proofreading a thesis

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How to proofread your thesis

1. Review your institution's guidelines

2. take a break before you read anything, 3. determine how to proofread your thesis, 4. use online tools, 5. read your thesis in a different order, 6. read your thesis out loud, 7. reach out to your peers, frequently asked questions about proofreading your thesis, related articles.

Now that you've finished your thesis , it's time to proofread it. You'll need to do this several times to ensure that you submit a solid thesis that's free of grammatical mistakes and typos. We've put together a few tips that can help you optimize the proofreading stage of your thesis.

Your institution will likely have specific guidelines for formatting your thesis. Be sure to double-check the guidelines for layout and format issues, including:

• paper size and margins
• running head
• page numbering
• line spacing

Take time to read through the guidelines again and keep them handy as you proofread your thesis.

The proofreading stage is also a good time to check your citations or references . Whether you're using Harvard, APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association) or some other citation style, make sure that your citations are correct.

Give yourself some time off before you start proofreading your thesis. This allows you to return to your work with fresh eyes. Ideally, you should plan to take a break of several weeks before you begin proofreading; however, even a short break can help you refocus and catch more mistakes.

Some people like to proofread their thesis on screen, while others like to print it out and read it on paper. Whichever method you choose, be aware that you can't read it all at once. Rather, make a plan for how you want to approach proofreading and stick to it. You'll generally want to break up your process by chapter or section.

Consider breaking down your thesis proofreading process in one of these ways:

• by paragraph

Several online tools can help you with proofreading and some of them are even free. Use tools like Grammarly or Proofread Bot for proofreading or Readable.com or Slickwrite to critique your grammar and writing. A quick Google search will show you that there are dozens of tools out there that can help you with your thesis!

Week 1 : Read a chapter a day, watching out for major issues in argumentation, use of evidence, and organization.

Week 2 : Complete substantive revisions and check that all citations are correct. Use a reference manager like Paperpile to create accurate citations and bibliographies.

Week 3 : Re-read each chapter, checking for any additional surface errors. Double-check that your formatting aligns with your department’s thesis requirements.

Try reading your work backwards or in a random order. This approach often works better than reading your work from beginning to end.

By switching up your expectations, you will catch more errors. Plus, starting at the end allows you to keep your conclusions in mind as you read and helps you to verify that you've proven your thesis statement.

The best way to catch grammatical, stylistic, and organizational mistakes is to read your work aloud to yourself. Hearing your own words greatly increases your ability to find typos and errors.

Keep your eye out for the following common errors:

• subject-verb agreement
• faulty predication
• misplaced modifiers
• tense changes
• incorrect citations

If you have friends or peers who are also writing theses, or who have completed them, reach out for advice and help. For instance, blogger Pat Thomson suggests setting up a proofreading deal with a friend.

Also, you might find it useful to join or start a writing group. These groups build accountability and provide writers with support for all stages of the research and writing process.

The length of the proofreading process depends on the length of the thesis. Plus, you should plan to take a couple of weeks off before you start proofreading. It's also a good idea to break up longer projects by chapter or section.

Always double-check your institution's guidelines for the general layout, including:

If you know someone who is willing to proofread your thesis, then definitely ask! Friends and peers who are also working on theses, or who have recently finished, can provide you with useful insights about the grammar, style, and structure of your thesis.

As part of your proofreading plan, you should create a checklist of items that you want to watch out for while proofreading your thesis. Your checklist might include:

• Spelling and typos
• Verb tenses and subject-verb agreement
• Sentence structure
• Layout and formatting
• Citations and/or references
• Consistency of style
• Organization
• Overall flow

You should plan to proofread your thesis as many times as it takes to ensure that you submit a polished and professional work. Typically, however, most thesis writers proofread their work around three to four times.

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How to Proofread a Thesis: A Guide

Anyone who has written one knows that a thesis is a monumental task. Months or even years of research, writing, and revision go into creating a thesis. The moment you type the last word, you may feel an incredible sense of relief. But you aren’t done yet! Now it’s time to begin the second most challenging part of writing a thesis: editing and proofreading. Your thesis will no doubt go through various rounds of editing as you reread and rewrite different sections, and your advisor provides their input. But even after all that, there is one critical step left, which is thesis proofreading. Is thesis proofreading that important? How can you go about thesis proofreading anyway?

What is Thesis Proofreading? Proofreading is a separate step where you carefully review a text to ensure its technical accuracy. Thesis proofreading should be conducted after all of your major content editing has been finished. This is to save both time and effort. After all, why bother reviewing a section that will be deleted later? If you proofread before you are done editing, you may have to go back and proofread new sections that are added or changed during the editing process. Thesis proofreading should only take place once you are really, for real, finally done with editing.

In addition to technical accuracy, such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting, thesis proofreading should double-check that your word choice is correct. Proofreading your thesis will also give you the chance to check one more time for clarity and typographical errors. Finally, thesis proofreading will let you make sure that your word choices, use of abbreviations, and use of capitalization are consistent throughout your text. Thesis proofreading is a critical step because any errors in a written document make the document seem less professional and trustworthy. This is doubly true when it comes to academic circles. In this article, we talk specifically about English proofreading, but keep in mind that thesis proofreading is a critical step no matter what language you wrote your masterpiece in.

How Do You Proofread a Thesis? When it comes to performing the English proofreading of your thesis, you have a couple of options. The first option is to proofread your own thesis. This can save you some money, but it can also involve a lot of time and difficulty. Proofreading your own work is always a challenge, thesis or otherwise, because you will bring your own bias as the writer to the table. You wrote it, and you know what you wanted to say. For that reason, it can be very easy to miss your own errors. This is why many thesis writers choose to hire thesis proofreading services. If you are a non-native English speaker, hiring thesis proofreading services to perform English proofreading is often your best option. English proofreading is difficult for native speakers too, and experienced dissertation editors employed by thesis proofreading services can often provide you with a very high quality of service.

Your thesis is probably long, and so it can help to do your thesis proofreading in sections rather than all at once. More importantly, do not attempt to proofread your thesis immediately upon finishing your final draft. You need as much time and space between you and your thesis as possible before you begin the proofreading process. If you aren’t engaging the help of thesis proofreading services, put your thesis on the shelf for at least 72 hours, preferably a week, before you begin the thesis proofreading process. That way, you can look at it with fresh eyes, and you’ll be more likely to catch the errors you have made.

What Should I Look For When Proofreading? Anyone doing their own thesis proofreading should begin with a checklist of items to review. Common errors that should be looked for include:

• Inconsistent use of UK and US English (especially common among non-native speakers)
• Spelling errors (spell check is useful but will not catch everything)
• Typographical errors (abort instead of about is a nasty error but will be missed by spell check!)
• Inconsistent abbreviations (U.S. vs. US)
• Punctuation errors (improper use of apostrophes, inconsistent use of the Oxford comma, en dashes instead of em dashes)
• Grammatical errors (incorrect use of a/an/the, pluralization, etc.)

The easiest way to eliminate inconsistent use of UK vs. US English is to make sure the language of your document is set for your preferred version of English and then perform a quick spell check using the spell-check tool. This should take care of most spelling issues, but also keep a careful eye out as you read through your paper for any inconsistencies you may have missed.

One additional item you’ll want to take special care with is use of contractions (don’t vs. do not) and apostrophes. In general, academic writing is formal and use of contractions is discouraged. Some style guides (APA, for example) specifically discourage the use of contractions. Similarly, non-native speakers often have a tendency to overuse apostrophes with plural possessives. English proofreading and writing strongly advise against this, as native speakers are taught not to write this way. For example, “the dogs’ group” should be “the group of dogs” and “the publics’ opinion” should be “public opinion” or “the opinion of the public.” In addition, you should make sure that your formatting is consistent. Are headlines aligned the same way? Did you use bold for one section and italics for another? Are the margins correct? Always refer to the guide provided by your university to ensure you have properly formatted your thesis before submission.

Where Can I Find Help with Thesis Proofreading? There are a number of helpful guides and tools out there to assist you in thesis proofreading. Google Scholar can help you double-check your citations, as can citation generators. OWL Purdue online also has many helpful writing tips. Thesis proofreading services, as mentioned above, are also a great resource. In addition to thesis proofreading services, academic proofreading services are also available. What is academic proofreading? Simply put, academic proofreading is specifically targeted to academics. Academic and thesis proofreading services employ experienced dissertation editors who are familiar with specific academic disciplines to review academic articles and thesis manuscripts. Because of their familiarity with the subject matter, they are fast and thorough.

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8 Tips for Effectively Proofreading and Editing a Thesis

20th June 2024

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Writing a thesis is a monumental task, but ensuring it is error-free and polished through proofreading and editing is equally crucial. Whether you’re nearing the end of your PhD journey or just starting, here are eight essential tips for proofreading a thesis to perfection.

1. Start with a Structured Approach

• Organise Your Editing Process : Divide your thesis into manageable sections or chapters. Focus on one section at a time to maintain clarity and prevent overwhelm. For instance, start with the introduction and move systematically through each chapter to the conclusion.
• Create a Timeline : Establish realistic deadlines for each editing phase. This helps in pacing yourself and ensures that you have enough time for thorough proofreading and revision before your submission deadline.
• Use Checklists : Develop detailed checklists tailored to different aspects of your thesis. Include items such as grammar and punctuation, formatting consistency, content clarity, citation accuracy, and adherence to style guidelines (APA, MLA, MHRA, etc.). Checklists keep you organised and ensure you don’t miss critical elements during editing.

