesis-level sentence
• X: false statement.
• INROD: faulty introduction of character, idea, etc.
• SS: faulty sentence structure
• INDIR: indirect expression of idea--often by weak or padded syntax.