what is a dissertation editor

Dissertation Editing Service: Ensure Academic Success Fast, Affordable, Professional

Get dissertation editing services from an academic editor with years of experience editing dissertations, theses, and academic papers. Our dedicated Dissertation Editing service ensures top-notch editing, style refinement, and adherence to guidelines, enhancing the professionalism of your academic writing. With a focus on swift turnaround times, meet your trusted partner for the best dissertation editing services.

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• Dissertation Editing Service: Ensure Academic Success

Need Dissertation Editing Services?

When it comes to your dissertation, every word and sentence matters. That's where our Dissertation Editing services come into play. Our team of seasoned editors understands the significance of a well-crafted thesis . With years of academic editing experience, they are able to meticulously review your document, ensuring it adheres to your university's guidelines.

Our editing service for dissertations focuses on enhancing the English proficiency of your work. Go beyond basic editing services to ensure your dissertation truly shines . Whether you're a PhD candidate or a university student, we tailor our editing services for dissertations to meet your specific instructions. Transform your dissertation into the best dissertation it can be.

Our commitment to providing top-notch Dissertation Editing services extends beyond surface-level corrections. We understand that the perfect thesis requires more than just editing; it demands a keen eye for detail and an understanding of the nuances of academic writing.

Why Should I Get Dissertation Editing Services?

Transform your dissertation into the best possible version it can be with a polished thesis statement and a strong structure. 

When it comes to your dissertation, every word and sentence matters, and that's precisely where our Dissertation Editing services excel. Our team of seasoned editors, well-versed in academic writing and with years of experience in editing dissertations, can ensure your dissertation is error-free and adheres to your university's guidelines. 

Our editing services for dissertations offer rapid turnaround times , ensuring that your edited document, with its improved thesis statement and precise word count, is returned to you promptly. Your academic work deserves nothing less than the expertise of our editors who specialize in dissertation and thesis editing services, making sure your university paper is edited to perfection.

Why Choose Scribendi's Dissertation Editing Services?

Our dedication to providing the best thesis editing and Dissertation Proofreading sets us apart. We understand the importance of a clear and compelling thesis statement. Our editors work diligently to refine your document, focusing on word count, style, and overall quality. Ensure that your academic writing meets the highest standards so that your dissertation is a testament to your years of hard work.

With swift turnaround times, you can trust us to meet your deadlines, ensuring a stress-free editing process. Whether you're looking to i mprove your PhD thesis or need assistance with a dissertation, our Dissertation Editing services are your pathway to success. 

Get top-notch Dissertation Editing services and thesis proofreading. Our team of experienced editors can refine your document diligently, paying meticulous attention to word count, style, and overall quality. Don't compromise on the quality of your academic achievements; choose unparalleled editing that elevates your dissertation to the pinnacle of excellence.

Can I get a discount on Dissertation Editing services?

Enhancing your academic work has never been more affordable with our exclusive student discount for Dissertation Editing services.

Our team of expert editors is ready to take your thesis to the next level. Whether you're a PhD student or pursuing a master's degree, we understand the importance of a well-crafted dissertation. With our 10% student discount , you can enjoy substantial savings while receiving top-notch editing services for your dissertation. 

Our experienced dissertation editors are well-versed in academic writing and can help you refine your work, focusing on aspects like style, English proficiency, and adherence to university guidelines. Don't miss out on this limited-time offer to improve the quality of your thesis while saving on Dissertation Editing services.

Simply use the coupon code on our Student Discount page to start improving your writing today. Our editing service for dissertations is dedicated to helping students like you succeed in their academic journey. Take advantage of this opportunity to elevate your thesis or dissertation to its highest potential with our discounted Dissertation Editing services.

What will you receive with Dissertation Editing services? 

• An edited document in which misspellings, grammar errors, and typos have been corrected
• Changes and suggestions to help improve clarity, flow, structure, and readability
• Formatting of your citations and references to the style guide of your choice, if desired
• Tracked revisions so that you can see and review all the changes that have been made
• In-depth critical commentary on your paper 
• A short summary of the work that has been done and any major concerns

What types of documents can you use Dissertation Editing services for?

• Dissertations
• Thesis and dissertation proposals

Generative AI has become increasingly relevant in academia and can impact academic services at Scribendi; click here to see Scribendi’s policy on generative AI .

Rest assured, whether you're handling commercially sensitive data or conducting groundbreaking scholarly analysis, as part of our Dissertation Editing services, your manuscript's confidentiality is our top priority. 

We ensure the utmost privacy for your work. All uploads and downloads to our secure server are encrypted , and our stringent privacy policies are in place to safeguard your academic research and personal data. 

Dissertation editing services are just a click away . We are committed to ensuring the highest level of security and quality for your academic work. Obtain an instant quote below, and order now .

  Get an Instant Quote and Place Your Order

Dissertation Editing Services FAQ

How much do dissertation editing services cost.

The cost of dissertation editing services can vary depending on factors like word count, turnaround time, and the level of editing needed. At Scribendi, you can use our instant quote widget to select the cost and turnaround time that best suit the needs of your document, including your word count, and your deadline. Our experienced editors have years of experience editing and proofreading dissertations and theses. We offer competitive prices for our editing services, ensuring your work is polished to perfection. 

Should I get editing services for my dissertation?

Absolutely! Getting professional editing services for your dissertation is crucial for academic success. Just as Personal Statement Editing ensures your application is ready to go, dissertation editing ensures your thesis is polished to perfection. We offer top-notch editing services tailored to your university's requirements, enhancing your document's style, English, and overall quality. With years of experience, our editors are able to meticulously review your work to meet the highest academic standards. Don't underestimate the importance of proofreading and editing!

Is it ethical to pursue dissertation editing services?

Yes, seeking dissertation editing services is not only ethical but highly advisable. Ethical editing services help you improve the style, English, and overall quality of your work. It's a responsible choice to invest in professional editing to elevate your academic writing as good dissertation editing services focus on integrity and academic excellence.

How do I choose an editing service for my dissertation?

Choosing the right editing service for your dissertation is crucial. Look for experienced editors with a strong background in academic writing and a focus on thesis and dissertation editing. Consider factors such as word count, turnaround time, and expertise in your field. Read reviews and ask about their years of experience editing dissertations. Ultimately, select a service that aligns with your needs and values, ensuring your work becomes the best dissertation it can be.

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Dissertation 461536

Extremely timely, attentive and responsive to concerns.

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Great job from the editor. Very professional and met the established times. 10/10.

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No Written Review Submitted

Dissertation Final 460268

Good quality as always with helpful suggestions.

Urban Infrastructure 460087

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Thank you so much!

Chapter 4 460001

Wonderful and amazing editing!

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Jeff completed the job on time and it was ready to go. He made the process feel very easy and safe. I will definitely use him again.

History Paper 1 459326

Thank you so much for your great editing! This was very helpful.

Book proposal/response 458977

You're the best! Thank you so much and more very soon! :)

Dissertation Editing and Proofreading Services

Find your perfect dissertation editor.

Select your dissertation editor from our extensive network of professionals, matching their expertise to your unique research needs and academic goals.

How It Works

Have your dissertation edited in three steps.

Explore profiles of experienced dissertation editors.

Send your files and provide any details regarding your dissertation.

Receive your edited dissertation before your due date.

Maximize Your Ph.D. Potential

Refine every aspect of your dissertation.

Starting with the fundamentals, our editors will address spelling, grammar, and syntax. But this is just the beginning. Our focus extends to include comprehensive analysis and insightful feedback aimed at improving the overall clarity and flow of your dissertation. We refine word choice and organization, ensure adherence to academic language and diction, and present your arguments clearly to effectively showcase your research.

Ensuring Adherence to Academic Standards

Rigorous dissertation style guide compliance.

Our dissertation editors are experts in various academic style guides, such as APA, MLA, AMA, and Chicago. We format citations, references, and the overall structure of your dissertation to align with the standards of academic institutions. Our detailed attention to formatting ensures your dissertation meets your institution's specific requirements, presenting your work with the utmost professionalism and academic integrity.

Dissertation Subject Expertise

Discipline experts tailored to your field.

Our platform is comprised of editors with advanced degrees and expertise across various academic disciplines. It is easy to find an editor on ServiceScape who has in-depth knowledge of your research area, ensuring technically accurate and contextually relevant revisions. Our editors' deep understanding of your field's nuances ensures that your dissertation is edited with an eye for both detail and the larger academic context, enhancing its overall impact.

Dissertation Editor Engagement

Seamless collaboration with your editor.

At ServiceScape, we firmly believe that effective communication forms the bedrock of a successful editing relationship. Whether through messages or teleconference call, communicating with your editor ensures that your unique voice, perspective, and academic intentions are thoroughly understood and reflected in your edited dissertation. Through open dialogue, you can clarify your ideas, answer questions, and provide essential context, allowing the editor to accurately fine-tune your work.

Adapting to Your Deadline

Timely delivery of your dissertation.

We recognize the critical role deadlines play in academic research. Our editors are adept at accommodating various timelines, swiftly managing urgent edits as well as handling extended projects. We prioritize delivering your edited dissertation on time while upholding the highest quality standards. Attuned to the demands of academic schedules, our service is crafted for maximum responsiveness and efficiency, guaranteeing the timely receipt of your edited dissertation.

Commitment to Satisfaction

Our dissertation editing guarantee.

At ServiceScape, your satisfaction is our priority. We're committed to delivering exceptional editing that meets your expectations. Our quality-focused approach means that every aspect of your dissertation receives the attention it deserves, from the smallest grammatical detail to the overall argument and presentation. If you're not completely satisfied, we're dedicated to addressing your concerns, ensuring your dissertation is of the highest academic standard.

Our Editor Marketplace

Choose your own dissertation editor.

