ACES 2015: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 19th annual American Copy Editors Society national conference in Pittsburgh March 26-28, 2015. (Photo by Jeremy Davis.)

Note: This schedule is subject to change.

5:00pm EDT

Freelance editors' happy hour

Join us for a bit of networking and celebrating on the eve of the conference, featuring the freelance copy editing world's best door prizes. Come after work to The Loft at the Sharp Edge Bistro on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh. Sponsored by UC San Diego Extension, Poynter NewsU and ACES.

Wednesday March 25, 2015 5:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Sharp Edge Bistro 922 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh PA

Tags Freelance editing

8:30am EDT

First-timers' orientation

ACES vets share their tips for how to have an educational, enjoyable and not-too-overwhelming conference.

Speakers

Mark Allen

Editor, Mark Allen Editorial LLC

Mark Allen, who once attended a junior college journalism conference in St. Pete Beach, is a freelance editor based in Columbus, Ohio. He is a conference coordinator for ACES 2017.

Teresa Schmedding - 2015 Board Member

Managing Editor/President, Rotary International/ACES

Teresa Schmedding is the president of the ACES: The Society for Editing and the managing editor of Rotary International

Thursday March 26, 2015 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Ballroom 3 & 4

9:30am EDT

Opening general session

This session will include a look at the state of the organization, recognition of headline contest and scholarship winners and tips for making the most of the your time in Pittsburgh.

Thursday March 26, 2015 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
Ballroom 3 & 4

10:45am EDT

Catch as Catch Can

Some embarrassing problems in stories are hard to catch. At first glance, they don't appear to be mistakes, and even if they raise a flag, it's often difficult to look them up. But many of these errors — in such areas as consistency, math, logic and accuracy — are easier to identify if you look inward, focusing on the story itself for clues, and use your common sense. This interactive session will provide examples of these mistakes as well as ideas for catching them and tips on making the most of available resources.

Speakers

John Russial

associate professor, University of Oregon

John Russial teaches editing at the University of Oregon and does research on editing and other newsroom issues. He has been at Oregon for 25 years. Before taking an academic job, he worked in daily newspapers for 17 years, most of that time as Sunday copy chief of The Philadelphia... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Rivers

Core skills-general interest

10:45am EDT

Leadership in the Workplace

Three seasoned managers share leadership skills and techniques that will help you maximize the performance of your team of editors. Get tools for managing your boss and learn how employee-manager relations can foster mutual respect, with both sides acting as leaders in the workplace. Learn how to lead from the heart, earn respect, effectively teach skills and make your department the best it can be.

Speakers

David Brindley

Managing editor, National Geographic magazine

David Brindley (@wordies) is on the ACES executive board and is managing editor for National Geographic magazine. In 2005, he created, staffed and served as director of the magazine's first copy desk. Prior to arriving at the magazine in 2002, he was a photojournalist, researcher... Read More →

Rebecca Dyer

Copy Editor, Digital Producer, Night Editor, Arizona Republic

After almost a quarter-century at the East Valley Tribune, including as news editor, Rebecca "Becca" Dyer is now a copy editor/digital producer and Saturday night editor for The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com. Becca also teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University's... Read More →

David Yontz

Senior Editor, Creators Syndicate

David Yontz has been a copy editor for about 11 years. He served as managing editor at Creators for more than five years. His philosophy is that every good editor should learn at least one thing every day.

Thursday March 26, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Chartiers

Core skills-general interest

Tags Career development

10:45am EDT

Rookie Mistakes That Even Veterans Make

You do it that way as a reflex, out of habit, because you've always done it that way. Doesn't everybody do it that way? Not necessarily. In an updated twist on his "Rules That Aren't" and "Tiny Acts of Elegance" sessions, Bill Walsh examines old habits —in editing, headline writing and work practices — that are bad habits.

Speakers

Bill Walsh

Copy editor, The Washington Post

Bill Walsh is a copy editor at The Washington Post and the author of "Lapsing Into a Comma," "The Elephants of Style" and "Yes, I Could Care Less." After graduating from the University of Arizona, he worked at The Phoenix Gazette and The Washington Times before joining the Post in... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Ballroom 3 & 4

Core skills-general interest

10:45am EDT

Editing in a Digital Environment: Best Practices for Workflow and Quality Control

Publishing has gone digital, even when the final product is in print. After a decade of transition, it’s time to evaluate our best practices. In this session we’ll discuss the issues involved in taking content form a Word manuscript into digital workflow and out into the world. Learn about communicating with both creative and tech teams, the pros and cons of digital environments, and applying best practices to non-linear processes such as CMS and online publications.

Speakers

Adrienne Montgomerie

Principal, Dameditors

Adrienne Montgomerie is a certified copy editor who freelances full-time, mostly for Canadian publishers, primarily in education as a developmental editor. Five years ago she added training, writing, two partners and a podcast to her practice. She and co-presenter Rachel Stuckey... Read More →

Rachel Stuckey

Freelance editor

Rachel Stuckey is a freelance writer, editor, and digital nomad from Toronto. She works in educational publishing as a developmental and production editor and also consults on instructional design, instructor's resources, and assessment. Rachel is the author of several books for young... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Brigade

Digital editing & social media

12:15pm EDT

Lunch on your own/peer group lunches

Connect with peers over lunch in the following groups: ACES first-timers, students, corporate copy editors, government editors, freelance editors, magazine editors, academic editors, small-staff editors and journalism educators.

Advance registration required -- sign up here. Meet your group in the Ballroom 3/4 foyer at the beginning of the lunch break.

Thursday March 26, 2015 12:15pm - 2:00pm EDT
TBA

2:00pm EDT

English and How it Got This Way: A Brief History

English presents unique challenges for the copy editor looking for clarity and Truth. Is it really "sneaked" or "snuck"? How did "impact" slip from noun to verb? Who is responsible for the horror that is "irregardless"? Is it too late to turn this ship around? Join Kory Stamper as she takes you on a quick trip through the history and development of English, and helps you gain a greater appreciation for our crazy, wonderful language.

Speakers

Kory Stamper

associate editor, Merriam-Webster

Kory Stamper is a lexicographer and editor at Merriam-Webster, where she defines words, appears in the Ask the Editor video series, and drinks more coffee than is good for her. Her book, Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, has just been published by Pantheon.

Thursday March 26, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Core skills-general interest

2:00pm EDT

Switching Seats: Transitioning to a New Career or Medium

You're thinking about moving from one kind of editing to another, say, from a news media job to corporate media, or from general editing to a specialty. What are the pluses and minuses? How do you do it and how do you adjust? What can you expect? The panelists will discuss their experiences, and then it's your turn.

Speakers

Laura Browning

Editorial manager, A.V. Club

Laura Browning is editorial manager of the A.V. Club at The Onion, where the entertainment information is real, even if the snark factor is detectable. She's also worked for Encyclopedia Brittanica and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians. As her LinkedIn profile says, she has... Read More →

Paula Fuchsberg

Editor, Corporate Communications, Vanguard

Paula Fuchsberg is an editor in Corporate Communications at Vanguard, working so-called normal hours for the first time in her career after a previous life in the newspaper business. Her first professional editing job was at the (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot under Bill Connolly. She then... Read More →

Cindi Lash

Editor-in-chief, Pittsburgh Magazine

Cindi Lash joined Pittsburgh Magazine, a print and online lifestyle magazine, as editor-in-chief in April 2013. She was previously a regional editor for Aol/Patch.com, Aol’s national network of hyperlocal websites. Prior to that, Cindi worked at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as assistant... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Rivers

Core skills-general interest

Tags Career development

2:00pm EDT

The Latest Research on Editing

Journalism scholars present their current findings on what editing does and how editors (and other professionals) go about their jobs. Alyssa Appelman will discuss her doctoral dissertation titled “No Points for Style? Analysis of the Psychological Effects of Journalistic Writing Conventions.”

