What's the best way to communicate with academic paper authors or clients?

Something I have found that is absolutely key is understanding who the intended audience for the piece is supposed to be. Given that context, you can better understand authorial intent when helping to edit a piece.

I also think it's important to bear in mind that a client won't always know exactly what they want or what they need – often they will have just been told a paper needs editing or proofreading, but won't always understand why. That's why it's so important both understand EACH OTHER's expectations, and that the proofreader can MANAGE the client's expectations. Much of the initial stages of a proofreading job can involve explaining exactly what you're intending to do and how it won't alter what the author has written, only make it better. Remember it's always better to get everything clear BEFORE starting, and that YOU – the proofreader – are ultimately the language expert (why else would you have been tasked with the project otherwise?).

When agreeing to proofread an academic paper, it is important to understand the client's expectations. This involves clarifying the scope of the service, the deadline, the format, the style, the level of intervention, and the feedback method. Request clear instructions, guidelines, and samples if available, and ask any questions or seek clarification as needed. Knowing the client's expectations helps prevent misunderstandings and errors in the proofreading process.

Know Your Client’s Expectations One of the first steps in this process is to have a conversation with the client to make sure you are on the same page regarding the parameters of the job. People often confuse proofreading and editing, thinking the two are synonymous and produce the same results. Editing is much more involved and can result in changes to sentence and paragraph structure, word choices, and major rewrites. Most authors would not want a service of that depth as the voice of the writing can change. People might question the origin of the content if it sounds different than the remainder of the document. However, the goal at the outset is to work with the client to agree on the expectation of the service.

The best way to communicate with academic paper authors or clients is through clear and concise written correspondence. Begin with a polite and personalized greeting, outlining your purpose and expectations. Provide well-structured, evidence-based arguments to support your points, and maintain a respectful and professional tone throughout. Promptly address any questions or concerns, demonstrating your commitment to their satisfaction and fostering a productive working relationship.

Without an effective and communication channel it is not possible to get good results since some of the proofreaders replaced some of the disciplinary terms and that led to meanings complete different from those intended by the writers. This is what I find one of the most important part of the proofreading, without an effective communication, the writing can get even worse and wrong. One time I was making someone translate and proofread an abstract of one of my article into Spanish, a language I do not know at all. The topic was about Kant's universalizability. Later, I have learned that who were proofreading it thought there was a typo and changed it into universality in Spanish. No surprise, article was rejected from a Spanish Journal...

When undertaking a proofreading project, it is essential to establish a communication channel with your client. This allows for the exchange of information, updates, queries, and feedback throughout the process. Choose a convenient and professional communication method such as email, phone, chat, or video call. Agree on the frequency and timing of communication, respecting your client's availability and preferences. Maintain professionalism, responsiveness, and politeness in your communication to foster a productive working relationship. Keeping records of your communication can be helpful for reference and dispute resolution.

Use popular apps like MS Teams, Zoom, WhatsApp, Signal or Slack (some of my favourites) to meet with the person, and understand what channel will work best for them! Put aside any assumptions and ask first - maybe its Teams by video, or Chat, or Zoom may be more accessible. Privacy may be important, so Signal. Slack is awesome for real-time communication and to make different threads ie a different channel for a section of the paper. Hope this helps, and get in touch - let's connect!

I hesitate to say that jargon should be avoided entirely, but perhaps a caveat should be added to say that content-area jargon should be the only jargon used.

While a skilled proofreader can undoubtedly enhance the overall quality of a piece of writing, there exists a critical ethical issue within this process. When proofreaders' involvement extends beyond mere correction to substantial revisions or content alterations, it raises ethical concerns. At this point, the writing begins to lose its authenticity and becomes a collaborative effort between the writer and the proofreader, potentially blurring the lines of authorship. When a proofreader's interventions significantly influence the content, it can distort the professor's ability to gauge the student's true capabilities. This misalignment can lead to unfair grading and ultimately hinder the educational process.

Proofreading, when done without thoughtful reflection, can lead to several issues that hinder a writer's growth and are ethically problematic: When a writer blindly accepts all the amendments made by a proofreader, they might not fully understand the corrections or the reasons behind them. This can result in a missed learning opportunity, as the writer doesn't engage with the feedback provided. Also each writer has a unique voice and style. Overzealous proofreading can homogenize writing, suppressing the individuality and creativity of the writer. This is particularly true if a proofreader imposes their own writing style on the text.

What's the best way to communicate with academic authors or clients? Humbly. They know things you don't. They're subject matter experts. Your job is to ensure that what they write accurately reflects their understanding of the subject and conveys what they believe is likely to be true. To do this, you'll often have to consult with them, learn a bit about their subject, and determine what they mean in instances where the wording they've chosen is unclear. This is best done in a spirit of curiosity and humility.

Hopefully the client will also express their gratitude to the proofreader and provide info about what happened to the finalized writing, and may be some feedback from readers...

Always always always express thank you, no matter what. Do it, and watch what happens! Connect with me Julie Howard, New Zealand

When you are proofreading for professionals, first of all, respect their work, tone, and voice when proofreading their work. Ask them if they have any particular requests, notes, or important pieces of information that they want you to be aware of before you begin proofreading. Be mindful of their requests and do as you are told.

I believe one should be careful about whom they choose to deal with, as anyone could set themselves up as a proofreader regardless of qualifications, experience, knowledge, or training. Moreover, proofreaders are not obliged to agree to abide by a set of regulations regarding how they would intervene in a text, raising concerns about the potential for substantial and unethical interventions.

Have a conversation about your price and payment expectations early, be be transparent, and create a win-win for you both. Go to it, and good luck! Let's connect! I'm Julie Howard I live south of the 45 degree Parallel. I regularly swim in the cold ice currents sweeping up from the Antarctic, off the coast of Otepoti Dunedin, Te Waipounamu - Aotearoa New Zealand.