The Language Of Publishing
101 Newsletter Answers is not about the mechanics
of newsletters, but we thought the inclusion of this page might be useful, especially for
newcomers to the field. Every line of work has it's own language, or jargon, and publishing
(together with it's associated fields) is no exception. In fact, like most older
professions, it has more unique words and phrases than most. Now they have been joined by
computers, which alone has enough to fill a whole dictionary. This selection then, only
includes the most widely used terms in common use.
If we've overlooked something that really ought to be included, please let us know. Or,
if you come across a word or phrase that you are unfamiliar with but think it might be
pertinent to newsletters (or publishing) in some way, and it's not included, why not drop us
a line. The address to write to is glossary.
Index
Prepress Terminology
Editing And Proofing Terms
- BLUE PENCIL A special pencil used for marking copy that does not photograph and
is therefore invisible in the finished item.
- C/Ic (Caps and lowercase) Instruction to capitalize a word or phrase.
- CAMERA-READY COPY Clean (ie smudge-free) text or artwork ready for the printer
to photograph.
- CAPS Instruction to change lowercase characters to uppercase.
- CHARACTER The term for an individual letter, number, or symbol.
- CONTENT EDITING Analyzing a composition and deciding what needs to be added or
changed to improve it.
- COPY Any text that is intended for eventual reproduction in electronic or
printed form.
- COPY EDITING Finding and eliminating grammatical, spelling or similar errors,
and checking for style conformity.
- COPY FITTING Calculating how much space a piece will need when typeset, or how
much copy will be needed to fill a space.
- CROPPING Cutting out (or marking out) a graphic so that the focus is on an
individual part of it.
- DUMMY LAYOUT A mock-up of a printed piece showing the sort of material to be
included in the final product.
- EDITING Analyzing and amending a manuscript, composition, audio or visual item
before publishing.
- FORMAT The physical characteristics of a publication such as size, shape,
typefaces, margin widths, letter spacing, colors, paper stock, etc.
- GRID A rectangular page pattern that facilitates precise positioning of text,
illustrations and white space.
- LAYOUT A sketch that shows the relative positions of headlines, body text and
pictures as they should appear on the finished item.
- lc (lowercase) An instruction to uncapitalize a character or phrase.
- LIGHT TABLE A special table with a light underneath used for paste-ups.
- MECHANICAL A cardboard backed, camera-ready paste-up of type and graphics.
- PAGE PROOF Reproduction proof of a single page.
- PASTE-UP A mechanical of illustrations, headlines, and copy prepared for
printing.
- PROOF Composed copy for editing that has already gone through one or more of
the prepress procedures.
- PROOFREADING The process of reading composed copy in order to identify and
correct errors.
- RAGGED Leaving one or both sides of a column, or the bottom of columns across a
page, uneven.
- REPRODUCTION PROOF A high-quality proof, for final viewing before printing.
- ROUGH A rough sketch of a full-size page layout.
- RULE A vertical or horizontal line on a page.
- STET (Let it stand) Instruction to revert to the original after initially
changing a word or phrase.
- BASELINE The (imaginary) line on which type characters rest; characters with
downward strokes, such as g or p, protrude below this line.
- BLEED When the ink on a printed page extends to the very edge of the paper.
- BLUE (or BROWN) LINE The proof used by printers for correcting errors.
- COLD TYPE Modern typesetting methods that no longer use 'hot metal'.
- FLAT A sheet of paper with negatives taped in position for making an offset
printing plate.
- FONT All the letters, numbers, punctuation marks and symbols required for a
particular style and size of typeface.
- GALLEY PROOF Long, narrow sheets of printed copy in the type size and column
width of a newsletter's format prior to page make-up.
- GUTTER The inside edge of a page that allows extra space for binding.
- HOT TYPE Typesetting by using molds for each character and pouring hot metal
into lines of type.
- KERNING Decreasing the space between certain characters to create an illusion
of consistent spacing.
- LEADING The space between lines of type on a page.
- LETTER COUNT The average number of characters to a line.
- LOWER CASE Small letters, as opposed to capitals.
- OFFSET PRINTING A lithographic method that uses a flat surface (plate)
chemically treated to only accept ink in image areas.
- PAPER STOCK Supply of paper according to specifications such as size, type,
weight, opacity etc.
- PICA A printer's unit of measure; 12 picas equal one inch.
- POINT A typesetting unit of measure used for indicating font sizes.
- PREPRESS The procedures that a manuscript goes through prior to printing.
- PREPRINTED STOCK Paper reserved for use in a specified publication that has
already been printed with recurring copy such as a masthead, O.B.C., self-mailer box,
etc.
- PRINT RUN The total number of finished copies of a publication that will result
from a set series of individual print jobs.