Speakers

Alyssa Appelman

Graduate student, Pennsylvania State University

Alyssa Appelman is a doctoral candidate (ABD) in Penn State’s College of Communications. Alyssa's research focuses on the psychological effects of news media. Specifically, she looks at the effects of journalistic practices on perceptions of media credibility. She also teaches undergraduate... Read More →

Steve Bien-Aimé

Doctoral student/instructor, Pennsylvania State University

Steve Bien-Aimé is a doctoral candidate in Penn State's College of Communications. His research includes race and gender portrayals in news and sports media. Bien-Aimé has copy edited at The News Journal (Delaware) and The Baltimore Sun and served in a variety of functions at FOXSports.com... Read More →

Fred Vultee

Associate professor, Wayne State University

Fred Vultee is an associate professor at Wayne State University in Detroit and a member of the ACES board. He teaches news editing, content analysis and political communication. His study on the effects of editing on audience perceptions of quality and value was recently published... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Brigade

Core skills-general interest

2:00pm EDT

Using Checklists to Foolproof your Editing

Keeping track of all of the style specs, steps and sign-offs on an editing project can be tough. Checklists can help. Checklists bring consistency to our editorial processes and help us remember critical tasks when we're under deadline. In this session, you'll learn how to: * Create checklists to guide your editing. * Understand what kinds of tasks to include in a checklist, and what to omit. * Customize checklists to guard against your blind spots. * Integrate checklists into your workflow so you never skip a step.

Speakers

Samantha Enslen

president, Dragonfly Editorial

Samantha Enslen runs Dragonfly Editorial. She has more than 20 years of experience editing marketing material of all sorts, and she’s edited for ad agencies, web developers, universities, corporate communications departments, and more. Sam is on the executive board of ACES, and... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

2:00pm EDT

Beltway Blues: Editing Washington copy

Washington stories that are jargon-y and insider-y do no service to the reader, yet too often they're written that way. Learn how to translate them.

Speakers

Beryl Adcock

News desk chief, McClatchy Co. Washington Bureau

Beryl Adcock is the news desk chief for the McClatchy Co.'s (formerly Knight Ridders') Washington bureau, copy editing stories on Congress, the White House, elections, the Pentagon and the State Department for papers far from Washington, D.C.

Thursday March 26, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Chartiers

News editing

3:10pm EDT

Copy Editing Translations

Editors who work in area studies, foreign language learning materials production or nongovernmental organizations frequently encounter the challenge of editing translations from less commonly taught foreign languages. This session will discuss some of the unique challenges that this entails, and it will focus on strategies for successfully working with this material. Specific topics will include determining style and special considerations for style sheets, deciding on process requirements, querying translators who have poor English skills, maintaining cultural sensitivity and objectivity, balancing accuracy and idiomatic English style, and fact checking.

Speakers

John Cords

Manager, editing team, National Foreign Language Center, University of Maryland College Park

John Cords has over 13 years of professional experience working with the written word, with almost nine years as a copy editor. In addition to freelance work in education, film studies and anthropology, he has worked as an in-house copy editor in higher education, scholarly publication... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 3:10pm - 4:10pm EDT
Brigade

Core skills-general interest

Tags Editing for ESL readers

3:10pm EDT

Top 10 Apps for Editors

Go beyond Angry Birds and Facebook apps on your mobile devices and unlock the power of apps to make your work and life easier and more productive. Stephanie will share and demonstrate free and inexpensive mobile apps that you can download and start using today in a variety of categories including productivity, social media, graphics and multimedia production, and collaboration. The session will focus mainly on Android and iOS apps, but Stephanie will also share Windows and Blackberry apps when available.

Speakers

Stephanie Yamkovenko

Digital editor, American Occupational Therapy Association

Stephanie Yamkovenko is a professional journalist and digital editor with 10 years of journalism experience. Stephanie hand-coded her first website in the 1990s and now manages the editorial content of a website averaging 300,000 monthly visitors. Stephanie is also responsible for... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 3:10pm - 4:10pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

3:10pm EDT

Increasing the Accessibility of Online Information

The AP Stylebook gives us guidelines for how to produce news about people with disabilities. But what about how to produce news for people with disabilities? This session will cover some simple steps that producers of online news or other information can take to make their content more accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. You don't have to completely overhaul your website — just writing good display type, posting on social media and incorporating tools that are probably already in your content management system can make a big difference.

Speakers

Margaux Henquinet

Copy editor, Chicago Tribune

Margaux M. Henquinet recently received her master's degree from the Missouri School of Journalism and is currently copy editing at the Chicago Tribune. She has completed copy editing internships at the Chicago Tribune, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Tribune in San Luis Obispo... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 3:10pm - 4:10pm EDT
Rivers

Digital editing & social media

3:10pm EDT

Social Media Fact-checking

Social media platforms are in some ways reporters’ best friends and in other ways their worst enemies. This session will point out tools and tricks for making sure you and your staff are using social media to track down and quash rumors, not spread them. We’ll cover the digital tools you should know for fact-checking as well as how to incorporate them into your workflow.

Speakers

Lauren Klinger

Interactive learning producer, Poynter NewsU

Lauren Klinger works with Poynter NewsU as an interactive learning producer. She also writes for Poynter.org (focusing on LGBT issues in media, diversity and journalism education), and teaches writing, coaching and social media in on-site Poynter seminars. She co-authored Poynter's... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 3:10pm - 4:10pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Fact-checking

Tags Social media

3:10pm EDT

Jimmy's World

In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how the greenest intern on the copy desk could have prevented a journalistic disaster. Note: Advance registration is required for this session. Submit your name and e-mail address no later than Friday, March 13. During the following week, you will receive by e-mail an article that must be read before the session.

Speakers

Bill Connolly

Senior editor (retired), The New York Times

William G. Connolly has been a member of ACES since its inception, having served on its executive committee and as president of its Education Fund. He retired in 2001 as a senior editor of The New York Times, where, among other things, he developed a policy on ethics and conflicts... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 3:10pm - 4:10pm EDT
Chartiers

News editing, Fact-checking

4:20pm EDT

50 Years of the American Heritage Dictionary's Usage Panel

The American Heritage Dictionary began balloting writers, poets, journalists and linguists in the 1960s to help craft usage notes to guide the dictionary user. This presentation examines the composition of the panel past and present, the role of the Usage Panel chair (currently Steve Pinker), the process of creating the ballots and the review process of the panelist's responses. Sample ballots will be shown along with examples of revisions that have been made as a result of the 2014 ballot. There will also be a question and answer session.

