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Perfecting Your Dissertation: The Key Role of Dissertation Editors

Your dissertation represents the culmination of years of academic dedication and research. Ensuring its quality and coherence is paramount to your success. This is where the expertise of a dissertation editor becomes invaluable. In this article, we'll explore the key role of dissertation editors in perfecting your dissertation and guiding you towards academic excellence.

Understanding the Editing Process

Dissertation editing involves more than just correcting grammar and punctuation. It's a comprehensive process that focuses on enhancing the clarity, coherence, and scholarly rigor of your work. A skilled dissertation editing services meticulously reviews your manuscript, refining its structure, language, and argumentation to ensure that it meets the highest academic standards.

Leveraging Expertise for Success

The expertise of a dissertation editor is central to the success of the editing process. Experienced editors possess a deep understanding of academic writing conventions, impeccable attention to detail, and specialized knowledge in various fields of study. By leveraging their expertise, you can elevate the quality and impact of your dissertation, presenting a polished piece of scholarship that reflects your intellectual prowess and dedication.

Your dissertation is more than just a document; it's a reflection of your academic journey and intellectual contributions to your field. By entrusting your work to a skilled dissertation editor, you can ensure that it receives the attention and expertise it deserves. From dissertation proofreading to substantive editing, editors play a crucial role in perfecting your dissertation and guiding you towards academic success. Embrace the opportunity to collaborate with a trusted editing partner and present a dissertation that showcases your scholarly excellence.

Perfecting Your Dissertation: The Key Role of Dissertation Editors

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What is Thesis Editing and What Does a Thesis Editor Do?

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Thesis editing is essential in preparing a scholarly document representing years of research and study. This comprehensive process goes beyond mere proofreading to encompass a deep review of content, organisation, argumentative structure, and style to ensure the document is error-free but also impactful and clear. A thesis editor plays a vital role in this process, working to refine the document to meet academic standards and the specific requirements of thesis committees.

What is Thesis Editing?

Thesis editing involves a comprehensive review and refinement of a scholarly thesis to enhance its clarity, coherence, and academic rigour. This process includes detailed checks for language accuracy, logical structure, argument strength, and adherence to formatting guidelines.

Why is Thesis Editing Important?

Thesis editing ensures that a thesis’s extensive research and insights are presented most effectively. It helps to avoid misunderstandings, reduces the likelihood of rejection by thesis committees, and enhances the academic tone of the document.

Guide to Thesis Editing: What, Why, and How

Thesis editing is a comprehensive enhancement process focused on refining the quality of academic work. Ensuring a thesis is logically structured, stylistically coherent, and error-free is crucial, increasing its academic and professional appeal.

How to Edit a Thesis

Editing a thesis involves a series of structured steps designed to enhance its academic quality and coherence:

Initial Review : This first step involves thoroughly reading the thesis to grasp the main arguments and identify overarching issues. The editor assesses the thesis’s organisation, checks for logical inconsistencies, and notes any areas where the argument may falter or the structure might disrupt the flow of information.
Line-by-Line Editing : During this phase, the editor closely examines each sentence and paragraph to refine the language for clarity and readability. This meticulous scrutiny addresses grammatical errors, stylistic inconsistencies, and awkward phrasing. The goal is to enhance the thesis’s readability and adhere to academic style guidelines.
Feedback and Revisions : The editor provides detailed feedback to the thesis writer, highlighting strengths and pinpointing weaknesses. This collaborative stage often involves discussing potential improvements and implementing changes to strengthen the thesis’s arguments and presentation. The editor’s role is to guide the author toward more precise expression and tighter argumentation.
Final Checks : In the last phase before submission, final checks ensure that all corrections have been made and all thesis elements are polished. It includes reviewing formatting, citations, figures, and tables to ensure everything conforms to university guidelines and academic standards.

How to Master Thesis Editing

Mastering thesis editing requires an understanding of the subject matter and the standards of academic excellence. It involves systematically reviewing and refining the thesis through multiple drafts, focusing on content, structure, and mechanics in each pass.

Thesis Editing Services

Thesis editing services provide specialised support for students and academics looking to elevate their thesis to professional standards. These services employ editors skilled in various academic disciplines who bring an objective and expert eye to the editing process. By focusing on content and form, these services help authors articulate their research more effectively, ensuring the thesis is well-received by examiners and contributes meaningfully to the academic community.

What Happens if I Choose to Edit My Thesis?

Deciding whether to edit your thesis on your own or hire a professional service depends on assessing your skills and the specific needs of your thesis. While self-editing can be beneficial ( and using AI can provide additional support in this ), professional editors offer precision and expertise that can significantly enhance the quality of a thesis. They provide a fresh perspective that can identify issues overlooked by the author and suggest improvements that elevate the academic tone and impact of the work.

The Importance of Academic Editing

Academic editing ensures that scholarly communications are error-free and optimised for maximum impact and understanding. It’s an intense method of editing material to protect the integrity of academic discourse and clarify complicated ideas. Good academic editing makes research findings easier to comprehend so that more people, like peers, review boards, and industry practitioners, can use them.

Embracing Excellence Through Thesis Editing

Thesis editing is crucial for refining extensive research into a clear and coherent document. It involves a detailed review and revision of the content, structure, and style to meet academic standards. Whether you opt for professional thesis editing services or decide to edit your thesis yourself , the process includes thorough revisions and feedback to ensure the thesis is error-free and impactful. It enhances its clarity and academic integrity, making it more compelling. Effective academic editing also ensures that your arguments are supported with robust evidence, improving the document’s overall persuasiveness and scholarly value.

Transform Your Text with Expert Editing and Proofreading

At Oxbridge Editing, we provide professional thesis editing services tailored to meet your requirements. Our skilled editors will meticulously review your documents, ensuring they are immaculate and polished to the highest standard. We can support you if you need assistance with academic papers, commercial documents, business reports, or any other written content.

Don’t let errors detract from your message—partner with us to achieve polished, professional content that leaves a lasting impact. With our thorough proofreading, the extra attention to detail will ensure your ideas are presented with utmost clarity and professionalism.

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Dissertation Editor: Main Role and Functions

Is your dissertation written up to the point? Have you proved all of your claims with well-grounded and well-reasoned evidence? Or maybe, you have made some silly mistakes in your writing. In all of these cases, you desperately need help of a qualified dissertation editor . But before you start looking for the editing service, we recommend you to read the following article to learn more about the key role and the most common functions of dissertation editors. The current essay will help you to understand what the art of editing means and what services you can use to make your dissertation well-written and properly organized. You should not underestimate the time that you will need to spend on reviewing and revising such a difficult piece of writing as dissertation. The job of editing plays a very important role in the process of composing a dissertation. Some students think that it would be enough just to write a dissertation and submit it to the professor. This is a common mistake of inexperienced writers who underestimate the role of editing. Let us discuss what a professional dissertation editor does.

First of all, a good dissertation editor needs to review the paper on the whole. This means that an editor needs to stick to the outline and have a plan on how to complete the task of editing. The role of an editor is to answer the question of whether the student has developed well-grounded arguments in the course of writing. These arguments should correspond to the central question or the title of the paper. An editor should make sure that the content of the dissertation matches its title in an appropriate manner. The basic task of an editor is not to be afraid of rephrasing the topic of a dissertation in case the writer has shifted the focus of the paper or in case the title does not match the issues that are covered in the paper.
Another task of an editor is to analyze whether the key words and notions used in the dissertation correspond to its content. This way, there would be no risk of accidentally confusing the audience, for whom the dissertation is intended. As a rule, editors try to see the problem from the side of someone who is not familiar with the subject. The task of an editor is to make every term and notion easy to comprehend.
A professional dissertation editor starts the process of editing from reading over every section of the paper and rearranging the title of the work in order to make it relevant and up to the point. The details contained in the paper should correspond to the dissertation’s title. The major function of an editor in this case is to make sure that the content belongs in this or that section of the paper. Anything that can be cut out or placed in some other section of the paper should be highlighted by the editor so that all the sections are relevant to the issues discussed by the author. In case the ideas of the author are repeated, the task of an editor would be to correct or emphasize this mistake for the author to see what amendments should be made.
While reviewing each part of the dissertation, an editor would try to make sure that there is enough analysis and description. The editor might try to make the ideas of the author more explicit. In other words, the role of an editor is to make the issues reflected in the paper clearer for the reader. The problems addressed in the paper should be easy to understand and adhere to the subject of the dissertation.
After each section of the dissertation has been reviewed, the task of a dissertation editor would be to review the paragraphs. In such a way, dissertation editing means moving from the bigger parts to the smaller ones. In this regard, an editor would try to ensure that the first sentence in every paragraph reflects the ideas that the author wants to communicate to the audience. Besides, the editor should carefully analyze whether each paragraph is related to the issues discussed across the paper. This can be done by means of adding various opening phrases in case the author has omitted them. After reviewing the paragraphs, the final step undertaken by an editor would be to review the separate sentences to detect any minor mistakes including grammatical, punctuation and spelling errors.

With that said, the above functions of a dissertation editor clearly show that reviewing a dissertation is not an easy task even if you are knowledgeable in the subject on which you are writing. Therefore, we recommend you to use help of professional dissertation editors in order to make your paper better organized and written more professionally. In this case, you will ensure that you get the highest appraisal for your graduate paper. It is advisable not to neglect the opportunity to use professional help of special services that are aimed at helping students with dissertation editing and proofreading . However, not many students know how to distinguish a good company from an untrustworthy one. In fact, some companies should not be trusted by students . This is because there are services that place too much value to gaining profit rather than the quality of papers they deliver. Therefore, one should be careful when choosing a dissertation editing service.

Our company has been in the editing business for over 7 years. We have a wide experience in the field of editing and proofreading and our professionals continue to provide qualified help to thousands of students who need help with their dissertations. Let us briefly analyze the benefits that you will get if you choose our service.

Quick delivery without delays
Experienced and competent editors
24/7 customer support service
Top confidentiality
Additional features including free revision
No plagiarism

If you still have any doubts, simply contact our support service and you will get quick and timely assistance to get all your worries cleared. Our professional staff makes sure that our customers are completely satisfied with the editing and proofreading services provided by our company. Be sure that our editors are knowledgeable and qualified in a wide range of disciplines. This ensures that you get a premium-quality paper without additional efforts. Don’t hesitate to order a paper now!

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What does a dissertation editor really do.

Now that you are working on your dissertation, you may be considering the option of having it edited by a professional editor.

However, not all dissertation editors and companies edit in the same way.

Before taking the plunge with a dissertation editor, you need to know what to expect. What will they do? What won’t they do?

This article will tell you everything you need to know.

Why you need to know what an editor will do

Dissertation editing can be a wise choice for many people. In most cases, as we work on our research, we are focused on the content. The instruction we receive during our studies is also focused squarely on our research discipline and the methods of doing and analyzing our research.

The writing up of that research, while clearly very important (there is not a lot of point in having exciting research results if we cannot express them in the required way), is not something we receive a lot of training or instruction in. Therefore, choosing to employ someone who can polish our work and ensure that it meets the standards expected is a decision many people make.

As you start to consider this option, it may be worth remembering that employing a dissertation editor does not only happen at the end of the dissertation process. Some choose to work with an editor during their dissertation writing , submitting chapters as they work on their research. This may have the advantage of teaching you some things about your writing at an earlier stage, which can then beneficially impact how you approach the rest of your thesis.

Both options are available – having your dissertation edited in sections during your writing, or having the whole document edited after you have completed all research and writing.

When purchasing a service, it is important to have clarity on what the service provider will and will not do. When choosing to hire an editor to work on your dissertation (during your writing or after you have finished), having knowledge of what they will do -and what they will not do- from the outset is very important. Having clear expectations and agreement removes the possibility of confusion.

Submitting a dissertation can be a stressful experience, so why not remove some of the possible stressors by having clarity on the editing process?

Is it acceptable to hire a dissertation editor?

This is an important question.

In universities, we all learn the importance of not plagiarizing the work of others, of being clear in citing the research and opinions of others we use, and of searching for ideas, data, and positions that we have generated ourselves with our own work.

So where does an editor fit into this picture? Do they fit in? Unless your university stipulates otherwise, absolutely!

Almost all reputable editors and editing companies have an ‘ethical position’ on editing. It this case, what is most important is what they will not do. They will not write your dissertation, they will not do any research work for you. They will not turn the research of others into your words. Many have their own statement of ethics.

Global English Editing , for example, carefully follows ethical student editing guidelines developed by organizations such as the Editors’ Association of Canada. These measures allow students to avail themselves of these services and academic institutions to feel confident that an editor’s role in the process is limited to the academic writing concerns only.

What does a dissertation editor do?

To edit means, in a fundamental sense, to get something ready for publication or submission. It is quite likely that many people will begin their search for a dissertation editor online, and will then find themselves on the website of an editing company. What you will notice, in the case of many companies, is that they have different sections for different ‘kinds’ of editing. Editors work on dissertations and also for business clients, authors, and job seekers.

Academic editing is the typical category that dissertation editing will fall under (though depending on the company, these can be distinct too). For some companies and editors, academic editing is broken down into further categories, to separate the needs of different academic customers.

You may, for example, see different sections for:

ESL related editing help: assistance for students and academics for whom English is not their first language
Dissertation/ thesis editing
Essay editing: targeting smaller academic papers
Academic authors : research journal and book editing for academics planning to publish their work
Discipline-specific editing.

Editors can cover all of these scenarios, though some companies or individuals may focus on certain types of editing. What is important is that we, the customer, are clear about our own needs from the beginning. As you will see, dissertation editors can ‘edit’ our writing in many ways.

Proofreading and editing

The distinction between proofreading and editing is perhaps a useful one to understand when looking at dissertation editing providers, be they individuals or companies. At a most basic level, we can perhaps understand the distinction between the two as proofreading being the simpler process of correcting writing and editing being the more complex process of improving writing.

Dissertation editing	Dissertation proofreading
Eliminate spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes	Eliminate spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes
Improve word use and sentence structure	Consistent language, spelling (American English or British English) and style
Improve the clarity of expression	Consistent application of chosen referencing style, such as APA, Harvard, or any other.
Ensure subject/verb agreements, tense consistency, and active voice
Consistent language, spelling (American English or British English) and style
Consistent application of chosen referencing style, such as APA, Harvard, or any other.

Levels of service

Not all editors use the terminology of proofreading and editing in the manner outlined in the example above. Others give their editing services different titles, but most tend to basically offer a basic service (closer to proofreading) and one or more levels of advanced editing services.

The level of service you need is a very important consideration to make, including for deciding how much you’re willing to spend .

Let us take an example from Elsevier Author Services. Elsevier is in fact an academic publisher, so they are targeting the most academic end of the market – PhD theses and the work of academics. We would expect a high level of service from such a company. Looking at the PhD thesis editing offerings, they currently have two services for students – PhD thesis language editing and PhD Thesis Plus. For a 50000 word PhD thesis, the basic plan costs $1500 and the Plus plan costs $4620 – these are at the top of the price range for dissertation editing.

With the basic offering, they will check your thesis for ‘language, readability and native tone’ as well as providing a plagiarism check. Essentially, this means they will ensure that your paper is free from language errors, that the language is used as a native-speaker would use it, and that you have used your sources correctly. Although they do not use the terminology proofreading, this is close to the service provided by some editors as proofreading.

The Plus version is much more involved – what they refer to as “extensive editing”, and which entails the following:

Editing for language, readability and native tone
Editing the structure, flow and presentation
Editors report to highlight the focus areas of your thesis
Layout formation to make sure your thesis is presentable
Multiple rounds of re-editing
Plagiarism check to help you eliminate instances of similarity with published work.

You can see that a range of extra services are provided here above and beyond the more standard thesis plan provided by the same editing company. ‘Multiple rounds of editing’ means that the student and the editor can engage in a back and forth discussion about the thesis, improving it over several iterations. This service involves feedback on writing, which many students find useful.

Editors will typically return your work to you with all their proofreading and editing changes visible.

At present, this most often happens through the use of Track Changes in Microsoft Word (however as our digital world is expanding, so are the ways in which editors work, with many also working with Google Docs and LaTeX documents now). This allows you to see and then ‘accept’ or ‘reject’ all the suggested changes before they are made to your writing.

Alongside this, some editors also provide comments, feedback, or summary reports on your writing. This typically will take the form of constructive criticism of your writing. Remember, your editor, as well as being an academic writing specialist, may be a dissertation writing specialist. Their constructive advice may target areas that are beyond the scope of their work, but that you can adopt to improve your dissertation.

Let us take clarity in writing as an example.

While an editor may be able to edit one of your sentences for ‘clarity’, they will not rewrite an entire chapter or section for clarity. Yet they may be able to advise you on more ‘global’ or large-scale writing style changes you can make to improve on the overall clarity of your chapters, and indeed your whole thesis.

If you are working with an editor or company that is going to provide you with feedback, make sure that you allocate some time before your submission deadline to make alterations to your dissertation based on this feedback.

Some editors will also ensure that your dissertation is correctly formatted following the submission guidelines of your university. This can include formatting all introductory pages and appendices, all tables and figures in your dissertation, checking font usage and heading styles, and more! This can be quite a substantial job depending on the dissertation.

Editors provide a very important service for student writers, allowing them time to focus more fully on their research. They can help to ensure that your dissertation is error-free, that your ideas are concise and clearly delivered to your audience, as well as being presented in an academic voice that fits your discipline.

When choosing an editor, remember to pay attention to the details of the service they offer in order to receive a service most appropriate for your writing needs and your budget. Many editing companies provide online samples of their work, allowing you to see the manner in which they will provide you with their corrections and comments, and the level of work they will undertake.

Devoting a little time to researching the best editing option for you, rather than opting for the first one you come across, may pay dividends in the end!

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Dissertation Editing Services: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re unsure about the quality of your dissertation writing, it’s best to get it reviewed by an expert editor. But you may have lots of questions about how this works. Do you need professional dissertation editing services? What process do they follow? What are the best dissertation proofreading services and how can you choose the right one for yourself?

