EDITING, QUALITY CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP/AUTHOR’S RIGHT

Concept of Editing
According to Wikipedia(2020), the term editing refers to “The process of selecting and
preparing written, visual, audible, and film media to convey information. The editing process
can involve correction, condensation organization, and many other modifications performed
with the intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate and complete work”. Editing
work calls for collaboration between an author, editor/s, and a publishing firm/the publisher.
Editing usually begins with the author of a work from the moment he/she begins to create the
ideas, and which is somewhat perfected by the publisher before the final product comes out in
book form. It involves creative skills, human relations and a defined collaborative service.
Editing jobs and services are provided by specialized editing firms or individuals (freelance)
editors. Appiah (2009) and Mamishe (2009) noted that “editing firms may employ a team of in-
house editors or rely on a network of individual contractors or both. Such firms handle editing
jobs in a wide range of topics and genres, depending on the skills of their editors”. The services
often include proofreading, copy editing, online editing, developmental editing, etc. Freelance
editors work directly for patrons like authors and publishers and they offer their services
through editing firms or both. Sometimes, they specialize in a particular type of editing (e.g.,
copy editing) or in a particular subject area. Some of them also work directly for authors and
develop professional relationships with them and these are called authors' editors.

Editor

An editor is an individual responsible for reviewing, refining, and overseeing the creation of
written or visual content to ensure its quality, accuracy, coherence, and adherence to specified
standards or guidelines. Editors work across various mediums such as literature, journalism,
publishing, film, television, and digital media.. Most authors know 48 their stories inside and
out and have had a strong relationship with their manuscript for sometimes or years back. On
the contrast, the audience (readers) has no such emotional attachment to the books they have
not seen or read yet, but they are quick to judge or evaluate any literature they get to read.
Therefore, an editor needs to edit a manuscript considering both points and situations. He
ensures that changes made are in line with the author’s original voice (message) to keep the
writer happy with the modified manuscript. At the same time the manuscript may also need
modifications that will pull the attention/interest of the audience (readers). To maintain a
balance here usually poses difficult challenges to an editor. One way to overcome this challenge
is to adhere to established policies and guidelines for quality control. Sometimes an author
doubles as editor. However, a professionally trained editor with no previous knowledge of a
work usually produces better results. Most knowledgeable editors tend to be perfectionists by
disposition. This quality helps them to bring out the best from writers.
 Concept of Quality Control

In publishing and book trade, quality control helps publishers meet both authors and readers’
demands for quality and standard literature. Is a way of making sure that the quality of product
is significantly improved and maintained. It involves creating an environment in which both
management and employees strive for perfection. This can be achieved by training personnel,
formulating benchmarks for product quality, and testing products to check for significant
variations (Online Invetopedia, 2016). In addition, there is need for the establishment of well
defined job descriptions or controls. These levels of control help to regulate the final end
product that will help to meet the audience tastes. It helps to ensure that production activities
are undertaken by those qualified to do so. When this is done, errors would be eliminated.
Quality control is, therefore, an essential part in the manufacturing process. Raw materials for
book publishing should be certified, the finished product need to be tested.

The extent of quality control in publishing may be determined by the book packaging or
outlook. In food or drug manufacturing companies, quality control is highly dependent on the
product. Quality control in these firms includes guaranteeing that the product does not make a
consumer sick; hence, the company carries out chemical and microbiological testing of samples
from the production line. For online Investopedia, “In the automobile manufacturing, quality
control focuses on the way that parts fit together and interact and ensuring engines operate
smoothly and efficiently.” This level of quality control can be applied in publishing companies to
maintain standard and secure the interest of users (consumers) of the publishing products.

The Editing Process

Generally, the word editor connotes a person who spell-checks a manuscript. He is a stickler for
grammar. Once an author is ready with a manuscript for publication, changes might take place
and decisions have to be made before the work can go to print or be published as book. The
possible modifications are made by different kinds of editors. Sokanu (n.d*) outlines different
stages editors go through a work in editing process before a manuscript is published as book.
These include:

