News, events, tips and updates for members of the Editors’ Association of Canada
In this issue:
1. EAC CERTIFICATION: Register now! Plus Debunking certification misconception #2!
2. CONFERENCE 2013: One conference and a hundred thousand welcomes
3. MEMBER SERVICES: Have your say about EAC’s discounted Grand & Toy products
4. STAFF NEWS: Changes in the national office
1. EAC CERTIFICATION: Register now! Plus Debunking certification misconception #2!
Great news! Registration for EAC’s 2012 certification tests is open. This year, tests are being offered in Proofreading and Structural Editing. Registration runs until October 22, but don’t delay! Put yourself one step closer to achieving your professional goals!
The Proofreading and Structural Editing tests will be offered on Saturday, November 17 in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. The fee for EAC members is $400 to write one test or $750 to write both tests.
Let certification give you a boost!
Wondering if EAC Certification is right for you? Getting certified displays the ongoing commitment to your work and demonstrates to employers and colleagues the depth of your professional abilities. If you have at least five years of experience, consider challenging yourself by earning official recognition through certification, and give yourself a professional marketing advantage. Certification is bound to boost your career prospects, and your confidence!
Ready, set, go!
Certification Study Guides are now available for the Proofreading and Structural Editing tests. The guides are a great place to begin your preparations. Practise sample questions, gauge your abilities and enjoy challenging yourself!
Begin preparing early.
Here are some suggestions for preparing for the exams:
- Set aside time regularly to prepare for the test.
- Use the study guide for the test you’re writing. Study guides include a practice test, self-marking materials, and examples of passing and failing tests. Make note of your errors and standards you had difficulty with and work to improve your performance in these areas.
- Time yourself when you take the practice test in the study guide—you may find that you need to increase your speed to finish the test in the allotted time.
- Become familiar with Professional Editorial Standards (PES), available free on EAC’s website.
- Meeting Professional Editorial Standards (MPES) is a vital test preparation resource for many certified editors. MPES has modules on Proofreading, Structural Editing, Copy Editing and Stylistic Editing, with self-teaching exercises on a variety of documents and formats, and solutions and markup that demonstrate EAC standards.
- EAC’s certification tests are open book; you may use one dictionary, three style guides (such as Chicago Manual of Style) and Editing Canadian English. Review the books you’ll be bringing, so you’ll be able to quickly locate the information you need during the test.
- Practise using standard hard-copy markup. Some books you can bring to the test include lists of standard markup symbols, so you don’t have to memorize them.
- Work with a study group to help keep you motivated and learn from each other.
- Mentally prepare for the rigour of writing a three-hour test. For most of us, it has been years since we’ve written a test.
Discover how EAC Certification can help your career. Register today.
2. CONFERENCE 2013: One conference and a hundred thousand welcomes
Ciad Mile Failte. A hundred thousand welcomes to EAC’s 2013 annual conference in Halifax.
We’re gearing up for a great event that will inspire, inform and invigorate. We’re exploring possible speakers, topics and ways to introduce you to all things Nova Scotian (well at least to many things Nova Scotian). Our website is under construction, so please check in at the conference page in the next few weeks. We’re hoping to be live soon.
We want to help you make the most out of your visit, and we’ll be surveying you next month to find out what you most want to experience. Then we’ll try to make that happen.
In the meantime, please save the date. Editors extraordinaire are gathering in Nova Scotia’s capital city from June 7 to 9, 2013, at the Lord Nelson Hotel in the heart of downtown Halifax. (It’s right across the street from the Public Gardens, a 16-acre oasis in the centre of the city.)
Plan on joining us for an unparalleled learning opportunity and down-home good times.
3. MEMBER SERVICES: Have your say about EAC’s discounted Grand & Toy products
It’s time to update the core list of 20 products offered at discounted rates to EAC members by Grand & Toy (in-store and online).
Wish you could buy different products at a discount? Complete this quick, four-question survey to tell us what products you’d like to see offered.
www.surveymonkey.com/s/grandandtoy
EAC discount programs and more
Early survey responses indicate that some EAC members have not yet signed up for the Grand & Toy discount program (or the similar Staples Advantage program). These programs are free for EAC members, so don’t wait another day to start saving. We’re pleased to offer these benefits of membership so members can access discounts on a wide variety of office tools.
Learn more about EAC’s discount programs.
Looking for additional benefits of membership? Head over to the Member Services page to learn more about EAC mediation and affordable insurance options for members. From errors and omissions, to health and dental, and automobile and property insurance, we’re pleased to offer you options for protecting yourself and your ability to earn an income.
4. STAFF NEWS: Changes in the national office
Change is in the air at the national office! It is with regret that we announce EAC’s branch services coordinator, Micaela Hardy-Moffat, will step down from her post at the end of August. Micaela returns to full-time studies in September as she pursues a degree in nursing from the University of Toronto. Best wishes, Micaela. We’ll miss you!
EAC is currently seeking a new branch services coordinator or a certification program administrator to join the national office staff in Toronto. For more information about the job descriptions, qualifications and expectations, please refer to the Careers page.
Please note that as a matter of policy, national office staff may not hold membership in the association. However, if you’re thinking of changing tracks, we invite you to email a cover letter and resumé to careers@editors.ca.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone inquiries, please.
The EAC national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.