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Finished drafting your thesis or dissertation—or almost there? Congratulations! I know from experience how much work, time, and sheer emotion it takes to get this far—especially if you and your supervisor are now happy with the overall content and structure.

The next step? Editing

Before you format and submit your work, editing is essential. Perhaps your thesis supervisor has recommended it. Or perhaps you’ll want to publish part of your work after graduation. 

You should review your draft closely, and these tips for academic editing will help. But even experienced writers find it tough to edit their own work and meet the standards most universities expect for a thesis or dissertation. As well, keep in mind that editing must follow your institution’s policies governing ethical conduct and academic integrity.

A trained editor with extensive experience as a former post-secondary writing instructor, I can find those small but essential details that writers tend to miss. In that way, I’ve helped grad students successfully submit their work and graduate on time.

Is it ethical to hire an editor?

Yes! But you do need prior permission, so check with your graduate supervisor first before you start investigating options. Then to help ensure your editing arrangements meet your institution’s ethical standards, follow these guidelines:

Contact a professional.

Your editor should be a member of an established professional association like Editors Canada, the American Copy Editors Society (ACES), and/or the Editorial Freelancers Association. Editors Canada outlines clear editorial standards and guidelines for ethical editing of student writing. 

• CAUTION: avoid dissertation-editing services that
  • are not affiliated with a reputable editing association
  • do not require your supervisor’s permission beforehand
  • ask you for full payment up-front (but you may be asked to pay a deposit on signing an editing contract, which is perfectly OK)
  • offer to rewrite part (or all!) of your work. Definitely not OK.

Get written, signed permission from your thesis supervisor.

After you contact me, I send you a short form created by Editors Canada, which you and your supervisor fill out and sign (and I sign as well). This form confirms the scope of editing and gives me permission to proceed. Editors are never permitted to change the structure or argumentation of a thesis or to rewrite or research any part of the work.

Share your institution’s thesis submission guidelines with your editor.

Your institution’s library or thesis office usually offers guidelines that specify how your thesis needs to be formatted and what essential information to include. Please share these guidelines with your editor! If your institution or supervisor allows, your editor may be able to help you with formatting if you find that aspect challenging.

Did you know…? Some institutions provide a thesis template that specifies the styles for your headings, figure captions, and text. For example, your chapter title might be “Heading 1” and the major sub-headings “Heading 2.” You’ll find the styles you need by clicking on the Styles Pane in Word.

What types of editing are allowed for theses and dissertations?

For graduate student work, Editors Canada guidelines specify two types of allowable editing: copyediting and limited stylistic editing. All edits are done in Microsoft Word (.docx).

Copyediting means

• fixing spelling, grammar, punctuation, and (if permitted) formatting;
• fixing or flagging inconsistencies in names, figures, tables, and mechanics (e.g., abbreviations and numbers);
• fixing or flagging problems with citation style. Editors can usually fix minor issues and will flag anything the writer must update or correct.

Limited stylistic editing (if allowed by your supervisor) means

• flagging problems with flow or wordiness;
• making minimum fixes to sprawling or unclear sentences, or flagging if a simple fix isn’t possible;
• fixing or flagging unclear or unidiomatic wording.

By the way, “fixing” means the editor will make corrections using track changes, and “flagging” means the editor will point something out with a comment.

TIP: You’ll get the most from your editor’s fixes and flags by using an up-to-date version of Word. View track changes by clicking on the red line in the left-hand margin of a sentence or paragraph, or use the “Review” toolbar to view changes and accept (or reject) them quickly.

How much does it cost to edit a thesis?

I bill by the hour, so the total cost of editing is based on how many hours the editing takes. When I look at a thesis, I consider

• its length and complexity
• whether the editing will be light or heavy
• whether the manuscript or any parts need formatting
• how quickly the work needs to be done. For example, I typically expect a 75,000-word dissertation requiring medium copyediting and light formatting to take up to 3 weeks. A “rush job” includes an additional fee on top of the hourly rate; this is negotiated with the writer beforehand.

Before preparing a contract, I always provide an estimate of time and cost. The contract includes the scope of editing, the fee, the date of completion, and other important information. There are no surprises!

TIP: Ask me for a free sample edit! I can usually provide that within 2 business days. If you’ve never worked with me before, a sample edit can clarify and confirm the scope of editing and allow me to give you a precise estimate of time and cost. You can then decide whether you’d like to go ahead.

How do I find out more?

Simply email me with the following information:

• your name and the email address you use at your institution
• the name of your post-secondary institution and the degree you’re seeking (MA, MEd, PhD in ____)
• the title of your manuscript and its finished length (in total word count), including front and back matter that would need copyediting
• your anticipated defence date or submission deadline
• citation style (e.g., APA, Chicago…)

Or fill out this short form.

I usually reply within 1 business day. If I’m able to edit your project, I’ll outline our next steps. If it turns out I’m not available to meet your deadline, I’ll send information on how to find another academic editor.

Not quite ready for an estimate yet, but curious? Contact me! I’m happy to answer questions.

Finishing, defending, and submitting your thesis after years of hard work is a life-changer . . . and I’m proud to say I’ve helped graduate students achieve that goal. For them, professional editing was worth the investment. 

And for you? Get in touch with me to find out.

Image credits:

• “2008-01-26 (Editing a paper) – 31” by Nic’s events is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
• “Dollar Sign in Space – Illustration” by DonkeyHotey is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• “The Graduates” by Game of EPL5 & LUMIX G20/F1.7 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0