2. Focus on Content Clarity and Cohesion

A thorough PhD thesis proofreading and editing process involves checking for clarity and coherence, as these are essential for effective communication in academic writing .

• Ensure Logical Flow : Review each paragraph and section to ensure they connect logically. Transitions between ideas should be smooth and coherent. Use transition words and phrases (e.g., “however,” “therefore,” “furthermore”) to guide readers through your arguments.
• Clarify Arguments : Clearly state your thesis statement and main arguments in the introduction. Each subsequent section should contribute to developing and supporting these arguments. Check that evidence and examples are relevant and effectively support your claims.
• Consistency : Maintain consistency in terminology, formatting, and style throughout your thesis. This includes using the same terminology for key concepts, ensuring consistent citation style, and adhering to formatting guidelines for headings, subheadings, fonts, and margins.

3. Pay Attention to Grammar and Language

Correct grammar and precise language enhance the readability and professionalism of your thesis:

• Grammar Check : Use grammar-checking tools such as Grammarly or ProWritingAid to identify and correct grammatical errors, typos, and punctuation mistakes. However, don’t rely solely on automated tools; manually review your writing as well.
• Language Precision : Use precise and concise language to convey your ideas effectively. Avoid ambiguous or vague language that can confuse readers or weaken your arguments. Be mindful of jargon and ensure it is appropriate and defined where necessary.
• Read Aloud : Reading your thesis aloud can help you identify awkward phrasing, repetitive sentences, or grammatical errors that might have been overlooked during silent reading. This technique also aids in evaluating the overall flow and coherence of your writing.

4. Verify Citations and References

Accurate citations and references are crucial for academic integrity and credibility:

• Check Formatting : Verify that all citations and references adhere to the specific style guide required by your institution or department (APA, MLA, Chicago, MHRA, etc.). Pay attention to details such as punctuation, italics for book titles, and hanging indentation for bibliography entries.
• Accuracy : Double-check the accuracy of each citation within the text. Ensure that every citation has a corresponding entry in your bibliography or reference list . Cross-reference page numbers, URLs for online sources, and publication details (e.g., publisher, year) for completeness and correctness.
• Cross-reference : Compare your citations in the text with the references listed at the end of your thesis. Ensure that each source cited is correctly formatted and listed alphabetically by the author’s last name. Consistency and accuracy in citation formatting demonstrate attention to detail and academic rigour.

5. Get Feedback from Others

External feedback provides valuable perspectives and helps identify areas for improvement in your thesis:

• Peer Review : Request feedback from colleagues, peers, or friends who are familiar with your field of study. They can provide insights into the clarity of your arguments, coherence of your writing, and overall readability.
• Advisor Input : Seek guidance and feedback from your thesis advisor or supervisor. They can offer expert advice on content, structure, and scholarly conventions specific to your field. Address any concerns or suggestions they provide to strengthen your thesis.
• Professional Proofreading : Consider hiring a professional thesis editor or proofreader to conduct a thorough review of your document. Professional PhD thesis editing can offer a fresh perspective: editors can identify errors that you might have missed, and ensure your thesis meets high academic standards.

6. Take Breaks Between Revisions

Avoid self-editing fatigue and maintain focus throughout the proofreading and editing process:

• Avoid Editing Fatigue : Editing a thesis requires intense concentration and attention to detail. Take regular breaks during editing sessions to prevent fatigue and maintain productivity. Short breaks help refresh your mind and improve your ability to spot errors.
• Fresh Perspective : Taking breaks between revisions allows you to return to your thesis with a fresh perspective. This makes it easier to identify inconsistencies, unclear passages, or overlooked mistakes that may have become invisible after prolonged exposure to your writing.
• Iterative Process : Plan for multiple rounds of revisions. After completing an initial round of editing, take a break before conducting subsequent revisions. Each revision cycle allows you to refine your thesis further and ensure it meets your expectations and academic requirements.

7. Use Technology to Your Advantage

Harness the power of technology to enhance the quality and accuracy of your thesis:

• Spell Checkers : Use built-in spell checkers in word processing software to identify and correct spelling errors, typos, and minor grammatical mistakes. However, manually review suggestions made by spell checkers to ensure they are appropriate for your context.
• Editing Tools : Utilise writing enhancement software to improve sentence structure, readability, and clarity. These tools provide suggestions for simplifying complex sentences, eliminating passive voice, and improving overall coherence.
• Version Control : Use version control software to manage revisions and track changes in your thesis. Version control allows you to compare different versions of your document, revert to previous drafts if needed, and maintain a record of edits made during the proofreading and editing process.

8. Format and Finalise with Care

Prepare your thesis for submission with meticulous attention to formatting and presentation:

• Final Formatting : Ensure your thesis adheres to the formatting guidelines specified by your institution or department. Check requirements for margin size, font type and size, line spacing, pagination, and other formatting elements.
• Proofread the Final Version : Review the entire thesis one last time before submission. Pay attention to minor details such as headers, footers, page numbers, and the placement of figures, tables, and appendices. A final proofreading ensures that your thesis is polished and error-free.
• Submission Guidelines : Familiarise yourself with the submission guidelines provided by your institution or department. Follow instructions for submitting electronic copies, printing physical copies (if required), completing paperwork, and meeting deadlines.

Proofreading and editing a thesis requires dedication, attention to detail, and a systematic approach. By following these expanded tips, you can effectively enhance the clarity, coherence, and professionalism of your PhD thesis. Each step—from organising your editing process to finalising formatting—contributes to producing a thesis that reflects your academic rigour and commitment to excellence.

From grammar and language refinement to citation verification and formatting consistency, we offer meticulous academic proofreading and editing to enhance the clarity, coherence, and professionalism of your thesis. Whether you need a final review before submission or ongoing editing support throughout your writing process, we are here to assist you every step of the way. Contact us today to discuss how we can collaborate to ensure your PhD thesis shines with academic excellence, or get an instant quote based on your requirements.

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Proofreading Checklist: Thesis or Dissertation

• Jun 27, 2021
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Whether at master’s or PhD level, theses and dissertations are complex documents. This can make them difficult to proofread . With that in mind, though, we’ve prepared this handy proofreading checklist you can use when working on a thesis or dissertation.

Parts of the Thesis/Dissertation

Theses and dissertations typically comprise several parts, including:

• A strong title that clearly reflects the content of the document.
• A cover page with the title, author’s name, and any extra details required by the examining institution (e.g., name of school, date of submission).
• An acknowledgements page thanking people who helped the author.
• A clear, concise abstract that summarizes the full document.
• A table of contents, plus lists of charts, figures, and abbreviations where applicable.
• An introduction, the main body of the document, and a conclusion. For experimental work, this will usually follow the IMRAD format . In other cases, it should comprise a series of chapters, each covering part of the overall argument.
• A bibliography or reference list (as per your client’s chosen citation style).
• Any appendices or supplementary material required.

However, the details here can vary depending on the degree level and subject area. As such, you should check your client’s style guide for advice on what the thesis or dissertation should include, plus guidelines for each section (e.g., cover page details, abstract length).

Mechanical Issues

Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are the starting point of any proofreading job. When proofreading a thesis or dissertation, then, you will need to look for:

• Basic spelling errors, plus issues related to proper nouns, technical terms, neologisms and other words that the spellchecker might miss.
• Incorrect or unclear grammar and punctuation.
• Inconsistencies in punctuation style, capitalization, and terminology.
• Any additional mechanical requirements in your client’s style guide.

These should all be obvious points for an experienced proofreader. But it’s easy to overlook a few inconsistencies or typos in longer documents, so make sure to be thorough!

Academic Writing Style

Theses and dissertations typically focus on complex ideas or topics, with a dry, academic tone. However, good academic writing is also easy to read. When proofreading, then, you should help your client maintain a scholarly tone while making sure the document is clear.

In practice, this typically means looking out for the following:

• Correct use of technical terminology for the subject area (while also highlighting issues with excessive jargon or unnecessarily convoluted phrasing).
• A formal writing style throughout, with no colloquial or informal language.
• Unnecessary wordiness and repetition that makes text difficult to follow.
• Undefined or incorrectly introduced acronyms and abbreviations.
• Unnecessarily gendered or biased language.
• Inappropriate use of the first person or other subjective language.
• Over reliance on the passive voice where the active voice would be clearer.
• Awkward phrasing or transitions that detract from the flow of the text.

Keep in mind, too, that a thesis or dissertation is the culmination of years of study. Ensuring an academic tone is thus a very important aspect of proofreading.

Referencing Issues

As they are longer than standard essays and research papers, theses and dissertations will typically include a lot of references. When proofreading, then, you should:

• Make sure you are familiar with the referencing style your client is using.
• Check that all citations in the main text are clear and consistent.
• Look for issues with quotations and block quotes .
• Check that the reference list/bibliography is correctly formatted.
• Make sure all sources cited in the main text are present in the reference list, that all entries are correctly formatted for the source type, and that all entries are complete.
• Check that repeated author’s names and book titles are consistent and correct.

However, be careful about editing references directly. Minor corrections to inconsistencies or typos are fine, but making substantial changes could lead to accusations of plagiarism . On a purely practical level, moreover, it’s often difficult to be certain about any changes you make to references unless you have access to the same sources as your client.

As such, it is usually better to comment on referencing issues than correct them directly.