Rather than being assigned an editor at random, ServiceScape gives you the ability to choose your own dissertation editor from our network of highly qualified professionals.

Many of our dissertation editors:

• Hold Ph.D. or Master's degrees
• Offer decades of rich academic editing experience
• Have hundreds of client ratings and reviews
• Are experts across various academic fields

Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Illinois

Copy Editor at McGraw-Hill Publishing

Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology from Duke University

Director of Communications at the Yale Center

Professor at Cincinnati State University

Ph.D. in Music History from the University of Chicago

J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law

Ph.D. in History from the University of Virginia

Editor at Georgetown University Press

Assistant Professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University

M.A. in Linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University

M.A. in English from McMaster University

M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University

Ph.D. in Communications from Pennsylvania State University

M.A. in TESOL Education from the University of North Carolina

Editor at the Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship

M.A. in English from the University of Louisiana

Ph.D. in English from the University of Nebraska

M.A. in Asian Studies from UC Berkeley

Ed.D. in Psychology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Our Testimonials and Experience

What we bring to the table.

ServiceScape is built on 24 years worth of experience, working on over 341,000 projects with over 98,000 clients. Our dissertation editing and proofreading services are rated 4.9 out of 5 stars, based on 348 reviews collected over the last 5 years. Join the thousands of people who have chosen ServiceScape to find the best and brightest talent.

"My freelancer's attention to detail and commitment to quality exceeded my expectations. Every aspect of the project was handled with utmost professionalism."

"I was amazed by the promptness and efficiency of the person I hired. The project was completed well ahead of the deadline, without compromising on quality."

"The level of creativity and innovation in his approach was outstanding. He truly transformed my ideas into something extraordinary!"

"Exceptional service! The professional was incredibly responsive and attentive to all my requirements, making the entire process seamless and enjoyable."

"I highly recommend her services. The professionalism and expertise displayed by the freelancer were top-notch, and the results were simply superb."

"The quality of work delivered was impeccable. Every detail was carefully considered and executed to perfection. Absolutely thrilled with the service!"

"Her ability to understand and adapt to my specific needs was remarkable. The final product was exactly what I was hoping for, and more."

"Prompt, professional, and passionate about her work. She went above and beyond to ensure the project's success."

"The service was outstanding from start to finish. Communication was clear and frequent, keeping me in the loop at every stage."

"Truly impressed by the quick turnaround time. This professional managed to deliver a high-quality result in a remarkably short period."

"His commitment is evident in his work. He made sure I was completely happy with the final outcome."

"A blend of professionalism, skill, and creativity. This individual brought a fresh perspective to the project that was both inspiring and effective."

"The freelancer's expertise in his field is unmatched. He provided invaluable insights and suggestions that greatly enhanced the project."

"I appreciated his attention to detail and dedication to delivering a product that not only met, but exceeded my expectations."

"Her approach to the project was both thorough and innovative. She managed to capture the essence of my vision perfectly. Thank you so much!"

"Remarkable service! The quality of work was consistently high, and her ability to meet tight deadlines was impressive."

Learn More About Our Editing Services

The servicescape advantage.

Your Questions, Answered

At ServiceScape, our dissertation editing services are specifically tailored to elevate your dissertation to the highest academic standards:

• Detailed Language and Grammar Precision: Meticulous attention to language, grammar, and sentence structure for academic excellence.
• Spelling and Punctuation Perfection: Comprehensive correction of spelling errors and punctuation for scholarly accuracy.
• Strict Adherence to Dissertation Style Guides: Conforming to dissertation formatting styles such as APA, MLA, AMA, and CMS, encompassing citations, references, and layout.
• Clarity and Argument Enhancement: Focused improvements on clarity and argumentation to strengthen your dissertation’s impact.
• Coherent Structure and Flow: Organizing content for logical coherence and effective presentation of research.
• Technical Term Accuracy: Ensuring precision in technical terminology and data pertinent to your research area.
• Academic Tone and Style Refinement: Refining the tone and style to match the demands of academic rigor.
• Advanced Vocabulary Optimization: Elevating language use for academic distinction and clarity.
• Conciseness and Redundancy Elimination: Streamlining content for succinctness and focus.
• Consistent Tense Usage: Maintaining tense uniformity throughout the dissertation.
• Specialized Editing for Your Research Field: Editing by experts in your specific area of study.
• Ethical and Neutral Language Review: Upholding standards of ethical and unbiased language.
• Cross-Reference Validation: Accurate formatting of all internal references.
• Indexing and Structuring Assistance: Help with creating comprehensive indexes and organizing content.
• Adherence to Research Ethics: Ensuring compliance with ethical standards in academic writing.
• Reviewer Comment Addressing: Assistance in responding to and incorporating reviewer feedback.
• Content Critique and Enhancement: Offering in-depth feedback for argumentation and evidence improvement.
• Localization of Academic Text: Adapting content for specific cultural or regional academic contexts.

Our dedicated team is committed to ensuring that your dissertation not only meets these academic standards but also stands out for its scholarly excellence and impact.

Our dissertation editing services include rigorous compliance with academic style guide standards, focusing on:

• Comprehensive Formatting Adjustments: Precise formatting of headers, page numbers, margins, line spacing, paragraph indentation, typeface, and font size to align with dissertation guidelines.
• Citation and Reference Standardization: Ensuring citations and references are formatted correctly according to academic styles such as APA, MLA, AMA, and Chicago.
• Tables and Figures Presentation: Proper formatting of tables and figures, including component alignment, labeling, titles, and color usage.
• Abstract and Summary Compliance: Aligning abstracts and summaries with specific style guide criteria regarding length and content.
• Detailed Cross-Referencing: Accurate cross-referencing within the text, including figures, tables, and sections, for coherence and clarity.
• Effective List Organization: Proper structuring of bullet points and numbered lists for readability and impact.
• Title Page and Running Head Precision: Formatting the title page and running head in accordance with style guide specifications.
• Uniform Terminology and Units: Ensuring consistency in terminology and units of measurement throughout your dissertation.
• Inclusive and Unbiased Language: Adhering to guidelines for non-discriminatory and inclusive language in academic writing.

Our dedication to style guide standards ensures that your dissertation is not only professionally presented but also meets the stringent requirements of academic institutions and scholarly writing.

ServiceScape clients have successfully published their research in a wide range of reputable and influential journals across various disciplines. Some of the popular journals where our clients' work has appeared include:

• Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
• New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)
• British Medical Journal (BMJ)
• Journal of Clinical Investigation
• Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
• Journal of Biological Chemistry
• American Journal of Psychiatry
• Journal of Neuroscience
• American Economic Review
• Journal of Political Economy
• Journal of Finance
• Marketing Science
• Journal of Consumer Research
• Physical Review Letters
• Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Journal of Applied Physics
• IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence
• Chemical Reviews
• Angewandte Chemie
• Journal of the American Chemical Society
• Organic Letters
• Environmental Science & Technology
• Journal of Environmental Management
• Journal of Cleaner Production
• Social Science Research

You can hire an editor by just browsing our marketplace of editors , clicking on the "View Profile" button of an editor you want to hire, and clicking on the "Hire Me" button. After your payment method has been processed, your editor will get to work and will deliver the edited version before your due date.

A list of prices and due dates can be found within each editor's profile. Just find your editor and click on the "View Profile" button.

Our fastest delivery option is one hour using our Express Delivery service.

Sure! Many ServiceScape editors provide free samples. You can submit a free sample request by just browsing our marketplace of editors , clicking on the "View Profile" button of an editor you want to request a free sample from, and clicking on the "Free Sample" button. If the editor accepts your free sample request, you will receive the sample edited version within a couple of days.

You can send a message to an editor by just browsing our marketplace of editors , clicking on the "View Profile" button of an editor you want to contact, and clicking on the "Send Message" button. We will email you a notification as soon as your editor replies to your message.

You can schedule a teleconference call by just browsing our marketplace of editors , clicking on the "View Profile" button of an editor you want to contact, and clicking on the "Teleconference" button. We will contact you right away about availability and set up the teleconference for all parties involved.

You can find ratings and reviews from past clients within most editor profiles. Just find your editor and click on the "View Profile" button to see them. You can also read thousands of ServiceScape ratings and reviews on eKomi .

In addition, ServiceScape has been featured in several publications and websites, including The Wall Street Journal , Los Angeles Times , UpWork , HuffPost , Indeed , and The Ladders .

Many editors have portfolios which feature their editing. Just find your editor and click on the "View Profile" button to view these edited versions.

Yes, we provide editing certifications. Simply request the document when you hire an editor. When your project is delivered, you can download the editing certification by clicking on your project and clicking on the "Certification" button. These signed declarations certify that a document has been professionally edited by a ServiceScape editor.

Browse Rated and Reviewed Editors

Are you ready for the right dissertation editor, right now.

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Dissertation Proofreading Service

Your dissertation is the culmination of your academic career so it needs to be great. You’ve done all the hard work – now it’s time to polish it with Proofed’s professional dissertation proofreading service.

Your Dissertation Deserves Dedication

Proofed’s dissertation proofreading service helps you:

• Correct punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors
• Follow any specified university style guide
• Leave helpful comments on recurring stylistic issues

Expert Editor

Dissertation Editing Specialists

We’ve helped thousands of students produce clear, error-free, well-written dissertations. Why does our service produce such great results? Because we only work with experienced, highly trained academic editors. As such, our academic proofreading team can bring the best out of any dissertation.

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

Our dissertation proofreading service focuses on helping you to express your ideas and arguments clearly. As part of this, we will:

• Maintain a formal, academic writing style throughout
• Look for issues with document structure or readability
• Check your referencing is clear, complete and consistent

We will even provide two copies of your edited dissertation when we’re done:

• A ‘Clean’ copy in the original file format
• An MS Word Track Changes  copy

This is so you can review and approve every change we make. And if your  chosen file format  doesn’t support Track Changes, we will 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 Students

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.