In this article, we’ve answered all these questions and more. From checks to find out if a company is legit to your expected dissertation editing costs, we’ve covered it all. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

What Are Dissertation Editing Services?

Dissertation editing services are professional services that help students refine their dissertations before submitting them. Companies that provide these services for students and researchers are also called “dissertation editing services”. Depending on the type of review, they check your thesis for coherence, clarity, syntax, grammar, and word choice.

While understanding professional editing services for dissertations, you may wonder how they work. These companies employ hundreds of academic editors from diverse fields. They use advanced software and a skilled team to assign each dissertation to an expert from the field. This way, you don’t have to waste your time hunting for a dissertation editor and you still get expert feedback.

But are dissertation proofreading and editing services really that important? Could you do without them?

Why Choose Dissertation Editing Services?

You should choose dissertation editing services because your dissertation is the most important academic text you’ll ever work on. It’s your responsibility to ensure that it’s written and formatted as perfectly as possible, and you will lose marks if there are errors in the document!

Plus, your dissertation is your original contribution to your field of study. It has to be the best reflection of your research, or it’ll undermine all your hard work. Due diligence in editing and proofreading your dissertation elevates its quality and conveys your sincerity to your work.

But why not edit your dissertation yourself? Well, there are several disadvantages of self-editing. There are even more advantages of dissertation editing services. So, what do dissertation editing services offer?

Dissertation editing services:

Catch the most minute errors you’ll likely miss, even with several reviews.
Improve the clarity and coherence of your writing.
Ensure accuracy in research methods, argument logic, and use of technical terms.
Offer expert feedback to improve your document further.
Elevate the overall impact and quality of your dissertation, helping you score higher.

But how does this process work? A dissertation is a lengthy document, so dissertation proofreading services take a layered approach.

Dissertation Editing Process

The dissertation editing process moves from macro-level edits to micro-level edits. So, document-spanning issues such as coherence and argument clarity are considered first. More specific issues such as grammar and spelling mistakes are fixed at the end to avoid repeated work.

Depending on the scope of the editing step and the issues looked at, there are four major types of editing. They’re undertaken in a specific order, but various services may offer them in different formats.

Types of Dissertation Editing

The four types of dissertation editing are substantive or developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. Does your dissertation need all four steps? Let’s take a look.

1. Substantive Editing

Substantive editing, also known as content editing or developmental editing, focuses on the content of your dissertation. It improves the structure and flow of the entire document, examining its clarity and coherence.

A substantive editor:

Examines the logical development of your argument.
Ensures that your writing is clear and has a smooth flow.
Checks the validity of your methodology and data points.
Removes any ambiguous, redundant, or repetitive sections.
Ensures that your dissertation aligns with your research objectives.

The substantive editor will leave comments on the document, highlighting problematic areas and suggesting improvements. Since you’re the writer, you decide which comments to work on and which ones to ignore, if any.

2. Line Editing

Line editing is a line-by-line edit that improves the clarity, flow, and effectiveness of your academic sentences. This is a more stylistic review, focusing on meaning, tone, and word choice than grammar or punctuation. So if you want to ensure that your dissertation is engaging, coherent, and well-written, you need a line editor.

A line editor checks your dissertation for the following:

Clear expression of the intended meaning
Word choice and sentence structure
Smooth flow between sentences and paragraphs
Consistency in tone and style
Pacing (sentence length, density of data, etc.)
Overt language errors (not the main focus)

This step is crucial for ESL students and researchers as well as anyone who’s unsure of their writing abilities. However, providers of dissertation editing services often combine line editing with copy editing, since both these steps address overlapping concerns.

3. Copy Editing

Copy editing for a dissertation is a meticulous process that focuses on the mechanical aspects of writing such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation. In its pure form, copy editing doesn’t pay much attention to stylistic or technical aspects of your writing. So, a copy editor will fix the language errors in a sentence but not inconsistencies in writing style or pacing.

Just because dissertation copy editing is mechanical doesn’t mean it has a narrow scope, though. A copy editor checks not only writing but also graphic elements, formatting style, and referencing. A copy editor undertakes the following tasks:

Correcting errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and sentence construction.
Ensuring proper sentence structure with subject-verb agreement.
Making the text clear and readable.
Checking the use of technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms.
Reviewing the labeling, formatting, relevance, and overall fitness of tables, figures, and images.
Ensuring that the dissertation follows the prescribed style guidelines (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).
Reviewing in-text citations and entries on the reference list; cross-checking them for accuracy and missing details.
Checking for overall consistency in the document (formatting, word choice, and style).
Undertaking a basic review of the page layout.

As you can see, a copy editor plays a crucial role in removing several kinds of errors from your dissertation. Compared to this, a line editor’s review seems smaller in scope. So, most dissertation copy editing service providers combine it with line editing. They correct language errors and add comments for stylistic improvements.

4. Proofreading

Dissertation proofreading is the final review that highlights any errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting. It looks only for surface-level mistakes, such as typographical or language-related errors. So, it’s like copy editing in a sense but with a smaller scope.

Proofreading removes any lingering errors that may distract readers or undermine your hard work. It may seem like a minor step, but it’s an essential quality check and your last defense against any superficial errors. You should proofread your dissertation once all other editing steps are complete to avoid rework.

Proofreading highlights the following errors in your dissertation:

Spelling mistakes and typos
Punctuation errors
Any obvious grammar errors
Incorrect abbreviations and acronyms
Errors in labeling or formatting tables and figures
Referencing errors
Problems with page formatting (such as improper margins and missing headers)

Since a dissertation proofreader has to catch such minute errors, proofreading is a painstaking and detail-oriented task. Dissertation proofreading services hire trained experts to undertake this step, saving you time and effort.

What Is Dissertation Referencing?

Dissertation referencing is the process of adding references to your dissertation. While researching, you’re bound to use information from a variety of sources, all of which you must credit in your thesis. Whether you follow the MLA style or APA format, you must add and correctly format your in-text citations and reference list entries.

Professional dissertation editors and proofreaders don’t usually undertake this step for you. They may fix one or two incorrect or missing citations, but they don’t write your reference list for you. If any APA dissertation editing services undertake this task, they may charge an additional price.

What Is Dissertation Formatting?

Dissertation formatting is the process of formatting your pages and text according to the style guidelines prescribed by your university. This is usually the MLA format for humanities students, APA format for STEM students, and Chicago style for students of business and history. Incorrect formatting in your dissertation may result in a lower score.

Like referencing, an editor does not undertake dissertation formatting for you unless as a separate task. Some companies do offer dissertation referencing and formatting services in addition to editing and proofreading.

Choosing an Editing Service: What to Look For

Now that you know what dissertation editing is, why it’s important, and how it works, it’s time to find out how to choose an editing service. There are several dissertation review services out there, old and new. Older firms have experience but are often more expensive, while newer companies are more affordable but aren’t well-known. So what signs should you look for?

1. Reviews and Recommendations

Personal recommendations from your peers or seniors are the best method when choosing an editing service. If a company has worked for them, it probably understands the requirements of your subject or university. Some universities also have tie-ups with doctoral dissertation editing services, so you should check if yours has one.

The next step is to check the company’s online reviews. Even a quick look at the reviews will give you a good idea of a company’s strengths and weaknesses. You can then make a more informed choice based on these testimonials.

Shortlist a few editing services from this initial check and refine that list as you find out more about them.

2. A Helpful but Realistic Support Team

All good editing firms have a support team that communicates your requirements to the editing team. The support staff also helps you place your order and guides you through the editing process. Ideally, the person communicating with you should be friendly, confident, and knowledgeable, but not pushy.

If you’re being rushed into placing an order or being offered dubious discounts, you should proceed with caution. So, make sure that the support team knows what they’re doing and can be relied upon. You should also remember to be very clear about your requirements and priorities in your document. This will help them target those issues in your dissertation and you won’t have to ask for any revisions.

3. Transparency and Confidentiality

Dissertation editing services must be transparent about their editing process and measures to ensure document confidentiality. At the end of your first call with the company, you should have clarity about the people who will work on your document and the process they’ll follow. If you can’t be sure of this, ask the support team for clarification. If you don’t get a satisfying answer, it’s probably best to avoid working with that particular service.

Another important aspect of dissertation editing is confidentiality. Almost all editing services have their editors sign NDAs at the time of joining, so you shouldn’t worry about that. One thing to look for, however, is the security measures the company undertakes to protect your document from outside threats. This includes 192-bit or 256-bit encryption methods, which are popularly used by dissertation editing companies.

4. Free Work Sample

Always ask for a sample edit. Editing companies don’t usually offer a sample edit unless you approach them with a major document. Since a dissertation qualifies as such, any firm worth its name should be good to offer you a one-page or 300-word free edit.

This sample edit will tell you a lot about a company’s work ethic, quality of edits, and professionalism. If you’ve shortlisted a few companies, the sample edit is probably the most reliable metric to base your final decision on. However, company policies keep changing and some established firms may have stopped offering sample edits. In this case, you’ll have to decide based on the three factors listed above.

5. A Good Offer

The final consideration is one for your pocket. Getting dissertation editing help can get expensive, and most companies understand the financial constraints on students. So, you’re likely to find big discounts during the dissertation season. If waiting that long isn’t an option for you, don’t hesitate to ask the support staff!

Once you have a quote from a few companies, compare their pros and cons and you’ll be able to choose the best dissertation editing service for you.

Be sure to enquire about the company’s revision policy. If you’re unhappy with the edit, you should be able to receive a partial or full refund. Most editing services offer one or two free revisions, so make sure to use those and get the best version of your document!

Now that we know how to choose a dissertation editing service, what are some well-known firms that fit the bill? Let’s take a look.

The Top Dissertation Editing Services of 2024

Of the many premium dissertation editing services out there, some stand out as the best of the best. In this list, we’ve considered quality of services, pricing, turnaround time, and editorial team. So, here are the best dissertation editing services of 2024:

An established name in academic editing, Scribbr is particularly popular among college students due to its online tools and resources. Their expertise and experience don’t come cheap, but you can rest assured that your dissertation will be well-edited. The best thing is that you can ask them to focus on certain aspects of your document.

If you know that your writing isn’t clear or that your structure needs to be refined, you can opt for the relevant checks. These come with a hike in price but may be helpful for those who have received targeted feedback from professors before. After all, structure, cohesion, and clarity are important factors that affect your overall grade.

Scribbr can return your edited dissertation in 12 hours to 7 days. At around $835 for a 15,000-word dissertation, however, dissertation editing with Scribbr will cost you a pretty penny.

2. Cambridge Proofreading

Cambridge Proofreading has been offering dissertation editing services for over 11 years. They employ more than 300 academic editors, all of whom are native speakers from the US and UK. Their system deletes all documents after 15 days of closing an order, which helps keep your dissertation confidential.

Cambridge Proofreading has expertise in editing dissertations from diverse fields, from astrophysics to philosophy. Recently they’ve also launched a service where they humanize AI-generated text. This is an additional boost for many students, helping them get more work done in less time.

Their dissertation editing process is fairly straightforward, but they stand out in terms of pricing. They charge dissertation editing rates of $28.90 per 1,000 words for a 24-hour delivery and $25.90 per 1,000 words for a 48-hour delivery. In terms of both the cost and turnaround time, this is excellent!

3. Scribendi

Scribendi was established in 1997, making it one of the oldest top dissertation editing companies. They have a separate approach to ESL writers, paying more attention to those documents. With 287 editors working at the firm, they should be able to pair you with an expert from your field.

Sribendi has ISO certification and prioritizes customer satisfaction. They can deliver your document in as little time as four hours! This isn’t feasible for longer documents like dissertations, however. For example, they can deliver a 15,000-word dissertation in 48 hours to 7 days. Their price range for this is $558–$615, putting them on the slightly expensive side of things.

You can use their dissertation editing service to refine not only complete theses but also dissertation and thesis proposals.

4. TrueEditors

Although a relatively newer company, TrueEditors is a robust and affordable dissertation editing service. They have more than 155 academic experts onboard from a diverse range of academic disciplines. The best thing is that their edit also includes dissertation referencing, dissertation formatting, and a plagiarism check!

TrueEditors offers five prices depending on the time duration. They can deliver your edited dissertation in 48 hours, but the price will be higher. If you opt for a delivery time of ten days, however, the price will be much lower.

Aside from editing and proofreading a dissertation, TrueEditors also offers:

Paraphrasing & Rewriting
Content Writing
Translation

These additional services are especially useful to ESL students, who may struggle to express their ideas as eloquently in English.

Enago employs highly qualified editors and proofreaders to work on your dissertation. They offer dissertation editing services in two packages: Thesis Essentials and Thesis Pro. The Thesis Essentials package is limited to grammar, punctuation, academic style, and expert commentary. You can get thesis formatting, reference formatting, plagiarism check, and one revision with this package as add-ons.

The Thesis Pro package includes everything in Essentials but adds a clarity check, structure check, and advanced commentary. Reference formatting and one revision round are free with this package. If you’re not sure about editing with Enago, you can get their sample edit of 200 words. They only offer this if your dissertation is over 10,000 words.

This overview of the best dissertation editing services must have given you an idea about the process and pricing. But let’s take a closer look at the average dissertation proofreading cost.

How Much Does it Cost to Edit a Dissertation?

It can cost between $400–$850 to edit a dissertation of 15,000 words. However, the cost of dissertation editing varies based on document length, complexity, and your requirements. Undergraduate and master’s dissertations, for instance, will be about 8,000–15,000 words long. PhD dissertations, on the other hand, can reach about 80,000–100,000 words in length, which hikes up the price dramatically.

Similarly, a specialized structure and quality check is likely to add a few hundred dollars to the editing cost. If you want the editing service to handle referencing and formatting on top of that, the cost will increase. The cost of dissertation editing is directly proportional to the amount of work the editor undertakes.

It’s always best to edit and proofread your dissertation a few times yourself and get an initial review from your instructor. You can then look for PhD dissertation editing services based on their feedback. If you know exactly what you need an editor to do, you’ll have to pay only for the essentials.

How Can I Get a Dissertation Editing Quote?

You can get a dissertation editing quote by visiting a company’s website. Most online dissertation editing services have their pricing readily available on their web pages. You can simply type the word count of your dissertation and get a tentative figure. Some companies ask you to upload your dissertation before offering a quote.

If you’d like to know more about a company and their style of work, you can reach out to their support team. These days, most companies have chatbots on their website and you can use them to get in touch with the team. This is a better way to get a quote since you can tell them your requirements and obtain a much better offer.

Can I Get a Discount on Dissertation Editing Services?

Yes, you can definitely get a discount on dissertation editing services. Almost every editing company will offer you a 5% to 10% discount on your first order. Some also have student discounts of up to 15%. Plus, most companies have offers going on throughout the year, such as Black Friday, Holiday Season, and Easter discounts.

If you’ve been working on your dissertation in advance, you’re likely to have a document ready when one of the big offers comes around. If you’re in a time crunch, though, you’ll probably have to make do with a 10% discount.

How Long Does it Take to Proofread a Dissertation?

It may take anywhere from 12 hours to 7 days to proofread a dissertation. If you pay for a premium dissertation editing service, they may even deliver the proofread document in a few hours! But less turnaround time usually means more expensive services. So, the time it takes to proofread a dissertation largely depends on your editing budget!

Do Dissertation Editing Services Offer Error-Free Dissertations?

Yes, dissertation editing services offer error-free dissertations—that’s their purpose! This doesn’t mean that no error can bypass an editor; such a claim would be impossible to live up to. However, dissertation editing and proofreading services undertake several reviews to find and remove as many errors as they can. This, in turn, almost always leaves your document completely error-free!

Is it Safe to Send a Dissertation for Editing Services?

Yes, it’s completely safe to send a dissertation to editing services! It is not only academically ethical but expected that you get your dissertation professionally edited. Editing companies undertake several measures to protect your document, from encryption methods to NDAs. Rest assured, your dissertation is safe in your editors’ hands!

What Types of Documents Can You Use Dissertation Editing Services For?

You can use dissertation editing services for complete theses and dissertations as well as partial drafts. Some services also consider thesis and dissertation proposals under dissertation editing services.

Who Will Be Editing My Dissertation?

An editor with expertise in your subject who matches your editing requirements will edit your dissertation. Since dissertation editing services are legally obligated to protect the identities of their editors, you can’t interact with them firsthand. You can, however, request the support staff to pair you up with a specific type of editor.

-Isabell S.

Dissertation Editor

What you need to know about dissertation editing.

Posted by Approval Ready Consulting
Categories Dissertation Editor
Date March 11, 2024

Are you seeking to elevate your dissertation to its highest potential? Whether you’re a PhD student or nearing the completion of your Master’s degree, you recognize the importance of refining your work to stand out in academia. Editing services offer a pathway to achieving this goal, but selecting the right service is crucial. Let’s delve into what you need to know about dissertation editing and how to make the most out of this vital step in your academic journey.

Preparing for Editing Services

Before delving into the realm of dissertation editing services , it’s crucial to gain a deep understanding of the essence of your thesis. Unlike other forms of writing, a thesis occupies a unique space in academia, characterized by its research-based foundation, formal style, and targeted audience of experts. As the culmination of years of scholarly inquiry and exploration, your thesis demands precision, clarity, and adherence to rigorous academic standards.

As you prepare to engage an editing service, it’s imperative to grasp the nuances of dissertation writing and the specific requirements of your discipline. A thorough comprehension of these foundational elements will serve as the bedrock for productive collaboration with your chosen editor. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of quantitative analysis or crafting compelling arguments grounded in qualitative research, aligning with an editor who possesses expertise in your field is paramount to the success of your endeavor.

Exploring Editing Options: Copy Editing vs. Proofreading

Dissertation editing services offer a spectrum of options tailored to meet the diverse needs of scholars seeking to refine their work. At the core of these offerings lie two primary categories: copy editing and proofreading.