Images and Charts

Many theses and dissertations have images, tables, or charts. If this is true of the document you’re proofreading, you will need to check that:

• Images, tables, and charts all have captions with clear, error-free labels.
• All images, tables, and charts are listed (either together or separately, depending on how many of each type the document contains) after the table of contents.
• Captions are consistent between lists of figures and the main text.
• Visual elements of the same type are labelled consistently, typically with a sequential numbering system for ease of reference in the main text.
• The relationship between visual elements and the main text is clear (e.g., that mentions of images in the text are clearly labelled with “see figure X” or similar).
• All images from sources (e.g., an existing technical illustration) are cited correctly.

Make sure to check your client’s style guide for advice on presenting images and charts, too.

Dissertation and Thesis Formatting

The correct formatting for a dissertation or thesis will depend on the examining institution, so make sure to check your client’s style guide! However, you will usually need to ensure:

• Consistent uses of fonts, styles , and spacing options in different parts of the text.
• All headings and subheadings are formatted to appear in the table of contents .
• Captions are formatted so they’ll appear in lists of charts/figures .
• Correct use of indentations (e.g., block quotes).
• That the layout matches your client’s style guide (especially margin sizes).
• Correctly formatted page numbers (e.g., theses and dissertations often use roman numerals for introductory pages and arabic numerals for the main text).
• Use of section breaks between chapters (in line with your client’s style guide).
• Running headers match the chapter titles in each section.

Many theses and dissertations are bound when finished, so correct formatting can be very important (e.g., making sure the document has a gutter margin for binding).

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Checklist: Dissertation Proposal

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You’ve poured your blood, sweat, and tears into writing your thesis and it is finally complete. But don’t celebrate just yet! When it comes to a thesis, editing and proofreading it is almost as important as drafting it. You can either perform thesis proofreading by yourself or consult a professional. 

The smallest of errors can create a poor impression of your thesis and distract the reader from its content. Whether it’s proofreading on your own or consulting a proofreading firm, it is key to making all your hard work shine. 

But first, let’s start by understanding what thesis proofreading actually is.

What is thesis proofreading?

Proofreading refers to identifying and correcting mechanical errors such as spelling, grammar, syntax, and punctuation errors in a finished document. Here, a finished document refers to a thesis that has been drafted, revised and significantly edited apart from the final step of proofreading. 

Proofreading a thesis, which can be 70,000–100,000 words long, can pose a significant challenge. Thorough thesis proofreading cannot be performed at the last moment; it requires several weeks. PhD thesis proofreading may require even more time as compared to master’s thesis proofreading.

Proofreading not only requires a significant amount of time but also all your attention. It involves taking into account and correcting the most minor of errors. Combing through a 70,000-word document, looking for any hindrances to readability can get taxing for the best of us! 

If permitted by your university guidelines, you can consider consulting a professional to proofread your thesis. Experienced proofreaders work quickly and efficiently, and refine the overall quality and readability of your thesis. 

They make your job significantly easier by eliminating most, if not all errors in your thesis. Let’s better understand what a proofreader’s job entails and how they can help you. 

What does a thesis proofreader do?

A thesis proofreader significantly improves the readability and flow of your thesis by correcting any errors in spelling, grammar, syntax, and punctuation. They are also well-versed in several formatting and style guides and correct any inconsistencies in formatting or referencing styles. 

When it comes to proofreading a thesis specifically, the proofreader performs the following tasks:

• Identifying and correcting inconsistencies in headings, font size, and style
• Correcting errors and inconsistencies in referencing styles
• Identifying errors and inconsistencies in formatting as per university guidelines
• Correcting awkward phrasing
• Correcting errors and inconsistencies in capitalization
• Ensuring proper formatting and labeling of graphs, tables, and figures
• Identifying and correcting errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax

While choosing a thesis proofreader best suited for your needs, select one who has prior knowledge of your subject. This knowledge makes them familiar with your thesis topic, which results in quick, efficient and impactful work. Let’s look at a few more benefits of consulting a professional. 

Why consult a professional thesis proofreader?

A professional proofreader has a trained eye that can spot any mistake or inconsistency  in the lengthiest of manuscripts. Proofreading a document of 70,000–100,000 words is not an easy feat to achieve. It involves combing through each sentence and detecting seemingly insignificant errors, so it’s best to consult a professional in this regard. 

Professional proofreaders have the necessary training, skills, and experience to improve the structure, flow, and overall quality of your thesis. Proofreaders who have background knowledge of your chosen field of interest can also ensure the correct use of technical terms. 

Proofreaders are also familiar with multiple style guides such as MLA format , APA format , and Chicago Style . They can can correct any errors or inconsistencies in these referencing styles. 

If you are thinking of consulting a professional, we have also provided key information on the pricing system for thesis proofreading. Let’s take a look. 

How much does proofreading a thesis cost?

On average the cost of proofreading a thesis is $0.017–$0.020 per word, or $17–$20 per 1,000 words. However, these thesis proofreading rates vary as per the turnaround time, length, and complexity of your thesis.  

The level of proofreading conducted also varies from one document to the other. The cost of proofreading a document with no major errors will be significantly lower than that with many errors. 

Professional proofreaders also use different metrics to charge clients. Some charge per word, some per page, whereas others per hour. Pick a metric that works the best for you. In spite of all these variations, we have collected the average proofreading costs for these prominent thesis proofreading services.  

This table will give you the rough estimate of the price required for professional proofreading and will help you form your own budget. We hope that this information helps you find a professional best suited your requirements.

All the best in your thesis editing journey!

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Dissertation Proofreading Service: Perfect Your Work Fast, Affordable, Professional

Your supervisor has finally given the green light, and now it's time for the ultimate stage of refinement: dissertation proofreading and formatting, all in accordance with your institution's exact requirements. This critical step in the process ensures that your academic masterpiece, whether it's a thesis or dissertation, reaches its pinnacle of perfection.

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As you embark on this phase, enlist the invaluable assistance of a dissertation editing and proofreading service staffed by experienced document editors who specialize in academic writing. Our professional editors are well-versed in the intricacies of academic work, and their expertise lies not only in correcting errors but also in enhancing the overall quality of your document.

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Dissertation Proofreading Services FAQ

What is dissertation proofreading.

Dissertation proofreading is a crucial phase in the academic journey of every scholar, whether you're working on a dissertation or thesis. This meticulous process involves a comprehensive review and editing of your scholarly work to ensure that it adheres to the highest academic standards. In essence, it's the final touch that can make a world of difference in the quality and impact of your research.

Why does my dissertation need proofreading?

Dissertation proofreading guarantees its clarity, coherence, and professionalism. Like other types of editing and proofreading services (e.g., Personal Statement Editing ), it ensures your work is free from errors, enhancing its credibility and the impact of your research. 

In essence, your dissertation is not only a testament to your academic prowess but also a foundational document that may shape your future research opportunities and career prospects. Ensuring that it meets the highest academic standards through meticulous dissertation proofreading is an investment in your success, providing a document that is free from errors and fully ready to make a significant impact in your academic and professional journey. 

How do I make sure my dissertation is proofread efficiently?

Efficient dissertation proofreading involves a systematic review for grammar, spelling, formatting, and content. It's often best to hire a professional editor with expertise in academic writing to ensure a thorough and error-free review.

Efficient dissertation proofreading also requires careful planning, the use of professional services, native English-speaking editors, a collaborative approach using tracked changes, attention to word count guidelines, a thorough review of spelling and punctuation, and a deep focus on the overall quality and consistency of your academic writing. 

What are the advantages of hiring an editor to proofread your dissertation?

Hiring an editor for dissertation proofreading brings numerous benefits, including polished writing, improved clarity, adherence to academic standards, and confidence in the quality of your research. It not only ensures error-free content but also enhances the overall quality, professionalism, and impact of your work. With the guidance of expert editors, your dissertation becomes a powerful representation of your research, positioning you for success in the academic world.

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11 Tips for Proofreading Your Dissertation, Thesis, or Paper

Writing a dissertation, thesis, or paper is one of the final stages of your research. You’ve already conducted your research and have painstakingly written down all your findings.

But now you also have to ensure that what you’ve written has correct grammar and spelling and is something people in your field can follow.

You have to proofread your manuscript. Even if you submit your paper to a journal. While they have editors and will point out some mistakes you’ve made, your chances of acceptance improve when your paper is already in tip-top shape. Not to mention that reviewers can sometimes be very particular about grammar.

Below, you have 11 tips to help you with your proofreading. These are:

Leave enough time for proofreading

Check your style manual or guidelines

Start with checking your formatting

Check your references separately (and cross-reference)

Create a style sheet for consistency

Take breaks

Pay special attention to acronyms and abbreviations

Run a grammar check

Check your work for plagiarism

Make several passes for different issues

Ask for outside help

1. Leave enough time for proofreading

This tip should go without saying, but procrastination is a real thing. And I get it; proofreading can be tedious work, especially if you’ve already read your manuscript several times.

But if you don’t have enough time, you’ll end up rushing, and you’ll likely leave in mistakes.

Consider how many words you can proofread per hour or day. Then calculate how many days you’ll need. And then add some more days to that so you have some extra time if you need it.

If you’re not sure how fast you can proofread, try proofreading the first page of your paper. Then you can calculate your proofreading speed in words per hour.

And, if you also want to hire a professional proofreader, don’t wait until the last minute. You can’t expect a great job on your dissertation if the proofreader only has 24 hours.

2. Check your style manual or guidelines

The first thing to do when you start is to check your style manual or the guidelines of your university.