1. The acquisition editor

2. The Developmental editor
3. The line editor
4. The copy editor
5. The production editor

General Duties of Editors

Editors perform a variety of duties depending on their specific role and the context in which
they work. However, some general duties of editors across different fields include:
 1. Content Review and Revision: Editors review written or visual content for clarity,
coherence, accuracy, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and adherence to style guidelines
or standards.
2. Copyediting and Proofreading: Editors correct errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation,
and style. They ensure consistency in language usage, formatting, and adherence to
editorial guidelines.
3. Developmental Editing: Editors provide feedback and suggestions to authors or creators
to improve the overall structure, organization, flow, and effectiveness of content. They
may help refine ideas, clarify concepts, and strengthen storytelling or argumentation.
4. Fact-Checking: Editors verify the accuracy of factual information presented in content,
especially in non-fiction works, by conducting research and cross-referencing sources.
5. Content Planning and Management: Editors plan, assign, and manage content creation
projects. They determine editorial calendars, set priorities, and allocate resources to
meet production deadlines.
6. Collaboration and Communication: Editors work closely with authors, writers,
journalists, designers, photographers, and other stakeholders to ensure effective
collaboration and coordination throughout the content creation and production
process.
7. Quality Control and Standards Enforcement: Editors uphold quality standards and
ensure that content meets the publisher's or organization's editorial policies, guidelines,
and brand standards.
8. Audience Engagement and Market Awareness: Editors understand the target audience
and market trends to tailor content appropriately. They may provide input on audience
engagement strategies, content positioning, and promotional activities.
9. Project Management: Editors oversee the entire content creation process, from
conceptualization to publication or distribution. They manage timelines, budgets, and
resources to ensure projects are completed on schedule and within budget.
10. Continuous Learning and Professional Development: Editors stay updated on industry
trends, technological advancements, and best practices in editing and content creation.
They may attend workshops, conferences, and training sessions to enhance their skills
and knowledge.

Concept of Copyright, Right, Author, Ownership

Copyright

Copyright is an exclusive right granted to an author or a publisher for a period of time to sell,
distribute, publish his/her literary, artistic work or musical work. Furthermore, Ifeduba (2004)
defined copyright in the context • of book publishing as the exclusive right granted by law for a
specified number of years to an author; a publisher, or his assignee to prepare, print, distribute
and sell copies of his ‘original books. He further explained that copyright is "also the right of an
author, a publisher or his assignee ‘to prevent others from publishing or reproducing his work
without his consent.

Owner

It is seen as person that possesses the exclusive right to hold, use, benefit-from, enjoy, convey,
transfer or dispose-off it. The owner )f any literary work is the person that created the work;
which could be photographs, literary works, artworks, Architectural work etc. the owner is one
who owns the copyright of the intellectual property. According to Webster Dictionary (2003),
owner is one who has the legal title or right to or has possession of a thing.

Right

These are liberty or freedom granted to person(s) to undertake certain action in the form
writing an article, book, journal, speech or publishing any literary work e.g. poem, prose, poetry
etc. Right could civil rights that accrue to call citizens of a country.

Author

An author is a person who writes books, articles, stories, essays, or other literary works.
Authors create written content to express ideas, share experiences, entertain, inform, or
educate readers. They may work in various genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry,
memoir, and academic writing. Authors often draw inspiration from their own lives,
imagination, research, or observations of the world around them to develop characters, plots,
themes, and narratives. They may also collaborate with editors, publishers, agents, and other
professionals in the publishing industry to bring their work to the public.

Ownership

Ownership is when one has right over a property or literary work. It refers to the right to own a
property. .Thus ownership according to black law's dictionary (2008) “is the collection rights,
allowing one to use and enjoy property, including the right to convey it to others. It further
continues to point out that ownership implies the right to possess a thing”. Furthermore,
Ojienda (2010), in his work "Conveyancing principles and practices" saw ownership as the right
to enjoy and dispose of something in an absolute manner and equates it to dominion. It could
be stated that for ownership to take place, one needs to have right over the property.
According to Onalo (2010), ownership is when a person has various rights over a property.
These rights may include right to create a literary work, e.g. book, monograph, artists etc, right
to publish information bearing materials, right of sale, right to create easement etc.
 Types of Ownership

Determining ownership involves determining who has certain rights and duties over the
property. These rights and duties, according to Mulla (2000) of ownership are sometimes called
a "bundle of rights" and can be separated and held by different parties. He further stated that
the following are some of the types of ownerships.

1. State Ownership -Assets that a state or certain state has jurisdiction over in terms of
use.
2. Government Ownership -Assets belonging to a body of government e.g. local, state and
federal government.
3. Public Property - Assets owned by a government or state that are available for public
use to all their constitutions.
4. Personal Ownership - Assets and. property belonging to an individual, also known as
individual ownership.
5. Common Ownership ~ Assets and property that are held in common by all members of
society.
6. Communal Ownership ~ Property held in common by a community
7. Collective Ownership - Assets and property that belong to a collective body of people
who control their use and collect the proceeds of their operation.
8. Private Ownership - A subset of collective property whereby a collective group of
owners such as shareholders won productive property that is used by employees,
usually for the purpose of generating a profit.
9. Cooperative Ownership - Property that is owned by those who operate and use it Also
referred to as social ownership.