Copy Editing : This comprehensive form of editing entails a meticulous review of your dissertation, encompassing aspects such as grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, word choice, consistency, style, spelling, and tone. Through this process, your editor endeavors to optimize the coherence, clarity, and overall impact of your writing, ensuring that every sentence resonates with precision and authority.

Proofreading : In contrast, proofreading focuses on the final polish, addressing issues related to grammar, punctuation, consistency, and spelling. While less extensive than copy editing, proofreading plays a crucial role in refining the finer details of your dissertation, ensuring that it adheres to the highest standards of accuracy and professionalism.

Determining the type of editing that best aligns with your needs necessitates an honest assessment of your writing proficiency and the overall quality of your manuscript. While both copy editing and proofreading offer invaluable benefits, engaging in professional editing services affords you the assurance of a comprehensive review by seasoned experts, thereby elevating the caliber of your dissertation to new heights.

Selecting the Right Editing Service

Not all dissertation editing services are equal, making it imperative to choose wisely. Here are key factors to consider when selecting an editing company:

Specialization in Your Field : Seek out editing companies with a proven track record of success in your discipline, ensuring that they possess the requisite expertise to navigate the intricacies of your research area with precision and insight.

Comprehensive Services : Look for providers that offer a comprehensive range of editing services, including copy editing, proofreading, and formatting assistance. By partnering with a full-service provider, you can streamline the editing process and address all aspects of your manuscript in a cohesive and efficient manner.

Quality Assurance : Prioritize providers that adhere to stringent quality assurance protocols, including the use of experienced editors, rigorous editing standards, and multiple rounds of review. A commitment to excellence at every stage of the editing process is essential to ensuring the integrity and credibility of your dissertation.

Transparent Pricing : Seek clarity regarding pricing structures, ensuring that you understand the cost implications of the services rendered. Look for providers that offer transparent pricing models, with no hidden fees or unexpected charges, allowing you to budget effectively and plan accordingly.

Client Testimonials and Reviews : Take the time to research client testimonials and reviews, gaining insights into the experiences of past clients and the overall reputation of the editing service. A strong track record of positive feedback and satisfied customers is indicative of a provider’s reliability and professionalism.

By carefully evaluating these factors and conducting due diligence, you can confidently select an editing service that aligns with your needs and empowers you to achieve your academic goals with clarity and precision.

Advantages of Dissertation Editing Services

Compared to editing other types of documents, such as business reports or literary works, dissertation editing offers unique advantages tailored to the specific requirements of scholarly writing. These advantages include:

Precision and Accuracy : Dissertation editing prioritizes precision, accuracy, and adherence to formal academic conventions, ensuring that your research is communicated with clarity and authority.

Specialized Expertise : Professional editors possess specialized expertise in academic writing, allowing them to navigate complex research topics and disciplinary conventions with confidence and insight.

Streamlined Processes : Editing services streamline the editing process, allowing you to focus on the substance of your research while leaving the finer details of grammar, punctuation, and style to experienced professionals.

Quality Assurance : By engaging in professional editing services, you benefit from rigorous quality assurance protocols, multiple rounds of review, and meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that your dissertation meets the highest standards of excellence.

Confidence and Peace of Mind : Partnering with an editing service instills confidence and peace of mind, knowing that your manuscript is in the hands of seasoned professionals dedicated to maximizing its impact and effectiveness. From refining complex arguments to ensuring adherence to disciplinary conventions, dissertation editing services offer invaluable support and guidance throughout the writing process, empowering you to present your research with clarity, precision, and authority.

Dissertation Editing Pricing and Services

The cost of dissertation editing services varies depending on factors such as document length, complexity, and desired turnaround time. While pricing models may include per-page, per-word, or hourly rates, it’s essential to consider the value proposition offered by each provider and prioritize quality and reliability above all else.

In addition to standard editing services, some providers offer specialized packages tailored to meet the unique needs of graduate students and scholars. These packages may include:

Thesis Evaluation and Editing : Comprehensive editing services encompassing copy editing, proofreading, and formatting assistance, tailored to address all aspects of your dissertation with precision and expertise.

Thesis Formatting : Dedicated assistance with formatting your manuscript according to the specific requirements of your institution or academic discipline, ensuring consistency and professionalism throughout.

Thesis Proofreading : Final polish and review to address any lingering errors or inconsistencies, ensuring that your dissertation meets the highest standards of accuracy and professionalism before submission.

By exploring these tailored solutions and engaging with a provider that aligns with your needs and preferences, you can navigate the editing process with confidence and clarity, empowering you to present your research with impact and authority.

Approval Ready Consulting: Your Trusted Editing Partner

At Approval Ready Consulting, we understand the transformative power of dissertation editing and the pivotal role it plays in shaping the trajectory of your academic journey. With a commitment to excellence, integrity, and professionalism, we offer a comprehensive range of editing services tailored to meet the diverse needs of graduate students and scholars worldwide.

Based in New York, USA, our team of experienced editors brings a wealth of expertise and insight to every project, ensuring that your dissertation receives the meticulous attention and care it deserves. From grammar and punctuation editing to comprehensive thesis recommendations, our services are designed to enhance the clarity, coherence, and impact of your research, empowering you to achieve your academic goals with confidence and precision.

Why Choose Approval Ready Consulting?

Specialized Expertise : Our editors possess specialized expertise in academic writing and research, allowing them to navigate complex topics and disciplinary conventions with confidence and insight.

Comprehensive Services : We offer a comprehensive range of editing services, including copy editing, proofreading, formatting assistance, and thesis recommendations, ensuring that every aspect of your dissertation is addressed with precision and professionalism.

Quality Assurance : Our rigorous quality assurance protocols, multiple rounds of review, and commitment to excellence ensure that your dissertation meets the highest standards of accuracy, clarity, and professionalism.

Personalized Support : We prioritize personalized support and communication, ensuring that your unique needs and preferences are addressed with care and attention to detail throughout the editing process.

Client Satisfaction Guarantee : We stand behind the quality of our work and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied with our editing services, we will do whatever it takes to make it right or refund your payment in full.

From the initial consultation to the final delivery of your edited manuscript, we are committed to providing you with a seamless and stress-free experience, empowering you to present your research with confidence, clarity, and authority.

Contact Us Today: Let’s Elevate Your Dissertation Together

eady to experience the difference of professional editing services? Contact Approval Ready Consulting today to discuss your editing needs, request a free sample edit, and take the first step toward academic excellence.

We look forward to partnering with you on your journey toward scholarly success and empowering you to present your research with clarity, precision, and authority.

How do you know if you have the right dissertation topic

What are examples of academic journals, you may also like, what is the difference between line editing and copy editing.

Generally, there are two types of editing services offered by academic editing firms. Copy editing refers to editing a document at the mechanical level, mainly focusing on technical details including spelling, grammar, punctuation, passive voice, anthropomorphism, and overall flow of …

An academic journal is a type of publication wherein researchers and other scholars present their research findings and viewpoints to the greater academic community. There are thousands of journals dedicated to specific disciplines, subject matters, and topical areas, each with …

Choosing the right dissertation topic is a crucial step in the academic journey of any researcher. To ensure that you have selected a suitable dissertation topic, consider the following criteria: Interest and Passion: A good dissertation topic should align with …

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Editing for Theses and Dissertations: Elevating the Quality of Academic Research

The journey of academic research culminates in the creation of theses and dissertations – monumental works that represent the culmination of years of exploration, analysis, and intellectual rigor. These documents are not only a testament to the author's expertise but also a significant contribution to the academic community. In this pursuit of academic excellence, the role of professional editing services is pivotal. By meticulously fine-tuning these scholarly endeavors, editing services breathe life into complex ideas, enhancing their clarity, coherence, and impact.

The Complexity of Theses and Dissertations

Theses and dissertations represent the pinnacle of academic scholarship, embodying the culmination of extensive research, critical analysis, and intellectual rigor. These documents encapsulate not only the author's mastery of a subject but also their ability to contribute original insights to their field. However, the creation of a thesis or dissertation is not without its challenges, as the complexity of the content demands meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of the subject matter.

At their core, theses and dissertations explore topics of great depth and nuance. Researchers embark on a journey to unravel the mysteries of their chosen subject, often pushing the boundaries of existing knowledge. This process involves delving into primary sources, conducting experiments, analyzing data, and synthesizing a comprehensive understanding. As a result, these documents are characterized by a richness of content that requires careful structuring to ensure coherence and readability.

The complexity of the content is further compounded by the need to communicate findings effectively. Authors must navigate a delicate balance between demonstrating their expertise and making the material accessible to a diverse audience. The task is akin to translating the language of academia into a universally understandable dialect. This is where the role of professional editing services becomes invaluable, as they bridge the gap between the author's intricate insights and the reader's ability to grasp them.

The challenges posed by the complexity of the content are not limited to the ideas themselves. Theses and dissertations often encompass a multitude of data, tables, figures, and citations, which must be meticulously organized and integrated into the narrative. Ensuring that these elements seamlessly support the arguments and conclusions is a meticulous task that requires an astute eye for detail and a comprehensive understanding of the research's overarching goals.

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Bridging the gap: enhancing clarity and coherence.

Within the realm of academic research, the significance of clear and coherent communication cannot be overstated. Theses and dissertations, as vehicles for disseminating intricate ideas, often present a unique challenge in striking a balance between depth of analysis and accessibility to a broader audience. Professional editing services play a crucial role in bridging this gap, ensuring that the complex content is presented with clarity and coherence.

The heart of enhancing clarity and coherence lies in the art of transforming complex concepts into a narrative that flows seamlessly. Authors, deeply entrenched in their research, may inadvertently assume a level of familiarity with the subject matter that readers may not share. Here, the objective perspective of an editor becomes paramount. Editors scrutinize the manuscript, identifying areas where explanations may be unclear, assumptions may need clarification, and arguments may require further context.

An essential aspect of this process involves the refinement of language. Technical jargon and specialized terminology, while integral to scholarly communication, can sometimes hinder accessibility. Editors work diligently to strike a balance between precision and readability. They ensure that terminology is defined when necessary and that the prose remains engaging and comprehensible, regardless of the reader's level of expertise.

Additionally, the organization of ideas contributes significantly to the coherence of the manuscript. Editors assess the logical progression of arguments, evaluating whether each point naturally follows from the preceding one. They offer suggestions for restructuring paragraphs and sections to create a narrative that guides readers through the research journey smoothly.

Visual aids, such as tables, figures, and diagrams, also play a pivotal role in enhancing clarity. These elements must complement the narrative, offering visual representations of complex data or concepts. Editors ensure that these aids are appropriately integrated, effectively supplementing the textual content and contributing to a holistic understanding.

The collaborative process between authors and professional editors is rooted in dialogue. Editors provide constructive feedback, suggesting revisions that enhance the manuscript's overall clarity and coherence. Authors, in turn, benefit from a fresh perspective, gaining insights that can elevate their work to new heights.

The value of enhancing clarity and coherence extends beyond the immediate readability of the manuscript. A well-edited thesis or dissertation fosters engagement, inviting readers to explore the research with enthusiasm. It invites scholarly conversations, encourages peer reviews, and, ultimately, contributes to the growth of knowledge within the field.

Elevating Credibility and Professionalism

In the realm of academic scholarship, the credibility and professionalism of a thesis or dissertation are paramount. These documents represent not only the culmination of rigorous research but also a reflection of the author's expertise within their field. Professional editing services play a pivotal role in elevating the overall quality of the manuscript, instilling a sense of credibility and professionalism that resonates with reviewers, peers, and the broader academic community.

The journey of crafting a thesis or dissertation demands unwavering attention to detail. While the research itself is the foundation, the structure, language, and formatting contribute significantly to the impression the manuscript conveys. Editors, armed with an acute eye for detail, meticulously evaluate the manuscript's alignment with formatting guidelines, consistency in citation style, and adherence to grammatical and language conventions.

One of the essential contributions of professional editing services is their role in enhancing the manuscript's coherence and flow. An expertly edited document reads seamlessly, with each paragraph and section logically progressing from the preceding one. This organizational finesse not only ensures that readers can effortlessly follow the narrative but also underscores the author's ability to present their ideas in a structured and persuasive manner.

Moreover, the editorial process extends beyond grammatical and structural corrections. Professional editors delve into the nuances of argumentation, identifying areas where claims may require further substantiation or where logical gaps need addressing. This level of engagement elevates the manuscript's scholarly rigor, positioning it as a substantial contribution to the academic discourse.

Consistency in terminology and terminology usage is another hallmark of professional editing. Ensuring that specialized terms are consistently defined and employed fosters clarity and eliminates confusion for readers. Additionally, editors offer suggestions to refine language, suggesting alternatives that enhance the impact of statements and elevate the overall tone of the manuscript.

The partnership with a professional editing service conveys an author's commitment to delivering work of the highest quality. A meticulously edited manuscript reflects an investment in excellence, demonstrating the author's dedication to producing research that adheres to the highest academic standards. This commitment resonates with reviewers, who are more likely to engage with a manuscript that exudes professionalism and credibility.

Navigating the Publication Journey

The completion of a well-crafted thesis or dissertation marks a significant milestone in an academic journey, yet its impact can extend far beyond its creation. Many scholars aspire to share their findings with a broader audience by seeking publication in peer-reviewed journals or by presenting at conferences. However, the transition from comprehensive document to publishable article demands meticulous adaptation to meet the specific requirements of these platforms. This is where professional editing services play a crucial role in navigating the publication journey.

The journey from thesis to publication is akin to transforming a canvas into a masterpiece. Professional editors possess the expertise to guide authors through this transformation, ensuring that the manuscript aligns with the standards and guidelines of the target journal. This adaptation process requires attention to detail, from formatting and word count to citation style and referencing conventions.

Editors meticulously review the journal's submission guidelines, scrutinizing every detail to ensure compliance. They tailor the manuscript's structure to fit the journal's specific requirements, adjusting headings, sections, and formatting elements accordingly. This level of precision ensures that the manuscript not only meets the journal's expectations but also maximizes its chances of acceptance.

Additionally, editors recognize the importance of conciseness in the publication realm. Theses and dissertations, often spanning several chapters, must be distilled into a succinct article that captures the essence of the research. Editors collaborate with authors to streamline the content, ensuring that the core ideas remain intact while unnecessary details are trimmed. This process demands a delicate balance, maintaining the integrity of the research while adhering to the journal's word limits.

The editorial partnership extends to the refinement of the manuscript's language and style. Editors polish the prose, enhancing clarity and readability. They identify opportunities to present complex ideas concisely without sacrificing depth. This careful crafting of language contributes to the manuscript's impact, engaging readers and conveying the research findings effectively.

Furthermore, professional editors offer authors invaluable insights into the nuances of different publication platforms. They understand the expectations of various journals, from disciplinary focus to preferred writing styles. This knowledge empowers authors to tailor their manuscripts to suit the specific audience and goals of each journal, increasing the manuscript's chances of resonance within its target community.

Theses and dissertations stand as pillars of academic achievement, representing the culmination of dedicated research endeavors. The partnership between authors and professional editing services is a symbiotic one, where the editor's discerning eye enhances the manuscript's clarity, coherence, and credibility. Through this collaboration, complex ideas are distilled into accessible prose, making significant contributions to the academic community while bridging the gap between specialized knowledge and widespread comprehension. As the academic landscape continues to evolve, the value of professional editing services in elevating the quality of theses and dissertations remains unwavering.

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The importance of editing dissertations

However, writing a dissertation is only the first, albeit most important, part in a series of necessary actions that contributes to the final form of a dissertation. After the draft is complete, it is critical to submit it to a professional service provider for a thorough proofreading and editing process to ensure that the text reaches its final, refined, and presentable form.

An apposite editing of a dissertation involves several important steps. Although there is a temptation in this digital age to take recourse to an automated editing process by means of many available software, it is far more reliable to go in for a manual or physical editing service. A professional editor rectifies all inappropriate or incorrect usages with an astute eye on the spelling, punctuation, grammar, and formatting aspects of the dissertation. From this standpoint, a professional dissertation editing service is a crucial step before submitting the dissertation. In the process, there will be plenty of indicators on the quality of the dissertation and its chances of being accepted or rejected.

Here are some essential guidelines for refining your dissertation:

Don’t edit while writing the paper. Editing the text while writing will not only break the flow of thoughts and words of the text, but it will also break your concentration in detecting any mistakes made. It is better to leave the editing of the text to the post-writing phase.

Self-evaluate your dissertation carefully. Contrary to popular belief, a quick reading of the whole dissertation does not suffice. Conversely, a thorough check on your part will help iron out many basic errors in the dissertation and can serve as the primary stage of editing your paper. This will help the professional editor to better understand your text and improve it further.

Edit your dissertation in sections. Breaking the whole text into sections and sub-sections is a great idea for the self-editing purpose. Editing chunks of the text with proper and timely breaks is more effective than continuously working on the dissertation.

Seek a peer-review. Family and friends, who constitute the most crucial system in your research journey, can be good reviewers of your paper. Sharing your text for a thorough reading might help detect many loopholes.

Hire a professional editor/editing service. A professional editor carries out a careful review of the dissertation to ensure that the thesis is clearly stated and is in accordance with the university guidelines. They would also check the consistency of sentences and flow between paragraphs. This brings greater clarity of the ideas in the text from a reader’s point of view. Often, a professional reader is able to identity many loopholes that a self-assessment or a peer review might miss.

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Academic editors can save time and reduce stress for researchers

About editing
Editors’ pay rates
Editing courses
Types of editing
IPEd Standards

Academic editing

Resources for editors
IngramSpark
PerfectIt Cloud

Academic editors can save time and stress for writers of academic material, both research students and academics, at all stages of an academic project. Editors can help ensure a smooth transition from research to publication by working with authors to improve language and expression.