For instance, the psychology faculty will often use APA style for their papers and dissertations. If your subject falls under the humanities, you’ll likely use the MLA style guide. 

Moreover, journals also have their own guidelines. So, if you want to submit a paper to a journal, check their guidelines as well. They usually follow one of the well-known style guides, but sometimes they have additional rules.

3. Start with checking your formatting

Consistency with formatting is important, but it’s one of the things that’s most often overlooked.

To start, check all your headings and subheadings. Each heading level should be styled the same way.

For instance, you can use title case or sentence case styling. Title case is where most of the words in your heading are capitalized (like the title of this blog post). Sentence case is a style where you only capitalize the first word and proper nouns (like the subheadings in this blog post).

Do you number each section? Do you use bold or italic formatting?

To ensure consistency, you can use the styles option in Word. This is incredibly useful. It will also allow your headings to appear in the navigation pane, which allows you to check your headings in one go.

Aside from headings, also check the captions of your figures and tables. Are these all styled the same way? Is the order correct? Are they referred to in the body of the text?

4. Check your references separately (and cross-reference!)

Don’t just check your references while you're proofreading your entire text. Instead, dedicate a special pass to checking your references.

First, check which referencing system you should use. This will depend on the style guide or guidelines you’ll follow for your thesis or paper.

In general, you can have an author-date system, like APA , or a numbering system, like Vancouver style. Another option is the short-title system, which uses footnotes. This is used, for instance, by the AGLC style guide.

First, go to your reference list and go through each instance to ensure it’s styled properly. Then, cross-reference your list with the in-text citations.

Highlight the in-text citations that match the references in your list. That way, you’ll notice straight away when an in-text citation doesn’t have a proper entry in your reference list when you’re doing your proofreading pass.

Is there a citation that doesn’t have an in-text reference? Keep the reference in a separate document. As you’re doing your proofreading pass, take note of any place where that reference could be inserted. Otherwise, remove the reference from your list.

5. Create a style sheet for consistency

Especially when you have a long document, such as a dissertation or a thesis, a style sheet can be a big help. But when you’re writing a paper, a style sheet can also be a great reminder of certain style rules and spelling choices.

You can use a style sheet for a number of things, but definitely put down your choice for capitalization, hyphenation, spelling choices (for words that have multiple spelling options), and treatment of numbers.

It’s also a good idea to use the style sheet to keep track of your abbreviations.

This ensures you’re consistent with your choices.

(Most of these tips also apply when you've written a nonfiction book, like a self-help book! )

6. Take breaks

Proofreading a long string of text can be exhausting. Take breaks. Otherwise, you’ll likely lose focus and miss small errors.

Break down your dissertation or paper into smaller segments and proofread each segment with a break in between. For instance, you can take blocks of 500 words or 1000 words (depending how fast you are or how tired you are).

7. Pay special attention to acronyms and abbreviations

When you use acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms, you write them out the first time you use them and then use the acronym. However, in a dissertation, it might be sensible to introduce the abbreviation in each chapter. Otherwise, the reader might’ve forgotten what the abbreviation means.

You can also provide a list of acronyms at the front of your thesis or dissertation. This can be helpful if you have a lot of them.

If you put your abbreviations onto your style sheet, you can also easily check them as you’re going through your manuscript. Make sure that you’ve written the abbreviation correctly and haven’t accidentally moved some letters around.

8. Run a grammar check

Even if you’ve edited your manuscript meticulously, there’s still a good chance you missed something. You’re only human, after all.

And sometimes, you introduce a new error while you’re editing. For instance, you adjust the spelling of a word only to accidentally add on an extra “d” somewhere.

Running a grammar check can help you identify some of these errors. You can use Word’s built-in spelling check or use software such as Grammarly or ProWritingAid.

Naturally, while these tools help, they won’t catch every error (or you wouldn’t have to edit your manuscript yourself). And sometimes, they think something is an error when it isn’t. So always check before you adjust anything based on the spelling checker.

9. Check your work for plagiarism

It would be pretty horrible if you turn in your thesis or paper and you’re then accused of plagiarism. Even if you provide a reference, it’s still considered plagiarism if you directly quote a lot of the material. When possible, paraphrase your references in your own words.

If it’s discovered that you plagiarized a substantial portion of your written work, there can be serious consequences.

There are software options that will help you check for plagiarism. For instance, ProWritingAid has an option for this.

But you can also use Word’s tool. When you open the Editor in Word, there’s an option to check for plagiarism at the bottom. It will check your document against online sources. This may not be enough if you’ve used a lot of papers and books as references (I’m not sure Word can also check it against PDFs, for instance).

You can also use a free plagiarism checker like that of Academic Help .

10. Make several passes for different issues

Editing is more than just checking the grammar and spelling of your work. As said, it’s also checking your formatting, references, figures, and tables.

It can help to create separate passes for each issue. For instance, you do one pass for your formatting and one for your figures and tables. Then you check your references, after which you start your editing pass for grammar and spelling.

After that, you apply your style sheet by double-checking your abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms. You also check your word list and search variations of the words in the list to ensure they’re all spelled the same.

Then you make a pass with a grammar checker and do a final pass for your table of contents.

The above is just an example, of course. You can create your own flow for the different passes.

11. Ask for outside help

Editing your dissertation, thesis, or paper is a lot of work. And, if grammar isn’t your strong suit, you may still have a lot of errors once you’ve finished.

If you simply don’t have as much time or you want to make sure your manuscript is as error free as possible, you can ask for outside help.

This can be in the form of a trusted friend who happens to be great at grammar or a professional editor. There are agencies you can use or you can find an editor yourself. In the latter case, make sure your editor has some expertise in your field so they understand the topic of your manuscript and any language that’s common in your field.

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Comprehensive Thesis Proofreading and Editing

A good thesis requires not only a tremendously high standard of content but also writing style. To convey your analysis effectively, your thesis needs to be written in clear, coherent, and elegant language.

Unfortunately, the stress and exhaustion that follow researching, brainstorming, and writing can lead to unintentional errors in your thesis, and you’ve been immersed in your material so long that it’s nearly impossible for you to read it without bias or to spot all mistakes.

A thesis with errors is not likely to be accepted or respected by professors and academic peers. If you want to be assessed for your ideas and not your errors, it is crucial that you have your thesis proofread and edited by professionals before submission.

At ProofreadingServices.com, our top-tier proofreaders and editors have helped hundreds of graduate students , researchers, and professors from all areas of academia by reviewing and polishing their work. We can help you, too. Get started with a free quote.

Our Team of Experienced Thesis Proofreaders and Editors

We know the weight your thesis carries. When you entrust it to us, we handle it with the utmost care. Our editors are...

• Professionals with years of proofreading experience
• Rigorously tested before acceptance
• Experienced in a wide range of academic subjects
• Fast, able to turn around documents in three days , three hours , or anything in between

Every thesis we receive passes through the capable hands of our editors, many of whom are former university professors and all of whom have extensive experience with writing, reviewing, and assessing academic papers . We even work with graduate and doctoral candidates for whom English is not a first language. Below are only a few of the ESL students we’ve helped, making sure their theses read correctly and clearly in English:

• Chandra, a native speaker of Tamil , whose thesis discussed the philosophy of psychology
• Latvian speaker Yelena, with a thesis on natural language processing
• Jun, who writes most often in Simplified Chinese , with a paleoanthropology thesis
• Melinda, who translated her thesis from Greek to English and needed a final check for clarity
• Graduate and doctoral students who speak +90 other languages

From Abu Dhabi to Warsaw , if you need English thesis editing and proofreading help, we’re here for you.

Our Thesis Proofreading Process

When you submit your thesis to us, our proofreaders and editors begin work right away—regardless of what hour of the night or day of the week it is.

We go through your thesis with a fine-tooth comb, carefully editing for inconsistencies in structure, flow, and voice and eliminating typos, grammar errors, and spelling mistakes. Not only do we help make sure your thesis is correct, but we can also help you adhere to the stringent requirements of a variety of academic style guides, from MLA to ACS . Below are some examples of the kinds of documents we’ve worked on:

• A thesis on the psychology of religion in APA style for Hyeon-Ju, from Daegu
• A literature thesis in Turabian style for Tim, from Philadelphia , about the history of science fiction
• A thesis in IEEE style about fault diagnosis for Farhana, from Saudi Arabia
• A law thesis in strict Bluebook style for Jamal, from York
• A bibliography for Lim, from Vancouver , in Chicago style
• An economic history thesis for Harta, from Johor Bahru , in Harvard style
• A thesis on access to medical care for Nadire, from Izmir , in AMA style

After we’ve reviewed your document, with turnaround times as quick as one hour , we submit it back to you with all our changes tracked. Please visit our FAQ or contact us with any questions, or simply see our rates and order here if you’re in a rush.

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

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Whether you're thinking about pursuing an advanced degree in education or are already in such a program, one thing you will need to be prepared for...

Writing a winning thesis or dissertation: guidance for an education graduate student.

Posted on July 31, 2024 on Graduate School , Seahawk Nation

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Whether you’re thinking about pursuing an advanced degree in education or are already in such a program, one thing you will need to be prepared for is writing a thesis or dissertation. In most graduate-level education programs, a thesis or dissertation is the culmination of years of challenging work, serving as your own independent research that marks the final step before earning your graduate degree.

If writing a dissertation or thesis sounds like a daunting task, it does not have to be. With a little preparation and some best practices in mind, you can approach writing a thesis or dissertation with confidence.