Speakers

Steve Kleinedler

Executive editor, reference group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Steve Kleinedler is the executive editor for the American Heritage Dictionary and managing editor for the Webster’s New World College Dictionary, both published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, where he is executive editor of the reference group. Steve earned a BA in linguistics from... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 4:20pm - 5:20pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Core skills-general interest

Tags Dictionaries & style guides

4:20pm EDT

Stress Reduction for Editors

Editors not only deal with our own workplace stress, but must negotiate deadlines and expectations with a range of players (from our bosses to the writers whose work we edit). In this session, you'll learn ways to reduce stress, both short-term and long-term. Topics will include meditation, the ABS method, managing expectations and planning for interruptions.

Speakers

Anya Weber

Copywriter and editor, UMass Boston

Anya Weber is a copywriter and editor at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The ICI is a research and training institute focused on disability inclusion. Anya writes and edits everything from grant proposals to video scripts and... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 4:20pm - 5:20pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

4:20pm EDT

Working Away From the Office: Benefits and Drawbacks

Most of us work in occupations that can be done from home, for at least some of the time. Presenter Rhonda Bracey, who has worked full-time from her home in Australia since 2007, shares her experiences and the pros and cons of working remotely from the office. You’ll learn: * the positives and negatives of working from home (including approximate costs and savings); * the personal attributes required to successfully work from home; * some technologies that help you work from home; and * home office essentials. You’ll also take away figures, information and resources that can help you convince your boss that you should work from home.

Thursday March 26, 2015 4:20pm - 5:20pm EDT
Brigade

Core skills-general interest

Tags Freelance editing, Career development

4:20pm EDT

Libel-Proof Your Writing: The Importance of Accuracy and Attribution

This session will present the basics of libel law in easy-to-understand terms. Learn how to spot and remove libelous statements before they reach the public. We will focus primarily on how reporters and editors can avoid making libelous statements. Like a pedestrian crossing a busy street, a journalist has to look both ways to see who is making an assertion in print or online. If the answer is no one, then it is the journalist, and the editor, who states the claim as fact, often without meaning to do so. Making writers think about the attribution may push them to question the assertion and avoid a lawsuit.

Speakers

Charles DeLaFuente

Freelance journalist, editor and attorney

Charles DeLaFuente has been a journalist and lawyer for nearly half a century. He began his career as a reporter for suburban New York newspapers and for United Press International (UPI), then became a city editor of a New York tabloid. After graduating law school and practicing for... Read More →

Bill Hickman

professor, University of Central Oklahoma

Bill Hickman is a professor of mass communication at the University of Central Oklahoma and a licensed attorney in the state of Oklahoma. He teaches courses on media law, news reporting, editing and public relations. He has worked as a copy editor at The Dallas Morning News, The Oklahoman... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 4:20pm - 5:20pm EDT
Rivers

News editing

4:20pm EDT

The Ethics of the Last Editor Standing

Copy editors are tasked with cleaning copy, following style, making sense of stories and generally ensuring that stories meet the highest legal. On top of that, many news organizations and publications expect copy editors to enforce ethics guidelines, while other companies do not. As desks shrink and less help is available, here's what the ethically inclined editor can, and should, do alone.

Speakers

Rick Kenney

Professor, Georgia Regents University

Rick Kenney is a professor and chair in the Communications department at Georgia Regents University. He has led sessions on editing ethics at ACES conventions six times. A former Dow Jones Newspaper Fund director, he wrote the 50-year history of the Fund in 2009. As a sports copy... Read More →

Thursday March 26, 2015 4:20pm - 5:20pm EDT
Chartiers

News editing

5:45pm EDT

Education Fund Spelling Bee

The Education Fund's first Spelling Bee, last year, was so popular that we are not only bringing it back, but we're also making sure there's a bar nearby!

Wanna play? It'll cost you $25, but you get a chance at fabulous prizes and lovely trophies. Wanna watch? That'll be $10, please. Sign up or buy tickets here. Tickets for spectators will also be available at the door.

Your judges will include Kory Stamper, a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster; and Corrie Loeffler, the program manager for the, ahem, Scripps National Spelling Bee. (Other judges to be named soon.) You'd better bring your A game this year, because the competition is going to be fierce. Game on, editors!

Moderators

Corrie Loeffler

Program manager, The E.W. Scripps Company

Corrie Loeffler is program manager for the E.W. Scripps Company and works with the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Kory Stamper

associate editor, Merriam-Webster

Thursday March 26, 2015 5:45pm - 7:15pm EDT
Ballroom 3 & 4

7:00pm EDT

Reception

Mix and mingle with fellow attendees while enjoying generous appetizers and a cash bar.

Included with 3-day registration; ticketed otherwise.

Thursday March 26, 2015 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
King's Garden 4 & 5

9:00am EDT

Ask a Lexicographer

Why are there so many different dictionaries? What are their similarities and differences? How do online dictionaries differ from print dictionaries? Why can't they all agree on the style of "healthcare"/"health-care"/"health care"? Bring any question you've ever had about dictionaries, English usage or style to this panel featuring editors from Merriam-Webster, American Heritage, Webster's New World, Oxford Dictionaries and Vocabulary.com/Visual Thesaurus.

Speakers

Emily Brewster

Associate Editor, Merriam-Webster

Emily Brewster joined Merriam-Webster in 2000. She is currently defining new words for Merriam-Webster Unabridged, where she has also contributed to hundreds of usage paragraphs dealing with sticky grammar and style issues. In addition to defining work, she writes and edits for the... Read More →

Steve Kleinedler

Executive editor, reference group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Katherine Connor Martin

Head of US Dictionaries, Oxford University Press

I lead the US lexicography program at Oxford University Press. Ask me about lexicography, the OED, and transatlantic English.

Kory Stamper

associate editor, Merriam-Webster

Ben Zimmer

Vocabulary.com / Wall St. Journal

Ben Zimmer is executive editor of Vocabulary.com and VisualThesaurus.com and language columnist for The Wall Street Journal. A self-described linguist, lexicographer and all-around word nut, Zimmer has worked as editor for American dictionaries at Oxford University Press and as a... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

Tags Dictionaries & style guides

9:00am EDT

Level Up! How to Get More Out of Your Freelance Business

You’ve been running your editing business for a while now. Maybe you’re bored with just editing. Perhaps you have a couple of client slots open that you just can’t fill. Or maybe you want to make more money. Whatever the reason, it’s time to expand your business. In this session, you’ll hear from three editors who offer more than one service or who contract with other editors to offer their service to more clients. Hear their stories, and become inspired!

Moderators

Erin Brenner

Publisher, Copyediting

Erin Brenner is the owner of two successful editing-related businesses: Right Touch Editing and Copyediting. Right Touch Editing offers editorial services mainly to business clients who depend on Brenner to ensure their businesses always publish their best copy. Copyediting is a 25-year-old... Read More →

Speakers

Samantha Enslen

president, Dragonfly Editorial

Adrienne Montgomerie

Principal, Dameditors

Laura Poole

Founder and senior editor, Archer Editorial Services

Laura Poole has 18 years of full-time freelance editing experience (Archer Editorial Services) and works exclusively for scholarly publishers. In addition to providing editorial services for publishers, she trains other editors, teaches for UCSD Extension, has written a few books... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Rivers

Core skills-general interest

Tags Freelance editing

9:00am EDT

Diversity and Sensitivity around Racial Language

Illegal immigrant or undocumented worker? Is the use of tribal language and images for sports team names, mascots and logos acceptable? Why do people say African American, but not Welsh American? Issues of race and the media aren't new. But evolving social climates and the rapid expansion of instant communication has brought them into even greater focus. This panel will discuss common concerns and offer some advice for dealing with racial sensitivity in your content.

