Substantive editing (sometimes called structural or developmental editing) is about information design – the structure and flow of the ‘story’; the tone or voice of the writing; and the navigation tools and visual elements to help readers find their way around the publication, focus on key points and ‘join the dots’ in the narrative. The main tasks are to ensure that:

• the information is
  • accurate
  • presented and structured in a logical way
  • appropriately divided into parts or sections
  • easy to read and understand  
• the tone is appropriate for the audience
• repetition and irrelevant material are deleted
• headings reflect the content accurately
• technical terms are explained and used in a consistent way
• abbreviations are defined
• the referencing system is appropriate, and references are accurately cited
• tables, figures and other illustrative materials are clear and appropriate for the text, and have been supplied in a complete and consistent format.

Information about planning, structure and writing clearly is included in Writing.