- SANS SERIF Typeface, such as Helvetica, that does not have a serif (crossline)
decorating the main strokes of the characters.
- SERIF A decorative line that crosses the main strokes of a letter in some type
styles such as Times Roman.
- SHORT-RUN A small-quantity print specification for a publication.
- SPECS Specifications; parameters or rules for formatting a publication,
application, document etc.
- TYPEFACE A style of type characterized by its shape, slant, height etc.
- UPPER CASE Capital letters, as distinct from lowercase and small caps.
- ACCORDION FOLD Two or more parallel folds in a mailout item so that it opens
like an accordion.
- ALIGNMENT The lining up of text on a page or in a column (commonly 'ragged
left', 'justified', or 'centered').
- CAPTION A short description attached to an illustration.
- COMPOSITION METHOD The method that was used for composing a piece for eventual
reproduction.
- CLIPART 'Off-the-peg' drawings in camera-ready format for clipping and pasting.
- COLLATING To sort individual pages of a publication in a set order.
- COLUMN INCH The total text that fits within each inch of a specified column.
- CONTROLLED CIRCULATION Free distribution within a certain area or demographic
group.
- COPYRIGHT-FREE Any work that is not under copyright restriction and can be
reproduced freely without permission.
- DRILLING Punching holes in a publication for binding.
- GATE FOLD A sheet of paper with two parallel folds that form a center panel.
- HALFTONES Gradations of tone in one color that give the effect of shading.
- I.S.S.N. (International Standard Serial Number) An eight-digit identifier for a
periodical.
- I.F.C. (Inside Front Cover).
- JUSTIFY Aligning type to the right edge of a column as well as the left.
- LINE ART Illustrations composed only of solid black lines.
- LOGO Short for logotype.
- LOGOTYPE The identifying symbol or trademark of an organization, publication,
or other concern.
- MANUSCRIPT An original piece of copy as submitted by the author
- MASTHEAD A panel that promulgates the essential details of a publication such
as the people responsible for its production, copyright information, publication
schedule, etc.
- NAMEPLATE The area, usually on the first page, that prominently displays the
name of a publication, usually in a stylized form such as a graphic trademark or logo.
- O.B.C. (Outside Back Cover).
- PULLQUOTE A short excerpt from an article given prominence to present the
'tone' of the subject or topic
- SIDEBAR Extra information about an article's subject matter that is given
prominence by means of a separate panel.
- TEXT The main body of an article in a publication.
Mailing List Terminology
- ACTION DEVICE A technique used in direct mail to trigger a specific response.
- C.P.I. (Cost Per Inquiry) A mathematical formula used in direct mail: total
cost of a mailout divided by the number of individual recipients multiplied by the
number of inquiries received.
- C.P.M. (Cost Per Thousand) The total cost of a direct mail piece divided by the
number of recipients multiplied by a thousand.
- C.P.O. (Cost Per Order) A mathematical formula used in direct mail: total cost
of a mailout divided by the number of individual recipients multiplied by the number of
orders received.
- C.W.O. (Cash-With-Order) Requires that full (or sometimes part) payment is
recieved with an order.
- CLUSTER SELECTION A list testing method that selects a consistent series of
addresses based upon a simple mathematical formula (eg the first 10 out of every 100,
the first 100 of each ZIP code, etc.
- COMPILED LIST A list of names and addresses collected from various sources,
usually of individuals that have something in common.
- COUPON CLIPPER An individual who responds to free offers but has no serious
buying interest.
- DIRECT MAIL A sales and promotion method that uses the postal service as the
main mode of contact and distribution.
- DECOY A fictitious name with a real address placed in a mailing list for
monitoring purposes (also Dummy).
- DIRECT RESPONSE A promotional method that solicits an immediate and measurable
response, usually by mail or phone.
- DUMMY A fictitious name with a real address, placed in a mailing list for
monitoring purposes (also Decoy).
- HOT-LINE LIST The most up-to-date names on a mailing list, usually no older
than three months, and specified as weekly or monthly.
- HOUSE LIST A list of names compiled by an organization's own staff and sourced
from its own records, such as inquiries, customers, competition entrants etc.
- LETTERSHOP A direct mail service that handles addressing, collating, printing,
mailing, list rentals etc.
- LIST CLEANING The process of correcting or removing out-of-date names from a
mailing list.
- LIST BROKER A go-between who has professional relationships with various
mailing list owners and experience of how their lists perform etc.
- LIST COMPILER A professional who puts together and owns lists from various
sources.
- LIST MAINTENANCE A system for upkeeping name and address records so that the
list is always fresh..
- LIST MANAGER The person who handles all aspects of list rentals for owners.