Speakers

Mary Hudetz

Editor-in-Chief, Native Peoples Magazine

Mary Hudetz is the editor-in-chief of Native Peoples Magazine. She is a former editor on The Associated Press’ West Regional Desk in Phoenix, where she filed national breaking news and daily stories and worked closely with reporters to develop stories specifically about Native issues... Read More →

Brady Jones

Lead features designer, Omaha World-Herald

Brady Jones is the lead features designer at the Omaha World-Herald where he was previously one of the 1A/local designers after graduating from college in 2011 with degrees in journalism and history.He has been an ACES board member for the last three years, serving as the secretary... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Chartiers

Cultural & social sensitivity

9:00am EDT

Seven Steps to Setting up a New Fact-Checking Process

Starting an official fact-checking effort in your newsroom begins with creating a process. This session will provide seven steps to jump-start your effort and get the work underway efficiently and quickly.

Speakers

Jane Elizabeth

Director, Accountability Journalism Program,, American Press Institute

API, she was The Washington Post's deputy local editor/digital. Her work at five metropolitan U.S. newspapers over the past three decades has focused largely on politics, regional news and education. She also has taught journalism as an adjunct faculty member at three universities... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Ballroom 3

Fact-checking

9:00am EDT

Avoiding Pitfalls in Medical Editing

Medical editing has its own special considerations and pitfalls. This session focuses on editing conventions, research reports versus materials for laypeople, jargon, patient-friendly language, statistics, reference lists, word pileups, vital sections of the AMA Manual of Style, and necessary reference works. You'll also get tips on how to move into the niche of medical editing and where to find clients.

Speakers

Katharine O'Moore-Klopf

owner, KOK Edit.

Katharine O’Moore-Klopf, ELS, has been in publishing since 1984, working through 1994 as an in-house production editor for various publishers. Since 1995, she has been a self-employed editor. She is board-certified in the life sciences and is a medical editor with a specialty in... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Brigade

Medical editing

10:45am EDT

Ask the AP Stylebook Editors

The AP Stylebook team will describe changes in the 2015 AP Stylebook, including significant changes to the sports category, and the process of keeping the stylebook up to date. Questions and suggestions are welcome.

Speakers

David Minthorn

Co-editor of the AP Stylebook, Associated Press

David Minthorn is co-editor of the AP Stylebook. He retired from AP in 2013 as deputy standards editor after a 44-year career with the news agency, and continues Stylebook and standards work as a contractor. Minthorn’s AP assignments included 16 years as a correspondent in West... Read More →

Philana Patterson

Assistant business editor, Associated Press

Philana Patterson is Assistant Business Editor at The Associated Press in New York where she helps oversee AP’s daily business news report, enterprise efforts and strategic initiatives across digital, video and print platforms. She also serves on the AP Stylebook committee. In 2014... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Core skills-general interest

Tags Dictionaries & style guides

10:45am EDT

Deep Grammar

You've mastered agreement; you know how to make a sentence parallel; pronouns give you no problems. But do you know what a fused participle is, how to use the hortatory subjunctive, when you need a double genitive or how to phrase a nominative absolute? The inner workings of grammar don't have to be a mystery. This session delves deeply into the mechanics of English, so that when you encounter a sentence that "just doesn't sound right" you'll know why — and you'll know how to fix it.

Speakers

Lisa McLendon

Bremner Editing Center Coordinator, University of Kansas

Lisa McLendon runs the Bremner Editing Center at the University of Kansas journalism school, where she also teaches news editing and grammar. She previously worked as a copy editor at the Wichita (Kansas) Eagle and the Denton (Texas) Record-Chronicle after earning a doctorate in Slavic... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

10:45am EDT

Getting it Right on Mental Health and Suicide

Stories about mental health and suicide are challenging for journalists: When and what should we report and how should we write it? What language should we avoid? Is anything off limits? Is your publication covering these topics as public health problems or punchlines? This workshop will provide editors with facts, figures and tools for getting it right, and discuss why accuracy matters so much. We'll look at some case studies and examine how copy editors might have once again saved the day.

Speakers

Melissa McCoy

Visiting Professor, University of Montana

Melissa McCoy is a visiting professor at the University of Montana School of Journalism and a former deputy managing editor of the Los Angeles Times. McCoy has been a visiting faculty member at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, where she was also an ethics fellow, and the Maynard... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Brigade

Cultural & social sensitivity

10:45am EDT

Critical Editing: Finding the Red Flags That You Need to Check

Even with new fact-checking tools, journalists still need a dose of skepticism. But if you don't have time to question everything, how do you know what to question? This session will look at how to recognize the red flags in copy that require a closer look. It will also look at some of the best ways to address those red flags in an environment where time is at a premium.

Speakers

Gerri Berendzen

editorial adviser, The University Daily Kansan

Gerri Berendzen is a member of the ACES Executive Committee and has worked as a copy editor for 35 years. She is the editoral advisor for the University Daily Kansan and teaches in the KU School of Journalism and Mass Communication. In her last newspaper gig, she supervised the digital/print/design... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Rivers

Fact-checking

10:45am EDT

CANCELED - Do No Harm: A Medical Copyediting Clinic

SESSION CANCELED. Materials will be posted on www.copydesk.org after the conference.

Medical content presents unique challenges for copy editors. Whether the material is scientific or general, marketing or scholarly, understanding its format and style is part of the job. This session will introduce specific medical content structures, AMA style issues, common terminology and scientific resources to support accurate editing. Participants will gain a sense of how to approach copyediting tasks for medical content and how to build their skills in this area.

Speakers

Jeni Crockett-Holme

Medical editing team lead, Dragonfly Editorial

Jeni Crockett-Holme is a copy editor and production editor specializing in scientific, technical and medical content and is certified by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS) as an editor in the life sciences. She has more than 15 years of experience editing daily news... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Chartiers

Medical editing

Tags Freelance editing

12:15pm EDT

Lunch on your own

Friday March 27, 2015 12:15pm - 2:00pm EDT
TBA

2:00pm EDT

Disability and Mental Health: Editing for Clarity and Accuracy

This session examines ways to write about disability and mental health issues with clarity and respect. We'll go beyond what's "politically correct" and focus on the most useful and accurate ways to describe disabilities, and how to discuss or refer to disability within a larger context. We'll also look at what "person-first language" means, and how to give feedback to authors around disability and mental health coverage.

Speakers

Anya Weber

Copywriter and editor, UMass Boston

Friday March 27, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Chartiers

Cultural & social sensitivity

2:00pm EDT

Native Advertising Best and Worst Practices

Some call native advertising "the Holy Grail of digital publishing." Others claim that native advertising is "destroying the separation of church and state" in the media industry. Holy Grail or digital apocalypse? Passing fad or content format of the future? This session will discuss the good, the bad and the ugly in today's polarizing world of native advertising.