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 editors are experts in various referencing styles, including but not limited to APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago, and IEEE. No matter what style you’re using, they’ll make sure 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 expertise in thousands of topics. This means we can always match you with the best proofreader for your writing, whether you need help with a dissertation in medicine or an essay on economics.

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

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10 Best Dissertation Editing Services

| Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

A dissertation is likely to be the most challenging piece of work a postgraduate student has to complete. It definitely makes me grateful that my uni days are far behind me. A dissertation needs to be organized, coherent, and error-free for the researcher to clearly present their findings.

Perfect your writing with the help of our list of the best dissertation editing services to hire. These awesome companies can increase your chances of getting published in scholarly journals and improve your research career. Cool, right?

What is the Best Dissertation Editing Service?

The best dissertation editing service knows the type of service your dissertation needs. If your paper centers on Social Science, the editors should be knowledgeable about the subject and its concepts. Otherwise, they won’t give meaningful feedback and suggestions for revision.

The best editing service should also have many years of experience. If you’re hiring a freelancer, find out how long they’ve been editing. Ask for a sample edit to check if they are suitable for your writing project. In my opinion, a sample edit is one of the best solutions to find out if you’re a good match.

Their rates also determine their services. The best dissertation editing service can edit your paper at a reasonable price. They should have a fixed pricing model based on your deadline and word count.

What Does a Dissertation Editor Do?

A dissertation editor is an editor that works with seasoned writers to improve their dissertations. They should be experts in research projects, format, university standards, and the specific topic.

Dissertation editors read, critique, and edit dissertations as other editors do with various documents. But dissertation editors need to pay extra attention to the subject matter, its concepts, and how they relate to the research findings.

These experts have a huge role in the numerous revisions and iterations these papers go through. The paper’s strength will dictate whether the student will be given the title Ph.D.

How Can I Edit My Dissertation?

I mean, yes, you can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The best way to edit your dissertation is to hire an editor. An experienced editor will instantly spot the strengths and weaknesses of your work. They will correct all your mistakes at every level, from typos to structural flaws.

As a writer, your job is to edit while writing the paper. Start your dissertation with an awareness that you will have to revise, cite sources, and proofread. Doing so will help you take notes on which parts of the paper require careful writing.

While writing, try to figure out your strengths and weaknesses. Do you need help forming grammatically correct sentences? Perhaps you need a refresher on the subject matter you’re writing about. Gather resources that will help you overcome these issues.

Finally, learn the writing standards of your university when it comes to dissertations. Should you use APA, MLA, or Chicago Style for citations? Check if there’s a template provided for your paper before submission.

How Do I Find a Thesis Editor?

Several thesis or dissertation editors market themselves on the internet. You’ll find freelancers on platforms like Upwork or Freelancer. But it’s much better to hire editors from reputable companies like TrueEditors, ProofreadingPal, and Scribendi.

Make sure the dissertation editor can address all your writing needs. If you need help with your syntax, word choice, and format, a copy editor might help. However, if you need help with the overall content flow, a specialized editor will help you.

How Much Does Thesis Editing Cost?

The price for dissertation editing varies based on the company you’re working with. These services usually have pricing calculators that customize their rates according to the turnaround time and word count.

Editor World estimates the average cost for dissertation editing services is $0.02 per word. Since dissertations usually have 10,000 to 50,000 words, the price can reach up to $1000.

How Much Does It Cost to Proofread a Dissertation?

According to Editor World, the average cost for general dissertation proofreading is $0.017 per word. That means a 50,000-word dissertation of a doctoral student may cost up to $850.

Proofreading involves correcting mechanical errors like misspellings, grammar mistakes, and formatting issues. The process is usually the same for all documents, whether dissertation, creative writing, or business.

If you want to save money, try hiring an all-in-one editor and proofreader for your dissertation. You may also look for experienced freelancers with more affordable rates. Just make sure to ask for editing samples before hiring them, trust me.

Top 10 Online Dissertation Editing Services

After researching and reading up on testimonials, I definitely think this list has your best options. So, take a moment, read through, and see which one will work for your dissertation editing needs.

TrueEditors

TrueEditors provides the dissertation editing help you need through their academic editing services. The trusted company can perform several levels of editing and specialized editing for the academic writer.

Online editing dissertations may include in-depth feedback about your arguments and logical gaps. Students can also receive suggestions about their documents’ ambiguities and lack of cohesion.

But if you only need basic grammar and sentence structure checks, TrueEditors can also help you. Other services they offer include referencing, writing style guides, and layout. I definitely think this is a great all-in-one service provider.

Their pricing starts at #39 for a 1000-word paper delivered in 24 hours.

WriteSmartly

Regardless of your academic background, WriteSmartly has the best human editors that provide thesis editing services. The editing team can edit and proofread your academic writing pieces at a reasonable price.

The customer reviews for WriteSmartly are high, and I can see why. Their edits are clean, accurate, and logical. Aside from correcting your English language errors, they can also fix your flow, structure, and style guides.

The cost of a 1000-word text for editing and proofreading services with a turnaround time of 2 hours is $37.

Scribendi is one of the most popular companies that offer expert editing for your academic article. While they are not known for literary editing, the company has a vast experience in business, educational, and legal documents.

Scribendi’s technical accuracy is incomparable. Even writers whose second language is English will sound as fluent as native English speakers in their professional writing.

Proofreading dissertations usually come after the English editing process. Scribendi’s thesis editor will check your document for inconsistencies, flow issues, and structural problems. Then, they will look for bad grammar or formatting.

A 1,000-word document with a delivery time of 24 hours costs $40 at Scribendi. That’s a great value, if you ask me.

Wordy has several expert editors who offer a wide range of editing services. Their proficient editors can perform UK-based editing and promise to create great content.

They can help you with your dissertation, essay, business presentation, and email.

The company does elite editing because of its extensive knowledge of standard grammar rules. In fact, the professional editing service features 56 subject fields in which they are experts. They can process 11 major file formats and cut 30% off your writing time.

Wordy has reasonable prices based on a time-sensitive pricing model. A 1,000-word academic document with a 24-hour delivery costs $40. Again, another great value.

I just cannot doubt the positive reviews on Editage . This reliable editing service can edit your academic documents regardless of your academic discipline. You can count on this UK-based company if you’re a Ph.D. student looking for standard dissertation editing.

The team’s experienced editors can help you with professional school essays, books, and letters. They will pair you with the most suitable dissertation editor with expertise in your field. Perhaps they also have the necessary software for editing your writing mistakes.

Editage will not make unnecessary edits to your work, such as removing your original voice or changing all passive voice sentences into active ones.

A 1000-word academic document only costs $30.

Enago has Ph.D./Master’s qualified native English-speaking editors who won’t let a single error slide on your dissertation. The company offers various options for editing, such as basic English editing, publication support packs, and translation.

The online dissertation editing service ensures technical accuracy and an in-depth subject review. They can perform an array of editing for scientific research, social science, and even business editing at a high delivery speed.

Enago can also assist you with non-fiction writing and personal documents. However, they thrive more in academic articles. Plus, their prices are pretty high.

The average price for a 5,000-word paper with a 21-day deadline is $840.

Kibin is known for its essay writing and creative writing editing services. But they can also do editing services for dissertations. The company offers several choices for editing, including student editing, admissions editing, and business editing.

Kibin is one of the editing platforms you can trust when proofreading documents. They will lighten your load by automatically correcting errors and providing expert feedback on your work.

Their rates start at $40 for a 24-hour delivery time of a 1000-word essay.

ProofreadingPal

Despite the plethora of companies offering Ph.D. editing services, ProofreadingPal remains competitive in the market. This company is unique because it offers a two-person editing service to provide two fresh pairs of eyes on your document.

They can perform editing for authors of books, non-fiction, and research articles. They can also help students with basic assignments and admission essays.

ProofreadingPal has a transparent pricing policy. A document submitted in 24 hours may cost between $30 and $100, depending on the word count.

Whether you need scholarship editing services or online dissertation services, Wordvice is the best company. Their editors can do proficient editing by improving your tone, style, and flow. They also provide comments and feedback for revision.

All you have to do is submit your dissertation for editing and make your payment based on their fixed prices. A 1000-word scholarly paper costs $80 for a 24-hour delivery time.

Wordvice does not offer content writing services. Don’t expect them to write a whole essay or thesis proposal for you.

EliteEditing

Last on the list is Elite Editing. This company can give you quick editing and proofreading services without compromising quality. They are an Australian company that caters to all types of scholarly content, from admission essays to dissertations.

Elite Editing’s editors have extensive work experience at major magazine companies and universities. Some have worked in Fortune 500 but still offer affordable services.

A 1000-word essay with a 24-hour delivery time costs AUS130.

Seek Dissertation Editing Help

A document as critical as a dissertation requires professional editing services. Fortunately, many companies can perform high-quality editing without costing an arm and leg.

Choose from my list of the best dissertation editing services to fix your arguments, flow, and overall structure. These affordable services have experienced editors who are experts in diverse fields of study.

Master the art of precision writing!

Embark on our proofreading and editing course.

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Dissertation Editing Services: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re unsure about the quality of your dissertation writing, it’s best to get it reviewed by an expert editor. But you may have lots of questions about how this works. Do you need professional dissertation editing services? What process do they follow? What are the best dissertation proofreading services and how can you choose the right one for yourself?

In this article, we’ve answered all these questions and more. From checks to find out if a company is legit to your expected dissertation editing costs, we’ve covered it all. So without further ado, let’s get into it.  

What Are Dissertation Editing Services?

