Academics

As an academic, you want to produce high-quality publications that showcase your innovative research. Your reputation depends on your ideas, so it’s vital that your writing is clear and accurate, and that it’s free from errors and inconsistencies.

You might be working on a book, a journal article or any other academic publication. You know you need an editor, but it can be hard to find one who really understands your work.

If you’re looking for an editor with first-hand experience of academia, I can help. I am a trained and experienced academic editor who has worked with scholars at leading institutions, helping them to shape, develop and polish their work. Before becoming an editor, I completed a PhD in Music and taught for several years at the University of Sheffield. As a doctoral researcher, I had my own academic work peer-reviewed and published, so I understand the challenges that academics face when preparing their work for publication.

As your editor, I’ll ensure that your work adheres to best-practice editorial standards, so that you can focus on what really matters: your research. I’ll also support you through the editorial process, so that you can be confident your work is in expert hands. You’ll always have complete control over your work, and I will always respect your writing style.

My specialist subjects include:

  • music studies, musicology, popular music studies, ethnomusicology, music history, music philosophy, music sociology

  • media studies, popular culture, cultural studies

  • arts and humanities, literature, art, art history, performing arts

  • social sciences, sociology, human geography, qualitative research, ethnography

I work on:

  • academic books (including monographs and multi-author volumes) and book chapters

  • journal articles

  • reports

  • conference papers

  • book proposals

  • grant proposals and funding applications

I also have experience of adapting academic writing for a non-expert audience.

Below is a list of services that I offer to academics. These services can be tailored or combined to suit the specific requirements of your project.

 Services for Academics

Copyediting

Copyediting is the editing process which prepares a text for publication. This means ensuring that a text is clear, consistent, readable and accurate, and that it is written in a style that will be appropriate for the target audience. Copyediting takes place at sentence level, which means paying close attention to sense, meaning and clarity. Typically, copyediting involves:

  • correcting grammar, spelling and punctuation

  • improving the sense and flow of the writing, and removing awkward phrasing

  • improving clarity

  • correcting inconsistencies

  • developing the structure of your work to ensure that your argument is as convincing as possible

Copyediting can also involve preparing the text for typesetting. The level of intervention involved in a copyedit will depend on your requirements.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the final quality check before a text is published. This typically involves checking grammar, spelling, punctuation and consistency, and finding any last-minute errors. As your proofreader, I can also apply the house style and check/format references, if this is required (see below).

Reference Checking/Formatting

A special service I offer to academics and authors of non-fiction. Checking and formatting references can be a time-consuming and arduous task. I will work through your references, ensuring that they are formatted according to the relevant style. This saves you time, so that you can relax and get to work on your next project.

Please note, this service requires me to have access to a complete list of your references. This list must contain all of the relevant information required for each citation (such as page range, volume number, publication place, publisher, etc.). I must also have access to the house style guide or referencing style guide that you are using.