“Do yourself a favor. Consult a statistician before you embark on your research project!” Scientists heed this advice all the time.
Here’s a parody of that. “GET YOURSELF AN EDITOR WHEN YOU START WRITING YOUR PROJECT.”
Here’s why. Looking back at your manuscript acceptance and publication journey, do you sense an underlying theme? Several people probably read and re-read the manuscript before it was sent out. Perhaps some provided overall feedback while others critiqued the sentence structure and grammar. These are nothing but your colleagues’ willingness to provide you with different levels of editing services depending on their availability.
In academia, one cannot have their colleagues oblige them, every time one writes a 10,000-word draft! That's where academic editors come in. Because academic editors live for this. We review and provide feedback to improve and polish authors’ manuscripts while not directly writing for them.
Some academic editors also coach you to overcome your writer’s block. One may say that we put words in your proverbial pen!!
In academia, you cannot have your colleagues oblige you, every time you write a 10,000-word draft!
Academic editors generally offer the following types of editing services.
Developmental editing
Developmental editing includes any feedback that helps you build a satisfactory first draft before it undergoes scrutiny under a bigger lens.
In developmental editing, academic editors help you create the story from your data and ideas. We work with you to identify the scope of your manuscript and nail down the key takeaways for your readers. In addition to creating a framework, we lay out a scaffold on which details can be fleshed out.
In developmental editing, academic editors help you create the story from your data and ideas. We work with you to identify the scope of your manuscript and nail down the key takeaways for your readers. In addition to creating a framework, we lay out a scaffold on which details can be fleshed out.
This type of editing is mostly useful during the initial stages of your manuscript. Typically, authors will receive a report between two to 20 pages depending on the length of your manuscript under scrutiny. You will receive comments on the draft’s big picture e.g., is the background relevant and comprehensive? Are the hypothesis and aims outlined clearly? Are the results summarized within the context of the background and aims? You may also receive your manuscript with markup in the manuscript that requires your attention.
You will need a developmental editor in at least one of the following scenarios:
- You are struggling to put words on paper
- You don't know where to begin and what comes after
- You are struggling with writing a strong concluding section
- You have your beginning and end figured out but are unsure of the story
- Something is missing in the manuscript and you don't know what
- You have written the first draft but need help creating a flow
- You have a fair idea of what you want but are struggling to give it structure
- You have a rough draft but at this point, you need a fresh set of eyes from a writing expert
- You tell yourself your manuscript is done but your heart knows otherwise
- You are struggling with how to message it to your niche audience
In addition to creating a framework, we lay out a scaffold on which details can be fleshed out.
Copyediting
Now that your content is organized and the manuscript is laid out on the scaffold we built, it is time to look at the manuscript line by line with an owl’s vision (some may say eagle eye or hawk eye! But you get the point, right?). Your document undergoes thorough scrutiny to catch issues with grammar, punctuation, clarity, and impact. Sometimes, sentence structures might be tightened to reduce the cognitive load on your readers.
You need a copy editor if:
- You have a draft ready but it feels like a word vomit
- You think that your writing is not engaging or impactful
- You need a keen eye to catch typos, grammar, and punctuation
- You need someone with knowledge of APA, Chicago style, or MLA style
- Looking at your words over and over is making your eyes tired and wasting your time
Your document undergoes thorough scrutiny to catch issues with grammar, punctuation, clarity, and impact. Sometimes, sentence structures might be tightened to reduce the cognitive load on your readers.
Proofreading
Aren’t we all aware of the feeling when a manuscript is done but not “done” done! It is the last mile of writing which is the hardest mile. Nothing but a mundane checklist of things to perfect your manuscript from the standards of a journal, publishing house, organization, etc. And boy are they fussy about these things!
Proofreaders format the manuscript for you, no questions asked. If your journal requires you to create a new font type, license it, and use that, proofreaders will do it for you! Capitalizing headings, and formatting tables and figures are some of the nitty-gritty proofreaders will fix. Proofreaders format the copyedited manuscript to fit the rules of our society- the many scientific societies, each with different sets of rules.
Capitalizing headings, and formatting tables and figures are some of the nitty-gritty proofreaders will fix. Proofreaders format the copyedited manuscript to fit the rules of our society- the many scientific societies, each with different sets of rules.
When do you need a proofreader?
- You have a done manuscript but don't have the time to format it to journal-specific guidelines
- You need help with citation style and bibliography
- You need a fresh set of eyes to see if you have missed a specification as noted by the granting organization
- You cannot find the information on font type and size, word count, table formatting, etc.