Speakers

Peter Marsh

Vice President of Marketing, Naviga

NEWSCYCLE Solutions – which was formed by the combination of DTI, SAXOTECH, MediaSpan, and the Atex AdBase business – delivers the most complete range of software solutions for the global news media industry, including news content management, advertising, circulation, audience... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Rivers

Digital editing & social media

2:00pm EDT

Bulletproofing Data-driven Stories

Print and digital editors will learn simple techniques to make sure numbers and data sets are being used properly in daily and long-term enterprise journalism. You’ll acquire techniques for checking calculations in municipal budget stories and ensuring that the data analysis in a six-month investigative package is solid.

Speakers

Mark J. Rochester

Deputy managing editor, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Experienced senior manager with more than 20 years experience with daily newspapers, as well as assisting in oversight of one of highest profile domestic operations of The Associated Press in California. Experience managing editorial, business development, digital news products and... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Fact-checking

2:00pm EDT

Think Twice about Health Literacy: Writing and Editing for a Patient Audience

Were you ever told that you suffered from acute coryza? Not us! Did you ever try to read a brochure about sildenafil citrate? Neither have we!

In this session, you'll find out what those mysterious terms mean -- and learn how to incorporate plain language into writing for a patient audience. These principles and strategies can also help to increase awareness when writing for the general public. Key topics include health literacy and specific tools and practical tips for writing and editing patient communications.

Speakers

Connie Feiler

Senior manager, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)

Connie Feiler, RN, MSN, is a senior manager in the Office of Patient Experience for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and coordinates the patient education program for the health system.

Sarah Kastelic

Communications specialist, UPMC Office of Patient Experience

Sarah Kastelic has a B.A. and M.A. in communications and serves as a specialist in communicating to a patient audience for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

Friday March 27, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Brigade

Medical editing

2:00pm EDT

Eyetracking Photojournalism

In an age where images are instantaneous and easily shared around the world, what characteristics make a photograph worth publishing? This major new study on photojournalism gives insight into how people perceive the quality of journalistic photographs — from those taken by seasoned professionals to amateur cellphone images that capture everyday life. With significant implications for storytellers, journalists and publishing organizations, this research combines eyetrack testing with extensive interviews asking people their thoughts on storytelling, quality and what makes an image memorable and worth sharing.

Speakers

Sara Quinn

R.M. Seaton Professional Journalism Chair, Sara Quinn Media

A design and journalism consultant and researcher, Sara Quinn is the R.M. Seaton Chair for Professional Journalism at Kansas State University and an affiliate faculty member for The Poynter Institute where she taught full-time for more than a decade. Before that, Sara spent nearly... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Ballroom 4

News editing

3:15pm EDT

Beyond the Red Pen: New Directions in Editing

The editorial field is increasingly competitive for job seekers, while job security is top of mind for employed copy editors. This session discusses how editors can create new revenue opportunities and make their role and knowledge indispensable to an organization. Specifically, it examines the work of one editor who built an editorial service line for her employer that included expanding into content strategy development, licensed content and lower-cost, high-volume publications. Key takeaways focus on empowering editors to find new opportunities with their current skill sets and how to pitch new editorial products and services to leadership.

Speakers

Sarah Black

Editorial manager, Association Headquarters, Inc.

Sarah Black has worked as an editor for 10 years and is currently editorial manager at Association Headquarters, Inc., in New Jersey. She holds a B.A. in English from Cardinal Stritch University and an M.S. in publishing from New York University. As a proud Wisconsin native and mom... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 3:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Rivers

Core skills-general interest

Tags Career development

3:15pm EDT

Niggles, Nudges and Uh-Oh Sensors: The Intuitive Art of Catching Errors

Part of being a good copy editor is having a finely calibrated sense of when something seems "off." That uh-oh sensor might be triggered by institutional knowledge, long familiarity with a region or a beat, personal knowledge from a hobby, persistent curiosity, something unidentifiable or just plain luck. We'll talk about errors we've caught through the prompting of a nudge, ones we've missed, how to develop and strengthen that editor's intuition, and how to find answers and fact-check without spending too much time going down the rabbit hole.

Speakers

Laura Brown

Copy editor, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Laura Brown is a copy editor and an occasional writer at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Her writing has appeared in Slate, the Iowa Review, Everyday Poems, The Curator, Art House America and elsewhere. She is the author of "Everything That Makes You Mom: A Bouquet of Memories" and... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 3:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

3:15pm EDT

Future Tense: Messages From my Students

Since 2011, Elizabeth Clark has been asking her editing students the same question: "What words are AP and other stylebooks missing that they should have?" Nine semesters' worth of responses have been collected, including expressions of surprise and frustration. This session will offer insights from our rising journalists on some of the terminology they expect to see mainstreamed in company and government-funded style guides, as well as in AP and other industry-standard stylebooks. Their expectations exemplify the diversity and technological progress within our society.

Speakers

Elizabeth Clark

Senior lecturer, Texas State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Elizabeth Cernota Clark's first assignment as a college journalism instructor in 2002 was to teach "Race, Gender and the Media" at Texas Woman's University. She has since been educating herself and her students about fairness, language and terminology. Now a senior lecturer in journalism... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 3:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Cultural & social sensitivity

3:15pm EDT

Fact-checking for Niche Publications

At newspapers, reporters are expected to get news right, and copy editors use their wide range of knowledge to spot errors. In the diverse magazine world, copy editors often work with writers who aren’t trained in journalism. Editors from Road & Track and National Geographic discuss their fact-checking protocols and markup styles, while a freelancer who specializes in scholarly books shares tips for checking research and references.

Speakers

Sarah Grey

Editor/owner, Grey Editing LLC

Sarah Grey is a freelance editor and writer at Grey Editing, where she works with diplomats, academics, entrepreneurs, religious leaders, and activists on books, websites, and more. She serves as a board member and local co-coordinator of the Editorial Freelancers Association and... Read More →

Rebecca Jones

Copy chief, Road & Track

Rebecca Jones is copy chief at Road & Track, published by Hearst Magazines. She oversees copy editing, fact-checking and proofreading. Prior to working in automotive magazines, she worked as a copy editor and page designer at daily newspapers (The Oakland Press and The Detroit News... Read More →

Elizabeth Snodgrass

Research editor, National Geographic Society

Elizabeth Snodgrass has been a researcher at National Geographic magazine for 12 years. Before coming to National Geographic, she worked for an educational travel company, planning tours and writing and editing tour brochures and bulletins while on staff, and later working as a freelance... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 3:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Chartiers

Fact-checking

3:15pm EDT

Editing Medical and Scientific Tables

Medical and scientific tables are densely packed repositories of data that must be edited with a steady hand in order to preserve the integrity of the information while presenting it in a comprehensible and succinct fashion. In this session, participants will be introduced to the basic tenets of medical and scientific table editing, including best practices for table structuring, formatting, and organization. In addition, several technical tips will be offered for efficient and expedient table editing in Microsoft Word.

Speakers

Peter J. Olson

Senior copy editing coordinator, Dartmouth Journal Services

Peter J. Olson is a BELS-certified copy editor who specializes in medical and life science journals. As senior copy editing coordinator for Dartmouth Journal Services in Waterbury, Vermont, he oversees the journal copy editing services for several prominent medical and scientific... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 3:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Brigade

Medical editing

4:00pm EDT

Silent auction

Place your bids for items sure to appeal to editors. Proceeds benefit ACES Education
Fund. Cash bar opens at 6 p.m.

