Who is right?

[Drue Tibbits]

I don’t know if I should ask for a re-check. The first editor says there are 4 errors, which I disagree with. The second editor initially found no errors, but then they had to adjust theirs with this note: “Number of errors updated from 0 to 4 based on other editor scorecard.”
These are the errors:
1. "The story follows the beautiful Vanessa and, to a lesser extent, her best friend, Trisha."
I used a comma after “her best friend” based on the guidance here: https://www.grammar.com/the_correct_way ... and_titles
The Grammar.com site uses these examples:
"This is Jane, my sister."
"The mystery of the lost pencil has to be solved by Jim’s sister, Jane."
The first editor counted that comma as an error.

2. The next three errors are for the same thing: I didn’t capitalize “white” when referring to race, as in, “As the girls grow older, Vanessa begins to live her life as a white woman.” I knew that would be a potential minefield, so I had researched it beforehand. I found tons of conflicting guidance. AP and Purdue OWL say don’t capitalize; APA says yes, capitalize. Do any of these sources “outrank” the other? What would you do?
If I ask for a re-check, do I get to submit my reasoning along with my request? IOW, do I get to present my case? Also, I ran my text through Grammarly, AI, and Scribbr. None of them found my comma to be an error, nor did any of them capitalize “white.”

So, should I ask for a re-check? Or just let it go and live to fight another day?

[Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis]

Regarding your first error, it should be, "The story follows the beautiful Vanessa and to a lesser extent, her best friend, Trisha."
#2 - I just got hit for not capitalizing "black." I just let that one go.
It depends on whether you want to fight it and how many re-checks you have left. I save mine for the editor's outrageous mistakes. Some editors are really picky, and some let commas go.

[Diana Lowery]

@Drue Tibbits Yes, you get to present your case on a recheck. If you feel that you have credible sources to back up your claims, asking for a recheck is a good choice. Regarding the hierarchy of sources, there is no ranking. I think that there is a valid case both ways for the errors that appeared on your scorecard. Because there are conflicting opinions, I don't think these should be counted as errors, but the other editor may not agree. If the editor does not change the score, you can ask for an administrator to check it. There is no easy answer to your question, "should I ask for a re-check?" There are too many variables involved. You have to consider your current level, how many re-checks you have, and how it will benefit you. If you are just asking for a re-check because you want to prove that you are right and the editor is wrong, then it might not be worth it. I have always been treated kindly when I have asked for a re-check, and I hope that you will have the same experience. Good Luck!