How to Get a Good English Proofreader or Text Editor

If you’re wondering how to make sure your report or essay is the best it can be, finding a trusted and trained English proofreader is easier said than done; however, the following should help you act as a guide on how to obtain and when to use a proofreader.

A good English proofreading service should offer a comprehensive review of your British or American Standard English document for spelling, grammar, sentence contextualization, and repetitive writing. If the service includes editing (whether on paper or online), you should seek to improve the flow of writing where necessary. The professional edition includes common phraseology, proverbs and sayings that are checked for correct use and words that are used incorrectly or sentences that are not clear must be changed or rearranged. Each proofreader has their own standards and should inform you of them, in clear terms, before starting work. These are very different services than writing services or essay writing services, where the copy is written from scratch.

Most proofreaders offer online editing and charge a set amount based on the number of words in your document and response time, and most professionals will require a sample of your writing or preview the document before Quote in a job.

So you need to make sure your proofreader is up to the editorial task. Proofing requires patience, attention to detail, and obviously a deep understanding of the rules that govern your language; it is not simply a matter of crossing the ‘t’ and dotting the ‘i’. It can be a laborious task that requires hour after hour of concentration, not just reading and understanding the text within an often complex dissertation, but at the same time thinking “how do you write this and can it be written better?” Understanding the general meaning of text and being able to improve it without altering that original meaning requires the ability to understand a wide variety of topics, a good level of education (graduate qualifications are usually the minimum for editors), and writing skills. That, combined with good time management skills, means that not everyone who can read can correct.

There are many strong reasons to proofread or edit your text, both in business and academia. For example, a website that is poorly written and lacks clarity could mean potential customers are quickly leaving your site, largely because within five seconds of entering your site they need to know what is available, where, and when. Similarly, poor grammar and spelling will look grossly unprofessional and reflect a lack of attention to detail in the service provided.

For tertiary level students, it is not advisable to leave linguistic errors in an essay or research proposal. By the time students reach universities in the UK, tutors hope to be able to write articulated essays that do not contain basic grammatical errors or confusing language. Failing to meet these expectations could mean that while your ideas may be brilliant, your writing skills will disappoint you. So getting your essays or thesis reviewed and having a grammar check at the very least is a worthwhile investment.

Similarly for academics, submitting an article or research paper to a publisher that lacks clarity and contains unwieldy wording reduces its chances of publication. Many reviewers also lament the garbled language of their peers’ work and are inclined to give less favorable reviews if reading the article is a feat of perseverance. Copy editing is essential to ensure articles are fit for publication.

Writing your thesis statement or lengthy thesis on your topic is often a labor of love and small mistakes are hard to spot; A good proofreader can offer an unbiased second opinion on the clarity of your document. Therefore, having that professional eye on your text, editing and verifying it on your behalf, can be an invaluable service.

by Georgina Little