Dissertation editing services are professional services that help students refine their dissertations before submitting them. Companies that provide these services for students and researchers are also called “dissertation editing services”. Depending on the type of review, they check your thesis for coherence, clarity, syntax, grammar, and word choice.

While understanding professional editing services for dissertations, you may wonder how they work. These companies employ hundreds of academic editors from diverse fields. They use advanced software and a skilled team to assign each dissertation to an expert from the field. This way, you don’t have to waste your time hunting for a dissertation editor and you still get expert feedback.

But are dissertation proofreading and editing services really that important? Could you do without them?

Why Choose Dissertation Editing Services?

You should choose dissertation editing services because your dissertation is the most important academic text you’ll ever work on. It’s your responsibility to ensure that it’s written and formatted as perfectly as possible, and you will lose marks if there are errors in the document!

Plus, your dissertation is your original contribution to your field of study. It has to be the best reflection of your research, or it’ll undermine all your hard work. Due diligence in editing and proofreading your dissertation elevates its quality and conveys your sincerity to your work.

But why not edit your dissertation yourself? Well, there are several disadvantages of self-editing. There are even more advantages of dissertation editing services. So, what do dissertation editing services offer?

Dissertation editing services:

• Catch the most minute errors you’ll likely miss, even with several reviews.
• Improve the clarity and coherence of your writing.
• Ensure accuracy in research methods, argument logic, and use of technical terms.
• Offer expert feedback to improve your document further.
• Elevate the overall impact and quality of your dissertation, helping you score higher.

But how does this process work? A dissertation is a lengthy document, so dissertation proofreading services take a layered approach.

Dissertation Editing Process

The dissertation editing process moves from macro-level edits to micro-level edits. So, document-spanning issues such as coherence and argument clarity are considered first. More specific issues such as grammar and spelling mistakes are fixed at the end to avoid repeated work. 

Depending on the scope of the editing step and the issues looked at, there are four major types of editing. They’re undertaken in a specific order, but various services may offer them in different formats.

Types of Dissertation Editing

The four types of dissertation editing are substantive or developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. Does your dissertation need all four steps? Let’s take a look.

1. Substantive Editing

Substantive editing, also known as content editing or developmental editing, focuses on the content of your dissertation. It improves the structure and flow of the entire document, examining its clarity and coherence. 

A substantive editor:

• Examines the logical development of your argument.
• Ensures that your writing is clear and has a smooth flow.
• Checks the validity of your methodology and data points.
• Removes any ambiguous, redundant, or repetitive sections.
• Ensures that your dissertation aligns with your research objectives.

The substantive editor will leave comments on the document, highlighting problematic areas and suggesting improvements. Since you’re the writer, you decide which comments to work on and which ones to ignore, if any. 

2. Line Editing

Line editing is a line-by-line edit that improves the clarity, flow, and effectiveness of your academic sentences. This is a more stylistic review, focusing on meaning, tone, and word choice than grammar or punctuation. So if you want to ensure that your dissertation is engaging, coherent, and well-written, you need a line editor.

A line editor checks your dissertation for the following:

• Clear expression of the intended meaning
• Word choice and sentence structure
• Smooth flow between sentences and paragraphs
• Consistency in tone and style
• Pacing (sentence length, density of data, etc.)
• Overt language errors (not the main focus)

This step is crucial for ESL students and researchers as well as anyone who’s unsure of their writing abilities. However, providers of dissertation editing services often combine line editing with copy editing, since both these steps address overlapping concerns.

3. Copy Editing

Copy editing for a dissertation is a meticulous process that focuses on the mechanical aspects of writing such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation. In its pure form, copy editing doesn’t pay much attention to stylistic or technical aspects of your writing. So, a copy editor will fix the language errors in a sentence but not inconsistencies in writing style or pacing.

Just because dissertation copy editing is mechanical doesn’t mean it has a narrow scope, though. A copy editor checks not only writing but also graphic elements, formatting style, and referencing. A copy editor undertakes the following tasks:

• Correcting errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and sentence construction.
• Ensuring proper sentence structure with subject-verb agreement.
• Making the text clear and readable.
• Checking the use of technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms.
• Reviewing the labeling, formatting, relevance, and overall fitness of tables, figures, and images.
• Ensuring that the dissertation follows the prescribed style guidelines (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).
• Reviewing in-text citations and entries on the reference list; cross-checking them for accuracy and missing details.
• Checking for overall consistency in the document (formatting, word choice, and style).
• Undertaking a basic review of the page layout.

As you can see, a copy editor plays a crucial role in removing several kinds of errors from your dissertation. Compared to this, a line editor’s review seems smaller in scope. So, most dissertation copy editing service providers combine it with line editing. They correct language errors and add comments for stylistic improvements.

4. Proofreading

Dissertation proofreading is the final review that highlights any errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting. It looks only for surface-level mistakes, such as typographical or language-related errors. So, it’s like copy editing in a sense but with a smaller scope.

Proofreading removes any lingering errors that may distract readers or undermine your hard work. It may seem like a minor step, but it’s an essential quality check and your last defense against any superficial errors. You should proofread your dissertation once all other editing steps are complete to avoid rework.

Proofreading highlights the following errors in your dissertation:

• Spelling mistakes and typos
• Punctuation errors
• Any obvious grammar errors
• Incorrect abbreviations and acronyms
• Errors in labeling or formatting tables and figures
• Referencing errors
• Problems with page formatting (such as improper margins and missing headers)

Since a dissertation proofreader has to catch such minute errors, proofreading is a painstaking and detail-oriented task. Dissertation proofreading services hire trained experts to undertake this step, saving you time and effort.

What Is Dissertation Referencing?

Dissertation referencing is the process of adding references to your dissertation. While researching, you’re bound to use information from a variety of sources, all of which you must credit in your thesis. Whether you follow the MLA style or APA format, you must add and correctly format your in-text citations and reference list entries.

Professional dissertation editors and proofreaders don’t usually undertake this step for you. They may fix one or two incorrect or missing citations, but they don’t write your reference list for you. If any APA dissertation editing services undertake this task, they may charge an additional price.

What Is Dissertation Formatting?

Dissertation formatting is the process of formatting your pages and text according to the style guidelines prescribed by your university. This is usually the MLA format for humanities students, APA format for STEM students, and Chicago style for students of business and history. Incorrect formatting in your dissertation may result in a lower score.

Like referencing, an editor does not undertake dissertation formatting for you unless as a separate task. Some companies do offer dissertation referencing and formatting services in addition to editing and proofreading.

Choosing an Editing Service: What to Look For

Now that you know what dissertation editing is, why it’s important, and how it works, it’s time to find out how to choose an editing service. There are several dissertation review services out there, old and new. Older firms have experience but are often more expensive, while newer companies are more affordable but aren’t well-known. So what signs should you look for?

1. Reviews and Recommendations

Personal recommendations from your peers or seniors are the best method when choosing an editing service. If a company has worked for them, it probably understands the requirements of your subject or university. Some universities also have tie-ups with doctoral dissertation editing services, so you should check if yours has one.

The next step is to check the company’s online reviews. Even a quick look at the reviews will give you a good idea of a company’s strengths and weaknesses. You can then make a more informed choice based on these testimonials.

Shortlist a few editing services from this initial check and refine that list as you find out more about them.

2. A Helpful but Realistic Support Team

All good editing firms have a support team that communicates your requirements to the editing team. The support staff also helps you place your order and guides you through the editing process. Ideally, the person communicating with you should be friendly, confident, and knowledgeable, but not pushy.

If you’re being rushed into placing an order or being offered dubious discounts, you should proceed with caution. So, make sure that the support team knows what they’re doing and can be relied upon. You should also remember to be very clear about your requirements and priorities in your document. This will help them target those issues in your dissertation and you won’t have to ask for any revisions.

3. Transparency and Confidentiality

Dissertation editing services must be transparent about their editing process and measures to ensure document confidentiality. At the end of your first call with the company, you should have clarity about the people who will work on your document and the process they’ll follow. If you can’t be sure of this, ask the support team for clarification. If you don’t get a satisfying answer, it’s probably best to avoid working with that particular service.

Another important aspect of dissertation editing is confidentiality. Almost all editing services have their editors sign NDAs at the time of joining, so you shouldn’t worry about that. One thing to look for, however, is the security measures the company undertakes to protect your document from outside threats. This includes 192-bit or 256-bit encryption methods, which are popularly used by dissertation editing companies.

4. Free Work Sample

Always ask for a sample edit. Editing companies don’t usually offer a sample edit unless you approach them with a major document. Since a dissertation qualifies as such, any firm worth its name should be good to offer you a one-page or 300-word free edit.

This sample edit will tell you a lot about a company’s work ethic, quality of edits, and professionalism. If you’ve shortlisted a few companies, the sample edit is probably the most reliable metric to base your final decision on. However, company policies keep changing and some established firms may have stopped offering sample edits. In this case, you’ll have to decide based on the three factors listed above.

5. A Good Offer

The final consideration is one for your pocket. Getting dissertation editing help can get expensive, and most companies understand the financial constraints on students. So, you’re likely to find big discounts during the dissertation season. If waiting that long isn’t an option for you, don’t hesitate to ask the support staff!

Once you have a quote from a few companies, compare their pros and cons and you’ll be able to choose the best dissertation editing service for you.

Be sure to enquire about the company’s revision policy. If you’re unhappy with the edit, you should be able to receive a partial or full refund. Most editing services offer one or two free revisions, so make sure to use those and get the best version of your document!

Now that we know how to choose a dissertation editing service, what are some well-known firms that fit the bill? Let’s take a look.

The Top Dissertation Editing Services of 2024

Of the many premium dissertation editing services out there, some stand out as the best of the best. In this list, we’ve considered quality of services, pricing, turnaround time, and editorial team. So, here are the best dissertation editing services of 2024:

An established name in academic editing, Scribbr is particularly popular among college students due to its online tools and resources. Their expertise and experience don’t come cheap, but you can rest assured that your dissertation will be well-edited. The best thing is that you can ask them to focus on certain aspects of your document.

