Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between proofreading and copy-editing?
Proofreading is the final stage of correction before the text goes to press. It involves a final analysis of the text to highlight any remaining errors and to mark these up using either track changes in Word documents, or BSI marks on hard copy, and to indicate errors on PDF files. Copy-editing takes place at an earlier stage and involves analysis of the writing style to ensure the work conforms to a given house style, as well as highlighting grammatical, punctuation and spelling mistakes, wordiness, unnecessary repetition or over-use of a word, paragraph style, position and style of figures, headings etc.
- How do I get my work edited?
You can contact us by phone or email to discuss your text and requirements, and we will ask for a specimen of your writing. We agree together what work is to be done on your document, and for larger projects, you provide a style guide, specifying your requirements, for example how you want dates to be presented.
Our site and mailbox are encrypted and any information you give us will be confidential. We will provide a quote for the work, and if you are happy to proceed, you email the text to us in a Word file .doc or .docx. If these file formats are not suitable, you can mail us hard copy by snail mail if preferred. Recorded delivery is recommended.
- What are your rates?
Rates depend on the type of work submitted and will be agreed once a sample of the work has been supplied. For short texts such as CVs and letters of application, these would probably take a short time and therefore would be charged at a lesser rate. For larger texts, we use the SfEP recommended rates, i.e proofreading would be charged at £25 per hour, assuming a turnover of around 5000 words per hour.
Students attending a recognised further or higher education establishment in the UK receive a 25% discount.
- How quickly can you edit my project?
If we see a short sample of your work, we can provide an estimate of the time it will take. We aim for a fast turnaround while maintaining a thoroughly professional standard of work. A thesis of around 40,000 words with diagrams and graphs should have a turnaround time of 48-60 hours. Short texts such as applications, letters and cvs should be ready for return on the same day.
- How do you ensure my text is kept confidential?
Your personal information and your script, will not be dislosed to any third party at any time unless you request this. Hard copy will be held in secure locked storage, and online information is encrypted. We have the SSL certificate which is the strongest encryption available to our knowledge. We are happy to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, (NDA) and to meet our clients' requirements for security and confidentiality.