Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about copyediting and the service we provide.
Why Should I Pay for Copyediting Services?
Academic journals typically recommend that authors have their articles professional copyedited or, at minimum, proofread prior to final acceptance. Many publishers do not perform quality reviews that check for article-specific inconsistencies, potential discrepancies, or other nuanced errors. This means that any errors or inaccuracies are often found by readers, which can result in the need to publish an erratum.
Editors may approve the content of the article for publication, but issue a temporary, technical rejection of the submitted manuscript because it either does not comply with the formatting guidelines required by the journal or exhibits substantial grammatical issues (such as articles written by authors for whom English is a second language). Editors often extend an opportunity for the authors to “revise and resubmit” an article after it has either been reformatted or re-copyedited to correct grammatical deficiencies.
The ”revise and resubmit” for reformatting to comply with publication style guidelines can be tedious and time-consuming. Reviewing and correcting grammatical issues can be difficult, especially for authors who are not fully conversant with English sentence structure and syntax.
Our experienced copyeditors can solve those problems for you! We will work through your paper to resolve noncompliance issues, and ensure that the article conforms to the journal’s formatting guidelines. We also correct grammar, syntax, and punctuation problems during our thorough assessment of the content, context, and consistency of the article. Let us make your work shine!
Doesn’t My Journal’s Editor or Publisher Check My Manuscript for Errors?
No, usually not. Journal editors review the article from a conceptual standpoint to assess its contribution to the literature, but they may not perform a thorough check of the entire text, which can contain inconsistencies, inadvertent discrepancies, and other contextual or nuanced errors. The publishing company likely only considers the construction of the delivered article, to ensure compatibility with its publishing and printing process.
Our service provides a thorough review for content, context, and consistency. This means that we not only read the text, but also we digest it so that as we read through the text, we are able to ensure that there is logical flow, there are no apparent contradictions, and that article-specific terms and terminologies are consistently formatted throughout the article body, footnotes, tables, and appendices. We will also offer thoughtful suggestions for rewrites that improve sentence structure and syntax, as well as calling attention to issues that may require clarification.
What If I’ve Already Proofread My Manuscript?
The longer you spend working on a project, focused on the underlying research or finer details, the easier it is to miss what would otherwise be obvious spelling or grammar errors. It is also possible that multiple rounds of “revise and resubmit” can leave a paper with minor errors or inconsistencies between different segments. It is also possible for your brain to “fill in” missing words or to disregard minor errors because of your familiarity with your own work.
We read your paper with fresh eyes, and we read every word.
What If I Don’t Know How to Format My Article in Microsoft Word?
We work in Microsoft Word every day. If you don’t know how to create footnotes instead of endnotes, we do. If you aren’t sure how to format headers or footers, we are. Need help formatting tables? We can do that! Math equations? Sure, we can do that, too. Can’t figure out how to reformat your article to comply with your target journal’s style guidelines, no problem! We’ll do that for you!
How Does Copyedit.Solutions Differ from Other Freelance Copyeditors?
- We tell you up-front how long it will take to return your article. We’ve designed our process to be easy, efficient, and affordable. We respond to all copyedit requests within 48 business hours. Our aim is to turn around manuscripts within five days from receipt of your paper. We take great care to avoid unforeseen delays, but will let you know immediately if there’s even a slight chance we may miss a deadline.
- We tell you up-front how much it will cost. Our pricing is straightforward, and you can likely figure out exactly how much your paper will cost to copyedit from our pricing page. We let you know exactly what you will pay before getting started. Other freelance copyeditors often charge by the hour, which can lead to unexpectedly high invoices after the work is already done.
- We’ve been copyediting academic research articles for a long time. Our team has, collectively, more than three decades of experience in working on articles published by peer-reviewed journals, such as the American Accounting Association’s collection, which includes The Accounting Review, Accounting Horizons, and Issues in Accounting Education. We have meticulously reviewed thousands of articles and have provided meaningful feedback that has helped authors to perfect their work prior to publication.