Academic editors work on a range of documents, including, but not limited to:

academic articles
books and book chapters
conference papers and academic conference-related material
working papers
academic job and promotion applications
policy recommendations
grant applications
survey, interview and data collection materials

An academic editor’s work includes:

identifying and correcting errors and problems, including in spelling, grammar, terminology and punctuation
suggesting changes to improve the flow, concision and/or presentation
ensuring clarity of expression, correct idiom and appropriate tone
helping with formatting and layout to meet department, journal or grant application instructions
translating technical language to more general language when needed
advising on argument and structure (although not usually for theses, which must adhere to the Guidelines )
creating style sheets and templates
editing, formatting and converting references to required styles.

IPEd members can find further resources on academic editing via the member-only portal .

On this page, you will find:

Guidelines for Editing Research Theses

Indicative costs of academic editing

Academic editing resources.
Guidelines for editing research theses

Guidelines for editing research theses outlines the nature and extent of services that professional editors may ethically provide when editing students’ theses and the responsibilities of editors, students and supervisors relevant to editing. The Guidelines applies to all forms of research theses, including an exegesis that may accompany a creative work submitted for examination.

This 2019 edition of the Guidelines has been consolidated and updated after a critical analysis of the previous version by the IPEd Standing Committee on Academic Editing (SCAE), particularly the Guidelines Pod, during 2018.

The revised Guidelines has been approved by the IPEd Board and endorsed by the Australian Council of Graduate Research (collaborator on earlier versions, 2001 and 2010).

The revised Guidelines now comprise one document, which replaces the four documents (webpages) that made up the earlier version:

Editing academic theses (for editors)
Engaging a professional editor for your thesis (for research students)
When your student wishes to engage an editor (for supervisors).

Download the Guidelines [PDF 156KB].

Range of indicative costs for academic editing (excluding GST)

IPEd’s Standing Committee on Academic Editing has developed indicative costs for editing common types of academic work. The table and the notes provide a range of costs to guide potential clients on budgeting.

	Copy editing

4000 words	$350–$450
8000 words	$500–$700
20,000 words	$900–$1300

Thesis by publication with 3 main chapters of 10,000 words each – approx. total 40,000 words	$1400–$1800
Thesis – approx. 60,000 words	$2000–$2800
Thesis – approx. 100,000 words	$3500–$4500

Approx. 7000 to 8000 words, such as Australian Research Council or National Health and Medical Research Council	$700–$900

Updated March 2024.

*Costs are in $A. Australian editors registered for GST are required to charge 10% GST.

Notes on indicative costs

Because many factors can affect the time and cost of editing academic work, there is no set price for editing a thesis or per page or per 1000 words. Editors set their own prices based on the work required. Clients should provide the work to be edited to editors so editors can provide a quote or guide on the cost.
Academic work, including theses, can vary greatly in the total length and the editing work required. IPEd’s Guidelines for editing research theses [PDF156 KB] notes that ‘the cost of editing a thesis depends on a range of factors that affect the time needed for editing, including the quality of the writing and the length, complexity and presentation of the thesis’.
length of the work in words and pages
editing and proofreading services required, reflecting the English and software skills of the author
formatting required such as applying styles and generating a table of contents and lists of tables and figures
number of iterations of editing and proofreading required
number of tables and figures and the editing or formatting required of the material
use of reference management software (or not)
inclusion of material in foreign languages or transcribed material
inclusion of previously edited and/or published material such as journal papers
urgency of the editing and specific deadlines
experience of the editor
The indicative costs reflect IPEd’s fair hourly pay rates for self-employed editors.

Editing services The range of editing services provided can vary depending on the need. An agreement for academic editing between editor and client may refer to IPEd’s Australian standards for editing practice or IPEd’s Guidelines for editing research theses [PDF 156KB] or use IPEd’s sample agreement here [DOCX 20KB].

Copy editing can include editing for:

clarity of expression and flow of the text, such as removing ambiguity, wordiness and needless repetition, and ensuring clear and logical connections between phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections
correct use of grammar, spelling and punctuation
appropriate use of idiom, style and tone
appropriate use of technical and specialised terminology, including discipline-specific items, abbreviations and units of measurement
consistency in the presentation of illustrations, diagrams and other display items.

Proofreading can include checking that all elements are complete, consistent and correctly placed including:

completeness of all parts of the work
consistency in the use of language, style, terminology, numbers, symbols, shortened forms, capitalisation, italics and other mechanics of text
consistency in the presentation of illustrations and tables
consistency in the format and layout according to a specified style
conformity of references and citations to a specified style.

The indicative costs may not include:

extensive formatting work, particularly if features in Word and reference management software have not been used
cross-checking of references in the text and the reference list if reference management software has not been used appropriately
urgent work.

Academic editing resources

Academic editing FAQs [PDF 128KB]
Why use an academic editor? [PDF 86KB]
Summary of the Guidelines [PDF 83KB]
Self-editing tips for academic writers [PDF 158KB].
The value of academic editing [PDF 151KB]

Professionals

Why a Master or Phd Doesn't Guarantee Great Dissertation Editing

What Exactly Is the Role of a Dissertation Editor?

When it comes to writing the dissertation, there are three primary components: (1) the organization of the content, (2) the quality of the writing, and (3) adherence to any requested style (e.g. APA or Chicago). These are the three areas in which our clients come to us for help, often having been advised to do so by their programs, and they are the three areas in which your dissertation editor should assist you.

Because dissertations are often written in sections, often out of order, and often with gaps lasting from a few weeks to a few months during the process, it is easy for there to be problems in the organization of the content. To address them, your editor should check for the logic and flow of ideas, remove any redundant text, and reorganize the content as needed. Your editor should ensure all the content is written in a scholarly manner, and should recommend adjustments to word choice and phrase, sentence and paragraph structure to achieve the necessary quality and tone of the writing. If there is any part of the text that is lacking support, lacking analysis, missing a citation, cited incorrectly, or otherwise exhibiting signs of plagiarism , your editor should point it out to you, along with suggestions for how to correct the issue. He or she should be an expert in the style guide you are required to follow, as well as be able to tailor his or her editing to any guidelines your program requires you to follow.

Why Having a Master’s or PhD Makes Less of a Difference Than You Think

While having a master’s or PhD may be of assistance to your editor, you may be surprised to realize just how little it helps, and how, in some cases, it might actually hurt.

The first characteristic you should look for in your editor is the ability to think logically and critically. This is the foundation of any scholarly writing in general, and dissertations in particular. To assess this, ask the editor to provide you a free sample edit of your dissertation. All it should take is about 300 words to determine whether the editor you are considering has the abilities you are looking for.

A free sample edit is also a great way to assess the editor’s ability to help you produce the scholarly writing needed for your dissertation, as well as evaluate the editor’s knowledge of the style guide you are following. If the editor suggests—or does not suggest—a style correction, he or she should be able to support his or her decision with specific references to the requested style guide.

What you should be looking for, therefore, is a preciseness and diligence of thinking that an editor will not have simply because he or she has earned a master’s or PhD. Consider first that rarely does someone obtain a master’s or PhD with the hope of becoming a dissertation editor as a result. Instead, many with a master’s or PhD fall back on dissertation editing when their original career goals do not materialize. They do not have any experience editing other than with their own dissertations, and when they apply to work for my company, this lack of experience is apparent in their work on my editing tests.

Next, consider that not all master’s and PhD programs are created equal. There is a significant difference among degrees obtained from the University of Phoenix, the University of Michigan and Washington University it St. Louis, for example. Many times candidates make the mistake of believing they must find dissertation editors who are experts in their subjects. The assumption is that the work of such an editor would be better informed. The irony is that true subject-matter experts will not have any time for editing a candidate’s dissertation, and the ones who do have the time are likely not the experts they claim to be. If they do have a master’s or PhD in a related field, there is a significant chance that the programs where they obtained their degrees were not rigorous ones or that they lack the knowledge to be an expert.

What Your Dissertation Editor Should Promise, and What He/She Should Not

The dissertation editor you hire should be able to make three promises to you, related directly to the three areas of concern he or she should be helping you to address. First, your editor should promise to take a disciplined, diligent approach to editing your dissertation, to identify any issues in the logic and quality of your content. Second, your editor should promise to correct any issues in the text that detract from a scholarly tone. Finally, your editor should promise that he or she will be able to support any corrections made or not made with specific references to the style guide you are required to follow, including any particular guidelines your program has requested.

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Writing a Dissertation: Hiring an Editing Service

Earning a doctoral degree takes several years, with graduate students often living on meager stipends, and sacrificing their social lives. Despite their arduous labor to complete their coursework successfully, many PhD candidates never actually finish their dissertations and end up becoming ABD’s (All But Dissertation) instead of PhD’s. Why is this? They, certainly, have the content for their research covered by their coursework, literature reviews, and careful selection of dissertation committee members, who know the criteria for a well-designed study and publication of the manuscript. So, the inhibiting culprit isn’t lack of knowledge, but rather, the process of completing a doctoral dissertation inhibits many from actually getting their doctorates. Researching and writing a dissertation involves a very stressful and time-consuming process. Good coping skills and effective time management are two necessary criteria for finishing the dissertation and achieving the degree.

The Role of an Ethical Editing Service in the Dissertation Process Although it may appear that an editing service helps solely with the content of the delivery of the dissertation manuscript, perhaps a more important role involves facilitating effective coping with the dissertation process.

Metaphorical examples.

Let’s reflect on a prototypical example of the dissertation process by imagining ourselves as Dorothy in the Land of “Oz” and as Alice in Wonderland.” Doctoral students often start off with great exuberance down the yellow brick road with high hopes and dreams of reaching the “Emerald City,” envisioning an illuminated gated entrance of flashing emerald letters, “PhD.” But, after a series of committee review setbacks, these same students, once feeling ten feet tall, begin to shrink, like Alice after imbibing a shrinking potion, beneath the harsh critiques and daunting, endless revisions. Concrete reality gives way to the surreal experience of capture by flying monkeys to the witch’s castle where they lie shuddering behind the slamming of the dungeon’s door, with bolted latch of emblazoned letters, “ABD!”

It is precisely at this juncture that many graduate students lose their way, no longer feeling excited and empowered, but rather, bewildered and disillusioned. Without someone to offer assistance and emotional support, behavioral passivity and inertia replace enthusiastic drive. For some, debilitating anxiety creates behavioral paralysis; for others, depression spawns inertia. In either case, the end result is derailment from their goal of degree attainment. Procrastination and avoidance often become primary, yet maladaptive, coping responses. What is needed is the kind of emotional support that comes from someone else who shares a connection on student’s side of the writing and revision process. This is what the editor affords the graduate student. And, this is an invaluable coping asset at this point in the process of completing their degree programs. Students maintain an emotional connection to their dissertations because the editor, also, is affectively engaged in both the content, as well as the process, of their dissertation research proposal and defense.

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Dissertation

What Is a Dissertation? | Guide, Examples, & Template

A dissertation is a long-form piece of academic writing based on original research conducted by you. It is usually submitted as the final step in order to finish a PhD program.

Your dissertation is probably the longest piece of writing you’ve ever completed. It requires solid research, writing, and analysis skills, and it can be intimidating to know where to begin.

Your department likely has guidelines related to how your dissertation should be structured. When in doubt, consult with your supervisor.

You can also download our full dissertation template in the format of your choice below. The template includes a ready-made table of contents with notes on what to include in each chapter, easily adaptable to your department’s requirements.

Download Word template Download Google Docs template

In the US, a dissertation generally refers to the collection of research you conducted to obtain a PhD.
In other countries (such as the UK), a dissertation often refers to the research you conduct to obtain your bachelor’s or master’s degree.

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Dissertation committee and prospectus process, how to write and structure a dissertation, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your dissertation, free checklist and lecture slides.

When you’ve finished your coursework, as well as any comprehensive exams or other requirements, you advance to “ABD” (All But Dissertation) status. This means you’ve completed everything except your dissertation.

Prior to starting to write, you must form your committee and write your prospectus or proposal . Your committee comprises your adviser and a few other faculty members. They can be from your own department, or, if your work is more interdisciplinary, from other departments. Your committee will guide you through the dissertation process, and ultimately decide whether you pass your dissertation defense and receive your PhD.

Your prospectus is a formal document presented to your committee, usually orally in a defense, outlining your research aims and objectives and showing why your topic is relevant . After passing your prospectus defense, you’re ready to start your research and writing.

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The structure of your dissertation depends on a variety of factors, such as your discipline, topic, and approach. Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an overall argument to support a central thesis , with chapters organized around different themes or case studies.

However, hard science and social science dissertations typically include a review of existing works, a methodology section, an analysis of your original research, and a presentation of your results , presented in different chapters.

Dissertation examples

We’ve compiled a list of dissertation examples to help you get started.

Example dissertation #1: Heat, Wildfire and Energy Demand: An Examination of Residential Buildings and Community Equity (a dissertation by C. A. Antonopoulos about the impact of extreme heat and wildfire on residential buildings and occupant exposure risks).
Example dissertation #2: Exploring Income Volatility and Financial Health Among Middle-Income Households (a dissertation by M. Addo about income volatility and declining economic security among middle-income households).
Example dissertation #3: The Use of Mindfulness Meditation to Increase the Efficacy of Mirror Visual Feedback for Reducing Phantom Limb Pain in Amputees (a dissertation by N. S. Mills about the effect of mindfulness-based interventions on the relationship between mirror visual feedback and the pain level in amputees with phantom limb pain).

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo.

Theoretical framework

Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework. Here, you define and analyze the key theories, concepts, and models that frame your research.

Checklist: Dissertation

My title page includes all information required by my university.

I have included acknowledgements thanking those who helped me.

My abstract provides a concise summary of the dissertation, giving the reader a clear idea of my key results or arguments.

I have created a table of contents to help the reader navigate my dissertation. It includes all chapter titles, but excludes the title page, acknowledgements, and abstract.

My introduction leads into my topic in an engaging way and shows the relevance of my research.

My introduction clearly defines the focus of my research, stating my research questions and research objectives .

My introduction includes an overview of the dissertation’s structure (reading guide).

I have conducted a literature review in which I (1) critically engage with sources, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of existing research, (2) discuss patterns, themes, and debates in the literature, and (3) address a gap or show how my research contributes to existing research.

I have clearly outlined the theoretical framework of my research, explaining the theories and models that support my approach.

I have thoroughly described my methodology , explaining how I collected data and analyzed data.

I have concisely and objectively reported all relevant results .

I have (1) evaluated and interpreted the meaning of the results and (2) acknowledged any important limitations of the results in my discussion .

I have clearly stated the answer to my main research question in the conclusion .

I have clearly explained the implications of my conclusion, emphasizing what new insight my research has contributed.

I have provided relevant recommendations for further research or practice.

If relevant, I have included appendices with supplemental information.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

I have listed every source in a reference list at the end of my dissertation.

I have consistently followed the rules of my chosen citation style .

I have followed all formatting guidelines provided by my university.

Congratulations!

The end is in sight—your dissertation is nearly ready to submit! Make sure it's perfectly polished with the help of a Scribbr editor.

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The Everything Guide to a Career in Editing

person sitting in a cafe smiling and typing on their laptop with a cup and saucer next to the computer

I grew up near a small bookstore that always stocks at least two or three times as many books as what reasonably fits in the space. So they stack all the overflow in front of the shelves, two or three piles deep and as much as eight feet high. Whenever I visit, I slide carefully through tiny winding aisles, feeling that at any moment, the works of thousands of writers and editors could come crashing down on me in a literary avalanche. It was and still is one of my favorite places in the world.

My lifelong love of reading grew into a love of writing—and of helping others make their writing the best it can be. That’s why I became an editor. If you’re someone who, like me, adores the written word and is thrilled to be surrounded by stories, you might be considering editing as a career path.

Here’s what you’ll need to know about what editors do, how you can become one, and whether it’s the right job for you. (Already sold and want to start your job search? Find editor jobs on The Muse !)

What is an editor and what do they do?

You might think of editing as correcting grammar and spelling mistakes, but that’s just one small part of the process. Editors plan, coordinate, revise, correct, and format written content for publication—all while working closely with writers to refine their work. “Writers can look at their copy so much that they start to not be able to see the forest for the trees,” says Jennifer Glatt, Editorial Director of the Office of University Relations at University of North Carolina Wilmington. That’s where editors come in.

Editors may be responsible for a wide range of duties, including:

Revising text for larger issues including content, structure, length, tone, and voice
Revising text for paragraph and sentence-level issues such as flow, syntax, and grammar (a.k.a., line editing)
Delivering feedback and supporting writers across multiple drafts
Developing ideas and assigning them to the right writers as well as evaluating proposals from writers
Communicating and coordinating with writers and other stakeholders (including marketing, legal, finance, and design professionals, among others)
Managing budgets and negotiating rates or contracts
Setting and coordinating deadlines to ensure on-time publication
Ensuring text meets content and style guidelines
Tracking performance of previously published pieces
Having strong opinions on the Oxford comma (optional)

What kinds of editing can you do for a living?

As an editor, you usually focus on one type of text or medium. Here are a few of the most common areas editors work in, but keep in mind that there may be overlap and this list isn’t exhaustive. (You might also focus on scientific editing or grant editing, for example.)

Book editing

Editing fiction and nonfiction books “involves project managing the entire journey of a book,” and getting it on the shelves, says Rebecca Gyllenhaal, an assistant editor at Quirk Books . These editors evaluate manuscripts or book proposals (for nonfiction) and decide what projects to take on. They help writers with “big structural changes, character arc development, resolving plot issues, adjusting the length, adjusting the tone and style for the intended audience,” and more, Gyllenhaal says.

Many book editors work for the largest publishing companies in the U.S., known— for now —as “The Big Five”: Penguin Random House, Hachette , Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins. But you can also work for mid-sized, independent, or university presses. “I like independent publishing because there is more opportunity to work on lots of different kinds of books rather than getting siloed into one genre,” Gyllenhaal says.

Newspaper editing

Newspaper editors work for print and online news publications, shaping coverage and editing stories filed by reporters and writers. These editors often work for a certain section or on a particular “beat”—for example, culture, politics, or sports.