Friday March 27, 2015 4:00pm - 7:15pm EDT
King's Garden foyer

4:30pm EDT

Between You and Me

Mary Norris, a veteran copy editor for The New Yorker, shares laugh-out-loud descriptions of the most vexing spelling, punctuation and usage problems (comma faults, danglers, “who” vs. “whom,” gender-neutral language) and clear explanations of how to handle them. In her new book, “Between You and Me,” the down-to-earth and open-minded Norris draws on examples from Henry James and the Lord’s Prayer, The Simpsons, Stieg Larsson, Gillian Flynn and much more. This session will take attendees inside the hallowed walls of The New Yorker and explore Norris’ work with such celebrated writers as Philip Roth, Pauline Kael and George Saunders.

Speakers

Mary Norris

Copy editor, The New Yorker

Mary Norris began working at The New Yorker in 1978. Originally from Cleveland, she now lives in New York. Her first book, Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen, will be available at the conference and released on April 6, 2015.

Friday March 27, 2015 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Core skills-general interest

4:30pm EDT

Putting Professional Experience to Work in the College Classroom

So, you're thinking about putting your professional experience to work teaching editing in a college classroom. What will it take to get a job as an instructor or professor? Are you interested in part-time or full-time teaching? Will your social media expertise be a plus? Find out what you face when you want to join the faculty at a university!

Speakers

Bill Hickman

professor, University of Central Oklahoma

Lisa McLendon

Bremner Editing Center Coordinator, University of Kansas

Friday March 27, 2015 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
Brigade

Core skills-general interest

Tags Career development

4:30pm EDT

The Language of the LGBT Community

Language and terminology can be sensitive and difficult things when writing about the LGBT community and issues—no matter your medium. Sometimes the answers aren’t clear; sometimes they’re not easy. But this panel will offer some tips and guidance and, more importantly, an open forum to ask questions.

Speakers

Sarah Grey

Editor/owner, Grey Editing LLC

Josey Herrera

Media producer, Chancellor's Diversity Initiative, University of Missouri

Josey Herrera works as a media producer for the Chancellor's Diversity Initiative at the University of Missouri. Herrera is passionate about accurate storytelling and community engagement. They work to combine their knowledge as a social justice warrior and journalist by often... Read More →

Brady Jones

Lead features designer, Omaha World-Herald

Lauren Klinger

Interactive learning producer, Poynter NewsU

Karen Yin

Founder, AP vs. Chicago | Conscious Style Guide

Karen Yin (@apvschicago, @consciousstyles) is the creator of AP vs. Chicago, a guide for anyone who gives a dollar sign, ampersand, exclamation point, and pound sign about style, and Conscious Style Guide, a reference site for inclusive, compassionate, and empowering language. Recipient... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
Chartiers

Cultural & social sensitivity

4:30pm EDT

The Art of the Link: Linking, Ethics and Verification

Editing textbooks don't tell you much about how to link, and few organizations' style manuals give much guidance either. This session covers the mechanics and the ethics of linking. Questions we'll answer include: What does the reader expect of a link? How do I choose the words that constitute the link? How often should I link? Is a link always an endorsement? What content should I link to?

Speakers

Nick Jungman

Director of student media, University of Oklahoma

Nick Jungman joined the University of Oklahoma as director of student media in December 2013 after two years as managing editor of the Wichita Business Journal. Prior to that, he spent two years on a teaching fellowship at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and 13 years... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Fact-checking, Digital editing

4:30pm EDT

Editing for Clarity in Medical Communications

Accuracy and clarity in medical communication has never been more critical. Ongoing reforms in both health care delivery and reimbursement mean that patients and their loved ones have greater choice — and responsibility — than ever before. In this session, you'll gain insight into the world of editing for varied health care audiences, from the general public to insurance shoppers to physicians and other clinical staff.

Speakers

Mary Cvetan

Freelance writer/owner, Cvetan Communications

Mary Cvetan is a freelance writer with a special focus on health care, insurance and higher education.Before launching Cvetan Communications in 2000, she served as communications manager and media spokesperson for a diversified hospital system operating 10 business units and employing... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2015 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
Rivers

Medical editing

7:30pm EDT

Banquet

A plated dinner accompanies a keynote presentation from Ben Zimmer. Cash bar available.

Included with 3-day registration; ticketed otherwise.

Speakers

Ben Zimmer

Vocabulary.com / Wall St. Journal

Friday March 27, 2015 7:30pm - 10:00pm EDT
King's Garden 3, 4 & 5

9:00am EDT

Beyond the Plain Language Edit: Editing for Low-literacy and ESL readers

Written communications presented at high reading levels pose a barrier for many Americans. As writers and editors, improving information for readers with low literacy means using plain language, specifically with an awareness of ESL challenges. This interactive session teaches those who produce information for the public specific skills to enhance the clarity and readability of text for low-literacy and limited-English readers after doing a traditional plain language edit.

Speakers

Claire Foley

Freelance editor, CF Editing and Proofreading Services

Claire Foley is a freelance editor and expert in plain language. Having edited health information in-house at the Canadian Cancer Society for a number of years, she now freelances for the Society as well as for other health, technical and legal organizations. Claire has been an editor... Read More →

Tracy Torchetti

Director, Cancer Information, Canadian Cancer Society

Tracy Torchetti, MA, is Director of Cancer Information at the Canadian Cancer Society, where she oversees a knowledge translation and dissemination team responsible for developing information on cancer-related topics ranging from risk reduction to treatment, clinical trials, supportive... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

9:00am EDT

Introduction to Book Editing

An introduction to editing books with a focus on nonfiction, this session is intended for copy editors looking to take on larger projects. Learn key concepts of file preparation, assessment of a manuscript, creating a project style sheet and following a larger style guide, consistency guidelines and effective querying. Become familiar with the various elements of a book: front matter, chapters, tables and figures, notes, references, back matter and more. We will cover the differences between working for publishers and working directly for authors, and review different kinds of books: textbooks, collected papers, multi-author edited volumes, single-author works and more.

Speakers

Laura Poole

Founder and senior editor, Archer Editorial Services

Saturday March 28, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Rivers

Core skills-general interest

Tags Freelance editing

9:00am EDT

Optimizing for Search or Social: Is It Really a Trade-Off?

Online editors of the past had to balance the often opposing expectations of search engine optimization and social media optimization. Thankfully, as search engines evolve and new social tools are developed, SEO and SMO are becoming less and less opposed to one another. Learn how optimization has changed, where SEO and SMO overlap, where they diverge, and what tools and techniques you can use to get more traction from your online content.

Speakers

Andy Hollandbeck

Copywriter, 5MetaCom

Andy Hollandbeck has always loved playing with words. Over the last 15 years, he has been a book seller, fiction writer, proofreader, copy editor, blogger, online content editor and copywriter. In 2014, he presented sessions about SEO and online editing at the ACES conference in Las... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Ballroom 3

Digital editing & social media

9:00am EDT

10 Mistakes Sportswriters Make and How To Fix Them

From confusing jargon to hoary clichés to tautologies to the frequent misuse of infinitives, sports copy can challenge and even exasperate the best copy editors. Learn about 10 common errors that sportswriters make and quick solutions for correcting them and cleaning copy.