Understanding the Thesis and Dissertation Process

Before writing a thesis or dissertation, it’s important to understand their general scope and purpose, along with some key differences between a thesis and a dissertation. After all, while there are some similarities between the two, a dissertation and a thesis are not the same thing.

Defining the Scope and Purpose

The primary purpose of a thesis or dissertation in an education graduate program is for students to demonstrate what they have learned in their respective programs while applying their own research, theory, analysis and synthesis. Ultimately, the author of a thesis or dissertation should successfully contribute something new to the existing topic. In dissertations specifically, students may also be required to articulate, discuss and defend their research orally in front of professors or other faculty members. This oral defense is not required for a master’s thesis.

Differences Between Thesis and Dissertation

When it comes to writing a thesis or a dissertation, the terms “dissertation” and “thesis” are sometimes used interchangeably. That said, it is crucial to understand that these are two different things. Generally, a dissertation is primarily focused on filling a gap in existing literature or extending upon current research regarding a specific topic. The goal is to analyze literature to the point of saturation and determine where there is a need for further research. In a dissertation, a doctoral student will then explain where the problem exists given current research and develop a research study to explore or evaluate the problem, thus filling the gap and contributing meaningfully to the field.

On the other hand, a thesis is more of a presentation of information that’s already out there with no obligation to conduct additional research.

Choosing the Right Topic

One of the most important aspects of drafting a great thesis or dissertation begins with choosing the right topic. Here, it is paramount to select a topic that not only interests you but is relevant to your future professional goals and aspirations. After all, there’s a good chance you may use your thesis or dissertation as a basis for future work or further research.

Considering Current Research Trends

In selecting a topic, you will also want to consider current research trends in your field. What is trending in the realm of education and what could you contribute to existing research? There are research gaps or questions that remain unanswered about certain educational topics that could be addressed through your research.

Research and Proposal Development

In most graduate programs, you will need to write and present a research proposal before you can really get started on your thesis or dissertation. Most research proposals are reviewed and approved by a professor or other faculty.

Conducting a Literature Review

A literature review is to discover the research available on your research topic. This review should detail each source you plan to use in your own research with plenty of detail. More specifically, a literature review is a comprehensive summary of the current literature on a given topic that demonstrates the need for additional research to be conducted. Literature reviews comprise a major portion of a proposal, including a summary of each source as it relates to the need for additional research.

Finding Reliable Sources

Quality is vital when it comes to selecting literature for your research or literature review. Ideally, your literature review should include plenty of recent and reputable sources that come from academic journals, books, articles and even other dissertations.

Developing a Research Proposal

Once you have a better understanding for what is already out there, you can craft a research proposal that discusses your specific research topic, the current problem, the purpose behind your research, the methodology you plan to use and the relevant literature that further defends a need for your topic to be investigated.

Methodology Selection

An important part of your research proposal will be your methodology selection, which will explain exactly how you plan to go about your research. For example, will your research be qualitative, quantitative or a mix of both and why? How will the methodology you choose answer your research questions?

Writing and Structuring Your Thesis or Dissertation

After your research proposal is approved, you will have the green light to begin working on your thesis or dissertation. You will receive feedback or thesis guidance from the faculty member who reviewed your proposal. It is important to reflect on the feedback and make revisions as needed.

Creating an Outline

One of the most helpful things you can do as you get started with your dissertation or thesis is to create an outline. This allows you to develop the most critical aspects of your final project that include your thesis, your main points and other key details to ensure that they flow logically.

For reference, an outline for a dissertation will typically include the following:

• Introduction of existing research
• Review of literature
• Conceptual framework
• Methodology
• Results or findings
• Interpretations, conclusions or recommendations for future research

Structuring Arguments

In creating an outline, include designated sections for each of your main points with specific research, statistics, or other data to support it. This will ensure that your arguments are made clearly and that your thought process is clear.

Writing Tips and Strategies

Even if writing is not necessarily your strong suit, you will need to be able to put together a cohesive document for your thesis or dissertation. There are some basic strategies worth keeping in mind to help you get started.

First, it can be helpful to write your introduction and conclusion paragraphs last once you have completed all your research. While it might seem counterintuitive to do it this way, it can help set the tone for the rest of your writing. Likewise, this strategy ensures that you include your main points while preparing your readers for the information to come.

Additionally, meet with your advisor or faculty sponsor regularly to gain valuable feedback and keep your project on track.

Data Collection and Analysis

Whether you are writing a thesis or dissertation, you will need to do a fair amount of your own qualitative or quantitative research. It’s important to understand the various data collection methods available to you, plus the best practices for analyzing and interpreting data.

Choosing Data Collection Methods

There are two main types of data collection:

• Quantitative data  - Refers to hard data that is numerical in nature, such as statistics and percentages.
• Qualitative data  - Refers to information that is non-numerical, such as interviews and focus groups.
• Mixed methods – Refer to a combination of both quantitative and qualitative data.

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Once you have all the data you need to write your thesis or dissertation, the challenging part is often analyzing and interpreting the data to apply to your own research. The most important thing to keep in mind when looking at hard data is how it relates back to your research and specific research questions.

When working with quantitative data, it can also be helpful to look for specific trends and correlations that you can share in your research.

Reviewing and Editing Your Work

Once you have completed the first draft of your thesis or dissertation, the process of reviewing, revising and editing your work before submission is important to ensure that the document is free of errors and that it effectively communicates your main points to the reader.

Peer Review and Feedback

One of the best ways to improve upon the first draft of your dissertation or thesis is through peer review and feedback. By having others read your draft and provide feedback, you can gain some valuable insights into how your arguments are being interpreted. Even if the person you ask to read your draft is not familiar with the subject matter, they can still provide useful feedback on the organization of the information, structure and grammar/spelling.

Proofreading and Final Edits

It may take several rounds of revisions before your dissertation or thesis is approved. Even when you feel like the entire thing is ready to submit, it is important to complete another round of proofreading and editing to be sure that the entire document is polished and in the best shape possible. This includes not just running a basic spell check but taking the time to read your paper word for word.

Formatting Guidelines

In most education programs, you will be instructed to use the  American Psychological Association (APA) style when writing and formatting your thesis or dissertation. It is important to follow all formatting guidelines here, especially as they relate to citations or references.

Preparing for the Defense

In many doctorate programs and some graduate programs, students will also be expected to defend their dissertations in front of other scholars, usually professors or other faculty from the department. This process can be daunting, even for those who know their research well and have crafted thoughtful dissertations.

Crafting Your Presentation

In preparing for a dissertation defense, it is imperative to craft a presentation that covers the basics of your dissertation topic, how you researched it and what your findings were. Following your presentation, you can expect to be asked questions by those in attendance about your topic and other aspects of your research.

Practicing Your Defense

The best way to prepare for a dissertation defense is to practice as much as possible. This way, you will be prepared for the kinds of questions that may be asked, and you will feel a little more confident when completing your defense.

Mock Sessions

Mock defense sessions can be especially helpful for practicing your presentation and answering questions from a real crowd. Do not hesitate to ask your fellow students or even some trusted professors to practice with you to provide feedback or ask questions.

Handling Questions

One of the most difficult aspects of defending a dissertation is often answering questions from the audience. One important tip to keep in mind here is to prepare some answers in advance to some of the questions you think might be asked during your dissertation defense. This way, you will be completely prepared to knock these out of the park.

Ready to Pursue an Advanced Degree?

As you can see, there is a lot that goes into writing a dissertation or thesis as part of your graduate education program. With this dissertation guidance in mind, you will be prepared to craft and even defend your thesis or dissertation with success.

Still looking for the right graduate education program to suit your interests and professional goals? Keiser University is proud to offer a number of advanced degrees in education, including our  Master of Science in Education, Teaching and Learning  program. If you’re interested in earning your doctorate degree, we also offer a  Doctor of Education  and a  Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership .

Learn more about any of the graduate programs offered at Keiser University by  contacting a graduate admissions counselor today, or get started with your online application  for enrollment.

Jessica Kircher

Your Writing, Expertly Edited

Get your work meticulously edited and proofread by PhD-qualified academic writing specialists, who know exactly what markers want .

Your All-In-One Solution

Our flagship service includes both editing and proofreading . Here’s what we take care of:

• Fix typos, misspellings, punctuation issues and ensure consistency of your spelling format (e.g., UK or US English).
• Undertake light rewriting of poorly presented sentences, to improve readability and ease of understanding. If substantial rewriting is needed, we’ll provide suggestions.
• Highlight areas where clarification and additional explanation are needed.
• Ensure that your in-text references are in the correct style, formatted correctly and are included in the end-text reference list.
• Ensure that your reference list is correctly formatted.
• Highlight areas where additional references are needed (e.g., sweeping statements, unfounded arguments, etc.).
• Generate the table of contents page, lists of figures and tables.
• Ensure consistent style for figure and table captions.
• Insert captions where we are able to, or highlight areas where captions are needed.
• Ensure consistency of heading levels and styles.
• Ensure correct page numbering (e.g., roman numerals for pre-matter).
• Ensure that your format/page layout is in line with your institute’s requirements.

What exactly you get  

Every editing and proofreading project includes the following key deliverables:

A perfectly edited document

You’ll receive a clean, finalised version of your document, fully edited and proofread. You’ll also receive a second version with all changes tracked , as well as our comments and suggestions to improve your writing further.

