Copy Preparation and Proofreading Section (CPPS) 

CPPS is a multilingual Section that provides publishing services in six official languages to different Departments of the UN Secretariat at all stages of publication production process. CPPS produces a large variety of publications ranging from those with archival value (ex. language versions the United Nations Juridical Yearbooks, United Nations Disarmament Yearbooks, Repertoire of Practice of the Security Council, quarterly Supplements of the Security Council), periodic publications containing studies in methods and research performed by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (including demographic, vital and many other types of statistics, national accounts, statistical classifications, population issues), non-periodic publications for many departments and offices (including Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), United Nations Office of Disarmamant Affairs (UNODA), United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA), Department for Public Information (DPI), Department of Safety and Security (DSS), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Department of Political Affairs (DPA) etc.) to color brochures and public information material for Conferences and other events that take place in the Organization.

The publication production process starts with the production of the original publication, often in English. Afterwards, the original text is translated into the other five official languages. When CPPS receives the translated manuscript, copy preparers create an electronic design template of the publication in order to lay out the text, graphs, figures, tables and other graphic elements in the most clear and attractive manner in all the official languages, as well as ensuring that typography conforms to UN style and standards. All the language Units use the software included in the Adobe Creative Suite 3 package, which ensures compatibility and consistency among all the language versions. Once the layout is completed, the publication is proofread against the English version to ensure accuracy in content, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency in terminology, as well as adherence to UN style and standards. During this stage, proofreaders confer with editors, authors and responsible officials, use electronic dictionaries, glossaries and databases to resolve questions of content and style. Often extensive research is needed.

The CPPS language Units must work closely with each other and be familiar with each other’s languages, especially while creating multilingual publications. The outcome of this process is a group of files in PDF format suitable for commercial printing, Web posting and archiving. During the last few years, CPPS has received an increasing number of requests for publications to be posted on the Web only. CPPS takes pride in producing both printed and Web publications that maintain the highest standards of quality, keeping in mind that the reputation of the United Nations is at stake.