- LIST SEQUENCE The order (alphabetical, by ZIP-code etc) that names and
addresses appear on a list.
- MERGE/PURGE The process of cleaning a mailing list of decoys, dead addresses
etc.
- SALTING Deliberate placing of decoys or dummies in a list to test delivery
and/or list usage.
- TEASER A promotion designed to pique interest in an upcoming offer.
- UNIVERSE The total number of individuals who might be included in a mailing
list.
- A.C.R. (Address Correction Requested) An indicator to the postal service that
you are willing to pay the fee for notification of a new address if it has changed.
- A.M.D. (Assigned Mailing Date) The date on which a user has to mail a specific
list based on prior agreement with the list owner.
- B.R.E. (Business reply envelope) An envelope overprinted to conform with the
postal services requirements for a special discount.
- BINGO CARD A postcard included in a mailout for responding to offers of samples
etc.
- CO-OP MAILING Where third party mailouts are included with the principle one to
share costs.
- CORNER CARD The return address, usually printed in the upper left-hand corner
of an envelope.
- KEY CODE An identification number or other mark used to measure the
effectiveness a mailout, advertisement etc.
- LETTER FOLD A sheet folded twice so that it fits in a standard business letter
envelope.
- S.A.S.E. (Stamped And Self-Addressed).
- SECTIONAL CENTER (SCF or SEC Center) A postal service distribution unit
comprising post offices whose ZIP codes have the same first three digits.
- SELF-MAILER Any publication mailed without an envelope.
- WHITE MAIL Mailed responses that don't not make use of any reply devices
included with the original mailout.
- C.A.P. (Computer-Aided Publishing) Applies to virtually all modern publishing
methods.
- D.T.P. (Desktop Publishing) Using a computer and special software to produce
camera-ready copy.
- DISK A computer storage device such as a CD or 3.5" floppy.
- D.P.I. (Dots Per Inch) For calculating resolution.
- FILE Data stored as a record on a computer or on paper.
- FLOPPY DISK A removable computer device for storing data.
- GRAPHIC Computer data in the form of a picture or image.
- HARD COPY Paper printout of computer data.
- HARDWARE The physical elements of a data-processing system, such as monitor,
keyboard, soundcard etc.
- INK JET Printing method that uses nozzles to spray ink droplets onto the paper.
- INPUT Data entered into a computer for processing.
- LASER PRINTER A computer printer using laser beam technology that produces
letter-quality results.
- LETTER-QUALITY Printed computer output that is superior to typewriter quality.
- MAIL MERGE The transfer of data from one computer file to address and/or
personalize mailing items in another.
- MEMORY The part of a computer that retrieves data and instructions stored on
disk so that they can manipulated and displayed on a monitor.
- O.C.R. (Optical Character Recognition) Software for converting printed text
into digital (computer) text so that the resulting output can be edited.
- OPTICAL SCANNER An electronic device for converting hard copy into digital
copy, usually in the form of an image.
- OUTPUT What a computer produces in response to user input.
- RESOLUTION The sharpness of a computer image measured in D.P.I.
- SOFTWARE Digital instructions in the form of programs, applications, drivers
etc that a data-processing system (computer) uses to make it's hardware work.
- TEXT EDITOR A computer program for manipulating and editing plain text (ASCII)
files.
- WORD PROCESSOR An application for entering, editing, formatting, and printing
text.
- WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) Accurately representing the appearance
of printed documents on the screen.
- ACTIVE SUBSCRIBER A newsletter recipient who has committed to receiving regular
deliveries.
- ADVANCE RENEWAL Renewal of a subscription before the current one has expired.
- DEADBEAT A non-payer who doesn't bother to say why.
- DELINQUENT A subscriber who has fallen behind or defaulted on payment.
- EXPIRED SUBSCRIBER One who has allowed a subscription to lapse.
- NO-PAY A person who has not paid, for whatever reason, for goods or services
ordered.
- BIWEEKLY, BIMONTHLY Twice weekly or monthly (as opposed to every 2 weeks, every
2 months etc).
- A.I.D.A. (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) The essential sequence of
responses that need to be generated for a sale to take place.
- D.B.A. (Doing Business As) Used to identify a concern that is more commonly
known by another name.
- DEMOGRAPHIC A socioeconomic or similar factor that defines a certain group or
area.
- S.I.C. (Standard Industrial Classification) A business classification, as
defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
- TYPO Common abbreviation for a typographical error.
Important Email Information
To lessen the chances of email addresses falling prey to address harvesting software (as
used by spammers) we avoid showing them in full. Instead, we only show prefixes (what
comes before '@'). Please be sure to add the @ and (usually) 101newsletteranswers.com.
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