Editorial checklist
Before you publish
Read the final draft once more, with the reader in mind. Ten checks for the argument, the facts, the structure and the voice before you publish.
One9Six / Working notes
An editorial release gate
Review the piece in separate passes. A structural edit should settle the argument before a line edit polishes the language. Technical verification should happen against sources rather than against how convincing the draft sounds.
01Argument
02Evidence
03Language
04Release check
| Focus | Record | Practical check |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Reader question, central argument and supporting evidence | Remove paragraphs that repeat the point without advancing it |
| Verification | Claims, figures, quotations, units and source dates | Mark inference and illustrative examples explicitly |
| Publication | Title, hierarchy, links, imagery and next action | Check mobile layout, descriptive link text and useful image alternatives |
Apply this to your next project
- Read the opening without the title. It should still establish the subject.
- Ask a subject specialist to identify what is missing or overstated.
- Name the final approver and the person responsible for later corrections.
Make it practical
A useful place
to start.
Use this guide with the colleagues involved in the work. Note what you know, what needs checking and who will take the next step.
Download PDF- Audience: is it clear who the piece is for and what they already know?
- Purpose: can you explain the job of this piece in one sentence?
- Argument: does the main point appear early and remain consistent?
- Evidence: are factual claims supported and sources checked?
- Accuracy: are names, dates, figures, links and quotations correct?
- Structure: does each paragraph add something useful?
- Language: can inflated wording, jargon or repetition be removed?
- Voice: does this sound like the organisation speaking to this audience?
- Format: does the title, length and layout suit the publication channel?
- Action: is the next step relevant, clear and working?