A detailed plagiarism report

If you’d like, we can run a comprehensive plagiarism scan on your document and provide you with a detailed report that outlines potential plagiarism issues and provides a similarity index. This is included free of charge.

A certificate of editing

If your university requires a formal certificate of editing or confirmation letter, we’ll draft this according to your institution’s specific requirements. We can also provide copies of invoices and receipts if required by your sponsor. 

The Grad Coach Difference  

Editors are a dime a dozen  and there’s always someone who can do it cheaper. Here’s what makes Grad Coach’s editing and proofreading service different.

Academic Writing Specialists

Our PhD-qualified editors specialise in academic writing, so they know exactly what markers want.

Combined Editing & Proofreading

Our service includes both editing and proofreading, while others charge separately for each.

Full Plagiarism Reporting

In addition to editing and proofreading, we can also provide a  plagiarism report , completely free of charge.

Get Your Dissertation Edited Today

Or book a free, no-obligation consultation .

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most popular editing-related questions we receive.

Editing & Proofreading

How do you edit and proofread.

Our editing and proofreading process is 100% manual - in other words, it's handled by a team of highly qualified human editors, not machines . We don't use any automation software or tools, as nothing can beat the quality and accuracy of human editing.

Our editing team consists of a diverse mix of Doctoral and Master's-qualified language specialists . The team is managed by Dr Eunice Rautenbach , who holds both a Master's and Doctoral degree in language practice. All team members have extensive academic editing experience, are native English speakers (from the US, UK and SA) and have worked on numerous dissertations, theses and research projects.

Can I see an example/sample of your editing?

Certainly . You can download a sample editing and proofreading project here .

Will you sort out my references and citations?

Yes . As part of the editing process, we will ensure that your references and citations are in the correct format (e.g., Harvard, APA, etc) as per your university's requirements (you'll need to advise us what these are).

However, keep in mind that we can't fill in incomplete references or find the relevant sources for you (as it's impossible for us to know which sources you've referenced). We also cannot check whether the references you have are accurate or suitable for the arguments you make in your writing.

Can you fix/build my table of contents?

Yes , we can create a table of contents based on the headings and subheadings throughout your dissertation or thesis. This table of contents will include the respective page number for each heading or subheading.

Can you lower my word count?

Yes - as part of the editing process, we will edit your work for concision. However, we cannot guarantee a specific word count or percentage reduction, as this would risk cutting out important content.

Can you check my work for plagiarism?

Yes - we can provide a detailed plagiarism report with every editing and proofreading project. However, please keep in mind that universities use a variety of plagiarism-checking services. Therefore, if your university provides you with a plagiarism-checking facility (as they often do), you should double-check your score on that system.

How long does the editing and proofreading process take?

It depends on the length of the document, the overall quality of the writing (i.e., the number of issues to be resolved) and our project load at the time of submission.

Generally speaking, we can complete a standard dissertation/thesis of 20,000 words within 2-3 days , but this varies depending on the factors above. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you pre-book your editing with us for a specific date. For pre-booked projects, we can provide a guaranteed timeline, which is generally shorter than that of "walk-in" projects. Please email us to pre-book your project.

Can you provide a certificate of editing?

Yes , certainly. We can issue a certificate according to your university's requirements. We can also sign any paperwork required by your university as proof of editing.

Will my document be treated as confidential?

Yes , absolutely. Your work will be treated as strictly confidential and will never be shared or published. We will gladly sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with you if you wish.

How much does editing cost?

Our fee is based on the total word count of the document. This includes the body content and the reference list (as we need to review this). You can also include the appendices if you wish, but it's generally not required.

Click here to view our pricing or book a free consultation to discuss your project.

When should I submit my document to you?

Generally, editing and proofreading should be the very last step in your writing process. This ensures that you don't "undo" any editing work, or introduce new typos or grammar issues.

However, if your supervisor has specifically instructed you to get your work edited before submitting it to them for final review, you should follow their instructions. If you're unsure which approach to take, get in touch with us.

Can you edit my dissertation/thesis as I complete each chapter?

We can, but we don't recommend it . By editing chapter by chapter, consistency is reduced and there is a strong chance that there will be conflicts between document versions in terms of references, page, table and figure numbers, and so on. As a result, a lot of the work will be "undone" and you'll need to spend a lot of time revising and checking each section.

How much time should I factor in post-edit to make corrections?

We recommend that you factor in a day or two to make your final corrections after receiving your document back from us. This is not essential (as you can just accept all our edits "as is"), but it is a good idea to have a buffer in case you want to make any additions or revisions. You might also need to fix issues highlighted by the edit, e.g., regarding clarity of meaning or problems flagged with your referencing.

Can you do a second review of my document after the first edit?

We can review your document as many times as you need , but each review is charged separately. In other words, we cannot provide a second review (after we've edited and proofread) free of charge.

Can you check that my Conclusions and Recommendations represent all my findings?

This is beyond the scope of language editing, as it involves data analysis and interpretation. If you would like assistance with this, we can assist with 1-on-1 coaching , where we review your work critically and provide in-depth feedback (you can view a sample of this here ).

Can you write my abstract (or exec summary) for me?

No , we can't. As part of the editing process, we will improve the quality of your writing, but we cannot write any section for you. Having any section written for you would constitute academic misconduct.

Can you rephrase text to reduce my plagiarism score?

No , we can’t. While we may undertake some very light rewriting of poorly constructed sentences to improve readability and ease of understanding, we cannot revise content to reduce plagiarism, as we are not familiar with the articles/sources being referenced.

Can you arrange the separate sections of my document?

No , we cannot arrange (or rearrange) sections of content on your behalf, as this may impact the core meaning and/or the thread of argument.

That said, if we feel that a section could be structured better for clarity, we will comment on this and make suggestions. Additionally, we will check that your headings and subheadings are numbered sequentially and are consistent in style.

I still have questions…

No problem. Feel free to email us or book an initial consultation to discuss.

Still have a question?   Email us  or  book a no-obligation consultation .

What Our Clients Say...

We've worked 1:1 with 3000+ students . Here's what some of them have to say:

David's depth of knowledge in research methodology was truly impressive. He demonstrated a profound understanding of the nuances and complexities of my research area, offering insights that I hadn't even considered. His ability to synthesize information, identify key research gaps, and suggest research topics was truly inspiring. I felt like I had a true expert by my side, guiding me through the complexities of the proposal.

Cyntia Sacani (US)

I had been struggling with the first 3 chapters of my dissertation for over a year. I finally decided to give GradCoach a try and it made a huge difference. Alexandra provided helpful suggestions along with edits that transformed my paper. My advisor was very impressed.

Tracy Shelton (US)

Working with Kerryn has been brilliant. She has guided me through that pesky academic language that makes us all scratch our heads. I can't recommend Grad Coach highly enough; they are very professional, humble, and fun to work with. If like me, you know your subject matter but you're getting lost in the academic language, look no further, give them a go.

Tony Fogarty (UK)

So helpful! Amy assisted me with an outline for my literature review and with organizing the results for my MBA applied research project. Having a road map helped enormously and saved a lot of time. Definitely worth it.

Jennifer Hagedorn (Canada)

Everything about my experience was great, from Dr. Shaeffer’s expertise, to her patience and flexibility. I reached out to GradCoach after receiving a 78 on a midterm paper. Not only did I get a 100 on my final paper in the same class, but I haven’t received a mark less than A+ since. I recommend GradCoach for everyone who needs help with academic research.

Antonia Singleton (Qatar)

I started using Grad Coach for my dissertation and I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for them, I would have really struggled. I would strongly recommend them – worth every penny!

Richard Egenreider (South Africa)

Get A Quote For Your Project

Get an online quote in less than 60 seconds, or book a no-obligation consultation .

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PhD Editing Services

Phd proofreading services.

Your PhD, Polished By Professionals

Expert Support Throughout Your PhD

A PhD is the sum of years of research and writing. And as well as your final thesis, you may need to prepare a lot of papers during your studies. But whatever stage of your PhD you’re at, your written work needs to be clear and concise so you can make a strong argument. And this is where  proofreading  can help. So to give yourself the best chance of success, try our expert PhD editing services today.

Expert Editor

Proofreading Professionals

Our team has a world of experience with academic research, making us experts at polishing PhD theses. And to ensure the best results possible, we can even match you with a specialist PhD editor who knows your subject area.

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing

As part of our service, your specialist PhD editor can help you:

• Perfect your punctuation, spelling, and grammar
• Maintain an academic tone and vocabulary in your writing
• Check that documents are clear and well structured
• Make sure your referencing is correct
• Improve your writing style via helpful feedback

And when we check a document, we provide two edited copies:

• A “Clean” copy in the original file format
• An  MS Word Track Changes  copy with all edits highlighted

You can then review our work using this “Track Changes” copy, so you’re always in control of the final draft. And if you’re using a  file format  that doesn’t support Track Changes, we can adapt our process to match.

Lightning-Fast Delivery

You’ll never miss a deadline with our speedy services: our Next-Day Guarantee means we’ll return any document up to 10,000 words long within 24 hours

And if you need a faster turnaround, simply select your desired delivery speed when you submit your document. We have three options:

We can also meet custom deadlines! Just let us know what you need.

*For documents up to 8,000 words 

**For documents up to 3,000 words

How We Work With Academics

You’ll never miss a deadline with our speedy services: our Next-Day Guarantee means we’ll return any document up to 8,000 words long within 24 hours.