Newspaper editors focus on editing article text and ensuring it matches their paper’s voice, style, tone, and ethical standards. They may also decide which articles get assigned or published and how much focus they get based on their placement within a newspaper or website layout.

Magazine editing

Magazine editors work closely with staff and/or freelance writers to bring a print or online magazine article from the idea phase through publication, says Muse career coach Eliot Kaplan of Eliot Kaplan Coaching , who worked his way up the ranks as a magazine editor and also served as the VP of Talent Acquisition at Hearst Magazines. Both editors and writers may come up with ideas for magazine articles, but editors ultimately decide which to move forward with. Magazine editors are then responsible for coordinating all phases of an article from editing drafts to working with colleagues such as copy editors, fact checkers, top editors, designers, illustrators, photographers, and even lawyers.

Magazine editors can edit a wide range of pieces, both in length and subject. “In my life I've edited 150-word stories and 15,000-word ones on all topics,” from health to sports to politics, Kaplan says.

Online media and content editing

Nowadays, people do so much of their reading online—whether they’re getting the news, learning something, or looking for entertainment. There’s some overlap between these editors and the other categories I’ve mentioned—since magazines and news organizations might publish some or all of their content online. But many other types of websites, or even companies looking to provide content alongside their other offerings (*cough* like The Muse *cough*), also publish online content. Many editors and writers who worked in other, unfortunately shrinking fields—primarily magazines and newspapers—have found a home in online content.

Web editors come up with content ideas that will bring readers to their site via Google, social media, email, and other channels. They also assign articles and other written content to freelance or staff writers, evaluate pitches, manage deadlines, edit drafts, upload text to the site, and track performance. You’ll often work for companies that have a number of departments outside of editorial, so you may also collaborate with other teams and be responsible for editing copy for the rest of the company.

Communications editing

Many organizations that aren’t publishers put out written communications internally and externally. Depending on the size of the company and their audience, they may hire editors to ensure this text is high quality and supports the organization’s missions. These editors can work anywhere from an insurance or tech company to a nonprofit, government agency, or hospital.

For example, Glatt works for a university. “There’s not much [published] at the university level that I don’t have my eyes on at some point,” she says, including short and longer-form copy for both digital and print versions of the university magazine, marketing copy for the website, admissions material, and more. In other communication roles, you might also edit press releases, website or software copy, or internal documents like training materials or benefits explainers.

Key facts about editors

So that’s the big picture stuff, but what about the logistical details of editing as a career?

Where can editors work?

Editors can work at any company putting out written content or communications—for example, dedicated publishers or a tech company like The Muse. Geographically, a lot of editing jobs are based in major metro areas, especially New York City. Editors can also work as freelancers on a per-project basis or for several different clients.

Can editors work remotely?

I’m writing this from my childhood bedroom while I’m home for the holidays and have done multiple jobs remotely, so I can tell you from experience: yes. Collaboration, communication, word processing, and editing software has made it so that most editors can do at least part of their jobs remotely. Some companies will of course still want in-person editors, but if you’d prefer to work remotely, opportunities existed before the pandemic and will continue to going forward.

What’s the career outlook?

According to BLS, the number of editor positions is expected to grow 5% between 2020 and 2030, which is slower than the average for all occupations. But this is a high-level view—what and where you edit matters. Overall, “publishing industries (except internet),” including print magazines and newspapers, are projected to see a 4.7% loss in editor jobs. But the number of editor positions in “other information services,” which includes online publishing , is projected to grow 27.7% in that time.

How much do editors make?

According to BLS , the overall median wage for editors in the U.S. is $63,400. Editors for newspapers, periodicals, and books make the lowest median wage of any of the most common industries at $58,260 annually, while those working for “religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations” have the highest median salary of $71,520. Other information services and “professional, scientific, and technical services” fall in the middle—with median salaries of $69,460 and $69,150, respectively.

What skills do I need as an editor?

You may be thinking that writing is the writer’s job. But to be a good editor, you need strong writing skills . Take Toni Morrison, who was not only one of the best American authors, but also an editor for Random House who was responsible for editing Angela Davis’s autobiography along with a number of other influential works .

Of course, I’m not saying that you need the writing skill of Toni Morrison to be an editor. There would be approximately zero editors if that were the case. But you do need to know how writing conveys messages and information and how different choices can affect the way a piece of writing is read and received.

Hand-in-hand with strong writing skills are strong critical reading and communication skills . Other hard and soft skills editors might need are:

Knowledge of grammar, syntax, punctuation, and other language rules
Knowledge of story and/or article structure
Style guides and how to adhere to them (for example, Merriam Webster, AP Style, MLA)
Relationship building and interpersonal skills
Organizational skills
Time management skills
Project management skills
Giving and receiving constructive feedback
Brainstorming
Adaptability
Ability to work under pressure
Familiarity with word processing software and editing features
The ability to say “edited it” out loud (optional)

Depending on what you edit you may need some other skills. For example, if you want to edit books, you’ll need knowledge of the current publishing market, Gyllenhaal says. If you’d like to edit any kind of nonfiction, you’ll need the ability to quickly learn about a new topic and may need some subject matter experience for certain jobs. And if you’d like to edit anything that gets posted online, you might need to understand search engine optimization (SEO) or know how to use a content management system (CMS).

What education, training, or certifications do I need?

Generally, companies require that editors have at least a bachelor’s degree—with majors in English, journalism, communications, or similar being the most directly applicable—but that’s not always the case.

Especially at the early career level, a lot of editing is learned on the job from your managers and coworkers, but companies will want to see that you know the basics of writing mechanics and structure before they hire you. While you’re in college, you can look for extracurriculars to grow your writing and editing chops, such as working for the school newspaper or literary magazine, or for paid work editing essays, tutoring other students, or doing freelance writing or editing. Completing an internship in the industry and/or at the type of organization you’d like to edit for can go a long way to help your employment chances as well.

Read More: 6 Ways to Build Up Your Resume When You Can’t Afford to Do an Unpaid Internship

When it comes to graduate degrees, “I would exercise caution,” Gyllenhaal says. If you have an unrelated undergrad degree or just genuinely want to learn more about writing in a structured environment, a master’s in English, writing, journalism, or publishing won’t hurt your chances of getting an editing job, but they’re not required. And there are plenty of other (cheaper) ways to prepare for an editing career.

What is the career path for editors?

When you’re first starting your career, you won’t necessarily have the title of “editor” right away. You might be hired as an editorial assistant—particularly in the magazine and book publishing fields—a position that might include administrative as well as editorial work, or as an assistant editor. In journalism, another common path is to start your career as a reporter or writer before moving into an editing role. These jobs will help you learn more about writing, editing, and publishing in your industry while giving you oversight and training from more experienced editors.

As you gain more experience, you might find jobs as an editor, senior editor, deputy editor, or managing editor, which is “the person who makes the trains run on time,” Kaplan says, coordinating operations, production, and publishing calendars. At the highest levels, you might see titles like editor-in-chief, editorial director, executive editor, or VP of content—depending on the company and the place of written content within the org. In these roles you’re likely doing less hands-on editing and instead making bigger-picture strategic decisions, Kaplan says

Should you become an editor?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself to figure out if editing is the right career for you:

Do you love reading and language? “You can't be an editor unless you’re a reader first,” Gyllenhaal says. You can only develop your instincts for great writing from reading copiously. But I’ll take it a step further: To be happy in a career as an editor, you’ve got to genuinely love words, because they’ll be your most constant companions at work.
Do you want to be a lifelong learner? In some editing fields, you can completely change what topics you’re covering throughout your career. (In my last job, I edited stock market articles, and now I cover careers and work.) But in any editing role, you’ll have varied projects, so you’ll learn about new things constantly.
Are you OK taking a backseat to writers? “An editor should be OK with being behind-the-scenes. It’s not the editor’s voice that should shine through the copy, it’s the writer’s voice, just with more clarity and finessing,” Glatt says.
Do you actually want to be a writer? “Often editors are frustrated writers,” Kaplan says. “Those people make lousy editors.” Depending on your job, you may write as well as edit, but you need to know where the line is between these two activities. If you only want to write, write .
Do you want to be a writer with a day job? Do you want to be an author, screenwriter, blogger, or other type of writer who has a more stable day job? You can work as an editor, but “just know that it might be very difficult for you to find the time and energy for your own writing after a long day of editing,” Gyllenhaal says. However, if you can push past those hurdles, I’ve seen firsthand how doing both can help you grow. Glatt, who’s also a freelance writer, adds, “My writing is stronger because I edit, and my editing is stronger because I write.”

How can I get a job as an editor?

In addition to general job search tips, here are some editing-specific pointers:

Read, read, read: Read the medium you want to edit, especially what’s coming out now. “Hiring managers want to see that you’re engaging with the industry as it is today,” Gyllenhaal says.
Familiarize yourself with the companies you apply to. “Study publications and websites to see what kinds of things they publish,” and come into an interview with ideas that fit the publication, Kaplan says.
Don’t skip the cover letter ! This is your first chance to show off your writing and editing skills to a potential employer. So don’t half-ass it.
Proofread all application materials: How embarrassing would it be for your editing resume to have a typo or incomplete sentence on it?
Prepare for a skills test: You’ll often need to complete an editing test (and possibly a short writing test) to show prospective employers you can handle the work.

Dissertation Editing Services

Dissertation editing services

Students at for-profit and nonprofit universities rely on our dissertation editors to move their research forward to the next stage of their doctoral journey. Dissertations with a healthy mix of research and engaging academic narrative are the ones that stand out and are a pleasure to read. An experienced dissertation editor knows how to use both elements to get your paper approved.

A dissertation is more than a journal of your research. It's a narrative with a story to tell. Your story starts with a problem or research question, has characters in the form of primary research and evidence, includes analysis and your authentic interpretation of the research, and concludes by proposing answers or meaning to the questions that started your story. Your paper shares many similarities to stories or screenplays.

How to intelligently compare dissertation editors

The top two things to look for when comparing dissertation editors is the quality of editors and how transparent the company is with what they do and don't know. In order to help you get your paper to the next stage, an editor must also deeply understand the research process and reasons why doctoral review committees approve or reject a PhD student's paper. Quality dissertation editing services employ people who understand and apply this perspective during their edits.

Anyone with an English degree can make your writing grammatically correct. But, will your editor ensure you are delivering facts to adequately back your analysis? Will they ensure your sources are cited properly? Will they catch areas where a source is needed but missing? Will they check if your paper follows the dissertation structure prescribed by your university? Will they even know to ask for your university's dissertation handbook? Will they understand the intent of each section of the paper and make sure your content supports the intent? Will they ensure your document is a pleasure to read and something you can be proud to put your name on?

Every member of my committee said that it was one of the best, most well-written dissertations they had read. I could not have done it without Gramlee.

John W. Dissertation: Kant and the Non-Spatiality of Things in Themselves

Phenomenal company. They are responsive and even exceed the expectations communicated on their website. I shopped around, looking into alumni services, freelancers, and bigger companies. Ultimately, it became clear to me that Gramlee was the best option for taking my dissertation proposal to the next level. I highly recommend Gramlee!

Derek Porter Dissertation: Saints Action Research Program as Effective Professional Development

My dissertation was nominated for a departmental award. My chair and committee were impressed with the quality of my work. Thank you for the excellent service!

Latrecha S. Dissertation: Self-advocacy and Motivation of Students with Physical Disabilities

I saved months on the editing process of my dissertation. They are an exceptional editing service that is current with APA and academic dissertation standards. I highly recommend Gramlee to any doctoral student.

Aaron G. Dissertation: Smart Buildings Design Theory

After 10 months and numerous revisions by other companies, Gramlee's editors were able to get me to the next step in my doctoral study process within 48 hours! First-class service.

Leroy D. Dissertation: Cyber Security Training for the Department of Defense

I successfully defended my dissertation and your staff played a HUGE role in my success. The editor's notes and suggestions were very comprehensive and constructive. Thank you for your assistance, editing, and advice. I couldn't have done it without Gramlee!!!

Loretta T. Dissertation: A Phenomenological Study of the Homework Practices in the Self-Contained Special Education Classroom

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Copy editing is not the same as proofreading.

Even if you choose not to hire one of our dissertation editors, here's one piece of advice to apply wherever you decide to go for your editing needs: choose a dissertation editor who copy edits and not just proofreads . Make sure the editing service you choose understands the difference between copy editing and proofreading. If they don't, you will risk hiring an editor who simply proofreads for punctuation instead of diving into the mechanics of your writing.

What's included in our dissertation editing service

Gramlee stands behind our work by guaranteeing that your paper will not be rejected for reasons related to structure, writing mechanics, documentation, or linguistic professionalism. If you apply our suggestions, your paper will get the next stage. We have stood behind this promise since we started in 2007.

Here is a full list of things we cover in our dissertation editing service:

Punctuation
Subject/verb agreements
Tense consistency
Word or phrase redundancy
Active vs. passive voice
Eliminating sentences that add little or no value
Keeps locale and subject matter in mind
Ensures your writing does not cross political and cultural sensitivities
Sentence structure
Proper use of paragraphs
Logical layout and sequence of paragraphs
Table of contents, list of figures, charts, tables, etc.
Ensure that you credit others’ ideas and do not accidentally present as your own
Proper format for citations
Others (too many to list)
Diction and appropriate language for your subject and audience
American English vs. British English (we can edit for either)
Overall flow and readability of the dissertation

The work was perfect. The staff really cared about me and my paper. They took the time to contact me with any questions and wanted to make sure I was happy. I have bookmarked Gramlee for my future editing needs.

Chris M. Dissertation Topic: Education Reform using Common Core Standards

I know my dissertation wasn't easy to edit. You were consistent and sharp. My voice is preserved, and my research is now clearer and more presentable. I have a deep appreciation for you!

Mr. Alazri Dissertation Topic: Marketability of Tourism Small Business

Aaron G. Dissertation Topic: Smart Buildings Design Theory

Leroy D. Dissertation Topic: Cyber Security Training for the Department of Defense

The editor's notes and suggestions were very comprehensive and constructive. Your company clearly stated what I could and could not expect from an editing service. Thank you for your services.

Loretta T. Dissertation Topic: A Phenomenological Study of the Homework Practices in the Self-Contained Special Education Classroom

The edits really helped with clarity and accuracy. The comments were both helpful and encouraging. Thank you for all your help!

Ann A. Dissertation Topic: Displacement, Religious Radicalisation, and the Role of Education in Palestinian Terrorism, and the Transferrable Implications for Global Terrorism

Customer review of dissertation editing services by Gramlee

Full transparency: what our service will not do

We stand behind our doctrine on ethics . Here are things we refuse to engage:

We cannot create content for you. We are not a dissertation writing service.
We cannot conduct research for you.
We will not edit a paper that we feel has been plagiarized or purchased.

How to get started with a Gramlee dissertation editor

Email us a draft of your dissertation.
We will provide an estimate of time and cost within twelve (12) hours. We review each paper to ensure we have the proper expertise to deliver an amazing product. We'll be honest with you if we do not have the proper expertise.
If you decide to proceed, we will email an invoice that you can pay online using your Credit Card or PayPal.

Once payment is received, a dissertation editor will be assigned within 24 hours. They will begin work.

Once the editor is finished with the project, we will email you a revised dissertation and an editor's notes document. The latter contains notes from the editor that go beyond editing. The goal behind these notes is to help you in your dissertation journey. Our editors use the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word. This gives you control to view, accept, or reject each change.

Of course, you will always have access to our editors in case you have questions.

Avoid editing services that offer quick turnarounds

Our editors are held to a strict standard of quality. They are required to cap their editing to 4,000 words per day. Experience tells us that exceeding this threshold leads to editing fatigue and a deterioration in quality. Yes, you guessed right: services that promise lightning-fast edits are in business to maximize profits over a quality final product. Even worse, they are doing it on your dime by charging you more for less quality. by Rushang Shah + -->

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Dissertation 460779

Great job from the editor. Very professional and met the established times. 10/10.

Dissertation Review 460769

No Written Review Submitted

Dissertation Final 460268

Good quality as always with helpful suggestions.

Urban Infrastructure 460087

Introduction 460053

Thank you so much!

Chapter 4 460001

Wonderful and amazing editing!

Preventing BO in MHC 459626

Jeff completed the job on time and it was ready to go. He made the process feel very easy and safe. I will definitely use him again.

History Paper 1 459326

Thank you so much for your great editing! This was very helpful.

Book proposal/response 458977

You're the best! Thank you so much and more very soon! :)

Marlow 312400586 458867

I was pleased that the work was done quickly, and overall, the level of language editing was good. There were some misunderstandings, as I wrote in British English, and the editor corrected some words in U.S. English, and the editor did not have a clear understanding of the concepts in my field, but that is understandable.

Dissertation Editing and Proofreading Services

Find your perfect dissertation editor.

Select your dissertation editor from our extensive network of professionals, matching their expertise to your unique research needs and academic goals.

Dissertation Editing and Proofreading Services

How It Works

Have your dissertation edited in three steps.

Explore profiles of experienced dissertation editors.

Send your files and provide any details regarding your dissertation.

Receive your edited dissertation before your due date.

Maximize Your Ph.D. Potential

Refine every aspect of your dissertation.

Starting with the fundamentals, our editors will address spelling, grammar, and syntax. But this is just the beginning. Our focus extends to include comprehensive analysis and insightful feedback aimed at improving the overall clarity and flow of your dissertation. We refine word choice and organization, ensure adherence to academic language and diction, and present your arguments clearly to effectively showcase your research.

Ensuring Adherence to Academic Standards

Rigorous dissertation style guide compliance.

Our dissertation editors are experts in various academic style guides, such as APA, MLA, AMA, and Chicago. We format citations, references, and the overall structure of your dissertation to align with the standards of academic institutions. Our detailed attention to formatting ensures your dissertation meets your institution's specific requirements, presenting your work with the utmost professionalism and academic integrity.

