Yes! EDIT MY Manuscript

EDITING & PROOFREADING

Your manuscript's only step between your lab and the publisher's desk
​We can make sure it's a smooth landing. We know the research and publishing industries like the back of our hands. We'll look at your manuscript and point out the kinds of things journal editors might not like, what might frustrate or confuse a busy peer reviewer, and what could delay publication. And we'll help you get your manuscript into the best possible shape before the gatekeepers cast their critical eyes on it. 

Careful, attentive editing by qualified experts who understand your field
We know how deeply invested you are in your research – we've been there. We'll give your manuscript the same level of care and attention that you give each experiment. We'll tailor your it to your target journal, leaving you more time to do what you're best at – pushing the boundaries of knowledge in neuroscience.

Here's a list of everything we can do for you.

*NEW*: We now have three clearly defined levels of editing - for a description of each, please see our Fees page.

Improve clarity, consistency, conciseness
We will ensure that your intended meaning shines through – that you clearly, concisely and accurately convey what you want to say, in each sentence and in the whole document, at an appropriate level for the target audience. We'll help you iron out any issues in language and logic that might be picked up in peer review. Then, we'll go through your manuscript a second – or often third – time, with a fine-tooth comb, checking each word, letter, punctuation mark and space, and ensuring that all terms, spelling, grammar, units and abbreviations are used correctly and consistently throughout the manuscript. Obsessive? Perhaps. But it gets results: a carefully crafted manuscript will delight journal editors and peer reviewers, and will fly through the publication process.

Conform to journal instructions
We'll study any volume of author guidelines for your target journal, and ensure your manuscript adheres to each one, including formatting, structure, word limits and citation style. Need to change whole sections around because you're now submitting to a journal that has a combined results/discussion section, and the methods at the end? We'll make sure it reads as if you always planned it that way.

Stay within word limits
Our edits will never push your manuscript over any word limits for your target journal, and in most cases, changes we make will shorten the manuscript naturally. If your original text considerably exceeds any word limits, we'll tell you. If you need to cut out a large proportion of your text without losing the message, we can do this too – just let us know and we'll include this service in your quote. 

Check citations
We'll make sure the format of all your in-text citations are just as your target journal requires. In addition, we'll check and correct the first three entries in your reference list for free, to make sure you're on the right track.

Fix references
We love references! If you're regretting not using Endnote, Mendeley or Zotero, just tell us and we'll add reference checking & formatting to your quote. For this, we'll gladly go through each one of your references and correct any errors in formatting for your target journal, authorship, page numbers, journal abbreviations, web references, etc. We'll also check off each reference in the list against the in-text citation, and vice versa, so you're not referencing Smith et al 2001 when you've cited Smith et al 2011. Note that we won't usually cross-check against the content of each reference (i.e. we won't pick up if you've cited the wrong article for a particular statement), but again, if that's what you need, just tell us and we'll be happy to add that to your quote too.

Catch errors in tables and figures
We'll proofread all the text in your figures and tables, and spot-check numbers and calculations against the main manuscript text. If necessary, we'll adjust the formatting for clarity and/or presentation (e.g. column distribution, cell merging, text indentation) and to conform to the target journal’s author guidelines.

Scientific editing
This is a deep and detailed edit in which we make extensive suggestions on the manuscript. It comes with a report that summarises the changes we've suggested and gives further advice to help you make your manuscript as good as it can possibly be. Importantly, we will point out issues that might be raised in peer review, so this edit will prepare your manuscript for the smoothest journey to publication.

Inclusivity and accessibility
Our edits always include suggestions that consider the readers. We will point out accessibility issues, such as poor colour contrast in figures, and ensure inclusive language is used throughout the manuscript (for example, using person-first language in appropriate instances, such as "people with schizophrenia" instead of "schizophrenics", but "autistic people" instead of "people with autism"). 

Formatting
We know that Word has a mind of its own when it comes to formatting, so we'll be happy to sort this out for you, making sure it conforms to every whim of your target journal. Some journals will reject manuscripts that are not formatted correctly, but even if it's not a requirement, a well-formatted document makes the manuscript easier for journal editors and reviewers to read. (Please note that for LaTeX documents, we won't interfere with your markup – we'll just let you know if anything needs changing.)

FREE second proofread!
Once you've reviewed your document after editing and made any extra minor changes, we'll be happy to check it over once more for free.

Yes! EDIT MY manuscript