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.