Academic editing
Brisbane’s thesis editing expert
Have you written a PhD or master’s thesis, research paper or postgraduate assignment that’s almost ready for submission? I bet you’ve read it a hundred times and pondered over every sentence. Perhaps you’ve grappled with formatting or worried about grammatical errors (especially if English is not your first language). Or maybe you just want to give yourself the absolute best chance of success.
No matter where you’re based in Australia, or what university you’re studying at, I’m here to help. My academic editing services will alleviate stress and showcase your hard work in the best possible light.
Why choose me as your thesis editor?
Having spent more than 16 years working at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), I understand there’s no margin for error when it comes to academic writing. My love for helping students achieve their goals is what led me to specialise in thesis editing.
At QUT, I co-developed a ‘thesis template’ and a manual detailing how to present a thesis using Microsoft Word and led ‘Word for Thesis’ workshops for four years. I’m also a member of the IPEd Standing Committee on Academic Editing, which in 2018 and 2025 revised the Guidelines for editing theses. It’s fair to say that thesis editing is my zone of genius.
I mainly edit theses in the fields of education, humanities, social sciences and business, but I can apply my ‘eye for detail’ to most subject areas.
Other academic editing services
While thesis editing is my speciality, I have experience editing a wide range of other academic documents, including:
- conference papers, journal articles and book chapters
- grant applications, tenders and award submissions
- project and research reports
- resources for staff and students, such as unit outlines and worksheets
- postgraduate assignments
- CVs and applications for promotion.
I also offer transcription services for audio or video recordings of research activities.
Academic editing packages
I offer four options for thesis or other academic editing.
All thesis editing options comply with the IPEd Guidelines for editing theses, which allow copyediting and proofreading but not substantive editing of a thesis.*
For all options involving formatting, simply provide your document as a Word file, together with your institution’s or publisher’s formatting or style guidelines. I will ensure your document is perfectly presented, from the first page to the final sentence.
See the tables below for minimum pricing and package inclusions for the four options. I’ll need to see a copy of your document (or at least a sample) to provide an accurate quote.
* The thesis editing guidelines require that students obtain written approval from their principal supervisor to use a professional editor. I will ask to see evidence of this approval before I begin editing your thesis. An email from your supervisor is all that is needed.
Option 1
Formatting and presentation only- Ensure all components are complete and correctly placed
- Check page layout, margins, headers/footers and pagination
- Apply heading and bodytext styles for consistent formatting
- Check/format figures, tables and captions
- Format reference list to conform to a referencing style
- Create/check table of contents, list of figures and list of tables
- Smooth language to improve clarity and flow
- Correct errors and inconsistencies in grammar, spelling, punctuation and style
- Cross-check in-text citations against the reference list
- Create editorial style sheet
- Convert to PDF ready for submission or publication
Option 2
Option 1 plus copyediting- Ensure all components are complete and correctly placed
- Check page layout, margins, headers/footers and pagination
- Apply heading and bodytext styles for consistent formatting
- Check/format figures, tables and captions
- Format reference list to conform to a referencing style
- Create/check table of contents, list of figures and list of tables
- Smooth language to improve clarity and flow
- Correct errors and inconsistencies in grammar, spelling, punctuation and style
- Cross-check in-text citations against the reference list
- Create editorial style sheet
- Convert to PDF ready for submission or publication
Option 3
Option 2 plus a second pass to check for new errors- If you make further changes to your document after reviewing my edits and comments, new errors may creep in. Returning the document to me for a final check will ensure a beautifully presented and error-free document, ready for submission.
- This option includes all services in Option 2 plus another complete check of your document.
Option 4
Tailored to your requirements- If you only need specific sections of your document edited or formatted (for example, your reference list), I’m happy to tailor my services to exactly what you need.
What my academic editing clients say
Your edits are so thorough, it’s amazing. I really appreciate the speed and the expertise you have put into this job at very short notice. You are a one-woman wonder, truly. I am very grateful for your knowledge, your speed, your accuracy and your kindness … and the formatting is perfect!
Charlotte’s commitment to enhancing the quality and presentation of my work is unsurpassable to previous editors I have worked with. It’s one thing to know what you are doing, but Charlotte goes above and beyond in explaining how to fix and avoid the same problems from reoccurring when writing future papers. Charlotte exceeded my expectations in all aspects and provided feedback in a timely manner for a very reasonable price. I would highly recommend using Charlotte’s editorial skills to anybody, especially to people working within academia.
Don't wait to get started
Many factors affect how long it takes to edit an academic document. While smaller projects (under 5,000 words) can be edited in a day or two, a PhD thesis requires a minimum of two weeks. To avoid disappointment, I recommend booking well in advance of your submission date.
Contact me to discuss your academic editing needs.