Dissertation Subject Expertise

Discipline experts tailored to your field.

Our platform is comprised of editors with advanced degrees and expertise across various academic disciplines. It is easy to find an editor on ServiceScape who has in-depth knowledge of your research area, ensuring technically accurate and contextually relevant revisions. Our editors' deep understanding of your field's nuances ensures that your dissertation is edited with an eye for both detail and the larger academic context, enhancing its overall impact.

Dissertation Editor Engagement

Seamless collaboration with your editor.

At ServiceScape, we firmly believe that effective communication forms the bedrock of a successful editing relationship. Whether through messages or teleconference call, communicating with your editor ensures that your unique voice, perspective, and academic intentions are thoroughly understood and reflected in your edited dissertation. Through open dialogue, you can clarify your ideas, answer questions, and provide essential context, allowing the editor to accurately fine-tune your work.

Adapting to Your Deadline

Timely delivery of your dissertation.

We recognize the critical role deadlines play in academic research. Our editors are adept at accommodating various timelines, swiftly managing urgent edits as well as handling extended projects. We prioritize delivering your edited dissertation on time while upholding the highest quality standards. Attuned to the demands of academic schedules, our service is crafted for maximum responsiveness and efficiency, guaranteeing the timely receipt of your edited dissertation.

Commitment to Satisfaction

Our dissertation editing guarantee.

At ServiceScape, your satisfaction is our priority. We're committed to delivering exceptional editing that meets your expectations. Our quality-focused approach means that every aspect of your dissertation receives the attention it deserves, from the smallest grammatical detail to the overall argument and presentation. If you're not completely satisfied, we're dedicated to addressing your concerns, ensuring your dissertation is of the highest academic standard.

Our Editor Marketplace

Choose your own dissertation editor.

Rather than being assigned an editor at random, ServiceScape gives you the ability to choose your own dissertation editor from our network of highly qualified professionals.

Many of our dissertation editors:

Hold Ph.D. or Master's degrees
Offer decades of rich academic editing experience
Have hundreds of client ratings and reviews
Are experts across various academic fields

M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University

J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law

Editor at Georgetown University Press

Director of Communications at the Yale Center

M.A. in Asian Studies from UC Berkeley

M.A. in TESOL Education from the University of North Carolina

M.A. in English from the University of Louisiana

M.A. in English from McMaster University

Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Illinois

M.A. in Linguistics from the University of South Carolina

Ed.D. in Psychology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Professor at Cincinnati State University

Ph.D. in History from the University of Virginia

B.A. in English from the University of North Carolina

Editor at Elsevier Inc.

Copy Editor at McGraw-Hill Publishing

J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law

Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island

Editor at the Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship

Ph.D. in History from the University of Cambridge

Our Testimonials and Experience

What we bring to the table.

ServiceScape is built on 24 years worth of experience, working on over 341,000 projects with over 98,000 clients. Our dissertation editing and proofreading services are rated 4.9 out of 5 stars, based on 353 reviews collected over the last 5 years. Join the thousands of people who have chosen ServiceScape to find the best and brightest talent.

"My freelancer's attention to detail and commitment to quality exceeded my expectations. Every aspect of the project was handled with utmost professionalism."

"I was amazed by the promptness and efficiency of the person I hired. The project was completed well ahead of the deadline, without compromising on quality."

"The level of creativity and innovation in his approach was outstanding. He truly transformed my ideas into something extraordinary!"

"Exceptional service! The professional was incredibly responsive and attentive to all my requirements, making the entire process seamless and enjoyable."

"I highly recommend her services. The professionalism and expertise displayed by the freelancer were top-notch, and the results were simply superb."

"The quality of work delivered was impeccable. Every detail was carefully considered and executed to perfection. Absolutely thrilled with the service!"

"Her ability to understand and adapt to my specific needs was remarkable. The final product was exactly what I was hoping for, and more."

"Prompt, professional, and passionate about her work. She went above and beyond to ensure the project's success."

"The service was outstanding from start to finish. Communication was clear and frequent, keeping me in the loop at every stage."

"Truly impressed by the quick turnaround time. This professional managed to deliver a high-quality result in a remarkably short period."

"His commitment is evident in his work. He made sure I was completely happy with the final outcome."

"A blend of professionalism, skill, and creativity. This individual brought a fresh perspective to the project that was both inspiring and effective."

"The freelancer's expertise in his field is unmatched. He provided invaluable insights and suggestions that greatly enhanced the project."

"I appreciated his attention to detail and dedication to delivering a product that not only met, but exceeded my expectations."

"Her approach to the project was both thorough and innovative. She managed to capture the essence of my vision perfectly. Thank you so much!"

"Remarkable service! The quality of work was consistently high, and her ability to meet tight deadlines was impressive."

Learn More About Our Editing Services

The servicescape advantage.

Your Questions, Answered

At ServiceScape, our dissertation editing services are specifically tailored to elevate your dissertation to the highest academic standards:

Detailed Language and Grammar Precision: Meticulous attention to language, grammar, and sentence structure for academic excellence.
Spelling and Punctuation Perfection: Comprehensive correction of spelling errors and punctuation for scholarly accuracy.
Strict Adherence to Dissertation Style Guides: Conforming to dissertation formatting styles such as APA, MLA, AMA, and CMS, encompassing citations, references, and layout.
Clarity and Argument Enhancement: Focused improvements on clarity and argumentation to strengthen your dissertation’s impact.
Coherent Structure and Flow: Organizing content for logical coherence and effective presentation of research.
Technical Term Accuracy: Ensuring precision in technical terminology and data pertinent to your research area.
Academic Tone and Style Refinement: Refining the tone and style to match the demands of academic rigor.
Advanced Vocabulary Optimization: Elevating language use for academic distinction and clarity.
Conciseness and Redundancy Elimination: Streamlining content for succinctness and focus.
Consistent Tense Usage: Maintaining tense uniformity throughout the dissertation.
Specialized Editing for Your Research Field: Editing by experts in your specific area of study.
Ethical and Neutral Language Review: Upholding standards of ethical and unbiased language.
Cross-Reference Validation: Accurate formatting of all internal references.
Indexing and Structuring Assistance: Help with creating comprehensive indexes and organizing content.
Adherence to Research Ethics: Ensuring compliance with ethical standards in academic writing.
Reviewer Comment Addressing: Assistance in responding to and incorporating reviewer feedback.
Content Critique and Enhancement: Offering in-depth feedback for argumentation and evidence improvement.
Localization of Academic Text: Adapting content for specific cultural or regional academic contexts.

Our dedicated team is committed to ensuring that your dissertation not only meets these academic standards but also stands out for its scholarly excellence and impact.

Our dissertation editing services include rigorous compliance with academic style guide standards, focusing on:

Comprehensive Formatting Adjustments: Precise formatting of headers, page numbers, margins, line spacing, paragraph indentation, typeface, and font size to align with dissertation guidelines.
Citation and Reference Standardization: Ensuring citations and references are formatted correctly according to academic styles such as APA, MLA, AMA, and Chicago.
Tables and Figures Presentation: Proper formatting of tables and figures, including component alignment, labeling, titles, and color usage.
Abstract and Summary Compliance: Aligning abstracts and summaries with specific style guide criteria regarding length and content.
Detailed Cross-Referencing: Accurate cross-referencing within the text, including figures, tables, and sections, for coherence and clarity.
Effective List Organization: Proper structuring of bullet points and numbered lists for readability and impact.
Title Page and Running Head Precision: Formatting the title page and running head in accordance with style guide specifications.
Uniform Terminology and Units: Ensuring consistency in terminology and units of measurement throughout your dissertation.
Inclusive and Unbiased Language: Adhering to guidelines for non-discriminatory and inclusive language in academic writing.

Our dedication to style guide standards ensures that your dissertation is not only professionally presented but also meets the stringent requirements of academic institutions and scholarly writing.

ServiceScape clients have successfully published their research in a wide range of reputable and influential journals across various disciplines. Some of the popular journals where our clients' work has appeared include:

Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
Journal of Biological Chemistry
American Journal of Psychiatry
Journal of Neuroscience
American Economic Review
Journal of Political Economy
Journal of Finance
Marketing Science
Journal of Consumer Research
Physical Review Letters
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Journal of Applied Physics
IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence
Chemical Reviews
Angewandte Chemie
Journal of the American Chemical Society
Organic Letters
Environmental Science & Technology
Journal of Environmental Management
Journal of Cleaner Production
Social Science Research

You can hire an editor by just browsing our marketplace of editors , clicking on the "View Profile" button of an editor you want to hire, and clicking on the "Hire Me" button. After your payment method has been processed, your editor will get to work and will deliver the edited version before your due date.

A list of prices and due dates can be found within each editor's profile. Just find your editor and click on the "View Profile" button.

Our fastest delivery option is one hour using our Express Delivery service.

Sure! Many ServiceScape editors provide free samples. You can submit a free sample request by just browsing our marketplace of editors , clicking on the "View Profile" button of an editor you want to request a free sample from, and clicking on the "Free Sample" button. If the editor accepts your free sample request, you will receive the sample edited version within a couple of days.

You can send a message to an editor by just browsing our marketplace of editors , clicking on the "View Profile" button of an editor you want to contact, and clicking on the "Send Message" button. We will email you a notification as soon as your editor replies to your message.

You can schedule a teleconference call by just browsing our marketplace of editors , clicking on the "View Profile" button of an editor you want to contact, and clicking on the "Teleconference" button. We will contact you right away about availability and set up the teleconference for all parties involved.

You can find ratings and reviews from past clients within most editor profiles. Just find your editor and click on the "View Profile" button to see them. You can also read thousands of ServiceScape ratings and reviews on eKomi .

In addition, ServiceScape has been featured in several publications and websites, including The Wall Street Journal , Los Angeles Times , UpWork , HuffPost , Indeed , and The Ladders .

Many editors have portfolios which feature their editing. Just find your editor and click on the "View Profile" button to view these edited versions.

Yes, we provide editing certifications. Simply request the document when you hire an editor. When your project is delivered, you can download the editing certification by clicking on your project and clicking on the "Certification" button. These signed declarations certify that a document has been professionally edited by a ServiceScape editor.

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Articles & Writing Help

"I would like to thank you for your editing service that has helped me a lot during my studies as a second foreign language speaker. I have shared my experience with my friends and relatives. You have really good editors." -Sara, London, United Kingdom

The Role of the Content Editor

Whether you’re working on research papers, dissertations, or any other academic works, you need a content editor on your side. An excellent academic editor serves as your guiding light, after all, as you handcraft each and every draft. Their services ensure that you produce the highest quality of work possible and get the results you seek. Want to see just how academic editing services can help you? Here’s a look at what you can expect from your content editor.

When you send your document to a content editor, they’ll take the time to fact check all your stats. In fact, they also go above and beyond in making sure that your works are highly accurate. Fact check is something that may not be done by copy editors or line editors.

If they have sensitivity training, they can also point out any bias, stereotypes, or other cultural misunderstandings. In most courses, your ability to present the facts without any cultural mishaps could spell the difference between high marks and a failing grade.

Content editors help improve the flow of your documents by checking their overall structure. They start by checking your thesis statement, and then follow the evidence through to the conclusion.

If anything is out of place, they’ll let you know, so you can adjust the structure and improve flow. Your efforts will help you keep readers engaged with your works and ensure that you’re about to make your point.

In academic writing, you have to follow specific style guides in order to get excellent marks. The style guides, such as that published for APA Style, may indicate how to set up your title page, include quotations, and cite all your sources.

Each style guide is different, too, which makes it difficult to accurately follow each one. Thankfully, content editors can check your work to confirm that it abides by all the rules in the desired style guide.

Readability

While writing up your research papers and other academic works, it’s easy to get lost in the jargon without considering the needs and abilities of your reader. By having a content editor read through your paper at every draft, you can get feedback that helps improve readability across the board.

Your academic editing expert will point out when you need to go beyond jargon in explaining your stance, for example. Plus, they’ll check for word choice errors that could make it difficult to understand what you’re trying to say.

No matter how good your paper is otherwise, grammar errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues can greatly decrease your grade. Some instructors will even give out a zero if they notice too many errors in any one assignment.

To avoid that frustrating scenario, you just have to get a content editor to review your works as you complete each draft. They will point out all the errors, so you can make the corrections before submitting your papers. While revising your drafts, your understanding of spelling, punctuation, and grammar rules will improve over time, increasing your chance of creating error-free drafts in the future.

Want to Perfect Your Documents? Use Academic Editing Services

If you want to perfect all your academic works, look to a content editor to help you out. With academic editing from Editor World, you can get help perfecting all your words and achieving your goals. You just have to sign up as a client, and then select your editor from all the excellent experts on the roster. After that, it’s just a matter of having each draft edited, and then revising your works to achieve pure perfection. Ready to get started? Sign up today .

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Expert Dissertation Editing Services for Perfection in Academic Papers

Your dissertation writing journey can be both daunting and exhilarating. Many students and professionals face challenges in navigating the complexities of this academic endeavour. At Regent Editing, we offer the best dissertation editing services tailored for PhD students and busy professionals struggling with the demands of creating a polished dissertation and the truth is a well-edited dissertation is no more a choice instead it is a necessary aspect of your research completion. The mere thought of going through your 150-page dissertation is a nightmare, not to mention the core expertise required to edit a dissertation - this is why professional editing services are a part of your doctorate completion.

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Dissertation Editing Services

Are you looking for guaranteed approval for your dissertation? Our editors ensure that your dissertation complies with academic writing rules and APA or other citation formats.

Dissertation Proofreading Services

Get quick IRB approval for your dissertation by opting for proofreading service. Our proofreading service combs your writing for grammar and spelling errors. You can order online in under 2 minutes.

Heavy/ESL Editing

Opt for ESL editing service if English is your second language. ESL editing ensures that your document is thoroughly overhauled for language and format compliance and guaranteed for approval.

Dissertation Editing Services – Since 2007

Is the language, writing style and format compliance draining you of the energy and research process? Are you stuck with dissertation due to continuous rejections and comments from your supervisor or IRB? Opt for our dissertation editing services and get assurance of guaranteed approval of your dissertation within three iterations or your money back.

All our editors hold a PhD and have been through the dissertation process themselves. We have edited doctoral dissertations and proposals for PhD candidates from many leading Universities including Walden, Capella, Phoenix, Columbia Southern, Texas, Northwestern, Brown, Nova Southeastern and many more. Our editors are well versed with most University templates and APA/MLA/Chicago formats. For this reason, we guarantee 100% compliance with your University template, APA style compliance and all language errors removal through our dissertation editing service. Universities like Capella, Walden, Arizona State University, Phoenix University, University of Texas at Austin, Michigan State University, University of Florida, University of South Florida, Nova South Eastern University, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, University of Rhode Island, Portland State University, West Virginia University and Rutgers University recommend our dissertation editing services.

We strive to delight our customers and a testament to this is over 97% client recommendation rate and 38000+ documents of PhD level edited/proofread till date. Our team works with unique synergy to ensure that issues of ordering, payments, queries, invoices and well taken care of. Your documents remain confidential and secure with us as all documents are restricted for access and stored on encrypted devices. We do not share any document for any commercial or non-commercial use and have non-disclosure agreements in place with all our editors.

Why Choose Dissertation Editing Services From Regent Editing

Our team of dedicated editors, equipped with extensive qualifications and subject-specific expertise, stands ready to transform your writing into a submission-ready dissertation document. Beyond mere corrections, we offer a unique blend of editing styles, a specialized editor for dissertation apa style, swift turnaround times, and personalized feedback, setting us apart in the world of academic editing. As a PhD student who has surely gone through a painstaking process of completing a dissertation paper, you have all the right to be concerned about entrusting your hard work to anyone for corrections, well with us you will not be a stranger to the process but with constant collaboration you can bear witness to editing excellence with each milestone we cover for you. Take an important step towards completing your dissertation – discover more about our services today.

Expert PhD Editors

Our seasoned team of over 570 PhD editors brings unparalleled subject expertise, ensuring your dissertation is refined with precision and adherence to academic standards.

Tailored Editing Styles

Experience a personalized touch with our diverse PhD editing services, crafted to suit the unique requirements of your dissertation. We go beyond corrections to enhance your writing style.

Swift Turnaround

Meet tight deadlines with confidence. Our efficient editing process ensures a swift turnaround, allowing you to submit your dissertation promptly without compromising on quality.

Subject-Specific Assistance

Benefit from editors well-versed in various disciplines. Our subject-specific mastery ensures your dissertation is thoroughly understood, accurately edited, and aligns with industry standards.

Client Satisfaction

Join the ranks of satisfied clients with our 97% recommendation rate. Our commitment to client satisfaction extends from the editing process to seamless handling of queries, ensuring a positive experience.

Competitive Pricing

Unlock excellence without breaking the bank. Our dissertation editing services offer competitive pricing, making quality editing accessible to PhD candidates and professionals alike.

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Why Seek Dissertation Editing Services in the First Place?

Unbiased Evaluation

Gain an objective analysis of your dissertation with our services. Editors provide impartial and constructive feedback, ensuring your work meets the highest standards of academic excellence.

Academic Credibility

Enhance the academic credibility of your dissertation. PhD Editing services contribute to the professionalism of your work, reinforcing the credibility of your research in the eyes of academic supervisors, peers and committees.

Time Conservation

Save valuable time in the dissertation process. With efficient editing and proofreading services expedite the refinement of your work, allowing you to focus on research and other critical aspects of your academic journey.

Access to Expertise

Leverage the expertise of seasoned editors. Benefit from insights, suggestions, and corrections that go beyond basic editing, enhancing the substance and coherence of your dissertation.

Heavy/ESL Editing Service

For authors with English as a second language, Heavy/ESL Editing Service goes beyond grammar correction. Native English PhD editors provide detailed suggestions, rewrite lengthy sentences, and ensure logical flow, enhancing your document to meet publication standards with precision.

