Editing

Whether you need a final polish or a reworking of a first draft, I can help ensure that your document conveys your meaning clearly and concisely.

In addition to ensuring proper language use, I will check that your document complies with the author instructions and is appropriate for the intended audience. My “fresh set of eyes” can catch discrepancies or ambiguities that may have been overlooked by those closer to the content.

I am certified by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS) and have worked as a peer reviewer and in a journal office, giving me a unique perspective on the process of publishing scientific articles.

The editing process

Sending the Manuscript. Please send an electronic copy of the manuscript to be edited in Word, RTF, or WordPerfect format, along with copies of the figures. Electronic copies of the figures are preferred, but I can also accept faxes or hard copies. In addition, I ask that you indicate the intended audience, such as the journal to which it will be submitted, or provide a copy of the author instructions.

My schedule can fill up quickly. If you have a project coming up, please let me know in advance and I will set aside time in my schedule. Approximate turnaround times are 1 week for a journal article and 2 weeks for an NIH grant application—although I will get it back to you sooner if I can. For other project types, please inquire.

Editing the manuscript. I edit using the Track Changes function so authors can easily view the changes I have made and accept or reject them. If questions arise during the edit, I may contact you or I will enter queries into the text or the comment field for you to address when you review the edited document.

Unless instructed otherwise, I will perform substantive editing. This includes:

correcting grammar, spelling, and usage

restructuring or reordering the text for logic and flow if necessary

ensuring that the formatting complies with the Instructions to Authors (note, however, that I will not reformat references nor check their accuracy unless requested to do so)

If you prefer that I limit my editing to correction of grammar, spelling, and usage (light editing), or have other special requirements, please let me know.