ACADEMIC EDITING
Academic editing services: options
Whether your manuscript needs a light touch to add shine or a heavier hand to improve flow, the Detail Devil can help. After many years of working with academic researchers — early, mid and late career — I’ve carefully designed the following options with your needs in mind, which can be tailored to your needs. See full details of each option further down the page.
Option 1 Copyedit (one pass)
Option 2 Copyedit (two passes)
Option 3 Proofread
Option 4 Page proof
Option 5 Manuscript format
Option 6 Reference format
APA fluent
I work predominately and am fluent with APA (sixth and seventh editions), but I also work with a range of other style guides, including the Australian Style Manual, the Oxford Guide to Style, MLA, CMoS and Harvard. Talk to me about your institution’s preferences.
Professionally qualified and experienced
I’m a professional member of both the Institute of Professional Editors (Australia) and the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders (UK), with a postgraduate qualification in editing and communication from the University of Melbourne. Find out more about me.
How to submit your manuscript
Submitting a manuscript to me couldn’t be easier. For details of the process, see the FAQs.
OPTION 1
Copyedit (one pass)
- A first pass will address the vast majority of mechanical (language and style) issues. This option is recommended for lighter edits (which can often be determined during the sample edit; see FAQs):
- Ensure appropriate use of language such as grammar, syntax, punctuation, spelling (Australian, British, US, NZ etc.)
- Ensure consistent use of language (capitalisation, hyphenation, abbreviation, etc.)
- Ensure clarity of expression (e.g. removing ambiguity, wordiness and needless repetition)
- Ensure flow of text (e.g. clear and logical connections between phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections)
- Ensure appropriate use of idiom, style and tone
- Review appropriate use of technical and specialised terminology, including discipline-specific items, abbreviations and units of measurement
- Ensure consistency in the presentation of illustrations, diagrams and other display items
- Crosscheck in-text citations with reference list, checking that URLs work and flagging omitted information
- Ensure adherence to preferred style guide, such as APA’s Publication manual, the Australian style manual, MLA, the Oxford guide to style etc.
- Create an editorial summary and style/vocab sheet, recording my decisions with regard to language, style and referencing issues
- Any items in Options 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 (unless specifically requested)
- Rewriting, restructuring or substantive editing
- Research or fact checking
OPTION 2
Copyedit (two passes)
- A full second pass is for less routine matters that can often only be addressed after a first pass of the manuscript, particularly recommended if deeper edits are required during the first pass (often determined during the sample edit):
- Review appropriate use of language such as grammar, syntax, punctuation, spelling (Australian, British, US, NZ etc.)
- Review consistent use of language (capitalisation, hyphenation, abbreviation, etc.)
- Review clarity of expression (e.g. removing ambiguity, wordiness and needless repetition)
- Review flow of text (e.g. clear and logical connections between phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections)
- Review appropriate use of idiom, style and tone
- Review appropriate use of technical and specialised terminology, including discipline-specific items, abbreviations and units of measurement
- Ensure consistency in the presentation of illustrations, diagrams and other display items
- Iron out any remaining inconsistencies
- Crosscheck in-text citations with your reference list, checking that URLs work and flagging omitted information
- Any items in Options 3, 4, 5 or 6 (unless specifically requested)
- Rewriting, restructuring or substantive editing
- Research or fact checking
OPTION 3
Proofread
- Proofreading is the final review of your manuscript before publication and compares the previously copyedited manuscript with PDF proofs:
- Ensure that no errors have crept into the manuscript from previous rounds of copyediting or formatting
- Review visual elements (typography, heading hierarchy, page layout, figures, tables and captions)
- Review formatting (widows/orphans are eliminated, tables are not split unnecessarily, page layout)
- Ensure integrity (that all elements of the manuscript are present and in the correct place)
- Any items in Options 1, 2. 5 or 6 (unless specifically requested)
- Rewriting, restructuring, or substantive editing
- Research or fact checking
OPTION 4
Page proof
- Ensure that no errors have crept into the manuscript from previous rounds of copyediting or formatting
- Review visual elements (typography, heading hierarchy, page layout, figures, tables and captions)
- Review formatting (widows/orphans are eliminated, tables are not split unnecessarily, page layout)
- Ensure integrity (that all elements of the manuscript are present and in the correct place)
- Any items in Options 1, 2. 5 or 6 (unless specifically requested)
- Rewriting, restructuring, or substantive editing
- Research or fact checking
OPTION 5
Manuscript / thesis format
- Create and apply Word styles to every part of your document (headings, body text, block quotes, tables/figures, captions, bulleted/numbered lists, references, appendices, glossary and any other style you might need, ensuring adherence to your preferred style guide and/or university requirements
- Ensure correct table, figure and appendix numbering throughout
- Create the Table of Contents and Lists of Tables, Figures and Abbreviations, and compile Appendices
- Ensure correct page numbering (with preliminary pages using Roman numerals if required), applying section breaks where needed
- Assemble all parts of your manuscript and check all the elements are present and in the right place
- Ensure your manuscript presents professionally and beautifully
OPTION 6
Reference format
- Format your reference list to the desired style, e.g. APA, Harvard, AMA, CMoS or publisher requirements
- Flag omitted information, inconsistencies and errors
- Check URLs and flag where incorrect
- Looking up omitted elements of a reference
- Creating a reference list from in-text citations