If you know that your writing isn’t clear or that your structure needs to be refined, you can opt for the relevant checks. These come with a hike in price but may be helpful for those who have received targeted feedback from professors before. After all, structure, cohesion, and clarity are important factors that affect your overall grade.

Scribbr can return your edited dissertation in 12 hours to 7 days. At around $835 for a 15,000-word dissertation, however, dissertation editing with Scribbr will cost you a pretty penny.

2. Cambridge Proofreading

Cambridge Proofreading has been offering dissertation editing services for over 11 years. They employ more than 300 academic editors, all of whom are native speakers from the US and UK. Their system deletes all documents after 15 days of closing an order, which helps keep your dissertation confidential.

Cambridge Proofreading has expertise in editing dissertations from diverse fields, from astrophysics to philosophy. Recently they’ve also launched a service where they humanize AI-generated text. This is an additional boost for many students, helping them get more work done in less time.

Their dissertation editing process is fairly straightforward, but they stand out in terms of pricing. They charge dissertation editing rates of $28.90 per 1,000 words for a 24-hour delivery and $25.90 per 1,000 words for a 48-hour delivery. In terms of both the cost and turnaround time, this is excellent!

3. Scribendi

Scribendi was established in 1997, making it one of the oldest top dissertation editing companies. They have a separate approach to ESL writers, paying more attention to those documents. With 287 editors working at the firm, they should be able to pair you with an expert from your field.

Sribendi has ISO certification and prioritizes customer satisfaction. They can deliver your document in as little time as four hours! This isn’t feasible for longer documents like dissertations, however. For example, they can deliver a 15,000-word dissertation in 48 hours to 7 days. Their price range for this is $558–$615, putting them on the slightly expensive side of things.

You can use their dissertation editing service to refine not only complete theses but also dissertation and thesis proposals.

4. TrueEditors

Although a relatively newer company, TrueEditors is a robust and affordable dissertation editing service. They have more than 155 academic experts onboard from a diverse range of academic disciplines. The best thing is that their edit also includes dissertation referencing, dissertation formatting, and a plagiarism check!

TrueEditors offers five prices depending on the time duration. They can deliver your edited dissertation in 48 hours, but the price will be higher. If you opt for a delivery time of ten days, however, the price will be much lower.

Aside from editing and proofreading a dissertation, TrueEditors also offers:

• Paraphrasing & Rewriting
• Content Writing
• Translation

These additional services are especially useful to ESL students, who may struggle to express their ideas as eloquently in English.

Enago employs highly qualified editors and proofreaders to work on your dissertation. They offer dissertation editing services in two packages: Thesis Essentials and Thesis Pro. The Thesis Essentials package is limited to grammar, punctuation, academic style,  and expert commentary. You can get thesis formatting, reference formatting, plagiarism check, and one revision with this package as add-ons.

The Thesis Pro package includes everything in Essentials but adds a clarity check, structure check, and advanced commentary. Reference formatting and one revision round are free with this package. If you’re not sure about editing with Enago, you can get their sample edit of 200 words. They only offer this if your dissertation is over 10,000 words.

This overview of the best dissertation editing services must have given you an idea about the process and pricing. But let’s take a closer look at the average dissertation proofreading cost.

How Much Does it Cost to Edit a Dissertation?

It can cost between $400–$850 to edit a dissertation of 15,000 words. However, the cost of dissertation editing varies based on document length, complexity, and your requirements. Undergraduate and master’s dissertations, for instance, will be about 8,000–15,000 words long. PhD dissertations, on the other hand, can reach about 80,000–100,000 words in length, which hikes up the price dramatically.

Similarly, a specialized structure and quality check is likely to add a few hundred dollars to the editing cost. If you want the editing service to handle referencing and formatting on top of that, the cost will increase. The cost of dissertation editing is directly proportional to the amount of work the editor undertakes.

It’s always best to edit and proofread your dissertation a few times yourself and get an initial review from your instructor. You can then look for PhD dissertation editing services based on their feedback. If you know exactly what you need an editor to do, you’ll have to pay only for the essentials.

How Can I Get a Dissertation Editing Quote?

You can get a dissertation editing quote by visiting a company’s website. Most online dissertation editing services have their pricing readily available on their web pages. You can simply type the word count of your dissertation and get a tentative figure. Some companies ask you to upload your dissertation before offering a quote.

If you’d like to know more about a company and their style of work, you can reach out to their support team. These days, most companies have chatbots on their website and you can use them to get in touch with the team. This is a better way to get a quote since you can tell them your requirements and obtain a much better offer.

Can I Get a Discount on Dissertation Editing Services?

Yes, you can definitely get a discount on dissertation editing services. Almost every editing company will offer you a 5% to 10% discount on your first order. Some also have student discounts of up to 15%. Plus, most companies have offers going on throughout the year, such as Black Friday, Holiday Season, and Easter discounts.

If you’ve been working on your dissertation in advance, you’re likely to have a document ready when one of the big offers comes around. If you’re in a time crunch, though, you’ll probably have to make do with a 10% discount.

How Long Does it Take to Proofread a Dissertation?

It may take anywhere from 12 hours to 7 days to proofread a dissertation. If you pay for a premium dissertation editing service, they may even deliver the proofread document in a few hours! But less turnaround time usually means more expensive services. So, the time it takes to proofread a dissertation largely depends on your editing budget!

Do Dissertation Editing Services Offer Error-Free Dissertations?

Yes, dissertation editing services offer error-free dissertations—that’s their purpose! This doesn’t mean that no error can bypass an editor; such a claim would be impossible to live up to. However, dissertation editing and proofreading services undertake several reviews to find and remove as many errors as they can. This, in turn, almost always leaves your document completely error-free!

Is it Safe to Send a Dissertation for Editing Services?

Yes, it’s completely safe to send a dissertation to editing services! It is not only academically ethical but expected that you get your dissertation professionally edited. Editing companies undertake several measures to protect your document, from encryption methods to NDAs. Rest assured, your dissertation is safe in your editors’ hands!

What Types of Documents Can You Use Dissertation Editing Services For?

You can use dissertation editing services for complete theses and dissertations as well as partial drafts. Some services also consider thesis and dissertation proposals under dissertation editing services.

Who Will Be Editing My Dissertation?

An editor with expertise in your subject who matches your editing requirements will edit your dissertation. Since dissertation editing services are legally obligated to protect the identities of their editors, you can’t interact with them firsthand. You can, however, request the support staff to pair you up with a specific type of editor.

-Isabell S.

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Your dissertation involves months of intense labor, late-night scribblings, and at least a couple hundred cups of coffee! Naturally, you can’t let grammar errors and typos take away from all this hard work. PhD dissertation editing helps you do this.

Dissertation editing ensures that your work reflects the highest standards of clarity, coherence, and academic excellence. But before you get your document edited, you need to know the corrections made, the steps involved, and the dissertation editing rates. Let’s begin with the basics: What is dissertation editing?

What is dissertation editing?

Dissertation editing is the meticulous process of reviewing, refining, and enhancing a dissertation to improve its overall quality. It involves a comprehensive examination of various aspects, such as grammar, style, structure, coherence, and formatting.

Whether you struggle with organizing your material or the UK/US standard spelling, editing your dissertation takes care of it all. Dissertation editing has a large scope, solving large-scale issues of coherence, structure, and organization as well as small-scale issues of word choice, grammar, and spelling.

Dissertation editing accounts for the following problems in your document:

• Lack of clarity in research objectives and hypotheses
• Inadequate literature review and insufficient references
• Weak organization and structure
• Lack of logical flow and coherence in different chapters
• Failure to address research limitations adequately
• Inaccurate or incomplete data analysis
• Problems with page formatting
• Inconsistent writing style and poor grammar

Let’s take a closer look at the importance of editing a dissertation.

Importance of dissertation editing

Dissertation editing is important as it ensures that your hard work translates into an authoritative document. If language and formatting errors create a barrier for the reader’s understanding of your argument and ideas, your months of research will be rendered useless. PhD dissertation editing helps you avoid this fate.

A well-edited dissertation holds immense significance for your academic success. It reflects your expertise, research skills, and ability to contribute meaningfully to your field of research. By undergoing thorough editing, your dissertation can attain the level of excellence required to make a lasting impact.

Basically, dissertation editing shows that you take your work seriously: It demonstrates your dedication to producing high-quality scholarly work.

1. Enhanced clarity and coherence

An editor helps you eliminate any ambiguities, inconsistencies, or logical gaps within your dissertation. For this purpose, it helps to have your dissertation edited by someone who understands your subject matter to some degree.

2. Improved grammar and language

Editors have the training to rectify grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, and poor sentence structure, ensuring that your dissertation reads fluently. Clear and error-free language adds to your authority as a researcher.

3. Perfect formatting and style

In order to be acceptable, your dissertation must meet the formatting requirements of your department or university. Whether it’s the MLA format or the APA guidelines, an editor ensures that your document follows the stipulated style.

4. Effective organization and structure

Information in your dissertation should be well-organized into different sections or chapters. An editor ensures this and goes on to check the structure within each chapter for a logical flow of ideas and arguments.

5. Thorough proofreading

While dissertation proofreading can be handled as an individual process, it also features as an editing step. Professional editors can catch the smallest errors, typos, or inconsistencies that might be overlooked by an untrained eye.

Should you hire professionals to edit your dissertation?

You must get professional dissertation editing if you want to ensure that your work is received well and scores high. Dissertation writing and editing are two separate processes, and you need expert help to take your writing to the next level. Optionally, if you’re sure of your writing ability, you may skip editing and only get professional proofreading.

