What needs to be clarified
Examine whether individual writing features survive editing and whether passages can be compared with verified writing by each proposed author, considering the preparation history.
Materials to prepare
- Complete original draft and published version
- Revision history with editor comments and save dates
- Independent writing by both contributors from a comparable genre and period
What to compare
Align paragraphs and identify insertions, deletions and rewritten sentences. Compare syntax, word choice and reasoning in retained and altered passages with independent samples. Consider editorial purpose, quotations and topic changes before evaluating the combined features.
Possible outcome of the analysis
Separate assessments of passage suitability and contributors’ writing features may be provided, with a revision map and an explanation of unresolved questions.
Limits of the conclusions
Revision history records file actions but does not itself prove who composed wording. Writing analysis does not determine ownership of ideas or copyright shares.