Author's Right

Author's rights are liberties granted to authors to reproduce, circulate and sell his/her literary
works, for a certain period of time. Author's right is a part of copyright law, that are
internationally protected for literary and artistic works. These rights include the following –

a) Reproduce the work in any material form

b) Publish the work
c) Perform the work in Public
d) Make any cinematography, film or a record in respect of the work.
e) Distribute to the public for commercial purposes e.g. higher, loan, lease, rental or similar
arrangement
f) Make an adaptation of the work
Naturally, the right on any publication belongs to the author. However, in cases where the
author is employed under a contract for service to produce intellectual works, the right in the
works produced in the course of the employment belongs to the employer. The right owner is
at liberty to transfer his right, wholly or partially, to another person provided he does so in
writing. The right on any work is limited to certain number of years depending on the nature of
work and the provision of the copyright law of that country. Section 9 of the Nigerian Act
vested copyright initially on the author of the work. This means that the author is the first sole
owner of the copyright in his work. The question that normally arises is, what if the author is an
employee of a company or government, who owns the copyright in the work? The following
points should guide us in an effort to provide an answer to this very serious question:

a) If the author is under a contract of employment but he was not commissioned to do the
work by his employer, the rights belong to the author even if the work was made in
course of his employment.
b) If the author was commissioned by an employer to do the work but he is not under a
contract of service with the employer, maybe, he is a consultant; the right is the work
will still vest on the author.
c) Where the author is under a contract of service or apprenticeship with the proprietor of
a newspaper, magazine or similar periodical and he produces a literary, artistic or
musical work in course of his employment, his proprietor shall have the right as it
relates to the publication of the work in the periodical or any other such periodical but
not in any other respect.

Piracy

The greatest problem facing the authors and the publishers today is piracy. Before, this act was
limited at high sea stealing but currently, it has entered into knowledge acquisition and
distribution. It has slowed down the speed of originality among inventors. Piracy has a negative
effect on the cultural and economic development of Nigeria. Piracy defined by Serling (1999) as
the act of producing unauthorized copies of protected materials and dealing with such copies
by way of distribution and sale. It is an illegal reproduction, abuse of publication rights. It can
take the form of circumvention of e-book versions, translation of books without the permission
of the owner of the copy right in the book, hi-tech reproduction overseas, and local
reproduction of fast moving titles using newsprint or poor textures paper.

Piracy is a worldwide phenomenon involving most advanced forms of organized crime. What
the pirates market is knowledge, produced by individuals. Knowledge can be generated through
intellectual activities, experimentation, empirical research, observation, experience, reading or
imagination. The advent of printing press helped to make books available. It is unfortunate that
today printers help to promote piracy in Nigeria. Unscrupulous printers have become such
adapts to book piracy that one could hardly differentiate between the original and the pirated
copies. (Nwafor, 1996; cited in Okwilagwe, 1999).

Factors Responsible for Piracy in Nigeria

1. Very high cost of books in relation to average income of the populace.

2. The scarcity of high quality materials like paper, machinery, ink, etc.
3. The infant state of the publishing industry, making the country to depend on foreign
publishers for their educational and research needs.
4. Ignorance of copy right laws by public.
5. The uncooperative attitude of some countries in endorsing international treaties on
intellectual property rights.
6. Nwafor (1991) stated that widespread unemployment, unprecedented increase in anti
social behavior, strikes and worker’s agitation for higher wages, severe dearth of books
leading to high cost of up to 50% and parents’ inability to purchase books for their
children pave way for piracy to thrive. This adversely affects publishing in Nigeria.

Different Forms in which Piracy is exhibited in Nigeria

1. By illegal reprography.
2. Abuse of publication rights.
3. Circumvention of e-books version.
4. Translation of books without the permission of the owner.
5. Hi-tech reproduction overseas.
6. Local reproduction of fast moving titles, using newsprint or poor textured paper.

