There are no universal definitions for different types of editing, and many clients ask generically for “editing” or “proofreading” without a clear understanding of what these entail. However, which names are used is less important than clearly communicating what one actually does.
I mostly offer a service called copy-editing, which entails the following: correcting errors in language mechanics (punctuation, spelling, capitalization, hyphenation, numerals, etc.), grammar and usage; editing for word choice, transitions and writing style, such as awkward constructions, overuse of the passive voice and inappropriate tone; querying unclear terms and facts, issues of sensitive language (e.g., racism and sexism), wordiness, ambiguity, logic problems and content-organization problems at the paragraph level.
But what does this mean in practice? Below are some examples of my copy-editing work for manuscripts in STEM and medicine. The texts show my edits in red on the left and my comments to the author on the right (click on the images to make them bigger). By looking at these samples, you can get a clear sense of the kind of work I do. Only snippets of the texts are shown to preserve anonymity and copyright.
An article on changes in kynurenine pathway metabolites in individuals aged 9–14 diagnosed with puberty gingivitis
An article on how D-histatin 1 promotes the spread of osteogenic cells on bioinert surfaces
An article on cementless calcar-guided short stems
An article on retinal vascular changes in acne patients under isotretinoin treatment
An article on a modified respiratory muscle device
An article on time to readmission and its prognostic factors among hospitalised heart failure patients
An article on anxiety levels pertaining to Covid-19 and future concerns among final-year medical students
An article on serum inflammatory biomarkers in patients with retinal vein occlusion
An article on the association between screen use and sleep habits among children
An article on nurses’ self-assessed competence in paediatric units
An article on physical activity levels among college students in Saudi Arabia
An article on the facilitators and barriers associated with the return to work of cancer survivors
An article on the environmental benefits of aircraft implementing continuous descent operations
An article on the monitoring of postfilter calcium in regional citrate anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy
An article on the geopolymer approach in concrete technology
An article on precision immunotherapy in cholangiocarcinoma treatment
An article on undernutrition among children in displaced persons’ camps
An article on oral hygiene in patients with fixed orthodontics
An article on the effects of magnetic stimulation and exercise on pain in lateral epicondylitis patients
A document outlining a course on pharmacogenomics
An article on the application of nerve blocks in intensive care units
