If you are looking for a one-stop academic editing shop, you've come to the right site. I've been a freelance editor for more than 20 years, with most of my experience being in the academic field. I edit everything from college application essays to journal articles to full-length MA or PhD dissertations.

My own academic qualifications are as follows:

BA (English and psychology), University of South Africa (Unisa), 1994.
BA Honours (psychology), Unisa, 1995.
MA (research psychology), Wits University, 2006.

All of my degrees were awarded cum laude, largely due to my writing skills. Now good acadmic writing does not just mean good grammar, although that is essential. You also need to be able to structure your paper or thesis logically, so that it  flows satisfyingly from one point to the next without major repetition or ommissions. You need to know how to use and choose appropriate headings, sub-headings and chapter titles. If you have statistics to report, you must know the correct format for doing so, and you should be able to explain to your reader (in fairly simple English) what the data in each table or graph mean. You need to know how to reference your work properly. In the social sciences we usually use the APA style, but you must check this with your faculty.

For many students of the humanities and social sciences, research methodology and statistics pose a real challenge. If you want to pass your paper or earn your degree, you are expected to master this aspect. Often there is no better way of doing so than to hire a professional who can either guide you through the process or help to generate some of the final output or report. A majority of MBA and MA students make use of such professional services.

Even students who feel confident about their research and statistical skills are well advised to find an editor with statistical knowledge who can read through the report. It is surprising how often a 'fresh eye' will pick up problems, which can then be corrected before the final paper is submitted. Putting your work through this process can make the difference between a pass and a fail, or between a mediocre grade and an excellent one.

As an editor and writer, I also work with non-academic material, such as:

business documents
fiction
poetry
life stories / autobiography
therapeutic creative writing
writing mentorship
medicolegal reports
ghostwriting

My clients include organisations and private individuals.

Types of academic editing are as follows:

Light editing or proof-reading can enhance material that is well written but could do with some final polishing up. For example,
author's English is very good
author has gone back over the document at least once, preferably twice, before looking for an editor
referencing has been correctly done and carefully checked
sentences are crisp and clear rather than being long and complicated.

Medium editing is good for most academic documents. For example,
author has a good command of English but does not have the time or interest to go back over the document a second or third time
author has done excellent work but is using English as a second or third language
references have been carelessly cited or the reference list is incomplete
some sentences are near perfect while others are seriously flawed
the document's overall organisation and flow could be better.

Heavy editing or rewriting means the document needs to be totally reworked or rewritten. This is necessary when, for example,
English is a second or third language and the author is not yet fluent in it
sentences tend to be too long and complicated, as if trying to hide the poor quality of writing
a lot of jargon is used and terms have not been clarified
the paper is poorly organised, with much repetition of points
clarity and brevity are lacking (writing is 'fuzzy' and confused or confusing)
headings and subheadings are inadequate or non-existent
referencing is inadequate or incorrect
the writer has made no attempt to go back over the document a second or third time before seeking an editor.


Editing which focuses only on the smaller details of the text such as spelling, grammar and sentence construction is sometimes called micro-editing. Editing which looks at the overall presentation of the paper or thesis, and reduces repetition or improves the clarity and flow of an argument is called macro-editing. Content editing verifies the facts presented in the document, and must be done by someone with the relevant knowledge and skills. An example of content editing is when the editor extensively reworks a chapter that deals with specialised knowledge such as research methodology and statistics.

The type of editing which your work needs will determine the length of time necessary to improve the document. This in turn will determine the cost. Many people, especially those who have never used an editor before, have unrealistic ideas about editing. New clients often underestimate how much editing work their document needs, especially if they are not only new to editing but are also inexpereinced academic scholars. They underestimate the mental focus and skill that the editor will provide. Some clients seem to think that a good editor needs only a day or two to edit an entire master's thesis, even though it may have taken two or three years to write! Such people may feel insulted and amazed when the editor gives them a realistic quote and time-frame.

But editing is a professional service requiring very specific skills and experience. If you don't want to pay for the service, don't use it. Freelance editors have to work for their living just like anyone else, and one sign of an experienced editor is that they do not charge well below the going rate for their country.

Think about how long you took to write the paper. Think about how much work went into it. If you want your editor to really engage with the document in order to bring it to the highest possible level of presentation, you need to give him or her the time and support to do so. Otherwise, you may as well look for a proof-reader rather than an editor. You will pay a lot less and the job will be done more quickly. But you cannot ask a proof-reader to make any comments or changes in terms of content or organisation. All that a proof-reader will do is correct typos and inconsistencies in spelling (e.g. UK versus US spelling styles), capitalisation and punctuation, and check that subheadings and tables are correctly numbered. Proof-readers may also check the reference style and list. Most editors, including me, will proof-read as they go. If you can afford to hire an editor rather than a proof-reader, do so.

Many academic authors are surprisingly bad at referencing. Often, correcting the reference list and checking that all references cited in the text are listed can take almost as long as the actual edit. For this reason, some editors charge an extra fee per reference. I do this only when it is really necessary, but either way you are going to pay for my time. So it is best to ensure that your reference list is as accurate and complete as possible before you send your work to an editor.


Fees and terms

When contacting me for an academic editing or writing quote, please send a few pages of typical sample text together with your email query. My quote will be based on the standard of the writing which you send me, so make sure it is representative of the general style of your work. Send a couple of pages from each chapter if you are in any doubt about this, especially if you have reworked some sections or chapters but not others. Further details of my fees are given at the bottom of this page.

I charge per hour, and require a deposit of 20-50% (of the total estimated fee) before starting the job. The final cost is calculated after I have finished the job, and the deposit is deducted from that. Payment must be made in full before the edited document will be returned to the client. Most experienced freelance editors work on this basis.

Payment can be made by EFT, direct deposit or PayPal. Currencies accepted are ZA rands, US dollars, UK pounds or Israeli shekels. I do not accept credit cards, and cheques take a long time to process (and accrue bank charges).

Kindly use the following guidelines to work out roughly how much your job will cost, and decide whether you want to proceed before contacting me for a quote.

One page includes 300 to 350 words.
Light editing or proof-reading takes 5 to 7 minutes per page.
The average project needs medium editing, at 12 to 15 minutes per page.
Heavy editing or rewriting may take 25 to 45 minutes per page.
My editing rates vary between R150 and R250 per hour.
Lower hourly fees are charged for longer projects, for repeat clients with a good payment history, and for most student clients. Higher fees are charged for shorter projects, for very tight deadlines, and for organisations.
Generation of statistical reports and interpretation is charged at R300 per hour. Raw data must be supplied by the client.
Mentorship and coaching in research methodology and statistics is charged at R300 p/h. Lessons can be conducted anywhere in thew world via Skype and email, or in person within Johannesburg, South Africa.
My ghost-writing rates and terms are negotiable depending on the size and nature of the project.
I treat all my clients and projects with the strictest confidentiality.


To enquire further about what I can offer you in the way of academic editing, writing and research, please email me at writing@mystory.co.za.


SUE RANDALL

Qualifications
BA (English, psychology)
BA Hons (psychology)
MA (research psychology)
Lifeline I and II counselling courses
Art therapy diploma

Affiliation
Professional Editors' Group of South Africa

Email



26 January 2011