Piracy, particularly in the context of digital media such as movies, music, software, and books,
can have several significant effects:

1. Economic Impact: Piracy can lead to significant revenue losses for content
creators, producers, distributors, and other stakeholders in the creative
industries. Illegal downloading and distribution of copyrighted material deprive
creators of potential sales and royalties, impacting their livelihoods and the
overall economy.
2. Decreased Incentive for Creativity: When creators perceive a high risk of piracy,
they may become less motivated to invest time, effort, and resources into
producing new content. This reduced incentive for creativity could stifle
innovation and limit the diversity of cultural expressions available to audiences.
3. Undermining Legitimate Markets: Piracy undermines legitimate markets by
offering unauthorized copies of copyrighted material for free or at significantly
 reduced prices. This can distort competition, discourage investment in legal
distribution channels, and weaken the ability of legitimate businesses to
generate revenue and innovate.
4. Quality Concerns: Pirated copies of digital media may lack the same level of
quality control and assurance as legitimate products. Consumers who access
pirated content may encounter issues such as poor audio or video quality,
incomplete or corrupted files, or exposure to malware and viruses embedded in
pirated software.
5. Impacts on Employment: The economic repercussions of piracy can extend to job
losses within the creative industries. When revenue streams diminish due to
piracy, businesses may be forced to downsize, cut costs, or even shut down
operations, resulting in layoffs and unemployment for workers in the sector.
6. Erosion of Intellectual Property Rights: Piracy undermines the value of
intellectual property rights by perpetuating the idea that creative works are free
for anyone to use or distribute without permission or compensation. This
erosion of intellectual property rights weakens the legal framework that protects
creators' rights and incentivizes innovation.
7. Cultural Consequences: Piracy can have cultural consequences by limiting the
availability of diverse and high-quality content, particularly in regions where
piracy is prevalent. This can hinder the dissemination of knowledge, ideas, and
cultural expressions, ultimately impacting the cultural enrichment and
development of societies.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's words, ideas, or creations without proper
attribution or acknowledgment, presenting them as one's own original work. It involves copying
or closely imitating another person's work and passing it off as one's own without giving credit
to the original source. Plagiarism can occur in various forms of content, including written
documents, academic papers, presentations, artwork, music, and digital media.

Examples of plagiarism include:

1. Copying verbatim passages from a book, article, or website without quotation marks
and without citing the source.
2. Paraphrasing or rephrasing someone else's ideas or arguments without proper
attribution.
3. Using images, graphics, or multimedia content created by others without obtaining
permission or acknowledging the original creator.
 4. Submitting someone else's work as one's own in academic assignments, such as essays,
research papers, or presentations.
5. Collaborating with others on a project but failing to credit their contributions
appropriately.

To avoid plagiarism, it is essential to properly cite and reference all sources used in one's work,
whether they are direct quotations, paraphrased ideas, or borrowed images. By giving credit to
the original creators and acknowledging the sources of information, individuals demonstrate
integrity, honesty, and respect for intellectual property rights.

Currently we have the computer software that can detect plagiarized works. The available ones
are:

1. Turnitin.Com: This is an electronic plagiarism detection service which works with

universities to help students prevent plagiarism.
2. ar Xiv Software: This software looks for overlap or correlation with all ar xiv submission
(Bechhoefer, 2007). If enough match is found with submitted work, a message is sent to
the submitter, with the list of the works in which similarities have been detected . If the
submitter wishes to proceed, the editorial board should be notified and the submitter
should be asked to provide justification for overlap work.
3. eTblast: This is web- based tool used in India ( Schulz, 2008)
4. CopyGauard: This machine uses match–and-report process which allows users to verify
content originality quickly and easily. It produces a customized originality report that
provides underlines excerpts of any relevant text matches and similarity index.

Concept of Intellectual Property

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic
works, designs, symbols, names, and images, used in commerce. This concept recognizes that
ideas and creative expressions have value and deserve protection similar to physical property.

IP rights grant creators and innovators exclusive rights to their creations, allowing them to
benefit financially and control how their works are used. These rights are typically protected by
laws and regulations, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.

1. Patents: Patents protect inventions and innovations, granting inventors exclusive rights
to manufacture, use, and sell their inventions for a limited period. This encourages
investment in research and development by providing inventors with a temporary
monopoly on their creations.
 2. Copyrights: Copyrights protect original literary, artistic, and intellectual works, such as
books, music, films, and software. They give creators exclusive rights to reproduce,
distribute, perform, and display their works. Copyrights promote creativity and cultural
diversity by rewarding creators for their contributions to society.
3. Trademarks: Trademarks protect symbols, names, logos, and slogans used to identify
and distinguish goods and services in the marketplace. They enable consumers to
identify and choose products based on their reputation, quality, and source, while also
preventing confusion and deception in commerce.
4. Trade Secrets: Trade secrets protect confidential and proprietary information, such as
formulas, recipes, processes, and customer lists, that provide businesses with a
competitive advantage. Unlike patents, trade secrets do not require registration and can
be protected indefinitely as long as they remain confidential.

