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Short and sweet

Oct 17

Why do we make typos?

By Proofreading, Short and sweet, Typos

We rely on our computer’s spell-checker. We write in a hurry. We don’t consult a dictionary. We focus on meaning rather than form. We can’t be bothered to check our spelling. These are some of the possible answers to the question “Why do we make typos?”

Another culprit is the human brain: We’re not motivated enough to not make typos, because we read words, not letters. If there are mistakes in a text, such as a few missing letters, our brain fills in the gaps. In essence, to our brain, misspellings don’t count—we’re still able to read a text despite it having misprints. Read More

Sep 03

What to do if the journal editor recommends English language editing services

By Academic papers, Editing, Short and sweet

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).

Read More

Aug 03

Impact vs. effect in academic writing: Which one should you use?

By Academic papers, Short and sweet, Vocabulary

The noun impact has replaced the noun effect in many types of writing, especially in business and web writing. Forceful and charismatic, impact is the life of the party; effect is the shy noun in the corner. It’s no surprise impact has been driving effect out of the academic writing scene.

Those who care about the impact vs. effect difference may wonder, May I use impact as a synonym for effect in academic writing? Depending on context, you may. Having worked as a freelance editor and proofreader for many years, I’ve noticed that many economists and social scientists prefer to study impacts, not effects. But should you use impact when you mean effect in academic writing? Here’s some information to help you decide. Read More

Jul 09

What’s one thing that could improve communicating EU research?

By business documents, Project management, Short and sweet

Communicating EU research is a requirement for those receiving project funding from the European Union. Unfortunately, communicating their research results effectively isn’t.

Browsing EU project websites will reveal that many project teams are unaware of audience analysis. So, understanding the reader’s needs is one thing that could improve communicating EU research. This short post will explain how understanding your audience will improve the quality of your EU project communications.

Who’s your reader?

Read More

Mar 15

Why give detailed instructions to your freelance language editor

By Editing, Freelance, Short and sweet

Not even the best freelance language editors can read their clients’ minds. Sure, experienced language editors can make an educated guess, but they can’t be sure what you want unless you tell them.

In this short post I will list the three main things to tell your freelance editor, especially if you’ve never worked with them before, to increase your likelihood of being happy with their service. Read More

Feb 17

Is “et al.” singular or plural?

By Academic papers, Short and sweet, Writing

Et al. is a commonly used Latin abbreviation in scholarly writing, so most academics know what it means. If you don’t, a dictionary will give you the explanation.

But whether et al. is singular or plural is not always clear, even to experienced writers. An author may use a singular verb after et el.; another author may use a plural verb after et al. Are they both correct, or who is wrong and who is right? To help you understand how to use et al. in a sentence so it’s grammatically correct, let’s look at a few examples. Read More

Feb 07

What is structural editing in nonfiction?

By Definitions, Editing, Short and sweet

Structural editing of a nonfiction document is a level of editing that deals with the structure of the manuscript. This level of editing is also called substantive editing.

Some editors and authors consider substantive editing as belonging to developmental editing. Others use the terms substantive editing and developmental editing interchangeably.

Both levels of editing are concerned with the big picture of the manuscript rather than its grammar and spelling. But developmental editing can happen early during the writing process—even when you have only an outline—as well as in later stages. Its goal is to set the direction for the manuscript. In contrast, structural editing requires that you have a complete draft. Read More

Jan 15

What is developmental editing in nonfiction?

By Definitions, Editing, Short and sweet

If you are writing or planning to write a nonfiction book, chapter, or article, you may have heard that developmental editing is crucial for a writing project. But what is developmental editing in nonfiction? And should you work with a freelance editor on your manuscript?

In this short post I aim to answer these two questions so you know what to expect from developmental editing in nonfiction. Read More

Dec 28

References: Citing a paper when the authors have the same last name

By Academic papers, References, Short and sweet

When you must follow a certain referencing style, such as APA or Chicago, you’ll come across a tricky citation every now and then. Take, for instance, a paper whose authors have the same last name.

In this example three of the authors have the same surname:

The publisher suggests citing this paper as

Saeidi, Sayedeh Parastoo & Sofian, Saudah & Saeidi, Parvaneh & Saeidi, Sayyedeh Parisa & Saaeidi, Seyyed Alireza, 2015. “How does corporate social responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of competitive advantage, reputation, and customer satisfaction,” Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 341-350.

But how do you cite this work in APA or Chicago? Read More

Dec 23

Placement of only: What’s the correct way of using only in a sentence?

By English writing skills, Grammar, Short and sweet

In spoken English or informal writing, the placement of only is rarely an issue, so go with your ear. Here is an example:

Tea only tastes good when I’m sad. Tea tastes good only when I’m sad.

Both sentences have the same meaning: I like the taste of tea only when I’m sad.

In academic writing, though, be careful with the placement of modifiers to avoid introducing ambiguity and attracting criticism from reviewers.

Does the placement of only in a sentence matter?

Read More

Oct 15

What’s the best way to improve a presentation?

By Lessons learned, PhD tips, Short and sweet

You can improve a presentation by paying attention to the choice of illustrations, text, fonts, colors, and all the other details of a slideshow. Make sure every element is visible, the text is free of errors, and the colors don’t send the wrong message.

But the best way to improve a presentation is to show it to someone who has no idea about the topic of your presentation, ask them what they think about it, and use their feedback to tweak the presentation. Read More

Oct 07

What’s the best way to edit LaTeX files with “track changes”?

By Academic papers, Editing, Short and sweet

You wrote your manuscript in LaTeX and now want to send it to a freelance editor. But what’s the best way to edit LaTeX files with “track changes”? Ideally, you want to see the changes so you maintain control of the revision process.

One of the best ways to edit LaTeX with “track changes” is to create a PDF from LaTeX and ask your freelance editor to mark up the PDF using the Comments tool in Adobe Reader or Acrobat. Here are three other methods I use when clients ask me to edit LaTeX manuscripts: Read More

Sep 29

In short, what is copyediting?

By Definitions, Editing, Short and sweet

The answer to the question, “What is copyediting?” will differ slightly depending on who answers it. But all freelance editors will likely say that copyediting (or copy-editing) is a type of editing.

Copyediting means correcting a manuscript’s grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage, and style and ensuring that the document follows the recommended style guide.

You should also know that in publishing jargon, the raw manuscript is the copy, so editing the manuscript is copy editing, or copyediting. Some people refer to copyediting as line editing or manuscript editing. Read More

Sep 03

How much does proofreading cost?

By Academic papers, Proofreading, Short and sweet

If you’ve decided to hire a freelance proofreader to proofread your PhD thesis or research paper, you may be wondering if you can afford the cost of proofreading services. So, how much does proofreading cost?

English proofreading rates

The cost of proofreading services varies from one service provider to the next. But comparing proofreading rates isn’t always easy. Although many proofreading agencies and freelance proofreaders publish their rates online, some companies charge other fees (such as a project fee or taxes) or have a minimum order size.

To be able to compare apple to apples, ask for proofreading quotes from the freelance proofreaders or companies you’re considering. Read More

Aug 22

How much does English language editing cost?

By Academic papers, Editing, Short and sweet

If you’ve never had an academic manuscript edited by a professional, chances are you know little about editing rates. So, how much does English language editing cost?

English language editing rates for academic manuscripts

Academic editing rates vary a lot from one service provider to the next. Here’s what some of them charge for editing 9000 words as of March 2024 (I used Xe.com for currency conversion where needed): Read More

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