... did we just become besties?
Thesis editing
Dissertation editing
Essay editing (ESL)
academic Editing
punchy
$50/1,000
student dollars per words
1–6
weeks i might need to edit
1–4
weeks you might need to review
Why hire an academic editor?
Universities encourage masters and PhD students (sometimes honours students) to engage professional editors.
Working with an academic editor 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 thesis or dissertation considered for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, or receive research funding.
Over the past 15 years I've worked with undergrad ESL students, honours, masters and PhD students, as well as professors and faculties, editing material across a broad range of disciplines.
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)
Don't skip this bit!
The Official Stuff
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 a thesis or dissertation, but we can make suggestions to guide the student.
What changes are editors permitted to make?
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 the student's research and argument.
As well as the national guidelines, most universities also have their own rules for students wishing to hire someone to edit a thesis or dissertation. Students may need to gain permission before hiring an editor. They may need to use their university email for all correspondence with their editor. Make sure you consult with your faculty to determine your university’s specific requirements for hiring someone to edit your essay, thesis or dissertation.
University rules for students hiring editors
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.
Is thesis editing allowed?
besides being your cheerleader, i'll:
What services can an academic editor provide?
review formatting and layout, including references and citATIONS, ACCORDING TO specified STYLE
achieve clarity of expression and coherent flow (flag lack of clarity, wordiness, long sentences and illogical connections)
check for consistent presentation of headings, illustrations and diagrams
ensuRe appropriate tone and style
fix spelling and grammatical errors
ensure consistent and appropriate use of terminology, numbers, symbols and abbreviations, with a style sheet
academic editing Q&A
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 depending on the condition of the work. My workload will also impact the timeline. Contact me as early as possible so we can plan a turnaround time.
How long does it take to complete a thesis edit or dissertation edit?
Short answer: no. However, 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. I will pick up formatting, spelling and grammatical errors. I will address issues with wordiness and repetition. I will identify where your writing is unclear at both a sentence and paragraph level. All of these tasks can be performed by a copyeditor, with no prior knowledge of your topic. In the absence of a SME editor, 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?
Editors are unable to make changes or suggestions concerning the content of essays, theses or dissertations, therefore, I will not perform a comprehensive fact check. However, I will fact check if something seems off.
Will you fact check my writing?
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 plenty of notes, especially where I think you might appreciate an explanation of my changes or suggestions.
Do I have to accept your changes?
Do you only edit in Australian English? Do you work with international students?
I've worked with many international students. If I'm working on a document published in Australia, I will edit it in Australian English. It's best to hire an editor in the country you're publishing within, as a local editor is best equipped to deal with nuances in expression, punctuation, spelling, and cultural understanding.
Can I send my thesis or dissertation in sections for editing?
Depending on the word length, I generally recommend that you submit your thesis or dissertation in sections for editing. Doing so will help keep your writing progress on track. It also helps me to manage my workload. Editing in sections enables us to deal with any major issues before you write the whole paper. That said, you can also submit your thesis or dissertation for editing in one piece if it is already complete.
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. Only a human can tell if your writing hits the mark for thoroughness, coherency and persuasiveness.
I'm considering just using Grammarly and AI to edit my thesis or dissertation ... thoughts?
It's unlikely. 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.
Will my essay, thesis or dissertation be ready to submit after it's been edited?
As an academic copyeditor I'll be editing your content 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 a manuscript as a whole. Since academic editors are not allowed to make suggestions 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 parts for me to re-review, especially where I've suggested you reword chunks that didn't hit the mark in 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?
What referencing styles and editing guidelines do you use?
I use whatever referencing style and/or style guides the student's university stipulates. 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 official dictionary for Australian English.
I will proofread references to pick up minor errors, only if you have made an attempt to format your citations correctly!
Will you proofread my references?
I accept payment by bank transfer or PayPal. Payment is due within 1 week of sending your edit. For theses or dissertations, invoices will be sent with each section that is edited.
How does payment work for academic editing?
You shouldn't; not very well; there is!