A Guide to Getting Your Thesis Edited in Australia

by admin | March 4, 2021, 6:05 am

This guide was originally published on the popular Thesis Whisperer website under the title “Should I get an editor for my thesis?”. Below is an updated version of that article.

thesis editing guide

Professional thesis or dissertation editing can benefit both native-speaking and English as a second language (ESL) students alike. However, there is some confusion around the efficacy of hiring a professional editor, the editor’s role in improving a thesis and the best way to find an editor.

Therefore, this guide will take students through the key issues involved in professional thesis editing and assist them in finding the right editing option for their thesis. Although the guide is Australia-specific, its general principles are relevant for students in other countries too.

A student should approach the search for a thesis editor as a consumer

Professional thesis editors are in the business of editing. Therefore, a student in the market for their services must adopt the mindset of a consumer. Like any consumer, a student must be informed about the various options available to them, the average price for the service and be in a good position to evaluate the credibility of a provider.

The best way to become informed is to research—something every student writing a thesis should be adept at!

Professional thesis editing outlined

Students should utilise an editor in the final stages of writing their thesis, whether a fellow student, family member or professional. A thesis is such a huge undertaking that any student can become ‘blind’ to spelling and grammar mistakes, ambiguous expression and referencing errors. However, there is a level of misconception among students and faculty about the ethics and permissibility of professional thesis editing.

Universities in Australia permit professional thesis editing as long as the editor stays within their mandate. The peak editing body in Australia, the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd), regulates the editing of research theses, and they outline the acceptable level of intervention by an editor. In short, editor intervention is limited to improving language-use and expression and ensuring referencing style and formatting conformity, with changes to structure and content strictly forbidden.

Universities may also regulate the use of professional editing themselves. For example, some require a student to get permission before engaging an editor or to acknowledge any assistance within their thesis. We recommend that students consult their supervisor or another member of faculty as to whether their university has any specific rules regarding thesis editing.

role of thesis editor

How to find a thesis editor

The two main types of thesis editors are:

Professional editing company

Professional editing companies are popular for two reasons. First, quality academic editors tend to gravitate towards working for editing companies because they provide a regular flow of work without the need for editors to market themselves. Secondly, editing companies may have multiple academic editors on their team, and therefore will usually be able to begin work immediately. If a student’s deadline for submission is tight, this is advantageous.

A Google search is the most effective way to find professional editing companies in Australia. It is important to closely examine a company’s website as no two editing companies are exactly alike in their service or affordability. Later in this guide we outline the key questions to ask any company.

Freelance editor

There are three ways to find a freelance thesis editor in Australia. The first is through a Google search as some freelance editors have their own websites. Another option is to approach national and state editing societies as most have a list of editors that are accredited with them.

The third is to use an online workplace, such as Elance, Freelancer.com or oDesk. Here, you write a small brief about the task and freelancers on the site bid for the job. The large number of freelancers, coupled with the competitive nature of the bidding, can result in low ball offers. However, be careful with online workplaces as the quality of editors are mixed and a student must be vigilant in ensuring that the editor is appropriately qualified and skilled.

thesis editing tip

Key considerations for a student when choosing an editor:

Efficacy of the editor

The most important consideration when choosing an editor is to ensure that they provide an ethical service and do not overstep their mandate as an editor. Most Australian editing companies and experienced freelance editors will comply with IPEd’s guidelines for thesis editing, but there will always be a few outliers. For example, some may offer to re-write, or even write, your thesis. A student must avoid any such service entirely as it will get them in serious trouble with their university.

Specifics of the service and the editor

Editors are human and edit subjectively and therefore it is important to clarify what their thesis editing service involves and their editing experience. Although most professional editors will have good intentions, not all editors are equal. This makes it essential that a student be proactive in finding one with the right skill-set for their thesis.

The following questions should be answered before engaging any editing service:

  • What will the editor do? How do they define “thesis editing”? Note that it is particularly important to establish whether the editor will check referencing style conformity. Or does the editor intend on providing a thesis proofreading service?
  • Is the editor a specialist academic editor or are they a generalist editor with only limited understanding of academic writing?
  • Does the editor know the specific referencing style?
  • What is the background of the editor?

Affordability

There will inevitably be a certain level of cost involved with professional thesis editing as it is a time-consuming process and an editor should be highly educated. However, some editing services are more affordable than others and therefore it is important for a student to be informed about the various options available to them.

Turnaround time

The turnaround may be a crucial issue for students who have a looming submission deadline. As a reference point, the maximum amount of editing a typical editor can do in a day is around 25,000 words. Some editing companies and freelance editors can accommodate a short turnaround and will not charge extra for it, while others are more rigid in their approach and will charge extra.

A closing note

Australia is not short of quality academic editors, but it is incumbent on a student to do their research and be an informed consumer. This guide has been designed to simplify the search process for getting your thesis edited and provide the necessary information to help a student find a thesis editor that is not only is ethical, but can genuinely improve their thesis.

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