Tips

Feb 16

The art of writing PhD thesis acknowledgments: A guide for economics students

By Cristina N. English writing skills, PhD life, Tips

After more than a decade spent copyediting and proofreading PhD theses for economics students, I can say that, in general, doctoral candidates view writing thesis acknowledgments as either a formality or a celebration of finishing thesis writing. Between the two extremes lies a unique opportunity to show your personality, strengthen your professional network, and enjoy the “warm glow of giving”—all without the constraints of academic writing.

In this long blog post, I’ll examine the seemingly trivial topic of writing acknowledgments to help you make the most of this thesis section. I aim to achieve two goals. The first is to change your opinion about the importance of PhD thesis acknowledgments. The second is to help you write memorable acknowledgments you can be proud of even when the euphoria of finishing your PhD is gone.

Although all the examples here are from economics theses, my tips should be useful for writing acknowledgments in any other academic field. Read More

Nov 26

Things your freelance editor should tell you

By Cristina N. Editing, Freelance, Tips

If you’ve never hired a freelance editor before, you may not know what to expect if you choose to work with one. You may be concerned about what editing entails, how the editor works, how you’ll pay for editing services, and more.

Getting your questions answered before you hire a freelance English editor will give you peace of mind that your manuscript is in the right hands. Although no two independent editors are alike, there are some things any freelance editor should tell you from the get-go. Read More

Sep 26

5 Ways to get free manuscript editing services for nonfiction

By Cristina N. Academic papers, Editing, Tips

In most cases, asking a professional editor for free manuscript editing services is a surefire way to get your email marked as spam.

But what if you genuinely need nonfiction editing services and can’t afford them? Who can edit your nonfiction manuscript for free? If self-editing is not an option, try the following ways to get free editing services for nonfiction manuscripts. Read More

May 27

13 Signs you’re wasting the reader’s time and how a freelance editor can help

By Cristina N. Editing, Tips, Writing

Research proposals, business reports, articles, scholarly books—no matter what type of nonfiction document you write, you must respect the reader’s time. To do so, use the most effective way to communicate information by aiming for correctness, clarity, and concision.

When you edit your draft, examine your writing and see if you can spot any of the following signs you’re wasting the reader’s time. If you don’t know how to fix them or don’t have the time to do it, ask the help of a freelance editor.

Oct 01

Freelancing myths: What people think freelancers do (and what we really do)

By Cristina N. Freelancing, Lessons learned, Tips

What’s it like to be a freelancer? If you’re not one of us, you’ll tend to believe the freelancing myths populating the analog and digital worlds: If you’re a freelancer, you work only a couple of hours a day, pick your clients, have no boss, and can set your own schedule. Just add “you can wear your pajamas all day” and the freelancer stereotype cocktail is ready to serve.

Over the years, I’ve heard all kinds of comments about freelance life, covering the whole spectrum from funny to offensive. Here are a few:

Close family member: “When do you plan to get a real job?”
Not-so-close family member: “Right…you ‘work’ from home.”
Other people:
- “What’s it like to sleep as much as you want every weekday?”
- “I wish I had a good work-life balance like you.”
- “A freelancer? So you married rich, huh?”
- “Will you do these errands for me while I’m at the office? You must have tons of time.”
- “Freelance editor? I wish I could quit my job and do what I like.”

Aug 10

Write your research paper outline: A concise guide

By Cristina N. Academic papers, Tips, Writing

After doing the actual research, it’s time to write your research paper outline. If your paper were a building, the outline would be its architectural plan. The purpose of a research paper outline is to help you plan your paper and organize its content in logical sections.

Here is a concise guide to writing a research paper outline and some advice on how to use it to write your paper. Read More

Apr 27

How to minimize the cost of editing

By Cristina N. Editing, Freelance, Tips

Freelance English editors charge different rates depending on many things, including their location, experience, and specialty. However, professional editing services do not come cheap. The recommended hourly rates for editing nonfiction documents are between $40 and $70 according to the Editorial Freelancers Association and at least £31 according to the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading.

If you have a nonfiction book manuscript, technical course materials, or a few hefty business reports, hiring an experienced editor may end up costing you as much as a nice overseas vacation.

Whether your budget for editing is tight or limitless, keeping the cost of editing low means you’ll have more money for marketing your publication or for other writing projects. Here are four things you can do to minimize the cost of editing regardless of which freelance editor you hire. Read More

Apr 28

Academic editing tips for research scientists

By Cristina N. Academic papers, Editing, Tips

Long time ago, when I earned my living as a research fellow, I thought reading academic editing tips was a waste of time. I wasn’t a writer, and scholarly writing wasn’t prose. My paper had to communicate the results of my research, and it had to be free of mistakes, but the writing style wasn’t important.

Now, as a freelance English editor, I know the quality of the language does matter. It can influence referees’ impression of a paper and, in turn, the editorial decision of the journal editor.

One reason might be a psychological bias called the halo effect. This is “the phenomenon whereby we assume that because people are good at doing A they will be good at doing B, C and D”, as The Economist explains it.

The reverse phenomenon is called the negative halo. It may lead some referees—those who do not try to combat this unconscious bias—to assume that a poorly written paper contains less-than-perfect science.

Many scientists know about this bias and do their best to combat it. However, even when they make a purely unbiased, objective decision when evaluating a manuscript, journal editors appreciate well-written papers. That’s because good writing has two powerful qualities: clarity and effectiveness.

In this guide I’m discussing several academic editing tips that can help you improve your manuscript and its likelihood of being accepted for publication. Read More

AIM: Help and inspire people to improve their written communications