And if you need a faster turnaround, simply select your desired delivery speed when you submit your document. We have three options

We can also meet custom deadlines! Just let us know what you need. 

* For documents up to 8,000 words

** For documents up to 3,000 words

Great Pricing

Our pricing is affordable and transparent – the cost is based on the exact length of your document. Check out our pricing calculator for an instant quote, and rest assured that you’ll receive the highest quality proofreading and editing for the best value on the market.

Referencing Expertise

Our team includes experts in various referencing styles and systems, including AMA, APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, and IEEE. No matter what style you’re using, though, we can check that your citations and references are correct and let you know if any information is missing. Visit our referencing page to learn more.

Subject-Matter Experts

Our team includes over 750 professional editors with backgrounds in a wide range of disciplines, so we’ll always match you with the best editor for your writing, whether you need help with a sociology dissertation, handouts for a music theory lecture, or a biology research paper.

24-Hour Support

Our support team is available around the clock to address any concerns or questions you have about your order. This means you’ll never be left in the dark, no matter where you are or what time it is.

Instant Quote

You can also upload a document to get an instant quote

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Looking For The Perfect Proofreader?

We can help you improve everything from journal articles to theses. Let us show you how!

Submit a fluent and error free thesis

Worried about the quality of your writing need some expert help, we’re the world’s most popular phd-dedicated proofreaders, and we’ll make your writing shine., proofreading by phd specialists, ethical and transparent, trusted by over 6,000 students, safe, secure and 100% confidential, free sample - try before you buy, we’re professional in everything we do.

You’re the expert in your field.

We’re the experts in proofreading.  .

Are you a non-native English speaker or do you struggle to write fluently? Are you worried about the quality of the writing in your PhD? 

That’s a problem, because a thesis with language and fluency issues will get sent back for costly and time consuming corrections.

We can help. We’re a member of the  Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading  (CIEP) and are bound by their Code of Practice . That means you can be assured of the highest levels of quality and professionalism in everything we do.

Because we offer the world’s most popular and comprehensive PhD writing check-up, your thesis couldn’t be in safer hands. It’s our job to correct your writing and make sure your thesis reads like a native speaker wrote it. With our help, you can submit with confidence and be one step closer to calling yourself ‘Doctor’.

If you need us to we can also check your references and bibliography, format your thesis, and comment on the overall readability and structure, for no extra cost to you.

We’ve helped over 6,000 students graduate, so no one is better qualified to make your writing shine.

“The PhD Proofreaders exceeded my expectations. The end result was a dissertation which was not only written in proper English but had much clearer content as well.”

Andrew – university of sydney., read more reviews ., the world’s most comprehensive phd writing check-up. .

Did you know it takes 40 hours to proofread an 80,000 word thesis? Or that your proofreader has to watch out for up to 100 common language, fluency and grammar problems?

You’ll certainly notice the difference when you open your thesis and you can’t believe your eyes.

You’ll notice it when long, hard-to-read paragraphs now flow seamlessly and that your ideas are presented with flawless, fluent writing.

When you get your proofread thesis back, you’ll think to yourself, “It reads like a native speaker wrote it”.

Our experienced proofreaders will comb your writing line-by-line. They check for anything that gets in the way of you presenting your research clearly and fluently. They can also format your thesis and comment on its structure and readability. 

So whether it’s grammar, syntax, repetition or spelling you struggle with, let us find the language flaws and correct them for you.

You’ll be one step closer to calling yourself Doctor

Proofreading specifically for PhD students

We check for and correct mistakes with grammar, spelling, word use, repetition and tone. We spend 40 hours combing line-by-line through an 80,000 word thesis, so you know that no mistakes will be left. Even your examiner won’t read your thesis that carefully.

We do everything we’re allowed to as proofreaders while preserving your integrity. We never disrupt or alter your ideas. Instead, we take what you’ve written and make it shine.

We understand deadlines

You’re up against tight deadlines and you feel under pressure to submit. That’s why we work quickly and efficiently when proofreading your thesis.

We typically take two working days for a 10,000 word chapter or seven for an entire 80,000 words thesis. We can work more quickly though if you need us to – just let us know (additional fees may apply).

Our turnaround times are guaranteed and we’ll clearly communicate them with when you order. We’ll never cause you to miss a deadline.

60 disciplines, 100 countries, 6,000 satisfied students

Our proofreaders are experienced in a wide range of academic areas. Our service is designed specifically for:

• Non-native speakers of English
• Native speakers looking for extra writing support
• Those with learning difficulties
• Those at every stage of the PhD
• Students in every discipline
• Those writing in US, UK or Australian English
• Students from across the globe

Tailored to your requirements

You need to know that the person proofreading your PhD can understand the technical terms of your discipline.

That’s why we assign it to an accredited proofreader with expertise in your discipline. All our proofreaders have at least a master’s degree, with most having PhDs themselves. In either case, they speak your language.

Because we only proofread PhDs, we know the process inside out. We know exactly what’s required and what standard you should be writing at. You can be sure we’ll treat your thesis with the respect it deserves and catch every writing mistake.

Safe, secure and 100% confidential.

You need to be 100% sure that you can trust the people working on your thesis. That’s why we treat your thesis safely, securely and confidentially. We treat it as if it were our own.

We have a robust Privacy Policy and we will gladly sign a non-disclosure agreement to give you complete peace of mind. We’re also bound by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading’s Code of Practice,  so you can be sure of a professional, thorough service.

We will also work on a 500-word free sample, so you can assess the quality of our work, and we offer a 100% money-back guarantee if you aren’t happy with the finished product.

Free Optional Add-Ons To Elevate Your Writing…

Every phd is different, which is why we offer a range of add-on services alongside our core proofreading at no extra cost to you. you’ll be able to select which you need when you submit an inquiry below.  , reference checking & formatting.

If you need us to, we’ll format your in-text references and bibliography in line with any major style guide. We’ll also double check that your bibliography is complete, so you can be sure that all the references you mention in the text are accounted for, and vice versa. 

Thesis &Chapter Formatting

If the thought of formatting your thesis prior to submission fills you with dread, we can help. Following your university’s submission guidelines, we’ll make sure the entire thesis is formatted correctly. This includes fonts, margins, spacings, headings and so on. 

Readability & Structure Check

If you want a second opinion on the clarity of your argument and quality of your writing, we’ll help. If you want, our editors can provide feedback and advice on the overall readability and structure of the text and, where relevant, suggest areas for improvement. 

What other students say

Finishing a PhD is a difficult and nerve-racking endeavour   the final phases especially can be quite stressful. As I had re-read some of the chapters in my thesis over and over again, I felt that I could not really ‘see’ the words anymore, so I decided to look for a proofreader. I’m a perfectionist, so I figured that I’d save myself a lot of nerves by having someone look over it critically. While I’m not a native English-speaker, I’m a very confident writer, so I did not need any help with the language. Instead, I was looking for someone who could help spot typos as well as repetitions and general inconsistencies. I contacted a range of different proofreading services. The PhD Proofreaders stood out to me from the start. It felt very personal, and Max really took the time to listen to all of my enquiries. In addition to his expertise, he can empathise with the stress of handling the final stages of writing. Turnaround time was very quick, and the proofreading was generally quite thorough. The entire process was very smooth; we agreed on a timetable and he even managed to send comments back before the deadline we had agreed upon. Even after sending me his comments, he checked in regularly to see if I needed help with anything in the final weeks before submission. He is encouraging, always goes the extra mile, and super easy to communicate with; I was always able to get a hold of him when I needed something. All in all, it was well worth the money and I highly recommend his services!

PhD Researcher , University of Cambridge

“Without this personalised assistance, there is no way I would have felt comfortable paying a proofreader. The PhD Proofreaders couldn’t have done a better job. It was such a relief. The thesis they sent back read so beautifully and I was awarded no corrections.”

“You and your excellent professional skills can always cheer me up and bring me more confidence at the last stage of this long matharon.”

“Without The PhD Proofreaders, there is no chance I would have submitted my thesis on time. I wouldn’t have passed first time, either. My thesis was let down by poor English, so the money I spent was worth every penny. It was a great investment.”

“Your solidarity with developing countries’ PhD students who would never be able to afford other similar services, makes you standout not only high quality proofreading services provider but also an understanding and personal service supplier. This unique approach puts you at the helm of the pack.”

“After talking to Elizabeth [a PhD coach], I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night last night for the first time in months! Ahh to have this feeling over my destiny again is very nice”.  – Rachel, France.

Frequently asked questions...

What's included.

When we’re finished, your thesis will read like a native speaker wrote it. Included as standard:

1. Checking and correcting misspelling and incorrect punctuation.

2. Checking grammar and syntax. This can include rewording parts of a sentence or a whole sentence in order to clarify your English, which can be in US, UK or Australian spellings.

3. Leaving comments for you where the meaning of the text is unclear or confusing in order to help readability.

4. Identifying the incorrect use of words and suggesting alternatives or the need for you to investigate alternatives.

5. Ensuring consistency in terms of spelling,  punctuation, capitalisation and other aspects of style.

We always use track changes, so you can see every change that was made. Plus, we never guess your meaning – if anything isn’t clear we’ll ask for further clarification.

What isn't included?

There are strict rules governing what we are allowed to do. That means we can’t:

1. Write or create content for you. This includes things like table of contents, abstracts or bibliographies. 

2. Alter the structure of your text beyond what would be expected in the proofreading process (i.e. we can improve language fluency, but we can’t restructure chapters). 