While any classmate, friend, or family member can offer you a basic edit and proofread, it won’t be nearly as effective as a professional. Professional editors bring years of experience and expertise to your document, which dramatically increases the quality of your dissertation.

You may hunt for individual editors in your niche who possess subject matter expertise, or you may work with an editing firm. Dissertation editing services employ hundreds of talented editors, so they can pair you up with someone who has familiarity with your subject. With these firms, you can skip the hassle of finding the perfect dissertation editor for you.

But if you prefer individual editors to companies, we’ll help you find the right one.

How to find an editor

Selecting the right dissertation editor is crucial to ensure the success of your editing process. You must be assured of someone’s ability to work within your specific demographic as well as your research area.

Here’s how you can find the right editor for your dissertation:

1. Referrals and word-of-mouth

The most assured and effective way to find an editor is through word of mouth. Ask your classmates or seniors if they got their dissertations edited. If they’ve worked with an editor and found it a great experience, odds are that the editor is right for you! This is because the editor has already worked in conditions that are similar to yours (subject matter, university specifications, turnaround time).

2. Client reviews and testimonials

Read reviews and testimonials from previous clients to gauge the editor’s professionalism and reliability. In the absence of a direct referral, online reviews are your next best measure of quality.

3. Experience and expertise

Look for an editor with a proven track record in editing academic dissertations and expertise in your specific field of study. Your dissertation holds significant weight in your academic journey, so you don’t want an amateur to work on it!

4. Qualifications and credentials

Ensure that your editor holds advanced degrees and has relevant certifications in editing or a related discipline. Ideally, your editor should have a master’s degree in your general subject area, if not a PhD. After all, who would be better at PhD dissertation editing than someone who’s already written one?

5. Communication and collaboration

Editing is more than just a simple review. The editor will critique your writing and the arrangement of your ideas. So, you need to choose one who is good at communicating the changes they make to your dissertation. Clear communication and effective collaboration make for a smooth and quick editing experience.

6. Cost and turnaround time

Consider the editor’s pricing structure and turnaround time to ensure they align with your budget and project timeline. This is an important aspect of dissertation editing and will decide who you end up working with.

The best editors and dissertation editing companies offer free samples of their work. You can try some of them out to see if they’re a match for your thesis.

Steps in the dissertation editing process

Dissertation editing is a systematic and layered process. The editor performs several rounds of reviews, considering various aspects of dissertation writing and editing. If you’re editing your own dissertation, these steps may provide a blueprint for the process.

Here are the steps of dissertation editing:

1. Structure and organization

In this phase, the editor ensures that your research is presented in a logical and cohesive manner. They check whether you’ve included all the necessary sections and sub-sections. For instance, your introduction chapter must be comprehensive while the literature review must be an expert synthesis of existing research.

2. Clarity and coherence

Next, the editor examines the clarity and coherence of your dissertation. They assess the logical flow of ideas, the effectiveness of transitions between sections, and the overall coherence of the arguments presented. Any ambiguities or inconsistencies are addressed to improve the reader’s comprehension. The marking schemes for several major universities and departments feature a separate column for coherence, so it’s an important aspect of your dissertation.

3. Formatting and style

The editor checks the formatting of your dissertation, ensuring that it conforms to the specified style guidelines (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). They pay special attention to your citations, references, headings, and subheadings. Thus, they ensure that your formatting is accurate and consistent throughout the document.

4. Proofreading and Grammar Check

Once the major structural changes are done, the editor moves on to errors in your writing. They focus on correcting grammatical errors, typos, punctuation mistakes, and inconsistencies in spelling or capitalization. This ensures that your dissertation adheres to the highest standards of written English. Your document must follow all the academic writing rules , as there is usually a grade for this aspect of your dissertation.

5. Plagiarism check

To maintain academic integrity, editors employ plagiarism detection software to ensure your dissertation is free from any instances of plagiarism. Any identified issues are addressed and resolved. This is an optional check, so many editors offer it as an additional service, often at an extra charge. Plagiarism can get you suspended or even expelled, so don’t underestimate its importance!

6. References and citations

Editors meticulously verify all references and citations in your dissertation, cross-checking them against the specified citation style. They ensure that all sources are properly cited, avoiding any potential issues related to plagiarism or academic integrity. Like plagiarism checking, this is also often offered as an additional service.

7. Final review and feedback

In the last stage, the editor conducts a final review of your dissertation, ensuring that all revisions and edits have been appropriately implemented. They provide constructive feedback and suggestions to further enhance the quality of your work.

So, dissertation editing is crucial in elevating the quality and impact of your research. By seeking professional editing firms, you can improve your dissertation and achieve a higher score. With an editor’s help, you’ll be able to write a dissertation that has an impact in your field and helps you out in your professional career.

What are the standard dissertation editing rates?

The standard dissertation editing rates are $25–$80 per 1,000 words, with a one-week turnaround time. On a per-word basis, the dissertation editing cost can range from $0.03–$0.12.

The rate of dissertation editing depends on the level of editing you require, the complexity of your topic, and the experience level of your editor. Other factors such as the density of errors in your document and turnaround time can also affect the dissertation editing cost.

To simplify things for you, we’ve prepared a table with the pricing options for some of the prominent editing firms in the industry. Here are the dissertation editing rates you can expect to pay for your document:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do i need an editor for my dissertation, how do you edit a phd dissertation, how long does it take to edit a dissertation, can an editor help with language improvement if english is not my first language, are dissertation editing companies confidential.

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What is Dissertation Editing?

Find our more about dissertation editing, types of editing, and how the process works.

For graduate students preparing to defend their dissertations, the light at the end of the tunnel may seem dim. They've obsessed over their dissertations for hours, days, weeks. They've poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their masterpiece. They've stared at their computer screen until the words are a mere blur. And they're not done. They may opt to hire an editor for their dissertation.

What is dissertation editing?

Dissertation editing is the process of reviewing a graduate dissertation to improve in specified areas. Some dissertations need proofreading while others need line editing. There are many different types of editing and a lot of ambiguity around the definition and complexity of those types of editing. I'll dive into those below.

**DISCLAIMER**

Dissertation editing should always be done ethically. That means, no one else should conduct the research for the dissertation, write the dissertation (in part or in whole), or edit without the explicit approval of the committee chair.

What are the differences in editing?

Editing is a general term for reviewing a work. The focus of editing and the exact terminology varies greatly. For example, I edit dissertations, blogs, newsletters, whitepapers, websites, and other pieces. When I edit them, I am looking for specifics based on the type of editing I'm doing. The image below gives a general idea of the different types of editing with the reminder that all editors or editorial groups agree on the definitions. Explanations are listed below.

Proofreading

In general, proofreading is one of the last steps, but it is essential. It's looking at errors in mechanics, usage, grammar, and spelling. It includes things like making sure the commas are in the correct place.

Line editing

Line editing is more comprehensive and is done earlier. It includes looking at each line for syntax, structure, flow, cohesion, and more. It's comprehensive and what many dissertation authors need.

Other types of editing

Copyediting--looking at the printed draft (the final copy) for errors. This is the last look before  print. Fact  checking/research--checking facts and research, including format. Sensitivity--assessing inclusivity, equitability, and language. While there are other types of editing, I find that proofreading and line editing are the most necessary forms of editing for dissertations.

How does dissertation editing work?

After editing many dissertations, I have created a simple but effective process. Once contracts are signed:

• Author completes tasks (answer questionnaire, complete contract, and make payment).
• My team and I get the author set up in our project-management space (complete with video instructions).
• Author uploads draft per our discussion (in chapters or as a whole piece).
• Editor edits and sends back for review (complete with questions if any).
• Author sends back any questions or concerns (essentially another round of edits).
• Editor responds and returns draft back to author.
• Upon completion, author completes tasks (answers questionnaire and makes recommendations).

Finally, the author successfully defends the dissertation and celebrates!

If you or someone you know needs a dissertation editor, contact me today!

Categories: : editing

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Dissertation Editor

What you need to know about dissertation editing.

Are you seeking to elevate your dissertation to its highest potential? Whether you’re a PhD student or nearing the completion of your Master’s degree, you recognize the importance of refining your work to stand out in academia. Editing services offer a pathway to achieving this goal, but selecting the right service is crucial. Let’s delve into what you need to know about dissertation editing and how to make the most out of this vital step in your academic journey.

Preparing for Editing Services

Before delving into the realm of dissertation editing services , it’s crucial to gain a deep understanding of the essence of your thesis. Unlike other forms of writing, a thesis occupies a unique space in academia, characterized by its research-based foundation, formal style, and targeted audience of experts. As the culmination of years of scholarly inquiry and exploration, your thesis demands precision, clarity, and adherence to rigorous academic standards.

As you prepare to engage an editing service, it’s imperative to grasp the nuances of dissertation writing and the specific requirements of your discipline. A thorough comprehension of these foundational elements will serve as the bedrock for productive collaboration with your chosen editor. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of quantitative analysis or crafting compelling arguments grounded in qualitative research, aligning with an editor who possesses expertise in your field is paramount to the success of your endeavor.

Exploring Editing Options: Copy Editing vs. Proofreading

Dissertation editing services offer a spectrum of options tailored to meet the diverse needs of scholars seeking to refine their work. At the core of these offerings lie two primary categories: copy editing and proofreading.

Copy Editing : This comprehensive form of editing entails a meticulous review of your dissertation, encompassing aspects such as grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, word choice, consistency, style, spelling, and tone. Through this process, your editor endeavors to optimize the coherence, clarity, and overall impact of your writing, ensuring that every sentence resonates with precision and authority.

Proofreading : In contrast, proofreading focuses on the final polish, addressing issues related to grammar, punctuation, consistency, and spelling. While less extensive than copy editing, proofreading plays a crucial role in refining the finer details of your dissertation, ensuring that it adheres to the highest standards of accuracy and professionalism.