Speakers

Rick Kenney

Professor, Georgia Regents University

John Oudens

deputy desk head, sports, New York Times

John Oudens is deputy desk head in the Sports Department at The New York Times, where he has worked since 2003. At the Times, he has also been a staff editor on the Metro Desk and the slot for the much-missed Sunday section known as The City. Before coming to the Times, Oudens was... Read More →

Susan Keith, Ph.D

professor and department chair, Rutgers University

Susan Keith is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies in the School of Communication and Information in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She does research on editing and worked for 16 years as a reporter, copy editor, designer and section editor... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Chartiers

News editing

9:00am EDT

How to leverage LinkedIn for Journalists

Learn how to leverage LinkedIn to find story ideas, new sources and even break stories. Additionally, learn how to promote your identity and work on LinkedIn.

Speakers

Yumi Wilson

Manager, corporate communications, LinkedIn

Yumi Wilson (@yumiwilson) is a corporate communications manager at LinkedIn and a tenured professor of Journalism at San Francisco State University. As a trainer and evangelist for LinkedIn, Wilson trains corporate communicators and journalists to use LinkedIn more effectively to promote their companies a... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Brigade

News editing

Tags Social media

10:45am EDT

Editing on Your Own: Launching a Freelance Business

Highlights of everything you need to know about planning, launching and succeeding in a freelance copyediting business, from personality characteristics to skills, tools and resources, to finding projects, getting paid and more.

Speakers

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter

freelance writer and editor, “I can write about anything!”

Successful, award-winning freelancer Ruth E. Thaler-Carter provides editing and proofreading to law and PR firms, magazines and newsletters, a museum, websites, an automotive-aftermarket business, associations, nonprofits, authors, and more; hosts Communication Central’s annual... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

Tags Career development, Freelance editing

10:45am EDT

Giving Copy a Face Lift, With No Pain

Editing does not always need a chainsaw or require that the writer be given general anesthetic. Some simple nips and tucks can eliminate wrinkles and make copy look smooth and clear, with no visible scars. The writer will be more attractive to the audience, and may not even notice the surgery. This session will show common flaws and easy remedies. No medical degrees required!

Speakers

Merrill Perlman

Freelance Editor, Merrill Perlman Consulting

Merrill Perlman spent 25 years at The New York Times in jobs ranging from copy editor to director of copy desks, in charge of all 150-plus copy editors at The Times. (Both titles are, sadly, now extinct at The Times.) Now, she's a freelance editor and trains writers and editors for... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Core skills-general interest

10:45am EDT

How to Get the Job You Want

A panel of professionals from print and online publications and businesses, who will lead an open discussion about the latest in resumes and cover letters; preparing for the "big" interview, editing tests and trial editing sessions as part of an interview; follow-up calls and notes; and even how to market yourself as the first step to getting your dream job. (If you're here, you're off to a good start.)

Speakers

Emmy Favilla

Senior Commerce Editor, BuzzFeed

Emmy Favilla is a senior commerce editor at BuzzFeed, where she writes and edits shopping content that covers a breadth of categories, from pet products to home goods to beauty and skincare. She is the former global copy chief of BuzzFeed and has been with the company since 2012... Read More →

Shana McNally

Corporate proofreader, Costco Wholesale

Shana McNally joined Costco in 2000 as the marketing writer and moved to corporate proofreader in 2008 – the company’s first. She proofs marketing communications, packaging, the employee magazine, employee training, publisher promotions and social media. In addition, she develops... Read More →

Maggie Walter

Associate professional practice professor, Missouri School of Journalism

Maggie Walter is an associate professor and night news editor at the Columbia Missourian. She joined the University of Missouri (MU) faculty in August 2003. Walter serves as the faculty adviser for the MU Chapter of ACES and is a member of the national organization. She is a faculty... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Brigade

Core skills-general interest

Tags Career development

10:45am EDT

Women in Management

Women account for about 15% of executive officer positions in the Fortune 500 companies. And women typically earn 20% less than men. During this session, women who are in management or interested in getting into management will come together to discuss mutual challenges and offer advice to each other.

Speakers

Amy Muehlbauer

Managing editor, Fiserv

Amy Muehlbauer is managing editor of Fiserv.

Susy Schultz

President, Community Media Workshop

Susy Schultz is an editor, digital journalist, educator, writer and strategist. Her past titles include managing editor, digital editor, investigative editor, associate publisher, reporter, columnist and editorial writer. Her current title is president of the Community Media Workshop... Read More →

Sara Ziegler

General Editor, FiveThirtyEight

Sara Ziegler is the treasurer of ACES and a general editor at FiveThirtyEight, with prior stints at Law360 and the Omaha World-Herald. She is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and attended Iowa State University, where she won an ACES scholarship for such scintillating headlines as “Deli... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Chartiers

Core skills-general interest

Tags Career development

10:45am EDT

Getting it Right on Social Media

This session hosted by Mila Sanina of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Rossilynne Skena Culgan of Carnegie Science Center will offer some specific examples for how to use social media tools, stay engaged and not feel overwhelmed. Learn about models to emulate and mistakes to avoid, especially these days when the landscape is so crowded and wide.

Speakers

Rossilynne Skena Culgan

Marketing and Communications Manager, Carnegie Science Center

Rossilynne Skena Culgan is marketing and communications manager at Carnegie Science Center. Before joining Carnegie Science Center, Rossilynne was a Tribune-Review reporter covering local government, education and crime in suburban Pittsburgh.

Mila Sanina

Assistant managing editor, Pittsburgh

I used to sell autoparts in Kazakhstan, now am trying to make a living as a journalist in Pittsburgh. Wish me luck...

Saturday March 28, 2015 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Rivers

Digital editing & social media

Tags Social media

12:15pm EDT

Lunch on your own

Saturday March 28, 2015 12:15pm - 2:00pm EDT
TBA

2:00pm EDT

Grammar is Power

Learn about the basic power structure of grammar, from types of clauses, phrases and sentences, to specifics that help you punctuate correctly and consistently. Exercises and clear guidelines will help you brush up on what you once learned but might have forgotten. If you are still unsure about who vs. whom and lie vs. lay, attend this session, and take notes.

Speakers

Jennifer Rowe

Associate professor, Missouri School of Journalism

Jennifer Rowe, associate professor, Missouri School of Journalism, has taught seven different magazine classes since she began teaching in 1998. For more than 12 years, she served as editorial director of Vox, an award-winning weekly city magazine. In 2004 she received the Provost’s... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Core skills-general interest

2:00pm EDT

Headlines, not Cheaplines or Borelines

It's time to stop boring your readers or serving them sophomoric puns in headlines. Your stories and readers deserve better. You need to slather on the SEO (for humans, not robots) and swirl in a sliver of sophisticated creativity — all while being a headline factory. How can you do it all? This session will cover research on successful headlines from the reader's perspective and how to figure out what stories to invest time in.

