Q&A: What are “queries”? [in editing & proofreading]

Writers query publishers when they send a book/article proposal. Editors query authors about matters in their manuscript. On the face of it, query just means ask, but editors don’t necessarily expect responses to “queries.”

The Comments feature in Word or Acrobat (each shown below), or whatever system is in use is the preferred and best method for leaving queries. That way discussion doesn’t inadvertently get left in the body of the document (especially when the process is rushed or everyone has lost interest in the project).

sample query of a factual error using tracked changes in MS Word — This Comment (right column) in Word is “anchored” to a Tracked Change in the document. Try this free tutorial for using Track Changes!

In Acrobat, the Comments tools provide both old-school and more sophisticated ways to leave queries. Find tips for editing in Acrobat here.

Very important queries might be repeated in a transmittal memo (the email you send with the revisions attached). And CMS/LMS or ebook systems may necessitate that queries are separate from the material, transmitted in a spreadsheet or matrix.

In an editorial context, to query means literally “to ask a question, especially to express doubt about validity or accuracy.”
Oxford English dictionary

Show Me the Queries!

Queries take many forms and result in a variety of actions. It’s ironic that in a profession concerned with clarity, some of our terms can be so vague! Here are a few examples of queries:

Type of Query	Example	Expected Outcome
Directive	Please provide a source for this quoted material. I was not able to locate it in a quick search.	Citation is provided by the author. Best: Pasted in place and correctly formatted. Acceptable: Put in a reply to the query, for the editor to handle.
Clarifying	Should this be changed to the term xx used earlier or is this a different topic?	Subject expert writer verifies the terms in use and makes necessary changes, perhaps educating the editor further.
Suggesting	How do you feel about moving this content to the appendix?	Debate, or maybe the author will like the idea. Author may make the change or ask the editor to, or make an alternative suggestion.
Explanatory	I have shown how to break up this page-long sentence to bring into the range that our 10-year-old target reader will find easier to decode.	Understanding and acceptance of the tracked changes.
Change flagging	Change ok?	Draws attention to a change that could have changed the meaning so that it doesn’t get lost among the sea of markup or inadvertently approved when the author clicks “Accept All Changes.”
Requesting additional content	Please add [50 words] explaining this concept so readers don’t have to look away to understand.	Author drafts the needed explanation in place without adding too much content (or an extra chapter!).
Requesting direction	This person was referred to by different pronouns earlier. Was there a change over time or, if this should be consistent, which pronouns do they prefer?	Author verifies and either gives details or makes necessary changes.

Queries might also be directed at editorial managers such as “This deviates from the style guide but seems to be a part of the author’s distinctive voice/a term of art in this field. Ok to STET?” They can even be directions to production, such as “set this as a marginal feature.” But that’s stretching the definition a bit.

Expected Results

Ideally, authors will make informed changes themselves, according to the publication’s style.

Second-best is that they reply to the query with the needed info so the editor can make necessary and appropriate changes.

Getting Best Results

Make queries positive — even if deleting content or eliminating bad writing, say, for example, “to tighten the prose” rather than “to eliminate wordiness.” Facing a sea of changes is hard, try to lessen the blow.

Keep them brief — so they will actually get read.

Make the required action clear — such as, “Please add in the document, xx.” Asking “Does this mean X or Y?” risks getting unhelpful replies like “yes.”

Do not query every change, and don’t rotely ask for authors to verify all facts, calculations, and sources. If asking them to check calculations, for example, say that you counldn’t get the same result, or that it seems off for [whatever reason].

Tell authors in your email (transmittal memo) how to find queries in the document and how you want them handled. You can even send them a link to these quick instructions.