Tips for Paper Editing Success

Sloppy writing can make you a sloppy researcher in a reader’s eyes. Your instructor may not be too forgiving about a bunch of typos or an incorrect citation in your paper either. While a professional editor can help you avoid many of these problems, make sure you know exactly what services to request. Here a professional editor provides the following tips for paper editing success.

To present a strong and compelling research, your paper needs to read well, have consistent formatting, and follow a specific style guide. Are your arguments clear? Should the section headings be left-aligned or centered? Which style (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) should your writing follow? Make sure you state these concerns and requirements when requesting professional editing.

Any research paper contains most of the following parts. The higher the level of research, the more extensive these sections will need to be.

The abstract, or the thesis statement in your paper, is the face of your work. This is what most readers will see first. It must be easy to read, correctly numbered, and error-free. Ask a professional editor to proofread it if you are sufficiently confident no changes to the writing and formatting would be required.

The introduction must be clear and concise. It should give an overview of the situation you explore. It should further present, in a logical and persuasive way, the need for your research. Content editing by a professional will make your arguments flow.

Literature review and, of course, the bibliography are the two places in your paper with the greatest number of citations. Make sure you are consistent with a style manual of your choice. When requesting editing services, remember to indicate which citation style your paper should follow.

Technical editing may be required to ensure your methodology and findings sections are properly formatted and follow your preferred style. Also, beware typos, especially in these two sections. The relationship between two concepts in your paper should be causal, not casual—make sure that’s the case, or let your editor take care of it for you!

Finally, your conclusion must be well-written. Show how future research could benefit from your study. Making this section look professional is important as this is what the reader will walk away with from your work.

When choosing editing services for your paper, you may request Technical Editing, which will fix everything from margins to citations. Content Editing will take care of the formatting AND will ensure uninterrupted flow of your ideas. Finally, Executive Content Editing is for those who have spent all their energy on research and need professional help in putting it all together.

Whatever services you request, be as specific as possible about your needs and concerns.

Remember, we do the editing, but the research and knowledge are yours!