Speakers

Teresa Schmedding - 2015 Board Member

Managing Editor/President, Rotary International/ACES

Teresa Schmedding is the president of the ACES: The Society for Editing and the managing editor of Rotary International

Saturday March 28, 2015 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Brigade

Core skills-general interest

2:00pm EDT

Proofreading: Catch Mistakes Before They Cause a Crisis

Great: You sent the tweet with breaking news! Good: It's been retweeted. Bad: Only now do you see the typo. Whoops. Three experienced editors will teach you proofreading tricks of the trade that will apply across social media, websites and print. Learn to prevent mistakes before they damage your credibility. Learn how to read backwards, avoid tired eyes and do quick mental math to fix errors before they go live.

Speakers

John Braun

Copy editor, The Vanguard Group

After 25 years in newspapers (mostly at The Charlotte Observer and The Philadelphia Inquirer), John Braun crossed over to the corporate side in 2007. Since then, he has edited retirement plan communications for Vanguard ... and enjoyed regular daytime hours.

Sherri Hildebrandt

Founder, The Naughty Editor

After more than 30 years as a newspaper journalist (reporter, designer, copy editor, photographer, you-name-it-I-did-it), Sherri Hildebrandt inched into the freelance world when she was laid off during the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Great Copy Desk Purge of 2010. Seven years later... Read More →

Sherrie Voss Matthews

senior manager, internal communications, University Health System

Sherrie VossMatthews is senior manager of internal communications at University Health System in San Antonio. She is an editor with more than 20 years of experience in web, social, magazine, book and newspaper publishing. She’s edited and written both long-form and short-form stories... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest, Fact-checking

2:00pm EDT

Legal Pitfalls on Social Media

Can you use a photo from Facebook in print? Can you get sued over an online comment? What do you do when you see a photo you've taken altered and posted on social media? This session will cover legal pitfalls to be aware of when using social media and discuss questions of privacy, security, endorsements and defamation.

Speakers

Mila Sanina

Assistant managing editor, Pittsburgh

I used to sell autoparts in Kazakhstan, now am trying to make a living as a journalist in Pittsburgh. Wish me luck...

Saturday March 28, 2015 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Rivers

Digital editing & social media

Tags Social media

2:00pm EDT

Maintaining Good Design in a Hub Setting

In this session, David Kordalski discusses the challenges and changes to work patterns required for success in a remote design/editing location, using The Plain Dealer as a case study. He’ll share the lessons that have helped keep its design standards at or near where they were before the change to a publication hub environment. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Tim Martin will join for a discussion about copy editing and design in a more traditional context.

Speakers

David Kordalski

Assistant managing editor/visuals, The Plain Dealer

A visual journalist since the early 1980s, David Kordalski is assistant managing editor/visuals at The Plain Dealer in his hometown of Cleveland. Prior to that, he worked at large-, midsize- and small-circulation dailies. The Plain Dealer visuals team has been recognized by the Society... Read More →

Tim Martin

Senior assistant managing editor, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Tim Martin has witnessed newspaper production evolve from manual typewriters, carbon paper, black and white film and Linotype machines; to IBM Selectrics, scanners and wax paste-up; to video display terminals, pagination, digital images and color printing. He saw the Internet enter... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Chartiers

News editing

3:40pm EDT

Defining American English

In the age of online content, we can never be certain that our audience will speak the same variety of English we do. The session will discuss how lexicographers analyze and present information about global variations in English usage, exploring the pitfalls of writing American English for a global audience — and how your dictionary can help.

Speakers

Katherine Connor Martin

Head of US Dictionaries, Oxford University Press

I lead the US lexicography program at Oxford University Press. Ask me about lexicography, the OED, and transatlantic English.

Saturday March 28, 2015 3:40pm - 4:40pm EDT
Ballroom 4

Core skills-general interest

Tags Dictionaries & style guides

3:40pm EDT

Editing Fun and Games

Think you’re smarter than a fifth grader? Maybe. But how do you stack up against your fellow editors? Play editing games to test your knowledge. You might win prizes. And you'll definitely walk out of this session smarter than most sixth graders. Bonus: You can take these game ideas back to your workplace or school to play against your colleagues and peers.

Speakers

Sue Burzynski Bullard

Associate Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Sue Burzynski Bullard, an ACES board member, teaches journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Before she began teaching, Sue held a variety of editing positions at The Detroit News, including three years as managing editor... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 3:40pm - 4:40pm EDT
Rivers

Core skills-general interest

3:40pm EDT

LUCIA, or Shedding Light on Government Reports

Government writers tend to be serious, data-driven folk. Their first allegiance is to facts and their reports are often written from well down in the weeds. When multiple authors contribute to one report, the result can be a tangled, overgrown mess. An editor's task is to shed light on the important ground they cover, and LUCIA (Learning, Understanding, Clarifying, Illustrating and Amending) can help. Get tips for learning enough about a topic to understand its highlights, knowing which questions to ask for clarification, illustrating government work in interesting ways, and finally editing and amending drafts into something readers — including legislators, lay people and reporters — can understand.

Speakers

Laura Cameron

editor, Washington State Auditor’s Office

Laura Cameron is the Editor at the Washington State Auditor's Office. Her role ranges from story development to line edits to rewrite, making complex performance and accountability audits into readable, compelling reports. A writer and editor for 30+ years, she has worked for state... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 3:40pm - 4:40pm EDT
Brigade

Core skills-general interest

3:40pm EDT

Building your Brand with Social Media

This is your brand. This is your brand on social media. Any questions? In this presentation, you’ll learn how to develop and sustain your personal brand in social media. Glean practical and useable advice based on Deanna’s personal and professional experience. Whether you want to gain business or simply portray who you are in the social space, this presentation will provide the tools you need.

Speakers

Deanna Tomaselli

Media Relations Manager, rue21

Deanna (Ferrari) Tomaselli is an award-winning, forward-thinking communications professional. She leads media relations and social media for rue21, one of the country’s fastest-growing specialty retailers. She develops and implements marketing strategies that combine entertainment... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 3:40pm - 4:40pm EDT
Ballroom 3

Digital editing & social media

Tags Social media

3:40pm EDT

Cutting Through Cop Talk

Covering crime is a core function of many news outlets, both in print and online. But when journalists who are supposed to be watchdogs for the public interest get so much of the information they report directly from police, what issues does that raise? This session will examine common problems in crime coverage that can hinder clarity, allow an uncritical acceptance of police talking points and even create legal dangers for journalists and their employers. The session will also be useful for non-journalists who edit copy from the police or military.

Speakers

Todd Kistler

News slot, California McClatchy Multiplatform Desk

Todd Kistler is a news slot on the California McClatchy Multiplatform Desk, which is based in Sacramento and produces three daily newspapers and their associated websites. He has judged ACES headline contests and contributes to the organization's web page on plagiarism and fabrication... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2015 3:40pm - 4:40pm EDT
Chartiers

News editing

4:45pm EDT

Closing general session

A quick look back at conference highlights and a look ahead at Portland, Oregon, where we'll hold the next ACES conference, March 31–April 2, 2016.

Saturday March 28, 2015 4:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
Ballroom 2

7:00pm EDT

Social

Socialize with friends new and old as we toast another successful conference!

A short walk from the hotel in downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, this martini bar features a private upstairs lounge where we’ll enjoy generous hors d’oeuvres, cocktails (cash bar) and superb company. (And it doesn’t hurt that their name is a literary pun!)

Ticketed event. We regret that this venue is open to those 21 and over only.

Saturday March 28, 2015 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Olive or Twist – upstairs 140 Sixth St., Pittsburgh, PA