Determining the type of editing that best aligns with your needs necessitates an honest assessment of your writing proficiency and the overall quality of your manuscript. While both copy editing and proofreading offer invaluable benefits, engaging in professional editing services affords you the assurance of a comprehensive review by seasoned experts, thereby elevating the caliber of your dissertation to new heights.

Selecting the Right Editing Service

Not all dissertation editing services are equal, making it imperative to choose wisely. Here are key factors to consider when selecting an editing company:

Specialization in Your Field : Seek out editing companies with a proven track record of success in your discipline, ensuring that they possess the requisite expertise to navigate the intricacies of your research area with precision and insight.

Comprehensive Services : Look for providers that offer a comprehensive range of editing services, including copy editing, proofreading, and formatting assistance. By partnering with a full-service provider, you can streamline the editing process and address all aspects of your manuscript in a cohesive and efficient manner.

Quality Assurance : Prioritize providers that adhere to stringent quality assurance protocols, including the use of experienced editors, rigorous editing standards, and multiple rounds of review. A commitment to excellence at every stage of the editing process is essential to ensuring the integrity and credibility of your dissertation.

Transparent Pricing : Seek clarity regarding pricing structures, ensuring that you understand the cost implications of the services rendered. Look for providers that offer transparent pricing models, with no hidden fees or unexpected charges, allowing you to budget effectively and plan accordingly.

Client Testimonials and Reviews : Take the time to research client testimonials and reviews, gaining insights into the experiences of past clients and the overall reputation of the editing service. A strong track record of positive feedback and satisfied customers is indicative of a provider’s reliability and professionalism.

By carefully evaluating these factors and conducting due diligence, you can confidently select an editing service that aligns with your needs and empowers you to achieve your academic goals with clarity and precision.

Advantages of Dissertation Editing Services

Compared to editing other types of documents, such as business reports or literary works, dissertation editing offers unique advantages tailored to the specific requirements of scholarly writing. These advantages include:

Precision and Accuracy : Dissertation editing prioritizes precision, accuracy, and adherence to formal academic conventions, ensuring that your research is communicated with clarity and authority.

Specialized Expertise : Professional editors possess specialized expertise in academic writing, allowing them to navigate complex research topics and disciplinary conventions with confidence and insight.

Streamlined Processes : Editing services streamline the editing process, allowing you to focus on the substance of your research while leaving the finer details of grammar, punctuation, and style to experienced professionals.

Quality Assurance : By engaging in professional editing services, you benefit from rigorous quality assurance protocols, multiple rounds of review, and meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that your dissertation meets the highest standards of excellence.

Confidence and Peace of Mind : Partnering with an editing service instills confidence and peace of mind, knowing that your manuscript is in the hands of seasoned professionals dedicated to maximizing its impact and effectiveness. From refining complex arguments to ensuring adherence to disciplinary conventions, dissertation editing services offer invaluable support and guidance throughout the writing process, empowering you to present your research with clarity, precision, and authority.

Dissertation Editing Pricing and Services

The cost of dissertation editing services varies depending on factors such as document length, complexity, and desired turnaround time. While pricing models may include per-page, per-word, or hourly rates, it’s essential to consider the value proposition offered by each provider and prioritize quality and reliability above all else.

In addition to standard editing services, some providers offer specialized packages tailored to meet the unique needs of graduate students and scholars. These packages may include:

Thesis Evaluation and Editing : Comprehensive editing services encompassing copy editing, proofreading, and formatting assistance, tailored to address all aspects of your dissertation with precision and expertise.

Thesis Formatting : Dedicated assistance with formatting your manuscript according to the specific requirements of your institution or academic discipline, ensuring consistency and professionalism throughout.

Thesis Proofreading : Final polish and review to address any lingering errors or inconsistencies, ensuring that your dissertation meets the highest standards of accuracy and professionalism before submission.

By exploring these tailored solutions and engaging with a provider that aligns with your needs and preferences, you can navigate the editing process with confidence and clarity, empowering you to present your research with impact and authority.

Approval Ready Consulting: Your Trusted Editing Partner

At Approval Ready Consulting, we understand the transformative power of dissertation editing and the pivotal role it plays in shaping the trajectory of your academic journey. With a commitment to excellence, integrity, and professionalism, we offer a comprehensive range of editing services tailored to meet the diverse needs of graduate students and scholars worldwide.

Based in New York, USA, our team of experienced editors brings a wealth of expertise and insight to every project, ensuring that your dissertation receives the meticulous attention and care it deserves. From grammar and punctuation editing to comprehensive thesis recommendations, our services are designed to enhance the clarity, coherence, and impact of your research, empowering you to achieve your academic goals with confidence and precision.

Why Choose Approval Ready Consulting?

Specialized Expertise : Our editors possess specialized expertise in academic writing and research, allowing them to navigate complex topics and disciplinary conventions with confidence and insight.

Comprehensive Services : We offer a comprehensive range of editing services, including copy editing, proofreading, formatting assistance, and thesis recommendations, ensuring that every aspect of your dissertation is addressed with precision and professionalism.

Quality Assurance : Our rigorous quality assurance protocols, multiple rounds of review, and commitment to excellence ensure that your dissertation meets the highest standards of accuracy, clarity, and professionalism.

Personalized Support : We prioritize personalized support and communication, ensuring that your unique needs and preferences are addressed with care and attention to detail throughout the editing process.

Client Satisfaction Guarantee : We stand behind the quality of our work and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied with our editing services, we will do whatever it takes to make it right or refund your payment in full.

From the initial consultation to the final delivery of your edited manuscript, we are committed to providing you with a seamless and stress-free experience, empowering you to present your research with confidence, clarity, and authority.

Contact Us Today: Let’s Elevate Your Dissertation Together

eady to experience the difference of professional editing services? Contact Approval Ready Consulting today to discuss your editing needs, request a free sample edit, and take the first step toward academic excellence.

We look forward to partnering with you on your journey toward scholarly success and empowering you to present your research with clarity, precision, and authority.

Previous post

How do you know if you have the right dissertation topic

What are examples of academic journals, you may also like, what is the difference between line editing and copy editing.

Generally, there are two types of editing services offered by academic editing firms. Copy editing refers to editing a document at the mechanical level, mainly focusing on technical details including spelling, grammar, punctuation, passive voice, anthropomorphism, and overall flow of …

An academic journal is a type of publication wherein researchers and other scholars present their research findings and viewpoints to the greater academic community. There are thousands of journals dedicated to specific disciplines, subject matters, and topical areas, each with …

Choosing the right dissertation topic is a crucial step in the academic journey of any researcher. To ensure that you have selected a suitable dissertation topic, consider the following criteria: Interest and Passion: A good dissertation topic should align with …

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Your Writing, Expertly Edited

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

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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)

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation

What Is a Dissertation? | 5 Essential Questions to Get Started

Published on 26 March 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 5 May 2022.

A dissertation is a large research project undertaken at the end of a degree. It involves in-depth consideration of a problem or question chosen by the student. It is usually the largest (and final) piece of written work produced during a degree.

The length and structure of a dissertation vary widely depending on the level and field of study. However, there are some key questions that can help you understand the requirements and get started on your dissertation project.

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Table of contents

When and why do you have to write a dissertation, who will supervise your dissertation, what type of research will you do, how should your dissertation be structured, what formatting and referencing rules do you have to follow, frequently asked questions about dissertations.

A dissertation, sometimes called a thesis, comes at the end of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. It is a larger project than the other essays you’ve written, requiring a higher word count and a greater depth of research.

You’ll generally work on your dissertation during the final year of your degree, over a longer period than you would take for a standard essay . For example, the dissertation might be your main focus for the last six months of your degree.

Why is the dissertation important?

The dissertation is a test of your capacity for independent research. You are given a lot of autonomy in writing your dissertation: you come up with your own ideas, conduct your own research, and write and structure the text by yourself.

This means that it is an important preparation for your future, whether you continue in academia or not: it teaches you to manage your own time, generate original ideas, and work independently.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

During the planning and writing of your dissertation, you’ll work with a supervisor from your department. The supervisor’s job is to give you feedback and advice throughout the process.

The dissertation supervisor is often assigned by the department, but you might be allowed to indicate preferences or approach potential supervisors. If so, try to pick someone who is familiar with your chosen topic, whom you get along with on a personal level, and whose feedback you’ve found useful in the past.

How will your supervisor help you?

Your supervisor is there to guide you through the dissertation project, but you’re still working independently. They can give feedback on your ideas, but not come up with ideas for you.

You may need to take the initiative to request an initial meeting with your supervisor. Then you can plan out your future meetings and set reasonable deadlines for things like completion of data collection, a structure outline, a first chapter, a first draft, and so on.

Make sure to prepare in advance for your meetings. Formulate your ideas as fully as you can, and determine where exactly you’re having difficulties so you can ask your supervisor for specific advice.

Your approach to your dissertation will vary depending on your field of study. The first thing to consider is whether you will do empirical research , which involves collecting original data, or non-empirical research , which involves analysing sources.

Empirical dissertations (sciences)

An empirical dissertation focuses on collecting and analysing original data. You’ll usually write this type of dissertation if you are studying a subject in the sciences or social sciences.

• What are airline workers’ attitudes towards the challenges posed for their industry by climate change?
• How effective is cognitive behavioural therapy in treating depression in young adults?
• What are the short-term health effects of switching from smoking cigarettes to e-cigarettes?

There are many different empirical research methods you can use to answer these questions – for example, experiments , observations, surveys , and interviews.

When doing empirical research, you need to consider things like the variables you will investigate, the reliability and validity of your measurements, and your sampling method . The aim is to produce robust, reproducible scientific knowledge.

