Guidelines

Editing Options

Standard copy edit: $6 per page. This is the most common choice for everyday editing. This involves checking an already written document for spelling, grammar, consistency and accuracy issues, style, wordiness, general formatting, specific formatting (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) like tables and figures, citations, bibliographies, references, and footnotes.

Content review/substantive edit: $15 per page. Useful where you are struggling with structural problems and you literally need help with reorganizing and need an impartial eye to evaluate your academic flow. Your editor will guide you on how to restructure your chapters and indicate if further research is required by you. It is essential you maintain your academic voice AND do the work yourself.

  1. Send your very best effort to Language Online (LOL).
  2. The idea is to help you go at least one step further.
  3. If you leave the basics to us, that is what we have to focus on. If you do your best to cover the basics, we can focus on the next level for you and refine your work.
  4. It is really easy to see what level we are working on.
  5. We simply cannot jump from basic to perfect in one edit.

Making sure of the following will ensure no delays:

  1. LOL’s partnered schools use APA 6th format: specify if different, e.g. MLA, Turabian, Chicago, Harvard.
  2. Send your school’s guide if you have one. They do change and no guarantee we will have the latest version. So just send.
  3. Send your document for editing in MSWord file: any version (2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016).
  4. If using a template, keep your document in your template: only way formatting checks can be done accurately. If not using a template, we highly recommending paying for the Language Online Template.
  5. If you only want a portion of your document checked, advisable to send the whole document, template and all. Just be very clear in the comment box about what needs to be edited or reviewed. State page numbers, chapters or section headings. Avoid a series of emails to clarify as it is a recipe for errors and of course slows down the whole process.
  6. All schools have style preferences. The idea is to include anything that can help your editor help you. Examples of the kind of supporting documents to submit: style guides, checklists, feedback from chair/advisor, or committee feedback. Many schools actually provide a style sheet for editors.
  7. The document you want edited, needs to be a clean document with no tracking or comments by anyone else. We will not clean up a document like this. Instead we have to ask for a clean version. This causes unnecessary delays.
  8. Page count: the whole payment process depends on a correct page count: Our definition of a page:
    1. Text Page
      1. 1 or 1½ inch left margin
      2. Times New Roman font
      3. 12 point font
      4. Double spaced
      5. Usually gives 250-300 words
      6. We do not fuss about the exact word count if the above is how your document is set up
      7. Otherwise use an average of 275 words and work out a page equivalent
    2. Non-Text Page count as is. Could include:
      1. Front pages: title/cover page, copyright page, approval/signature page, abstract/executive summary, dedication, Table of Contents, List of tables or figures or appendices or definitions, or any other type of page specific to your institution.
      2. Back pages: references, appendices, notes, or specific pages.
      3. Tables, figures.
  9. Every page you include for editing or reviewing needs to be counted: be it a text page or non-text page. State your page or equivalent page count (if not using the standard 275 words per page format) clearly in your submission. Miscounts mean emails and delays.
    1. LOL reserves the right to double check the word count if concerned about the length. Really not polite or considerate to try and sneak extra words past an editor. Good recipe for bad vibes. If you do not have the 275 average page count, rather send the document to LOL for an equivalent page count calculation. We will do it with pleasure to avoid a series of emails after submission.
    2. All paid-for pages will be checked thoroughly. Crosschecks can only be done if the page has been paid for.
    3. If you want the TOC and figure, table, appendices, or definition lists checked or created for dynamic linking, include them and pay for them. We highly recommend paying for the LOL / APA template to be added if not using a detailed template. It avoids hours of formatting pain.
    4. It is recommended that the Table of Contents and the References be included for editing and payment every time.
    5. A number of important crosschecks take place between the chapters and the Table of Contents, any lists, and the References: so best to include them in payment.
    6. Even if not paying for certain pages, send a complete document. Certain checks cannot be done if some pages are missing.

Quick note about timing:

  1. Allow 1 day for admin purposes: receiving document, placing document, doubling checking document, returning document.
    1. Allow 10 pages per day for the first 100 pages.
  2. So, for example, for 68 pages: 7 + 1 = 8 days.
  3. Allow for 15 pages from page 101 onwards.
    1. So if you had 146 pages: 10 + 3 +1 = 14 days.

In reality we work at between 15-20 pages a day. The extra time is to read the text more than once, do lots of crosschecks, and check the formatting. We simply average it out so that you can calculate the time accurately and not expect miracles from the editor.
Do we offer expedited rates? Rarely and by negotiation. Expect to pay more.

Your expectations versus reality:

  1. Writing is a dynamic process. As you make constant changes, so new errors could occur; thus constant checking is a reality.
  2. It is unlikely that one edit is going to sort out everything. There are always going to be more changes. No publishing house would ever risk its reputation on one edit: Why should you? Think of sweeping the yard as an analogy. Do you get all the leaves the first time? No. So a repeated sweep is necessary. Do more leaves fall (new errors happen as you rewrite)? Yes.
  3. The best results are achieved where we work together long term: where you submit regularly. There are basically four stages in your writing: each proposal chapter, your proposal, your end chapters, and your final dissertation. Ideally each chapter should be edited as completed, then the proposal, then the next chapters and finally the dissertation. Sometimes you will need to resubmit for editing when you make major changes. There is no one rule how it will be for every student, but constant rewrites and therefore repeated edits make a document stronger.
  4. Of course, we understand that repeated submissions are finance and time driven: but be realistic and do not expect one edit to be the magic bullet. And don’t let anyone tell you it should be.
  5. Try for a minimum of two edits: end of the proposal stage, end of the dissertation stage.
  6. Just a reminder that getting the page count correct, avoids unnecessary emails. Rather have us count the pages upfront if unsure.
  7. Be assured that all information is confidential.

A guide to some standard pages we normally see:

If you choose to have any of the pages below reviewed, you need to include them in the page count. They might be in a slightly different order or not have some of the front and back pages. The colors are front pages, chapters, back pages.
• Title Page
• Signature Sheet/Approval page
• Abstract
• Acknowledgements
• Dedication
• Table of Contents for Dissertation (this involves checking the whole documents heading structure)
• List/Table of Tables (this involves checking the whole document)
• List/Table of Figures (this involves checking the whole document)
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Review of Literature
• Chapter 3: Method
• Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Results
• Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations
• References
• Appendix/Appendices

Some extra pages a university might have:
• Different kinds of cover pages (very university specific)
• Separate copyright page
• Extra Lists/Tables: for example, definitions, personal bio, etc.