This bibliography lists most of the literature on editing written from 1960 through 1988, with particular focus on those works pertaining to the acquisition and preparation of texts for publication. Recognizing the wide range of functions performed by an editor, Bruce W. Speck accesses information about the editor's involvement in all aspects of the publishing process from initiating contacts with authors and marking manuscripts to discussing production specifications with the printer and creating advertising copy.

The entries are arranged alphabetically by author and fall under the headings of general editing, technical editing, and the editing of particular types of documents. Each citation is presented in standard bibliographic form, and the contents of each work summarized briefly using quotations and examples to highlight each book's most salient points. In order to facilitate identification of entries, the list is numbered consecutively with the subject index keyed to the numbered entry instead of the page number. Thoughtful organization and thorough documentation make this manual a handy reference volume for libraries, professional editors, and teachers of editing.