How to Get Help Editing Your Academic Paper

Nice going!  You’ve worked hard and finally finished the academic paper you’ve spent weeks (or months) researching, writing, and perfecting.

Now what?

Writing for the world of academia is challenging.  Often, there’s limited publication space and funding available.

You’ll need to make sure that your piece is the absolute best it can be if you want to reach your goals.

That’s where a talented editor comes in.

Letting someone edit your work is an important next step when you have completed an academic paper.

Read on to learn about why and how to find the perfect editor for your academic writing.

 

Editing Options & Ideas

Finding the right editor for your academic piece can feel overwhelming.

After all, you want someone who is competent with language and grammar, but who is also knowledgeable in how the world of academia works.

This can be a hard balance to find.

Of course, there’s no harm in rereading your own work.  Take a few days away from your draft and come back to it with fresh eyes.  This can be a good way to look at your writing with a new perspective.

Letting a trusted friend or coworker glance over your paper can also be a great way to get important insights on your writing.  Listening to someone else read your work out loud might help you spot any areas you wish to fix.

If you ask politely and in plenty of time, having a superior in your field check your work is another excellent editing option.  Someone with experience will likely have valuable suggestions for how to make your submission stronger.

Automated software programs can also scan your work and help you find any glaring spelling and grammatical typos.  This is a convenient option for fixing surface-level problems.

Ultimately, though, it pays to work with a pro.

 

Why Go Pro?

Professional editors aren’t free, and paying someone to check over your work may take a little extra time.  If you’re tempted to skip this step, though, think again and consider the benefits.

First of all, many academic journals actually require papers to be professionally edited.  They won’t accept submissions without proof that an expert has corrected any major errors.

Even if this isn’t a requirement, it’s still wise to go the extra mile.

Most academic papers are long and complicated.  Publications are often completed by several authors and pulled together from a variety of sources.

This can make it easy for wording and style to get convoluted and confusing.

A professional editor, however, knows how to make your work correct, concise, and engaging.

They’ll spot any inconsistencies in your style, tone, and grammar.  Because a professional editor is a living, breathing human, they’ll be able to catch mistakes that software can’t.

A professional editor will also give you guidance about the best way to structure your work to make sure your ideas are as effective as possible.

Whether your work is organized by chapters, sections, or headings, a professional editor will make sure your information is easy to understand.

Essentially, a professional editor will help smooth out the bumps and give your academic paper the leg up it might need for acceptance and publication.

 

How To Find the Right Professional Editor

Many professional editors can be prohibitively expensive.

It’s understood that quality services cost money – but no one wants to break the bank, especially before it’s certain your academic paper will be accepted.

Sought-after proofreaders may also be booked for weeks in advance, which can lead to trouble when it comes to tight submission deadlines.

With all these potential setbacks, it’s easy to see why some academic researchers and writers are tempted to bypass this step.

But that often means their papers will be bypassed by the journals, grants, and publications they’re seeking.

Instead of compromising your work’s value, it’s worthwhile to look into an online editing service like Scribendi.

There are a multitude of online editing companies out there, but currently Scribendi is the only one to meet the most recent ISO-certified guidelines.

This means they are the only editing service that is up to date with the most recent global standard for quality.

Your Scribendi editor will provide thoughtful, unbiased, critical feedback in a timely fashion, so that you can polish your work to perfection before your deadline.

 

How Do Online Professional Editors Work?

The online editing process is similar to working with a professional editor in person – it’s just more convenient.

Writers who use Scribendi will be paired with a professional editor.  Scribendi’s editors have backgrounds in a wide range of subjects, so you will be teamed with someone who is a good fit for your academic project.

Once you’ve been teamed with an editor at Scribendi, you’ll have a listening ear who can walk you through the best ways to strengthen your work.

Your editor will communicate with you on what your goals are for your academic piece, then offer thoughtful critiques to help you reach those goals.

 

What Makes Scribendi Unique?

Scribendi’s editors are real human beings who have been thoroughly vetted.  In fact, only 5% of applicants are accepted into their selective pool of editors.

These are trained professionals with proven track records.  Since many have experience in the world of academia, you can rest assured that they’ll handle any issues with citing, sources, and word choice or language inconsistencies.

Many academic journals accept international pieces, but require them to be written in English.  This can be a huge roadblock for non-native speakers who have valuable contributions to make, but are not confident their ideas will translate.

Scribendi’s editors specialize in making English sound like your first language.  They will help you correct any ambiguous phrases and fix any puzzling word choices that may otherwise set your academic paper back.

Academic citations can also be challenging.  Some publications require MLA, while others will only accept Chicago or Turabian.

Again, using a Scribendi editor means you can breathe a sigh of relief on this subject.  These editors are well-versed in each style and can make sure your sources are formatted correctly based on what you need.

Scribendi’s editors will also communicate with you on your deadlines to ensure that your work is ready when you need it.  In fact, 99.5% of assignments submitted through Scribendi are returned before the agreed-upon deadline.

 

What About the Cost?

By now you may have a better understanding of all the benefits a professional editor can add to your work, but pricing details might feel hazy.

Thankfully, online editing services like Scribendi spell it out for you so you know exactly what you’re getting.  After all, few people are in the world of academic research for the glamor and the money.

Scribendi charges a simple rate based on two factors: the length of your paper and the turnaround time by which you need it back.

The lower the word count and the longer the timeline, the less your editor will charge.

Many other online and in-person editors bill by the hour, which can vary wildly based on the editor’s own methods and pace.

Others bill based on a confusing mixture of factors, from word count to subject matter to the number of authors.

Since Scribendi keeps it simple, however, you can actually get an instant quote before even officially hiring an editor.

By using the quote widget on their website, you can get an immediate idea of how much your academic piece will cost.  This is useful for budgeting both finances and time.  Remember: submitting early can save you money!

If you’re uncertain whether a Scribendi editor will really add value to your work, they also offer a free sample of their services.

First-time clients can select the type of editing they need from the website, then submit a 1,000 word chunk of their academic paper to be edited.

The corrected piece comes back, no strings attached, so you can see for yourself the kind of quality corrections Scribendi can provide.

Click here to learn more about Scribendi.

 

Are Academic Editing Services Worth the Investment?

Paying for an online editor to boost your academic paper might feel like a big step.

Many researchers and scholars may be wary of showing their work to a third party.  Others might be cautious of paying for a service that they feel they could provide themselves, given the time.

Keep in mind, the Scribendi platform is secure and encrypted, so you can be certain your original content will stay entirely confidential.

In fact, information shared with your editor never leaves the site.  This means you don’t need to worry about  your research or ideas being plagiarized.

When it comes to cost, it’s also important to consider that a professional is far more experienced than the average reader.  They are going to spot things you or your coworker might not, simply because this is their area of expertise.

It’s a relief to know a responsible, unbiased editor will be able to correct any mistakes in your writing and citing and have it back to you in time for your submission.

In the long run, having a professional with experience in both the world of academia and the world of editing means less wasted time and less unnecessary stress… and those are two things most academic writers can always use.