Professional Academic Editor | APA Format
We get asked a lot of questions by potential clients-and actual clients-regarding our process and the rationale behind our actions. Let me try to address some of those questions and, by explaining the process, set you at ease that choosing an editor from this network is the right decision.
Why can’t you tell just me how much it’ll cost to get my paper/book manuscript/dissertation edited! Why do I have to answer questions and provide a sample?
Rates are based on a number of factors, including turnaround time, scope of work, size of the manuscript, and the quality of the manuscript submitted relative to the requirements of the target institution or publisher. If we don’t provide the information on which we base a quote, we have to make assumptions. If we don’t know your word count or the level of service you desire-“just” formatting of a 2,000-word chapter of a dissertation or substantive editing of a 200,000-word full dissertation-it’s not reasonable to expect a definitive answer.
Why must I provide an alternate e-mail address? I don’t want my e-mail address to end up on marketing lists or in the hands of spammers.
Some ISPs and institutions-particularly businesses and universities-filter input and block messages from certain ISPs, containing particular words or attachments, or sent as original (not “in response”) messages. We want to make sure you receive the quote you asked us to provide. We don’t keep a list of e-mail addresses and we don’t share the e-mail addresses of our clients with anyone without your permission.
Why do you need to know which university I’m attending? I don’t want you to tell my university I might be using an editor.
Writers of theses and dissertations are expected to follow certain formatting and writing standards, such as APA or CMOS. These standards are specified by your university, but most universities-and even some programs-require master’s and doctoral candidates to adhere to modifications to APA or CMOS. Unless we know what university you’re attending, we can’t know what standards you’re meant to follow. And those standards supersede the style manuals.
What difference does my word count or number of tables or references make in your quote?
Quotes are based on a combination of word count, nature of the editing work required, and turnaround time relative to the word count and nature of work required. If you don’t tell us the word count of theentire file, we can’t give you an accurate quote.
How quickly can you finish my project?
Turnaround time is largely dependent on the nature of the work required and the total word count in the project. If every sentence needs repair, the editing will progress at a slower pace and the cost would be higher. On the other hand, if you need a few edits on every page, you will pay a lot less than the student who needs more of the editor’s time investment. There is no such thing as “one size fits all” (or one standard word/page price). We will try to work with you to meet any reasonable deadline. If your deadline isn’t reasonable, we’ll let you know. If your deadline is absolute and inflexible, we may still be able to help you, but you will likely incur rush rates.
Can you write my summaries (or any other portion of the paper) for me?
No, because that would be unethical. We strive to deliver a service that allows you to earn your degree honestly, without the taint or fear of suspicion of having cheated. Also, we are professionals with long careers in academic edit. We won’t trash our good reputations as excellent academic editors. Excellence includes ethics.
Can I get samples of work you’ve done for other clients?
No, because that would be unethical. Just as we will not share your work with others, we cannot share others’ work with you. If you’d like a sample of a particular level of editing, please ask. That sample will be based on your work and will reflect the level of service in which you are interested. Please be considerate of the editor’ time . . . one sample per client, and only if you’re serious about having us work for you-we don’t need the practice!
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