Academic Editing

We proofread and copyedit journal articles, book reviews, book chapters, slide presentations, and research proposals for academics around the world.

We are happy to support you regardless of whether English is your first language or not, but it would help if you know what you need—

a proofreader or copyeditor?

Simply put: copyediting takes place before proofreading.

The term “proofreading” means different things to different people. Instead of going too deep down the rabbit hole and worrying too much about what it is called, what really matters is what you need.

If you have a “raw”, unedited (by professional editors) draft that you want to get ready for publication, it is copyediting that you require.

Otherwise, if you have a well-polished manuscript that needs checking for any remaining typographical, spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors, it is proofreading that you require.

Proofreading

We carefully check the already edited manuscript for any remaining:

Typographical errors (“typos”)
Spelling errors
Grammar errors
Inconsistencies in formatting

My work has already been copyedited and I’m ready to order

Copyediting

We make edits for:

Typographical errors (“typos”)
Spelling errors
Grammar errors
Inconsistencies in formatting
Inconsistencies in language

We highlight and raise queries for:

Clarity
Repetitions
Cohesion

We work on references, too.

I’m ready to order

Before we start

FAQs

Please take a moment to read through these frequently asked questions to ensure we are on the same page.

Still uncertain about something? Send us a message and we will try to sort things out for you.

How much does an editing project cost?

Our quotations are based on a word count (excluding reference list / bibliography), so you will know how much you will have to pay. Please note that we have a minimum fee policy, which is £10.

Please note that we charge for sample edits, but if you then decide to use our proofreading/copyediting service, that fee will be taken off the final price.

How long does it take?

We usually ask for three to four weeks for long manuscripts like book chapters, and around a week for shorter papers or proposals of 10,000 to 20,000 words.

An even shorter paper of say 5,000 words might only require a couple of days, but we cannot always commit to one/two-day turnaround times due to our committing to other projects.

If a deadline requires it, we can speed up for a fee but our work is all about the detail and it takes time.

Do you work on references as well?

Most clients that we have so far served tend to prefer us not to, as they often rely on a reference manager. However, please do let us know if you would like us to help you, at £0.50 per reference:
• format each entry according to the required citation style;
• check if all elements are spelt and formatted correctly and conform to the requirements of your department or those of the journal or publisher;
• cross-check references with external sources; and
• make sure that in-text references are listed in the bibliography or list of references.

What experience do your editors have?

We have considerable experience in scholarly editing and we have been extensively working with academics – primarily in social sciences and humanities – who are from top institutions in Hong Kong and China for years. You may refer to our Portfolio page to learn more about the fields we engage with.

Should I use British or American spelling in my manuscript?

Publishers usually have their own style guide (e.g., “Instructions for Authors”) and the stylistic preferences vary from one to another. You are welcome to provide us with any associated guidelines and we will help you standardise your spelling and punctuation throughout your manuscript.

If there is not any specified stylistic preference, we will then adhere to British English spelling (e.g., colour instead of color) and use the “-is-” infix (e.g., organisation rather than organization).

Is it better to send my work chapter by chapter or all in one go?

Working on a manuscript in one go helps ensure consistency throughout the file; we nevertheless understand that it is not always possible due to time constraints or the submission process. In these cases where we work on separate chapters, whilst we do my best to uphold consistency, we would recommend you do your own final checks on the collated file.

How can I pay?

At the moment, we only accept UK local bank transfer, PayPal, Wise (formerly known as TransferWise) or overseas bank remittance. The fixed quote we provide is in GBP.

Can you issue an editing certificate for me?

Certainly, we can provide you with an editing certificate upon request.