an editing service for scientists
Services offered by BioMedical Science Writers, LLC
BioMedical Science Writers offers an integrated editing service. My approach is to do what it takes—as much or as little—to make your document the best it can be. My goal is to help you generate a manuscript that shows your science to its best advantage. My skills and experience make me uniquely qualified for this task.
After a few fits and starts during the first years of the business, I have settled on a somewhat unusual business plan. I do not contract with other editors. I do all of the work myself. Let me say that again. I do all of the work myself.
Editing services I provide:
I will proofread your document and perform basic copy editing including correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, verb tense consistency, noun-verb agreement, and formatting consistency.
I edit for clarity and style. I eliminate jargon, smooth language, and rewrite to improve sentence clarity.
I may include substantive re-writing and reorganization to improve readability and clarity. I may return intermediate revisions for your review and feedback, and may consult with you by telephone.
Occasionally, at the request of a client I will shorten a document to meet a page or word limit. Depending on the amount of cutting that needs to be done, this can be a time-consuming process that can add substantially to the cost of service. Therefore, my recommendation is that the client make every effort to produce a draft document that complies with length requirements.
While compliance with any particular journal or grant proposal format is the responsibility of the author, if you provide the instructions to authors for the intended journal and include a sample article or two from the journal, I will edit for compliance.
If you have specific requests or concerns regarding your manuscript, please tell me. I will do exactly what you want me to do. The result will be a document that reads well and communicates your message clearly and succinctly.
Scientific editing ...and much more!
Grant proposals:
Although I will not write your grant for you, I will provide expert grant writing assistance. I have written and been the principal investigator or co-principal investigator on more than 20 awarded research grants and contracts. My grant proposal writing skills are outstanding. I have served on study sections for the NIH and the Arthritis Foundation. I know what grant reviewers want. My insider knowledge of the grant review process means that, as your proposal is being edited, any grantsmanship issues that might adversely affect how the study section views your proposal will be noted and alternatives will be suggested; common "kiss-of-death" faux pas will be pointed out and corrected; grant writing tips that you might reasonably expect to receive only from an experienced colleague who took the time to study your proposal will be provided--because I am an experienced colleague and I will study your proposal.
What I will do:
I will acknowledge receipt of your document promptly. I will edit your document and return it to you in a timely fashion. Standard turn-around is 5 days for documents less than 5000 words, 7 days for documents 5000-10,000 words, and 10 days for documents 10,000-15,000 words, although turn-around can vary depending on my workload. I will give you a guaranteed turn-around time when I receive your manuscript. I endeavor to return documents prior to the guaranteed turn-around. The edits will be tracked and highlighted but not yet accepted so that you can see exactly what was done and have the option of accepting or rejecting each individual edit. If you wish, I can also provide a second copy of your document that has all of my edits incorporated in final form ready for submission. In addition, you might want to review my Suggestions for working with an editor.
Turnaround Time:
I return every document as quickly as I can. For the most part, documents are placed in the queue and edited in the order received. I don't reserve time. However, if you have a specific deadline, let me know. If I can fit it into my schedule, I will—just ask. That said, my workload is substantial. All of my clients have time pressures, and I treat each client equally. It is much better if you can accommodate my standard turnaround. The length of time a document sits in the queue before I begin working on it is a function of my current workload. As my service has become popular, I have found it more and more difficult to adhere to a defined, guaranteed turnaround time. When you submit a document, I will examine it and estimate the time required for editing. The estimated turnaround time will be the sum of estimated days in the queue and estimated editing time.
Guarantee:
I guarantee the quality of my service. Errors made by me during the editing process, or unsatisfactory sections, will be re-edited at no additional charge. While I guarantee to perform expert scientific editing for all documents, I cannot guarantee publication of edited manuscripts, nor can I guarantee funding of submitted grant applications. The decision to accept manuscripts or to fund grant applications rests solely with the journal or the funding agency, respectively.
A few things I don't do:
I don't edit references. I expect that my clients will use a bibliographic data manager such as Endnote or Reference Manager. If you don't already use one of these, I suggest that you purchase a copy. The purchase price is less than it would cost to have me check the accuracy of your references in a single manuscript.
Confidentiality:
Your information and your document are treated with complete confidentiality. I will never share or sell your contact information with anyone. Your document will be held in strict confidence. Please review my privacy policy and terms of service.
Sending your document to BioMedical Science Writers
Please submit your document as an email attachment. Clicking the button below will open an email window. I accept .doc and .rtf files. I convert .docx files to .doc files. If graphics are included, they may be embedded in the text or attached as separate files. If the file is large (> 5 mb), it is preferable to delete the graphics to reduce file size. Please include your contact information, including name, mailing address, telephone number, & email address. By submitting your document to BioMedical Science Writers you are agreeing to my terms of service.
Submit Your Document:
To open your email client and send your document to BioMedical Science Writers click the button below:Please attach your document as a word.doc or rich text.rtf file. For best service, please provide your contact information, including name, mailing address, phone, & email address. By submitting your document to BioMedical Science Writers you are agreeing to our terms of service.