Academic editing refers to proofreading services designed specifically to correct and improve academic documents. These documents might include journal papers, master’s theses, research papers, college application essays, and so on.
Academic editing offers can play a major role in ensuring that you complete and submit academic work that you can take pride in. Many writers may think that such assistance may be too expensive to be worth it.
However, there are several benefits associated with academic editing. These include completing your thesis on time or getting published in high-end journals. Here is a brief list summarizing the benefits associated with professional proofreading:
It saves you time
It improves your writing
It makes your writing seem more professional
It expedites your academic success
So how do you go about deciding when you need professional help to correct your manuscript? Also, where do you go to get professional assistance? And what should you look for in a good academic editor?
In this article, I will tell you all you need to know about academic editing and what to expect from an academic editor, and where to find the best offers.
What is academic editing?
Academic editing refers to checking and correcting academic documents. These documents could include master’s or dissertation theses, journal manuscripts, white papers, and so on.
These offers could include correction for:
Style and tone
Grammar
Sentence structure
Clarity
Academic editing can be thought as existing in different stages and tiers. These tiers or stages are based on the level of modification required to be carried out on the document before making it ready for submission.
On the one end, we have developmental editing, which may require significant changes to the conceptual development of a document. And this level of correction may occur even before the document is completed.
On the other end, we have proofreading, which is the final stage of the process. This includes making minor changes, such as correcting spelling and punctuation errors.
There are more or less six different types of editing. They include:
Developmental
Substantive
Copyediting
Mechanical
Proofreading
As I mentioned earlier, these levels can be seen as a continuum. Developmental editing can be seen as the most conceptual and proofreading being the last stage of the process. Below is a diagram showing the various stages of editing.
The different tiers of academic editing
Figure 1 shows editing as a continuous process. However, in reality, most authors do not go through all of these stages. Writers may seek professional help at any stage of the process.
For example, a senior or experienced author, who has published several papers and who is writing for a target journal may simply need copyediting and proofreading assistance. However, a more junior author may need both developmental and content editing.
Let’s look at each of the various stages of the process in turn.
Developmental editing
Developmental editing is the most drastic stage of the process. It may involve having the entire manuscript written because the overarching concept, idea, or story was not well thought out.
In some cases, developmental editing may apply even before the manuscript is written. For example, an editor may leave extensive commentary and suggestions for the outline of a manuscript.
In the field of academics, a developmental editor would most likely be an SME or subject matter expert.
Substantive editing
Substantive editing involves organizing and presenting existing content. It is not as drastic as the developmental stage. However, it includes:
Rewriting to improve style
Rewriting to improve clarity
Rewriting to give greater structural integrity or coherence
Adjusting or recasting tables
This type or level of correction implies major modification. Before an editor goes ahead with this stage, they need to ensure that they are on the same page with the author.
In fact, the editor should even think of submitting a sample of the work to obtain the approval of the author before going ahead with substantive editing throughout the entire manuscript.
Copyediting
Copyediting is also referred to as line editing. It deals with paying attention to every word and punctuation mark in the manuscript. However, unlike substantive editing, it doesn’t involve rewriting.
To carry out proper copyediting, the academic editor needs to:
Have thorough knowledge of the style to be followed
Have confidence in their ability
Be willing to make quick and logical decisions
Be willing to defend their decisions to the author
Mechanical editing
Mechanical editing refers to consistently applying a specific style to a manuscript. Style refers to rules regarding:
Capitalization
Spelling
Hyphenation
Abbreviations
Punctuation
In addition to this, mechanical editing also involves paying attention to usage, grammar, and syntax.
Proofreading
Proofreading can be described as the process of carefully examining all the components of a text to find errors and mark them for correction. All the stages of correcting a manuscript require proofreading.
However, here, by proofreading we mean correcting and double-checking the final version of the manuscript. This stage of editing is usually carried out after your manuscript has been converted into the format that it will be published in.
In the case of academic authors who wish to get published in journals, this would be the PDF format of your manuscript after it has been accepted for publication in your target journal.
Who needs academic editing?
Academic editing has grown into a lucrative industry. Its rapid growth is based on the growing demand from academic professionals who speak English as a second language.
The types of people who need such professional assistance include the following:
1. ESL (or English as a second language) university students
These are university students who study abroad in English and who need English language support. They might need such support in writing their theses, college papers, or even writing their college essay applications.
2. University students in general
ESL university students are not the only ones who require editing help. Such services can be useful to any university student who has limited time to go over their own work or who struggles with writing English well.
3. Academic professionals
Academia can be a competitive industry. Professors and lecturers very often can only get promotions after publishing academic papers in high-quality English language journals with very high English language standards. To do so successfully, they typically pay for academic editing, especially if they are ESL professionals.
4. Professionals who need grant writing assistance
Grant writing is a form of academic writing that can be quite challenging. Non-profits and university research departments frequently rely on such a skill.
There are often strict requirements that come with requests for proposals (or RFPs), such as a limited word count. An academic editor may be able to edit grant proposals to meet these requirements.