Adherence to Guidelines

Ensure strict adherence to academic guidelines. Editing services guarantee that your dissertation complies with university templates, citation styles, and formatting requirements, eliminating the risk of rejections based on technicalities.

Enhanced Approval Odds

Increase your chances of dissertation acceptance. With meticulous editing and proofreading significantly improve the overall quality, presenting your research in the best possible light.

Stress Reduction

Alleviate the stress of perfecting your dissertation. Expert editing provides a reliable support system, giving you the confidence that your document is polished and error-free, reducing the anxiety associated with submission.

Why should you work with us?

Approvals or money back.

We offer guaranteed approval for your document / manuscript / dissertation if you opt for our editing or ESL editing service. Guarantee is to comply with all language based corrections within three iterations.

Lowest Price Guarantee

Our rates are fairly priced and amongst the lowest in our industry. If you find any service offering lower than our prices, we will match it

Experience & Expertise

We have edited 35000+ documents for PhD candidates since 2007. Leading Universities, Doctoral review committees, Dissertation Chairs recommend our service.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. how long does it take to edit a dissertation.

The time required to edit a dissertation can vary based on factors such as the length of the document, the complexity of the content, and the specific editing requirements. Generally, projects take a minimum of 3-5 days and varying on the length and type of editing can extend to 12 business days or more. For a more accurate estimate, you can contact our support team with details about your dissertation.

2. What is the role of the editor in a dissertation?

The role of the editor in a dissertation is crucial for ensuring clarity, coherence, and adherence to academic standards. Editors at Regent Editing meticulously review your document for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors. They also focus on refining the writing style, checking for proper citation and references, and ensuring overall consistency. The goal is to enhance the quality of your dissertation, making it polished and ready for submission.

3. What is dissertation editing?

Dissertation editing involves a comprehensive review of your dissertation to improve its overall quality. The focus is on refining language, checking for structural coherence, and ensuring compliance with academic writing standards. This process goes beyond simple proofreading, addressing issues related to writing style, formatting, and content flow. The goal is to present a well-crafted and error-free dissertation that meets the highest academic standards.

4. What are the best dissertation editing and proofreading services?

The best dissertation editing and proofreading services should offer a combination of expertise, reliability, and affordability. Based on these parameters some other options you have are Thesis India, 24x7 Editing, Chanakya Research, Dissertation India and IThesis Edit.

5. What sets Regent Editing apart from other editing services?

The reasons we stand out as the best choice for dissertation editing has several reasons but here let us just focus on how we collaborate with you on one-of-a-kind web software Rapid Collaborate - when taking help with any service your primary concern is how your project moves forward, will you be able to constantly address changes, how will you contact them whenever you need and so on - all these are valid concerns and to simplify this complex and irritating issue we bring you on the Rapid Collaborate platform where your editing project can be tracked like never before and you will feel as much a part of the process as you would when doing it yourself.

6. I have a tight deadline - can you please edit my dissertation in 24 hours?

We care about deadlines which is why it is decided when your project starts. We have dealt with many instances when clients have requested tight deadlines - keep in mind that to salvage a project with such timelines is humanly impossible and without complete manual editing a doctoral dissertation is in danger of being rejected - so the question is how much quality are you willing to sacrifice. In this case, it is best you bring your project to our attention as soon as possible to seek out the best option.

7. I need help placing an order for editing.

Placing a dissertation editing order with us is as simple as it can be. Simply click on the order now button and the form will take care of all the necessary details. If you still need help or have any queries please contact us ( https://www.regentediting.com/contact ) - you can do this by our contact form, email or just give us a call.

8. My research is in a highly specialized subject area. Will you be able to edit it?

Our team has successfully edited and proofread documents spanning various disciplines, including highly specialized fields. We recommend you take a look at the expertise of our editors and when you submit your specialized document for editing, we carefully match it with an editor who possesses expertise in the relevant subject area. The collaborative approach further can address any concerns you may have during the editing of your specialized work.

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Choosing a Thesis Advisor: A Complete Guide

One of the most important choices that you will make about your dissertation or thesis happens before you write a single word. Choosing a thesis advisor or dissertation advisor (often referred to as a dissertation chair) will have a significant impact on your entire dissertation writing experience, and for many years to come. For many doctoral students, their thesis advisor is their single greatest influence in graduate school.

Selecting a thesis advisor is a big decision with far-reaching implications. The stakes are very high, and it is imperative to choose your thesis advisor wisely. There are many factors to consider when choosing a thesis advisor, from expertise to personality, and it pays to think carefully and weigh your options before approaching a faculty member to chair your dissertation committee . While there are subtle differences between a dissertation chair and a thesis advisor, we’ll focus on the commonalities in this article.

These are commonly asked questions about selecting a thesis advisor:

What does a thesis advisor do?
How should I choose my thesis advisor?
What makes a faculty member a good thesis advisor?
What if it doesn’t work out with my thesis advisor?

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Thesis Advisor Responsibilities

While writing a dissertation is a largely solitary pursuit, a good thesis advisor will be with you every step of the way. While you are very much in the driver’s seat, it is your thesis advisor’s job to keep you off the guardrails. And deploy the airbag, if necessary. There are a few purposes that your thesis advisor will serve during your time together.

Guidance . While the dissertation process is new to you, your thesis advisor will know it very well. She will help you navigate the obstacles and pitfalls that have derailed many projects–department politics, university regulations, funding, research opportunities, etc. Your thesis advisor will also serve as a sounding board as you distill the nebulous concept of your research project into a fully-formed idea that you can move forward with.

Organization . A good thesis advisor will run a tight ship and keep your dissertation project moving like clockwork. As a researcher, it’s very easy to get lost in the minutiae of the literature, and it’s not difficult to find yourself trapped down a rabbit hole of scholarship. Regular milestones set by your thesis advisor are a great way to stay on track and maintain forward momentum.

Mentorship. While an effective thesis advisor will ensure that you see your project to fruition, a great one will be with you for decades. Though I graduated with my Ph.D. in 2012 and I’m now an associate professor myself, my thesis advisor remains a guiding light in my career. Your thesis advisor can be a cornerstone of your professional network.

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Choosing a Thesis Advisor

So, how do you select a faculty member to chair your dissertation committee? With extreme care. Once you have set your sights on a dissertation chair or thesis advisor, the next step is the Big Ask. I remember being very nervous to approach the faculty member who became my chair– it seemed like such an imposition, but, as a grad student in her department, I was already on her radar. Keep in mind, your faculty members are expecting to be asked to chair dissertation committees, and they may even be a little flattered that you chose them.

While chairing and serving on dissertation committees is a requirement for the tenured and senior faculty members in your department, it’s a lot of work. Make no mistake: accepting the role of your dissertation chair makes them nervous, too. As a faculty member, I can say with absolute certainty that a good dissertation chair will be almost as invested in your dissertation as you are.

What Makes a Strong Thesis Advisor?

There exists a gulf between what many students desire in a dissertation chair or thesis advisor and what they actually need. While there may be a temptation to approach one of your department’s superstar faculty members to chair your committee, this may not serve you in the long term. Faculty members who have made a name for themselves through an abundance of publications, grants, awards, and conference appearances typically have jam-packed schedules, and it may be difficult for them to make you and your dissertation a priority.

Dissertation Committee Member Mentoring Student

A safer bet that is likely to have a more rewarding outcome is to work with a faculty member who has already shown enthusiasm for your work. Select a thesis advisor who makes time for you, and one who always responds to your emails. This is the person you want in your corner during the sometimes stressful journey of researching and writing a dissertation. Also, it never hurts to spend some time talking to potential dissertation chairs or dissertation advisors. Get all of your questions answered, and then make a decision.

What If It Doesn’t Work Out?

The possibility that your thesis advisor is a bad fit for your project or is incompatible for some other reason is a worst-case scenario that lurks in the furthest reaches of every graduate student’s mind. There’s no way to sugarcoat it: this is not a good situation to be in, and it can derail dissertations. The soundest strategy for dealing with an internecine conflict with your thesis advisor is prevention.

This is why it is vital to do your homework and put a lot of thought into choosing your thesis advisor. Find someone you are compatible with and make sure you’re on the same page. Check in with them regularly, and keep them updated. Clear communication is a great way to ensure a solid partnership with your dissertation chair. Don’t forget, your dissertation chair should also be making your success a priority. You should be comfortable enough to ask questions and let them know what’s on your mind.

The good news is that a bad fit isn’t likely to happen. Most grad students have a completely workable relationship with their dissertation chairs, and for many it turns into a long friendship built on mutual respect and admiration. Personally, every time I serve on a doctoral student’s dissertation committee, I feel a tremendous amount of pride and satisfaction when they take their place in the academic world. It’s truly an honor to help them achieve such a major milestone in their academic career, and I’m delighted to be part of it.

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Courtney Watson, Ph.D.

Courtney Watson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of English at Radford University Carilion, in Roanoke, Virginia. Her areas of expertise include undergraduate and graduate curriculum development for writing courses in the health sciences and American literature with a focus on literary travel, tourism, and heritage economies. Her writing and academic scholarship has been widely published in places that include Studies in American Culture , Dialogue , and The Virginia Quarterly Review . Her research on the integration of humanities into STEM education will be published by Routledge in an upcoming collection. Dr. Watson has also been nominated by the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Rising Star Award, and she is a past winner of the National Society of Arts & Letters Regional Short Story Prize, as well as institutional awards for scholarly research and excellence in teaching. Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Watson has served in faculty governance and administration as a frequent committee chair and program chair. As a higher education consultant, she has served as a subject matter expert, an evaluator, and a contributor to white papers exploring program development, enrollment research, and educational mergers and acquisitions.

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Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors

Page Contents

Why Authorship Matters
Who Is an Author?
Non-Author Contributors
Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Assisted Technology

1. Why Authorship Matters

Authorship confers credit and has important academic, social, and financial implications. Authorship also implies responsibility and accountability for published work. The following recommendations are intended to ensure that contributors who have made substantive intellectual contributions to a paper are given credit as authors, but also that contributors credited as authors understand their role in taking responsibility and being accountable for what is published.

Editors should be aware of the practice of excluding local researchers from low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) from authorship when data are from LMICs. Inclusion of local authors adds to fairness, context, and implications of the research. Lack of inclusion of local investigators as authors should prompt questioning and may lead to rejection.

Because authorship does not communicate what contributions qualified an individual to be an author, some journals now request and publish information about the contributions of each person named as having participated in a submitted study, at least for original research. Editors are strongly encouraged to develop and implement a contributorship policy. Such policies remove much of the ambiguity surrounding contributions, but leave unresolved the question of the quantity and quality of contribution that qualify an individual for authorship. The ICMJE has thus developed criteria for authorship that can be used by all journals, including those that distinguish authors from other contributors.

2. Who Is an Author?

The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:

Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content; AND
Final approval of the version to be published; AND
Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

In addition to being accountable for the parts of the work done, an author should be able to identify which co-authors are responsible for specific other parts of the work. In addition, authors should have confidence in the integrity of the contributions of their co-authors.

All those designated as authors should meet all four criteria for authorship, and all who meet the four criteria should be identified as authors. Those who do not meet all four criteria should be acknowledged—see Section II.A.3 below. These authorship criteria are intended to reserve the status of authorship for those who deserve credit and can take responsibility for the work. The criteria are not intended for use as a means to disqualify colleagues from authorship who otherwise meet authorship criteria by denying them the opportunity to meet criterion #s 2 or 3. Therefore, all individuals who meet the first criterion should have the opportunity to participate in the review, drafting, and final approval of the manuscript.

The individuals who conduct the work are responsible for identifying who meets these criteria and ideally should do so when planning the work, making modifications as appropriate as the work progresses. We encourage collaboration and co-authorship with colleagues in the locations where the research is conducted. It is the collective responsibility of the authors, not the journal to which the work is submitted, to determine that all people named as authors meet all four criteria; it is not the role of journal editors to determine who qualifies or does not qualify for authorship or to arbitrate authorship conflicts. If agreement cannot be reached about who qualifies for authorship, the institution(s) where the work was performed, not the journal editor, should be asked to investigate. The criteria used to determine the order in which authors are listed on the byline may vary, and are to be decided collectively by the author group and not by editors. If authors request removal or addition of an author after manuscript submission or publication, journal editors should seek an explanation and signed statement of agreement for the requested change from all listed authors and from the author to be removed or added.

The corresponding author is the one individual who takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal during the manuscript submission, peer-review, and publication process. The corresponding author typically ensures that all the journal’s administrative requirements, such as providing details of authorship, ethics committee approval, clinical trial registration documentation, and disclosures of relationships and activities are properly completed and reported, although these duties may be delegated to one or more co-authors. The corresponding author should be available throughout the submission and peer-review process to respond to editorial queries in a timely way, and should be available after publication to respond to critiques of the work and cooperate with any requests from the journal for data or additional information should questions about the paper arise after publication. Although the corresponding author has primary responsibility for correspondence with the journal, the ICMJE recommends that editors send copies of all correspondence to all listed authors.

When a large multi-author group has conducted the work, the group ideally should decide who will be an author before the work is started and confirm who is an author before submitting the manuscript for publication. All members of the group named as authors should meet all four criteria for authorship, including approval of the final manuscript, and they should be able to take public responsibility for the work and should have full confidence in the accuracy and integrity of the work of other group authors. They will also be expected as individuals to complete disclosure forms.

Some large multi-author groups designate authorship by a group name, with or without the names of individuals. When submitting a manuscript authored by a group, the corresponding author should specify the group name if one exists, and clearly identify the group members who can take credit and responsibility for the work as authors. The byline of the article identifies who is directly responsible for the manuscript, and MEDLINE lists as authors whichever names appear on the byline. If the byline includes a group name, MEDLINE will list the names of individual group members who are authors or who are collaborators, sometimes called non-author contributors, if there is a note associated with the byline clearly stating that the individual names are elsewhere in the paper and whether those names are authors or collaborators.

3. Non-Author Contributors

Contributors who meet fewer than all 4 of the above criteria for authorship should not be listed as authors, but they should be acknowledged. Examples of activities that alone (without other contributions) do not qualify a contributor for authorship are acquisition of funding; general supervision of a research group or general administrative support; and writing assistance, technical editing, language editing, and proofreading. Those whose contributions do not justify authorship may be acknowledged individually or together as a group under a single heading (e.g. "Clinical Investigators" or "Participating Investigators"), and their contributions should be specified (e.g., "served as scientific advisors," "critically reviewed the study proposal," "collected data," "provided and cared for study patients," "participated in writing or technical editing of the manuscript").

Because acknowledgment may imply endorsement by acknowledged individuals of a study’s data and conclusions, editors are advised to require that the corresponding author obtain written permission to be acknowledged from all acknowledged individuals.

Use of AI for writing assistance should be reported in the acknowledgment section.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Assisted Technology

At submission, the journal should require authors to disclose whether they used artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technologies (such as Large Language Models [LLMs], chatbots, or image creators) in the production of submitted work. Authors who use such technology should describe, in both the cover letter and the submitted work in the appropriate section if applicable, how they used it. For example, if AI was used for writing assistance, describe this in the acknowledgment section (see Section II.A.3). If AI was used for data collection, analysis, or figure generation, authors should describe this use in the methods (see Section IV.A.3.d). Chatbots (such as ChatGPT) should not be listed as authors because they cannot be responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the work, and these responsibilities are required for authorship (see Section II.A.1). Therefore, humans are responsible for any submitted material that included the use of AI-assisted technologies. Authors should carefully review and edit the result because AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. Authors should not list AI and AI-assisted technologies as an author or co-author, nor cite AI as an author. Authors should be able to assert that there is no plagiarism in their paper, including in text and images produced by the AI. Humans must ensure there is appropriate attribution of all quoted material, including full citations.

Next: Disclosure of Financial and Non-Financial Relationships and Activities, and Conflicts of Interest

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What does a Dissertation Advisor, Dissertation Chair, or Thesis Advisor do?

20th October 2016

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I was hesitant about using Dissertation Editor so far into the dissertation process. But in a very short time they were able to understand and help me with my situation. Great customer service and fair pricing. I have already told my classmates about their services.

Avoiding the ‘Curse of Knowledge’ in Your Writing

When seeking an academic editor, you may want to consider a generalist, writes Natalie Schriefer, who suggests how to find the best one for your work.

By Natalie Schriefer

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I became an academic editor by accident. In 2015, an acquaintance asked if I was up for some last-minute proofreading. He was an adjunct professor and the sole author on a short article. His revisions were due the next day, and he was nervous about his grammar, but he’d heard I had an English degree. Could he hire me?

When I said yes, I thought I was agreeing to a one-off job. That it would turn into six years of us working together, and start my freelance editing career? The thought never crossed my mind.

But in the near-decade since, I’ve worked with scholars across disciplines—ranging from my start in computer science to engineering, nursing, social work and more. That happened despite the fact that I don’t have a background in any of those fields; instead, I have two English degrees and a professional background in administration and magazine writing.

That makes me a generalist, defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “a person capable of tackling a wide variety of tasks or subjects.” Although countless articles—including those in Indeed , Emeritus and Forbes —have debated the merits of generalists versus specialists, generalists can make particularly effective editors. Why? Because they’re not familiar with the content they edit and can easily see what’s missing. That could include a vague abstract, missing context in a literature review or methodology that needs further explanation (which are, according to the Western Journal of Nursing Research , common peer reviewer criticisms ). A generalist can spot all of those things, in addition to checking grammar, syntax and citations.

In short, the closer a writer is to a subject, the easier it is to leave gaps in the content. This cognitive bias is called the “curse of knowledge.” Coined in a 1989 article in the Journal of Political Economy, it describes how an expert often forgets to account for their wide knowledge base and assumes that everyone has access to the same depth of information. That is one of the reasons that it can be difficult for a beginner to learn from an expert; a 2017 article on instructional design notes that without careful attention to pedagogy, “experts forget what is easy and what was difficult to learn.” That can create a disconnect between teacher and student.