3. Feedback on the structure, content, or argumentation, unless you specifically request us to. 

4. Make stylistic changes to make the work more ‘academic’ or ‘professional’.

5. Format the text, tables, reference list, or in-text citations, unless you specifically request us to.  

Who will proofread my work?

Your work will be proofread by two accredited proofreaders with subject-specialism. We always assign the most qualified proofreader, so nothing gets misunderstood.

We always use contractors, meaning we have the pick of some of the world’s best proofreaders (and we know where to find them).

How can I trust you?

We are a member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders and are bound by their Code of Practice . That governs the quality of our work and the way we interact with you, and shows our commitment to professionalism. 

We also offer a money back guarantee. That’s how confident we are in the quality of our work.

We also follow the rules laid out by your university or, where these aren’t available, the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading Code of Practice.

We also offer a free, no-obligation sample so you can see for yourself the quality our work.

We always treat your work securely and confidentially. We have a strict Privacy Policy  governing how we manage your thesis and data, and will gladly sign a non-disclosure agreement, to give you complete peace of mind.

Avoid months of unnecessary corrections with a thesis that's right first time

When you first started your PhD you were fired by ambition and excited by the possibilities of your field.

Then reality struck. Writing 80,000 words of clear, error-free prose on a highly specialised subject is no easy task. If writing is not your forte, or English is not your first language, the challenge becomes even more daunting.

At The PhD Proofreaders, we understand the position you’re in.

Our mission is to make your life easier and less stressful than ours was when we were doing our PhDs. We saw people failing or facing months of corrections because of poor-quality written work, despite being experts in their field.

We’ve seen over and over again the value of a writing check-up. Language mistakes undermine all the hard work, time and money you’ve put into your thesis. They can harm your credibility and delay your graduation. Our writing check-up is a small price to pay to make sure your thesis is right first time.

PhD proofreading can transform the quality of your written work and allow you to submit a more competent thesis more quickly. 

Doctor. Sooner.

That’s what it’s all about.

We keep our prices as low as possible, so we can help as many people as possible. You’re guaranteed the very highest quality work, or we’ll refund you in full ( terms and conditions apply). We accept all major credit or debit cards, WeChat, Alipay, Klarna, or direct bank transfers.

Click here for a currency converter.

Turnaround Times

0-5,000 words.

One working day

5,001-10,000 words

Two working days

10,001-20,000 words

Three working days

20,001-40,000 words

Four working days

40,001-80,000 words

Five to seven working days

We guarantee these turnaround times, or your money back.

If you need your work back more quickly, let us know when you make an inquiry. We can meet even the tightest deadlines (additional fees may apply).

To get started tell us a little about your needs…

Once you send this form, one of our team will respond during working hours (typically 8am-10pm UK time). We typically reply within the hour. We’re friendly, here for you, and make the whole process pain-free.

Your name Your email

Estimated word count (leave blank if unknown) Which English variant does your university require? UK English US English Australian English Other

If you would like a 500 word free sample, please attach a Word document If a friend referred you, type their name here

What country are you based in? Do you require any of the following (at no extra cost)?

References/Bibliography Formatting Structure and Readability Check Thesis Formatting

Which referencing/style guide would you like us to use?

Is there any other information you would like us to know?...

Scribbr's proofreading rates

Scribbr’s proofreading services are priced transparently and affordably. Your proofreading rate depends on your word count, selection of services, and turnaround time.

• Proofreading & Editing

Calculate your price

Fill in the number of words you want us to check.

We won’t charge you for the full document. You can select the pages you want edited and pay only for those pages.

Select how quickly you want your thesis checked. The longer the deadline, the lower the costs.

We have editors available to check your thesis 365 days per year, including weekends and holidays.

It takes an editor more time to edit a  PhD thesis . This is why we have slightly higher rates for PhD theses.

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When you select the Structure Check, your editor will look at the structure and organization of your document at the sentence, paragraph, and section levels. Your editor will provide concrete advice to help you avoid repetition and ensure your thesis is complete.

Please note that the Structure Check is a complementary service and can only be selected as an add-on to Proofreading & Editing.

When you select the Clarity Check, your editor will help you tell a clear and convincing story. In addition to providing feedback on the presentation of concepts and ideas, your editor will help you strengthen your argumentation and improve the cohesiveness of the text.

Please note that the Clarity Check is a complementary service and can only be selected as an add-on to Proofreading & Editing.

Customers rate our proofreading service excellent!

Very easy to find the citation.

yes, it is more easier then other websits

Scribbr is the best!

The best way to get the work done quickly and efficiently is through Scribbr

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I live in Canada and use the site with Canadian, British and American english. I have been using Scribbr for about two months on a novel I am working on, and I find it the easiest to use and the most accurate site I have yet found. It is safe and their customer service is excellent.

Scribbr has been a helpful tool for…

Scribbr has been a helpful tool for writing papers after being away from academics for 30 years.

Fabulous Editing!

Allison made excellent edits to my paper! I am in awe of her work!

Absolutely great

Absolutely great. Really grateful for their expertise. Thank you Leona- a thousand times.

Helpful proofreading

The proofreading was very helpful and improved the article

Super fast and excellent help

Super fast and excellent help. Not only was my work corrected, but I also received positive feedback, which boosted my motivation. Highly recommended!

Scribbr has saved me valuable time by…

Scribbr has saved me valuable time by creating a service that allows me to academically and professionally share my discoveries and theories in way that supports my work in psychology and graphic design. The left brain hemisphere allows me use the concepts and text to communicate and the right brain hemisphere is supported by the citations and references used by the function of these tools. Thank you for this service, it is appreciated.

Love! It is helpful and keeps my sources organized.

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It helps me write better papers with proper references.

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So useful and saves so much time!! Great for uni students

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This cite is very user friendly and love how it organizes the citations and paste function

Makes my work easier

It is so much easier and shortens the time I can be using doing my literature reviews. Excellent resource!

my experience is really good and i feel so happy after using this site.

The perfect tool for scholarly writing

I achieved 100% on my APA formatting every time using Scribbr. The only tool I trust for writing my assignments.

great tool. I love it

helps to keep everything in apa format

Very helpful!!!

I’ve found Scribbr to be an excellent ethical, and ad-free tool

I’ve found Scribbr to be an excellent citation generator that truly meets my needs for a free, ethical, and ad-free tool. It supports a variety of citation styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago, which is incredibly helpful for my diverse academic projects. The interface is easy to use, allowing me to quickly create accurate citations without any interruptions from ads. By streamlining the citation process, Scribbr helps me stay focused on my research and writing while ensuring that I maintain academic integrity. Its accessibility and user-friendly design make it a valuable resource for all my citation needs.

Proofreading & Editing, Structure Check, and Clarity Check

When you select our professional proofreading and editing service , an editor will fix the language and consistency errors in your thesis , dissertation , paper , or other academic text . Y ou’ll receive a personalized improvement letter designed to help you recognize and correct your most frequent mistakes.

Additionally, you can choose the Structure Check to receive feedback on the structure and organization of your document or the Clarity Check for advice on how to tell a clearer and more compelling story.

Paper Formatting and Citation Editing

If you choose our Paper Formatting service , we will generate a table of contents and a list of tables and figures. We’ll also add page numbers for you. This service costs an additional $1.95  per page per item.

You can also have your citations checked for consistency. The Citation Editing Service  costs $2.75  per source.

Per-word rate

The cost is calculated based on the number of words you want checked and the per-word rate . The per-word rate depends on the deadline you choose. Additionally, there is a setup fee of $25 .

Scribbr’s proofreading rates for academic documents

Ready to perfect your paper?

Ask our team.

Want to contact us directly? No problem.  We  are always here for you.

• Email [email protected]
• Start live chat
• Call +1 (510) 822-8066
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Frequently asked questions

Scribbr specializes in editing study-related documents . We proofread:

• PhD dissertations
• Research proposals
• Personal statements
• Admission essays
• Motivation letters
• Reflection papers
• Journal articles
• Capstone projects

The fastest turnaround time is 12 hours.

You can upload your document at any time and choose between four deadlines:

At Scribbr, we promise to make every customer 100% happy with the service we offer. Our philosophy: Your complaint is always justified – no denial, no doubts.

Our customer support team is here to find the solution that helps you the most, whether that’s a free new edit or a refund for the service.

Yes, if your document is longer than 20,000 words, you will get a sample of approximately 2,000 words. This sample edit gives you a first impression of the editor’s editing style and a chance to ask questions and give feedback.

How does the sample edit work?

You will receive the sample edit within 12 hours after placing your order. You then have 24 hours to let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Read more about how the sample edit works

Yes, in the order process you can indicate your preference for American, British, or Australian English .

If you don’t choose one, your editor will follow the style of English you currently use. If your editor has any questions about this, we will contact you.

Yes, regardless of the deadline you choose, our editors can proofread your document during weekends and holidays.

Example: If you select the 12-hour service on Saturday, you will receive your edited document back within 12 hours on Sunday.

Our APA experts default to APA 7 for editing and formatting. For the Citation Editing Service you are able to choose between APA 6 and 7.

Every Scribbr order comes with our award-winning Proofreading & Editing service , which combines two important stages of the revision process.

For a more comprehensive edit, you can add a Structure Check or Clarity Check to your order. With these building blocks, you can customize the kind of feedback you receive.

You might be familiar with a different set of editing terms. To help you understand what you can expect at Scribbr, we created this table:

View an example