One size does not fit all

There are several online editing services out there, and when it comes to editing, one size does not fit all. When you look for online editing services, you will find some well-established companies that will be able to provide editing services online for all types of documents and writing. You will also find some smaller organizations catering to a niche category of writing.

Editing process

Most editing services follow a 2-step editing process. In round one, an editor will check your writing for all aspects of grammar, language, and syntax. In round two, a senior editor or a reviewer will go over the edited document to ensure that it is free from any mistakes. Round two is essential for ensuring that your document is flawless. However, all online editing services will and should examine your document for grammar, sentence structure, proofreading errors, and basic formatting. In addition, all English language editors will be able to provide language expertise.

If, however, you are looking for something beyond language editing, you must look for online editing services that offer subject-specific editing. An editor with knowledge about the subject of your document (for example, an editor who is also a doctor or has a PhD in Chemistry or Economics) can add greater value than a generic language editor. Some well-established online editing service companies, like Editage, may even allow you to choose your editor. Editage has also developed an in-house editor-selection algorithm that can help find the most suitable editor for your document based on the topic of your paper. The editing process at Editage is shown below:

Most editing services will offer different types of editing such as proofreading, substantive editing, copyediting, and formatting. Although two editing companies may offer a service with the same name, the scope of each service may differ. Thus, it is advisable to know more about the scope of edit before choosing the editing type. To help clients make a more informed decision, many editing companies provide a sample edit for each of the services they offer.

Re-editing and more

Another important aspect of editing is re-editing. Editing being a collaborative process requires back and forth. The extent of re-editing (one/two/multiple rounds of re-edit) support is another distinguishing feature in the types of editing services offered. To maintain consistency and provide quality service, it is important to ensure that the editor working on the revised document is the same one who edited the first draft. Some online editing services also provide translation and publication support services such as journal selection, journal submission, and plagiarism check. These services can aid authors looking to get published in international, high-impact-factor journals. Online editing services are evolving with the times to meet the communication- and publication-related needs of all authors.