It’s not uncommon for authors to receive a note from the editor of a peer-reviewed journal that says,
- “the authors are advised to get professional English language editing services”,
- “have the manuscript checked by someone with full professional proficiency in English”,
“the authors need a native English-speaking co-author to thoroughly revise the grammar of this manuscript” (as Adriana Romero-Olivares received), or - “seek help from a native English speaker to correct the grammar of the manuscript” (if you’re a journal editor, please read this brilliant article by Small Pond Science).
It doesn’t matter whether you were born in an English-speaking country or English is your second language—your first reaction to such a comment is likely to be negative.
Your research is solid, and you’ve diligently revised the manuscript before sending it to the journal. And now this derogatory comment about the language could jeopardize the publication of your paper. It’s normal to feel offended if you’re a native English speaker, or discriminated against if you’re a so-called ESL author.
If the journal editor recommends English language editing services, consider this advice:
- First of all, try not to take this comment personally. It is hard not to feel insulted, but try to remain focused on your goal: publishing your article.
- Second, try to understand if the journal is only trying to promote their English language editing services or the editor means there are language errors in your manuscript. If you’re not sure, ask a few colleagues with a good command of the English language to informally review the manuscript. They’ll tell you if there are major problems with your writing.
- Finally, decide if you and your co-authors can edit the manuscript or if it’s wiser to hire a professional English language editor.
- In any case, before resubmitting the manuscript, improve its language. No matter how many times you’ve reviewed the paper, an extra round of editing can’t hurt—if you or the freelance editor you hire knows what they’re doing.
When the journal editor tells you that your manuscript could benefit from editing (or revising or proofing) by a native English speaker, try to understand the reason behind such a comment. Do not merely dismiss it and attempt to resubmit the exact manuscript to another journal. If indeed your work has major grammatical or language flaws, fixing them can only help you publish your paper faster.
As a freelance language editor, I have worked with many authors who had received a similar comment from journal editors, and I agree with them that this comment should not be allowed, because it does insult authors, regardless of their English language skills. Providing constructive—not destructive—feedback should be the goal of peer review. So, instead of saying “have the manuscript checked by a native English speaker”, peer reviewers or journal editors should recommend that authors revise the language of their manuscript.
Do you need professional manuscript editing? Send me a message at editor@languageediting.com.
If you prefer to work with another editor but don’t know where to find one, please consider checking my LinkedIn List of Freelance Editors and Proofreaders.
Related posts:
- What is language editing?
- How much does English language editing cost?
- Why give detailed instructions to your freelance language editor
Last revised on 20 June 2023
