Technical editors are subject matter experts who use personal knowledge, experience, product specifications, and industry standards to ensure accuracy of facts. They verify efficient presentation of facts and confirm that explanations are straightforward and easy to understand. Technical editors may also suggest sentence revisions for sections flagged by language editors as awkward. In translation projects, technical editors make certain that the facts and information are conveyed correctly into the translated versions.

Technical editing is comparable to developmental editing; with the exception that technical editing revolves around the accuracy of facts, while developmental editing concerns language. Because these editing activities focus on different aspects, Biblioso separates them into different processes. Having separate technical editors allows you, among other things, to use your own in-house subject matter experts as technical editors in documentation and localization projects at Biblioso.

Technical editors typically focus on the following tasks:

• Check content to ensure the facts are correct and complete.
• Query the author on ambiguous language and statements and suggest rewrites.
• In step-by-step instructions, perform the steps to ensure they are accurate and complete.
• Verify dates, names, quotes, references, and other details.
• Check for use of copyrighted or restricted material.
• Research statements to ensure accuracy.
• Check that changes introduced by language editors do not break technical meaning or code listings and samples.

Bibliosos technical editing processes are consistent with the suggestions given in the Guide to Technical Editing: Discussion, Dictionary, and Exercises (Anne Eisenberg, Oxford University Press) and Technical Editing: The Practical Guide for Editors and Writers (Judith A. Tarutz, Hewlett-Packard Press).