Manuscript Preparation, Copyediting, and Proofreading

Q. I enjoy reading the monthly Q&A. The answers often seem to tell the questioners to use some common sense, that there isn’t one right answer necessarily for every situation, and that comprehensibility trumps consistency and being a stickler. Certainly, though, there are times when there is a right answer. Do you have a philosophy or recommendations for how to distinguish those situations from the rest?

A. We’re working on an app for that; meanwhile, you’ll have to trust your judgment.