...did we just become besties?
Professional academic editing and proofreading for PHd, masters and undergraduate ESL students.
Academic Editing
punchy
$50/1,000*
student discounted dollars per words
1–4
weeks i might need to edit
1–2
weeks you might need to review
*average pace of 1,039 words per hour
Why hire an academic editor?
Universities encourage PhD, masters and honours students to work with professional editors to review their thesis or dissertation.
Having your thesis or dissertation edited will improve the delivery and impact of your research. It's particularly important to have your writing edited if you’d like to continue a career in academia, have your paper considered for journal publication, or receive research funding.
Over the past 15 years I've worked with undergrad ESL students and postgraduate students, as well as professors and faculties, editing material across a broad range of disciplines. To find out more about the academic editing process, scroll to the FAQ below.
an academic editor can tidy and tighten your writing so your ideas can shine
I can't thesis today.
(bit of a snooze, but you'll want to be across this)
But, of course. Academic editing in Australia is regulated by the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) and the Australian Council of Graduate Research (ACGR). Australian universities permit masters and PhD students (sometimes honours students) to hire professional editors to review their thesis or dissertation.
Editors are permitted to make changes to improve language and expression (spelling, grammar, punctuation, style, tone). They can also ensure consistency of layout, formatting and referencing.
We're not permitted to make corrections to the content, substance and structure of your text, but we can make suggestions to guide the student).
Don't skip this bit!
The Official Stuff
Is academic editing legal?
What can editors change in academic writing?
As well as the national guidelines, most universities also have their own rules for students wishing to hire a thesis editor. Students may need to gain permission before hiring an editor, or use their university email for all correspondence with their editor. Make sure you consult with your faculty to determine your university’s specific requirements around academic editing.
Can undergraduates hire essay editors?
Typically, only students who speak English as a second language (ESL) can be permitted to hire an essay editor. Editors for ESL students can help clear up issues with expression that could detract from your research and argument.
Univeristy rules for hiring academic editors
(besides being your cheerleader)
What services can an academic editor provide?
ensure consistent and appropriate use of terminology, numbers, symbols and abbreviations.
achieve clarity of expression and coherent flow (remove ambiguity and wordiness, and ensure logical connections between information)
review formatting and layout, including references and citATIONS, ACCORDING TO specified STYLE
check for consistent presentation of headings, illustrations and diagrams
ensure appropriate tone and style
pick up spelling and grammatical errors
You shouldn't; not very well; there is!
Can I write a thesis in a month? Can you edit a thesis in a few days? Is there life beyond my thesis?
References will be proofread to pick up minor errors. You will need to format your citations correctly yourself according to your university's referencing style. (Don't be slack with this; it'll be a pain for you to fix later!). If I identify an issue with the punctuation or formatting of your entire reference list, I will highlight the issue for you to fix. Otherwise, if you need help to fix the formatting of your references, this can be arranged but will be charged separately, on an hourly rate.
Will you proofread my references?
What referencing styles and editing guidelines do you use?
I use whatever referencing style the student's university stipulates: usually Harvard, but sometimes APA, Vancouver or IEEE. For editing, I use the Australian Government Style Manual, which is the standard for Australian government writing and editing. I use the Macquarie Dictionary, which is the go-to database for Australian English.
As an academic copyeditor I'll be editing your content mainly at a word, sentence and paragraph level (with some suggestions on coherency between paragraphs, if needed). By contrast, structural editors look at manuscripts as a whole: reviewing the order, organisation and flow of your writing as a whole. Since academic editors can't comment on your content or structure, there's no need to return your entire paper for multiple edits. However, I sometimes recommend that you return some highlighted sections for me to re-review, especially where I've suggested you reword sentences that perhaps didn't make sense in the first draft; it is up to you whether you would like to engage my services for multiple rounds of edits.
How many rounds of editing are needed for academic writing?
Once you receive your edited paper you'll need to allow a decent amount of time to review the changes and queries). You may need to rewrite some parts for clarity. Your work will be edited in Word using tracked changes. I'll also provide a 'style sheet' which provides a list of special terms and style choices specific to your paper; this will ensure consistent use of special terms throughout your writing.
Will my essay, thesis or dissertation be ready to submit after it's been edited?
Most universities allow students to use programs such as Grammarly for spelling, punctuation and grammar checks, however, you would need to check your university's specific rules. For example, Grammarly's GenAI capabilities must be disabled for academic work as use of AI is considered academic misconduct and plagiarism. Whilst tools such as Grammarly are helpful for proofreading, relying on AI tools can hinder your writing skills and development, not to mention your unique voice and expression. So, why use a human editor instead of, or in addition to, Grammarly? 1) Only a human can tell if your writing hits the mark for thoroughness, coherency and persuasiveness. 2) When I identify repeated writing errors, I include explanations in my notes to help you improve your writing skills. 3) It's just nice to work with humans.
I'm considering just using Grammarly and AI to edit my thesis or dissertation... thoughts?
Universities usually only allow an undergrad to hire an essay editor if the student does not speak English as a first language, and if the language skills are not being assessed. Check with your campus. Before editing an essay I request written approval from the assessor's university email account.
Can you edit my undergrad essay?
A writer is always responsible for the final piece, so it is your decision whether or not to accept an editor's suggestions. I do provide brief notes where I think you might appreciate an explanation of my changes or suggestions, especially for repeat errors or issues with writing style.
Do I have to accept editing changes?
Short answer: no, but, if you're unsure about whether you should work with a subject matter expert (SME) or technical editor to review your thesis or dissertation, ask your supervisor what they'd recommend. It may depend on your subject matter (and the cost and availability of a SME). A 'general copyeditor' such as myself will work on the flow, clarity and consistency of your writing, not only picking up formatting, spelling and grammatical errors, but also recognising wordiness, repetition, and where your writing is unclear at both a sentence and paragraph level. These tasks can be performed well by a copyeditor, without prior knowledge of your topic. And, considering that the most impactful writing is usually straightforward, a general copyeditor is well placed to ensure your writing is, well, pleasurably readable, and not an overly complex chore of a read. In the absence of a SME editor to reassure that your technical argument is sound, your supervisor can give you guidance on content, substance and overall structure, as well as interpretation of research and use of specialised terminology.
Do I need a subject matter expert to edit my thesis or dissertation?
My average editing pace for academic writing is 1,039 words per hour, however, the time it takes to edit a thesis, dissertation or essay varies significantly depending on the condition of the work (my schedule will also impact the timeline). Contact me as early as possible so we can plan a turnaround time. Last minute enquiries are welcome.
How long does it take to edit a thesis or dissertation?
academic editing q&a
Editors are not permitted to make changes or suggestions concerning the content of essays, theses or dissertations. Therefore, factchecking will not be performed. (That said, if something seems glaringly off, I may click a few keys and leave you a little note.)
Will an academic editor fact check my writing?
Do you only edit in Australian English? Do you work with international students?
Yes, if I'm working on a document published in Australia, I will edit it in Australian English, even if the student is not Australian. I've worked with several international students studying at Australian Universities and, yes, I convert their work into Australian English.
Can I send my thesis or dissertation in sections for editing?
I recommend that you submit your thesis or dissertation in sections for editing. This will help keep your writing progress on track (and also works best for my schedule). By reviewing the edited sections as you receive them, you'll be able to pick up any issues and improve your writing as you go.
I charge $50 per 1,000 words for thesis, dissertation and essay editing. I accept payment by bank transfer or PayPal. Payment is due within 1 week of receiving your edit. For theses or dissertations, periodic payments will be arranged.