Nature of Intellectual Property

Intellectual properties have their own peculiar features. These features smay serve to identify
intellectual properties from other types of properties. Mersha(2012) listed some of the natures
of intellectual property as follows:

1. Territorial Any intellectual property issued should be resolved by national laws. Why is it
an issue? Because intellectual property rights have one characteristic which other
national rights do not have. In ownership of intellectual property of immovable
properties, issues of cross borders are not probable. But in intellectual properties, it is
common. A film made in Hollywood can be seen in other countries. The market is not
only the local one but also international. If a design in China is imitated by another
person in France which law would be applicable? Territorial nature means that
intellectual property right is only effective in the territory of the state granting that
right. As an example an intellectual property right granted in Nigeria only has effect
within the territory of Nigeria. It does not give the power any rights outside Nigeria and
can only be infringed by conduct which occurs within the territory of Nigeria.
2. Giving an exclusive right to the owner It means others, who are not owners, are
prohibited from using the right. Most intellectual property rights cannot be
implemented in practice as soon as the owner got exclusive rights. Most of them need
to be tested by some public laws. The creator or author of an intellectual property
enjoys rights inherent in his work to the exclusion of anybody else.
 3. Assignable 88 Since they are rights, they can obviously be assigned (licensed). It is
possible to put a dichotomy between intellectual property rights and the material object
in which the work is embodied. Intellectual property can be bought, sold, or licensed or
hired or attached.
4. Independence Different intellectual property rights subsist in the same kind of object.
Most intellectual property rights are likely to be embodied in objects.
5. Subject to Public Policy They are vulnerable to the deep embodiment of public policy.
Intellectual property attempts to preserve and find adequate reconciliation between
two competing interests. On the one hand, the intellectual property rights holders
require adequate remuneration and on the other hand, consumers try to consume
works without much inconvenience. Is limitation unique for intellectual property?
6. Divisible (Fragmentation) Several persons may have legally protected interests evolved
from a single original work without affecting the interest of other right holders on that
same item. Because of the nature of indivisibility, intellectual property is an
inexhaustible resource. This nature of intellectual property derives from intellectual
property’s territorial nature. For example, an inventor who registered his invention in
Ethiopia can use the patent himself in Ethiopia and License it in Germany and assign it in
France. Also, copyright is made up of different rights. Those rights may be divided into
different persons: publishers, adaptors, translators, etc.

In Nigeria, the concept of intellectual property (IP) law is based on the protection of various
forms of creative and innovative works, including inventions, literary and artistic works,
trademarks, and industrial designs. The legal framework for IP rights in Nigeria is governed by
various statutes, regulations, and international treaties.

1. Copyright Law: The Copyright Act (Cap C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004)
provides protection for original literary, musical, artistic, and cinematographic works, as
well as computer programs, sound recordings, and broadcasts. Copyright protection is
automatic upon the creation of a work, and registration is not required for enforcement.
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) is responsible for administering and enforcing
copyright law in Nigeria.
2. Patent Law: The Patents and Designs Act (Cap P2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria
2004) governs the registration and protection of patents and industrial designs in
Nigeria. Patents protect inventions and grant inventors exclusive rights to prevent
others from making, using, or selling their inventions without permission. The Nigerian
 Patent and Trademark Office (NPTO) oversees the registration and administration of
patents in Nigeria.
3. Trademark Law: The Trade Marks Act (Cap T13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004)
governs the registration and protection of trademarks in Nigeria. Trademarks protect
symbols, names, logos, and slogans used to distinguish goods and services in the
marketplace. The Nigerian Trademarks Registry is responsible for the registration and
administration of trademarks in Nigeria.
4. Industrial Design Law: The Patents and Designs Act also provides for the registration and
protection of industrial designs, which refer to the ornamental or aesthetic aspects of
products. Industrial designs protect the visual appearance of products and prevent
others from copying or imitating their designs without permission.
5. Trade Secret Law: While Nigeria does not have specific legislation governing trade
secrets, confidential information and know-how are protected under common law
principles and contractual agreements. Businesses can protect their trade secrets by
implementing confidentiality measures and entering into non-disclosure agreements
with employees, contractors, and business partners.
6. Enforcement and Remedies: The enforcement of IP rights in Nigeria involves civil and
criminal remedies, including injunctions, damages, and criminal prosecution for
infringement. The Nigerian judiciary adjudicates IP disputes, and specialized IP courts
have been established to handle IP-related cases more efficiently.
7. International Treaties: Nigeria is a signatory to various international treaties and
agreements related to intellectual property, including the Berne Convention, the Paris
Convention, the WIPO Copyright Treaty, and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
What are the types of ownership? iii. Mention the limitations to ownership