
Jasna Ganibegovic
Why Do You Need Academic Editing?
Academic editing is useful for students and academics alike, providing an expert outside
view of your work. While you may know how to write well, having a specialist examine your
work for any mistakes and areas that can be improved is always a good idea.
Academic editing covers a whole range of documents: student assignments, research
papers, conference papers, theses, dissertations, journal articles, books and book chapters,
funding and grant applications, to name a few. Each have different purposes and end goals
– high grades, publication, career advancement, building credibility in the field – and each
need to be completed to the highest standard possible.
But do you really need academic proofreading services? Here are three reasons why academic
editing is a must:
Improve the clarity of your argument and message
Academic writing is all about communicating an idea. If you are unable to get your message
across, or it is obscured by bad grammar or awkward phrasing, then your work will miss the
mark.
Academic editing services not only help remove any errors from your work but also
enhance it. For students and academics who are enveloped in their field, it can be hard to
break down complicated ideas in a way that others can easily understand. You may have a
solid grasp of the concept yourself, but unless you can demonstrate and communicate this
to a reader, what’s the point?
Acting as your first reader, your editor will be able to tell you if your argument is clear,
coherent and logical. They will be able to identify any potential areas of confusion or ideas
that need to be expanded in order to hone your writing.
Having your work professionally edited is also a great bias checker. Although academics are
trained to minimise personal bias, it is impossible to put it aside completely. An expert
academic editor will be able to appraise your argument and see if there’s any blind spots or
areas you’ve missed.
Put your best work out there
Whether you are submitting an essay, a proposal, a thesis, a journal article, or even a
manuscript, impressions matter. If your work is riddled with mistakes, your reader will be
harder to convince and may even be put off by your writing entirely.
For students, this leads to lost marks and for academics lost credibility. This can even impact
your career, as academic work is intrinsically linked to status and highly coveted university
positions.
Writing academic work involves a lot of drafting and editing on your part. By the time
that you’ve got it ready for submission, you’ve probably read the words countless times.
By having a fresh set of eyes – and even better, a trained set of eyes – look over your work,
you will be able to prevent embarrassing and easily avoidable mistakes from slipping past
you.
Editing makes you a better writer
As most academic editors use Track Changes to document their edits and queries, you will
be able to see how they have made edits to your work. Often, editors will also explain why
they have made certain changes, especially if it is a recurrent issue. This allows you to take
the feedback on board and incorporate it into your future writing.
As with most things, we learn through practice and through making mistakes. Having
someone who can identify these before we release them into the world and help us hone
our writing, syntax and style is invaluable. This is especially the case for international
students studying in Australia, who may not speak English as their first language.
Much like other types of editing, the best academic editing relationships are collaborative. If
you find an editor that you work well with and who can provide feedback in a way that suits
your needs, you’re sure to see your writing strengthen.
What does academic editing include?
Academic editing varies from editor to editor. I, for example, focus on the following:
Grammar, spelling and punctuation
Clarity, structure, flow, and readability
Redundancy and unnecessary repetition
Areas that could use expansion
Citations and references based on the style guide of your university or journal
Any major problems, either with the manuscript or logic of the argument
A list of suggestions for improvements
That being said, different types of work may require different levels of academic editing.
Dissertation proofreading, for example, requires a different approach than proofreading a
journal article.
In need of academic editing and proofreading services? Reach out to me today for a free quote and consultation.