5. Professionals who need help with white papers
White papers are a type of paper that are a mix between academic and business writing. These documents are typically informative and loaded with statistics.
White papers can include information and data about a new product for business purposes. Or they can include information about a development project by an NGO such as the World Bank or FAO (Food and Aid Organization).
Instead of journals, such papers usually target the general public or a more sophisticated B2B audience. Academic editing can help you hit just the right note between using technical jargon and appealing to a non-technical audience.
An academic editor can significantly improve the quality of your academic writing. Most people, whether or not they are ESL speakers, are surprised to find out just how much these type of services can help.
This is because an academic editor has a specific set of skills that are typically taken for granted by the average non-professional or even professional writer. So exactly what should expect from an academic editor?
What to expect from a professional academic editor
An academic editor brings a specific set of skills to your academic document. You should expect for your edited manuscript to be free of spelling, grammar, and typo errors.
Here is a list of other things that usually come with hiring an academic editor:
Direct changes to your document to improve clarity, flow, and readability
Tracked Word revisions that allow you to see and review changes made by the editor
Formatting citations and references to meet the guidelines and expectations of your target journal
Comments on missing or confusing information and how the document could be improved
A brief summary of how document has been changed and any major concerns that require further attention or work
1. Affordable pricing. Because of the intense competition, proofreading and editing prices can be relatively inexpensive. With standard turnaround times of three to seven days, you can expect to be charged around only $30 to $45 per 1000 words.
2. Access to skilled proofreaders and editors. Proofreading websites or companies use both in-house and freelance editors. These freelance editors are located throughout the world. They have to go through challenging qualifying tests and training before they start working for these companies.
3. Speedy and convenient services. These companies offer rapid turnaround times. Their turnaround times range between four or even two hours and two weeks. They are usually web-based and you can upload your document and pay for these services 24-7.
4. Educational resources. By educational resources, I mean resources that support students to become successful academics or scholars. The ideal proofreading company is not content with editing or proofreading your document.
Instead, they offer a wide range of useful resources, such as blogs and YouTube videos, to help answer or explain any difficult questions you have about academic tasks and writing.
What types of documents qualify for academic editing?
Academic editing encompasses a wide range of documents. These are academic documents related to university coursework, journal publications, and writing academic reports. They include the following:
Academic essays meant to complete coursework
Journal articles
Master’s theses and PhD dissertations
Research projects
Book chapters meant for academic books published in journals
Academic books
White papers for business products
Conference Proceedings
Conference posters
Conference presentations
Of course, many scholars can complete or submit these documents on their own without the assistance of an academic editor. However, there are specific advantages and talents that an academic editor brings.
This is a specialized service that improves both the language and structure of your document. Besides that, it can simultaneously strengthen, streamline, and emphasize your ideas and arguments, while making sure your paper meets the strict formatting requirements of your target journal or required coursework.
There are several benefits to hiring a professional academic editor. They are as follows: 1. They provide a fresh set of eyes; 2. They provide expertise and experience; 3. They help you to become a better writer; 4. They ensure stylistic consistency; and 4. They save time and money. To learn more, please check this prior article: Benefits of Hiring an Editor.
Proofreading and editing sample
Proofreading and editing samples can help give you an idea of what to expect from professional editing services. I have provided here an example of the academic editing services offered by EminentEdit. However, before you download this sample, here is a quick summary of what proofreading and editing involves:
Editing using Word's Track Changes function
Commentary to explain corrections
Comments to make suggestions for improvement
Comments to ask for clarification
A professional editor has to balance between making direct and extensive changes to a manuscript with giving the writer the option to make these corrections on their own. Leaving the writer with clear and easy-to-read comments will make it easier for them to make these changes.
Proofreading sample |
EminentEdit's academic editing services
At EminentEdit, we understand the importance of completing and submitting your academic writing projects on time. We are a small team of editors who have experience in both publishing our own academic work and helping dozens of academic authors get published. So, we know exactly what it takes to get your thesis ready for submission.
EminentEdit provides editing and proofreading services that are:
More importantly, we are adaptable to your specific needs. | Get in touch with one of our representatives for help in editing your manuscript We know what you want to say. We help you say it better. |
Our services don't just start with proofreading the final product. It also includes help from the very start, such as editing and double-checking your thesis proposal. Our thesis editing services include the following:
Developmental editing to make sure your proposal can be transformed into a thesis that can pass your defense or committee review
Substantive editing to improve the quality of your writing on a sentence level
Extensive commentary and recommendations to improve literature review, structure, and arguments
Proofreading to make sure your writing is grammatically correct with proper spelling and punctuation
Assistance in transforming your thesis into a published scientific paper
So feel free to get in touch through our contact page here: CONTACT US AT EMINENT EDIT. Good luck with your research writing!
Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2024, May 15). Academic Editing: All You Need to Know. https://www.eminentediting.com/post/academic-editing-all-you-need-to-know |
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