The same bias can apply to researcher and peer reviewer. Working with a generalist editor can help you spot, and correct, your own curse of knowledge.

Editorial Resources You May Already Have

First and foremost: You do not need to hire an editor. Faculty members at all levels are under intense pressure, and feeling obligated to find and hire an editor, on top of everything else, can seem overwhelming. You can always edit your own work .

That said, if you want additional resources, consider swapping research with someone you trust. Check with current and former mentors, former classmates and/or colleagues to see if anyone is interested, looking for someone who has specialized in a different area than you have.

That is how I approached my first piece of academic research , an examination of war in the 1959 novel A Separate Peace . I’d originally written about it for a course and was struggling to rework it as a journal article, so I reached out to a former professor for guidance. Although he wasn’t familiar with the novel, he was able to critique my work using his background in English and writing.

If that option isn’t right for you, check with your place of employment to see what services they offer. In higher education, some institutions employ an academic editor or have writing centers or publication departments for this purpose. (In fact, I do just that—I’m currently contracted to edit for a college.)

If that doesn’t work out, you may need to hire an independent editor. Word of mouth is a great way to meet editors who’ve already been vetted by people you know and trust, so ask your colleagues, department chair or research partners if they’d recommend anyone. Be sure to consider factors such as cost, turnaround time and your deadline. This is a great option if your peer reviewers have requested an editing certificate, which proves that your article has been read by a professional editor.

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Hiring an Editor on Your Own

Despite your best efforts, you may need to find an editor on your own. The internet is vast—and aside from outright scammers, there’s also the Dunning-Kruger effect , whereby someone believes their skillset is better than it is. How can you find a qualified editor?

The answer to that depends on what kind of help you’re looking for. Generally speaking, you can hire an agency or an individual editor, but more specifically:

Some publishers offer editorial services or partner with an agency to offer these services for a fee, including Taylor & Francis and Wiley , among others. You may have seen these advertised on your desired journal’s Guide for Authors or Author Instructions page. Keep in mind that using a publisher’s service does not guarantee that their journal will accept your paper.
When hiring an individual , consider starting with a professional organization, such as the Editorial Freelancers Association. From their searchable member database , look for an academic editor. Ideally that person will have a website that lists their credentials, including relevant degrees, certifications, peer-reviewing experience, editing experience and publishing experience—either with their own research or in a formal role such as editor-in-chief. They may also share a portfolio of articles they’ve edited—bonus points if they’re named in the acknowledgments. Since researchers aren’t required to thank their editor publicly, it’s a good sign if they’ve chosen to do so.
If you’re looking for ESL proofreading , look for an editor or agency that mentions this service by name. Qualified editors may have an advanced English or writing degree, and they may advertise their English language proficiency; many will note whether they’re a native speaker, for example. You can also look for credentials in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) to ensure that the editor or agency understands ESL-specific needs.
If you’re seeking citation help , such as APA or AMA compliance, confirm that the editor is familiar with your desired style. Some editors list their preferred styles on their website, but if they don’t, ask. This is a place where you’ll want a specialist!
If you want your editor to correct your formulas, or assess the rigor of your methodology, you’ll want to find a specialist in your field. These tasks may very well be outside the purview of a generalist.

Once you’ve found someone who looks like a good match, reach out. Many editors offer a free sample, typically 500 to 1000 words, to ensure that you’re on the same page. It’s a good sign if the editor makes recommendations, catches errors, asks questions and doesn’t introduce new errors (such as mis-formatting a footnote citation as a parenthetical).

Publishing your research can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. An editor can help you polish your work so that it can find the right journal to call home.

Natalie Schriefer has been an academic editor since 2015. In that time, she’s worked with hundreds of clients and also published scholarly work of her own.

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How Higher Ed Leaders Can ‘Build Better Internships’

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With its top editor abruptly gone, The Washington Post grapples with a hastily announced restructure

FILE - People walk by the One Franklin Square Building, home of The Washington Post newspaper, in downtown Washington, Feb. 21, 2019. The struggling Washington Post was in some turmoil on Monday, June 3, 2024, following a hastily announced restructuring plan aimed at stopping an exodus of readers over the past few years, and the departure of the newspaper’s executive editor, Sally Buzbee. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — The struggling Washington Post found itself in some turmoil on Monday following the abrupt departure of the newspaper’s executive editor and a hastily announced restructuring plan aimed at stopping an exodus of readers over the past few years.

Post publisher Will Lewis and Matt Murray, a former Wall Street Journal editor named to temporarily replace Sally Buzbee, met with reporters and editors at the Post on Monday to explain changes that had been outlined in a Sunday night email.

The plan includes splitting the newsroom into three separate divisions with managers who report to Lewis — one that encompasses the Post’s core news reporting, one with opinion pieces and the third devoted to attracting new consumers through innovative uses of social media, video, artificial intelligence and sales.

Although Murray is temporarily replacing Buzbee through the November presidential election, the eventual plan places no one in the role of an executive editor who oversees the entire newsroom. Buzbee was said to disagree with the plan and chose to leave rather than be put in charge of one of the divisions, the Post reported.

Lewis was not made available for an interview Monday, and Buzbee did not immediately return a message.

FILE - Will Lewis, newly-appointed publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, poses for a portrait in Washington, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. Lewis is facing questions about whether he made efforts to conceal — in his own newspaper and elsewhere — his involvement in a British phone hacking scandal from his time working for Rupert Murdoch a decade ago. The weeklong saga, which began with the abrupt departure of the Post's executive editor Sunday, June 2, 2024 offers a window into differences between approaches to journalism in Britain and the United States.(Matt McClain/The Washington Post via AP, File)

“It definitely kind of blindsided people,” said Paul Farhi, a recently retired media reporter at the Post. “But it shows you that Will Lewis is working out of a sense of crisis and urgency. He’s only been there five months and he’s making gigantic changes to the newsroom.”

LOSING MONEY, LOSING READERS

Like most news organizations, the Post has lost readers — a decline more acute because the Washington-based outlet boomed with the interest in politics during the Trump administration. The Post’s website had 101 million unique visitors a month in 2020, and had dropped to 50 million at the end of 2023. The Post lost a reported $77 million last year.

“Although (Post owner) Jeff Bezos is very rich, it has been my observation that billionaires don’t like to lose money,” said Margaret Sullivan, a former Post columnist and now the executive director for the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security at the Columbia Journalism School.

Lewis told staff members on Monday that “I’m not interested in managing decline. I’m interested in growth,” according to a person who attended the meeting. The new publisher also bluntly told staffers that “people are not reading your stuff. We need to take decisive action.”

The new division designed to attract new customers — the Post called it a “third newsroom” — is steeped in some mystery. While the Post at one time headquartered the people running its digital products in a separate building, for several years it has integrated that and social media into the regular newsroom, as have many organizations. It’s hard to predict how the new structure will work, and there are likely to be changes as they are put in place, Sullivan said.

“Maybe it’s brilliant and innovative,” she said. “But it just strikes me as being odd.”

LOOKING FORWARD OR LOOKING BACK?

There are significant questions surrounding the restructuring — including suggestions that dividing the newsroom into three parts could create fragmentation of the Post’s overall news report. Will separation into different units hinder the kind of collaboration that creates fluid multiplatform journalism?

“It feels so retro — reminiscent of search engine optimization, social media and pivoting to video, just as AI and agents threaten to become a new web,” said Jeff Jarvis, Jarvis, author of “The Gutenberg Parenthesis: The Age of Print and its Lessons for the Age of the Internet.”

Murray will be in charge of this division following the election. After that, Robert Winnett, a longtime editor at the Telegraph in England who worked with Lewis there, will take over the core reporting functions at the Post, the newspaper said.

There was some concern expressed by Post staff members about three men — all of them new to a newspaper that takes some pride in journalists working their way up through the ranks and two of them British-born — being in charge at a crucial time.

“In a few months, two British-born editors will be running the leading newspaper in the capital of the United States,” Farhi said. “It was kind of unimaginable a couple of months ago.”

They won’t be alone. Other U.S.-based news organizations with British-born leaders included The Wall Street Journal, with editor in chief Emma Tucker ; CNN, with chairman and CEO Mark Thompson ; and The Associated Press, with Daisy Veerasingham as president and CEO.

Lewis was also questioned about his commitment to diversity after the first woman to be the editor in charge of the Post has left. He said he was committed to it “and you’ll see it going forward,” according to the person at the meeting.

Lewis has said that the Post will be experimenting with different pay tiers for digital subscriptions, for people who may be interested in particular topics or stories instead of the entire package, similar to products offered by Politico, for example. As editor, Buzbee has been beefing up the Post’s coverage on topics like cooking and climate that appeal to particular readers.

Lewis has talked about searching for ways to reach millions of Americans who want to keep informed but don’t feel like traditional news products serve their needs.

In one sense, efforts to make organizations like the Post and the Times more attractive to subscribers may contribute to the trends hurting local news, Farhi said. As the newspapers seek out more national and international customers, he said, they are much less likely to invest in covering local news.

David Bauder writes about media for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/dbauder .

Reference Examples

More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual . Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual .

To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of work (e.g., journal article ) and follow the relevant example.

When selecting a category, use the webpages and websites category only when a work does not fit better within another category. For example, a report from a government website would use the reports category, whereas a page on a government website that is not a report or other work would use the webpages and websites category.

Also note that print and electronic references are largely the same. For example, to cite both print books and ebooks, use the books and reference works category and then choose the appropriate type of work (i.e., book ) and follow the relevant example (e.g., whole authored book ).

Examples on these pages illustrate the details of reference formats. We make every attempt to show examples that are in keeping with APA Style’s guiding principles of inclusivity and bias-free language. These examples are presented out of context only to demonstrate formatting issues (e.g., which elements to italicize, where punctuation is needed, placement of parentheses). References, including these examples, are not inherently endorsements for the ideas or content of the works themselves. An author may cite a work to support a statement or an idea, to critique that work, or for many other reasons. For more examples, see our sample papers .

Reference examples are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 10 and the Concise Guide Chapter 10

Related handouts

Common Reference Examples Guide (PDF, 147KB)
Reference Quick Guide (PDF, 225KB)

Textual Works

Textual works are covered in Sections 10.1–10.8 of the Publication Manual . The most common categories and examples are presented here. For the reviews of other works category, see Section 10.7.

Journal Article References
Magazine Article References
Newspaper Article References
Blog Post and Blog Comment References
UpToDate Article References
Book/Ebook References
Diagnostic Manual References
Children’s Book or Other Illustrated Book References
Classroom Course Pack Material References
Religious Work References
Chapter in an Edited Book/Ebook References
Dictionary Entry References
Wikipedia Entry References
Report by a Government Agency References
Report with Individual Authors References
Brochure References
Ethics Code References
Fact Sheet References
ISO Standard References
Press Release References
White Paper References
Conference Presentation References
Conference Proceeding References
Published Dissertation or Thesis References
Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis References
ERIC Database References
Preprint Article References

Data and Assessments

Data sets are covered in Section 10.9 of the Publication Manual . For the software and tests categories, see Sections 10.10 and 10.11.

Data Set References
Toolbox References

Audiovisual Media

Audiovisual media are covered in Sections 10.12–10.14 of the Publication Manual . The most common examples are presented together here. In the manual, these examples and more are separated into categories for audiovisual, audio, and visual media.

Artwork References
Clip Art or Stock Image References
Film and Television References
Musical Score References
Online Course or MOOC References
Podcast References
PowerPoint Slide or Lecture Note References
Radio Broadcast References
TED Talk References
Transcript of an Audiovisual Work References
YouTube Video References

Online Media

Online media are covered in Sections 10.15 and 10.16 of the Publication Manual . Please note that blog posts are part of the periodicals category.

Facebook References
Instagram References
LinkedIn References
Online Forum (e.g., Reddit) References
TikTok References
X References
Webpage on a Website References
Clinical Practice References
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Whole Website References

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Clash Over Phone Hacking Article Preceded Exit of Washington Post Editor

Will Lewis, the chief executive of The Washington Post, objected to coverage of a legal development involving him in a phone hacking case.

A portrait of Will Lewis, wearing jeans and an open-collar shirt, sitting on a couch with a lamp and brick wall behind him.

By Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson

Weeks before the embattled executive editor of The Washington Post abruptly resigned on Sunday, her relationship with the company’s chief executive became increasingly tense.

In mid-May, the two clashed over whether to publish an article about a British hacking scandal with some ties to The Post’s chief executive, Will Lewis, according to two people with knowledge of their interactions.

Sally Buzbee, the editor, informed Mr. Lewis that the newsroom planned to cover a judge’s scheduled ruling in a long-running British legal case brought by Prince Harry and others against some of Rupert Murdoch’s tabloids, the people said.

As part of the ruling, the judge was expected to say whether the plaintiffs could add Mr. Lewis’s name to a list of executives who they argued were involved in a plan to conceal evidence of hacking at the newspapers. Mr. Lewis told Ms. Buzbee the case involving him did not merit coverage, the people said.

When Ms. Buzbee said The Post would publish an article anyway, he said her decision represented a lapse in judgment and abruptly ended the conversation.

The interaction rattled Ms. Buzbee, who then consulted with confidants outside The Post about how she should handle the situation. When the judge ruled several days later , on May 21, that Mr. Lewis could be added to the case, The Post published an article about the decision.

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Soil bacteria respire more CO2 after eating non-sugar organic matter

Synthetic Biology

When soil microbes eat plant matter, the digested food follows one of two pathways. Either the microbe uses the food to build its own body, or it respires its meal as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into the atmosphere.

Now, a Northwestern University-led research team has, for the first time, tracked the pathways of a mixture of plant waste as it moves through bacteria’s metabolism to contribute to atmospheric CO 2 . The researchers discovered that microbes respire three times as much CO 2 from lignin carbons (non-sugar aromatic units) compared to cellulose carbons (glucose sugar units), which both add structure and support to plants’ cellular walls.

These findings help disentangle the role of microbes in soil carbon cycling — information that could help improve predictions of how carbon in soil will affect climate change.

The research was published today (June 11) in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Ludmilla Aristilde

“The carbon pool that’s stored in soil is about 10 times the amount that’s in the atmosphere,” said Northwestern University’s Ludmilla Aristilde , who led the study. “What happens to this reservoir will have an enormous impact on the planet. Because microbes can unlock this carbon and turn it into atmospheric CO 2 , there is a huge interest in understanding how they metabolize plant waste. As temperatures rise, more organic matter of different types will become available in soil. That will affect the amount of CO 2 that is emitted from microbial activities.”

An expert in the dynamics of organics in environmental processes, Aristilde is an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering and is a member of the Center for Synthetic Biology and of the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy . Caroll Mendonca, a former Ph.D. candidate in Aristilde’s laboratory, is the paper’s first author. The study includes collaborators from the University of Chicago.

‘Not all pathways are created equally’

The new study builds upon ongoing work in Aristilde’s laboratory to understand how soil stores — or releases — carbon . Although previous researchers typically tracked how broken-down compounds from plant matter move individually through bacteria, Aristilde’s team instead used a mixture of these compounds to represent what bacteria are exposed to in the natural environment. Then, to track how different plant derivatives moved through a bacterium’s metabolism, the researchers tagged individual carbon atoms with isotope labels.

“Isotope labeling allowed us to track carbon atoms specific to each compound type inside the cell,” Aristilde said. “By tracking the carbon routes, we were able to capture their paths in the metabolism. That is important because not all pathways are created equally in terms of producing carbon dioxide.”

3x soil microbes respire three times more CO2 after digesting lignin

Sugar carbons in cellulose, for example, traveled through glycolytic and pentose-phosphate pathways. These pathways lead to metabolic reactions that convert digested matter into carbons to make DNA and proteins, which build the microbe’s own biomass. But aromatic, non-sugar carbons from lignin traveled a different route — through the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

“The tricarboxylic acid cycle exists in all forms of life,” Aristilde said. “It exists in plants, microbes, animals and humans. While this cycle also produces precursors for proteins, it contains several reactions that produce CO 2 . Most of the CO 2 that gets respired from metabolism comes from this pathway.”

Expanding the findings

After tracking the routes of metabolism, Aristilde and her team performed quantitative analysis to determine the amount of CO 2 produced from different types of plant matter. After consuming a mixture of plant matter, microbes respired three times as much CO 2 from carbons derived from lignin compared to carbons derived from cellulose.

“Even though microbes consume these carbons at the same time, the amount of CO 2 generated from each carbon type is disproportionate,” Aristilde said. “That’s because the carbon is processed via two different metabolic pathways.”

In the initial experiments, Aristilde and her team used Pseudomonas putida , a common soil bacterium with a versatile metabolism. Curious to see if their findings applied to other bacteria, the researchers studied data from previous experiments in scientific literature. They found the same relationship they discovered among plant matter, metabolism and CO 2 manifested in other soil bacteria.

“We propose a new metabolism-guided perspective for thinking about how different carbon structures accessible to soil microbes are processed,” Aristilde said. “That will be key in helping us predict what will happen with the soil carbon cycle with a changing climate.”

The study, “Disproportionate carbon dioxide efflux in bacterial metabolic pathways for different organic substrates leads to variable contribution to carbon use efficiency,” was supported by the National Science Foundation (grant numbers CBET-1653092 and CBET-2022854).

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With its top editor abruptly gone, The Washington Post grapples with a
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Reference examples
More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual.Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual.. To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of ...
Clash Over Phone Hacking Article Preceded Exit of Washington Post Editor
Sally Buzbee, the editor, informed Mr. Lewis that the newsroom planned to cover a judge's scheduled ruling in a long-running British legal case brought by Prince Harry and others against some of ...
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Soil bacteria respire more CO2 after eating non-sugar organic matter
The researchers discovered that microbes respire three times as much CO 2 from lignin carbons (non-sugar aromatic units) compared to cellulose carbons (glucose sugar units), which both add structure and support to plants' cellular walls. These findings help disentangle the role of microbes in soil carbon cycling — information that could ...

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