Non-empirical dissertations (arts and humanities)

A non-empirical dissertation works with existing research or other texts, presenting original analysis, critique and argumentation, but no original data. This approach is typical of arts and humanities subjects.

• What attitudes did commentators in the British press take towards the French Revolution in 1789–1792?
• How do the themes of gender and inheritance intersect in Shakespeare’s Macbeth ?
• How did Plato’s Republic and Thomas More’s Utopia influence nineteenth century utopian socialist thought?

The first steps in this type of dissertation are to decide on your topic and begin collecting your primary and secondary sources .

Primary sources are the direct objects of your research. They give you first-hand evidence about your subject. Examples of primary sources include novels, artworks and historical documents.

Secondary sources provide information that informs your analysis. They describe, interpret, or evaluate information from primary sources. For example, you might consider previous analyses of the novel or author you are working on, or theoretical texts that you plan to apply to your primary sources.

Dissertations are divided into chapters and sections. Empirical dissertations usually follow a standard structure, while non-empirical dissertations are more flexible.

Structure of an empirical dissertation

Empirical dissertations generally include these chapters:

• Introduction : An explanation of your topic and the research question(s) you want to answer.
• Literature review : A survey and evaluation of previous research on your topic.
• Methodology : An explanation of how you collected and analysed your data.
• Results : A brief description of what you found.
• Discussion : Interpretation of what these results reveal.
• Conclusion : Answers to your research question(s) and summary of what your findings contribute to knowledge in your field.

Sometimes the order or naming of chapters might be slightly different, but all of the above information must be included in order to produce thorough, valid scientific research.

Other dissertation structures

If your dissertation doesn’t involve data collection, your structure is more flexible. You can think of it like an extended essay – the text should be logically organised in a way that serves your argument:

• Introduction: An explanation of your topic and the question(s) you want to answer.
• Main body: The development of your analysis, usually divided into 2–4 chapters.
• Conclusion: Answers to your research question(s) and summary of what your analysis contributes to knowledge in your field.

The chapters of the main body can be organised around different themes, time periods, or texts. Below you can see some example structures for dissertations in different subjects.

• Political philosophy

This example, on the topic of the British press’s coverage of the French Revolution, shows how you might structure each chapter around a specific theme.

This example, on the topic of Plato’s and More’s influences on utopian socialist thought, shows a different approach to dividing the chapters by theme.

This example, a master’s dissertation on the topic of how writers respond to persecution, shows how you can also use section headings within each chapter. Each of the three chapters deals with a specific text, while the sections are organised thematically.

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Like other academic texts, it’s important that your dissertation follows the formatting guidelines set out by your university. You can lose marks unnecessarily over mistakes, so it’s worth taking the time to get all these elements right.

Formatting guidelines concern things like:

• line spacing
• page numbers
• punctuation
• title pages
• presentation of tables and figures

If you’re unsure about the formatting requirements, check with your supervisor or department. You can lose marks unnecessarily over mistakes, so it’s worth taking the time to get all these elements right.

How will you reference your sources?

Referencing means properly listing the sources you cite and refer to in your dissertation, so that the reader can find them. This avoids plagiarism by acknowledging where you’ve used the work of others.

Keep track of everything you read as you prepare your dissertation. The key information to note down for a reference is:

• The publication date
• Page numbers for the parts you refer to (especially when using direct quotes)

Different referencing styles each have their own specific rules for how to reference. The most commonly used styles in UK universities are listed below.

You can use the free APA Reference Generator to automatically create and store your references.

APA Reference Generator

The words ‘ dissertation ’ and ‘thesis’ both refer to a large written research project undertaken to complete a degree, but they are used differently depending on the country:

• In the UK, you write a dissertation at the end of a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and you write a thesis to complete a PhD.
• In the US, it’s the other way around: you may write a thesis at the end of a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and you write a dissertation to complete a PhD.

The main difference is in terms of scale – a dissertation is usually much longer than the other essays you complete during your degree.

Another key difference is that you are given much more independence when working on a dissertation. You choose your own dissertation topic , and you have to conduct the research and write the dissertation yourself (with some assistance from your supervisor).

Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:

• An undergraduate dissertation is typically 8,000–15,000 words
• A master’s dissertation is typically 12,000–50,000 words
• A PhD thesis is typically book-length: 70,000–100,000 words

However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.

At the bachelor’s and master’s levels, the dissertation is usually the main focus of your final year. You might work on it (alongside other classes) for the entirety of the final year, or for the last six months. This includes formulating an idea, doing the research, and writing up.

A PhD thesis takes a longer time, as the thesis is the main focus of the degree. A PhD thesis might be being formulated and worked on for the whole four years of the degree program. The writing process alone can take around 18 months.

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Wordvice's dissertation editors enhance the style, clarity, and tone of your writing in the following ways:

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• Ronald Yates "Best dissertation editor EVER!" I submitted my dissertation to Wordvice before handing it in, and my editor Carla G. did such an amazing job - it was much more helpful than I had expected! She was very thorough and left many detailed suggestions in the manuscript that helped me immensely with organizing and strengthening my arguments. I got my dissertation back on time and felt very self-assured when I finally handed it in. Thank you for your very professional help.
• Chen Xi "Will use Wordvice again" Wordvice saved my master's thesis! I was stressed out because I thought I couldn't get everything done before my deadline, but my editor was so fast and their comments guided me really well through the last phase of polishing my writing. It sounds much more academic now, and I learned a lot from the feedback my editor gave me. I will definitely use Wordvice again for my dissertation!

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How Much Does Dissertation Editing Cost?

The price you pay for dissertation editing services can vary greatly depending on who you hire, but you can expect to pay at least  $0.02 per word . Given the average PhD dissertation word count of 80,000 words , the cost for professional editing is about $1,650 or higher  (U.S. dollars). The cost for comprehensive editing of an 80,000-word dissertation at Scribbr is $2,665 with a 1-week turnaround. PaperTrue charges $2,800 for dissertation editing with a 10-day turnaround, and the price is $1,820 with a 30-day turnaround. The price for editing an 80,000-word dissertation is $2,483 at Scribendi, with a 2-week turnaround. When you need fast, high-quality dissertation editing and proofreading services, the PhD editors at Editor World are here to help (our price for editing a dissertation with 80,000 words is $1,680. To view a list of top dissertation editing services available online, see our summary of 10 dissertation editing services . Some dissertation editors charge a set fee to edit a dissertation, while others set the price based on page count or word count. The cost to edit a dissertation also depends on the type of editing the editor provides. If you are in the early stages of writing your dissertation, more involved editing, known as rewriting or substantive editing , may be needed. Because this type of editing is more involved, it will be more expensive. In this stage, the editor may need to work more closely with you, such as meeting regularly to discuss areas that require improvement and reworking the chapters.

In later stages of the dissertation writing process, you may need a round of copyediting, where the editor focuses on clarity, readability, grammar, word usage, spelling, and punctuation. After you defend and finalize your dissertation, a round of proofreading will help you eliminate any minor errors remaining in the document. This ensures that your final dissertation is as error-free and professional as possible. The cost of proofreading your dissertation will be lower than the price for editing. The price paid for editing your dissertation can increase if the editor has extensive experience with dissertation editing. The length of the time the editor is given to edit your dissertation, or the turnaround time, also impacts the price. A rush editing service, one that gives the editor very little time to edit the dissertation, will have a higher fee.

Dissertation editors may also charge lower per-word or per-page rates for longer projects, so if you are submitting your dissertation for editing chapter-by-chapter you may pay a higher price than if you submit the complete dissertation at one time. However, having the dissertation edited as you work on each chapter can be less intimidating because you only need to revise one section at a time. Considering your work style can help you decide whether to submit your dissertation for editing as you complete each chapter or to wait and submit the full dissertation for editing at one time.

As with any service you purchase, you need to obtain as much information as possible about your dissertation editor before submitting payment. This includes previous client feedback on the editor's performance with dissertations, the full cost to edit your dissertation, and the deadline for receiving your edited dissertation. It is also imperative that you provide detailed instructions for your editor so he or she can best meet your needs. When you're ready to publish journal articles based on your dissertation, review our list of academic writing dos and don'ts . 

About Editor World's Dissertation Editing Services

As of April 2023, Editor World’s  cost to edit  a 80,000-word dissertation is $1,680. Some editors offer a discount of up to 20%, which would reduce the  dissertation editing  cost to $1,344. Our dissertation editing services help you focus on the content of your dissertation while we perfect your words, increasing your chances of successfully completing your dissertation and doctorate. Editor World is also available for rewriting and paraphrasing ,  academic editing ,  dissertation editing , thesis proofreading , and so much more!

How to find a reputable academic dissertation editor

Academic dissertation editing involves the expertise of skilled editors who go beyond grammar correction to improve the quality, coherence, and flow of lengthy academic texts like theses and dissertations. Learn more about how finding and hiring a professional and reputable editor for your dissertation.

What is academic dissertation editing?

Given the immense task of writing thousands of words to develop a cohesive dissertation, dissertation editing services go beyond mere grammar correction.

Academic dissertation editing involves the assistance of highly skilled editors who specialize in improving the quality of lengthy academic texts, such as theses and dissertations.

Additionally, they evaluate the structure, clarity, and logical progression of arguments within the text. By doing so, they enhance the overall coherence and flow of the dissertation, making it easier for readers to understand and engage with the content.

The benefits of hiring a professional dissertation editor

Consider the process of writing a dissertation similar to the process of writing a book. The majority of books go through the hands of professional editors before they are published.

Using a professional editing and proofreading service to improve your thesis or dissertation is perfectly legitimate. In fact, many established academics use the help of professional editors to enhance their work.

Seeking assistance to improve the text and having it edited is not only legitimate but also encouraged. This practice is especially beneficial for non-native English speakers, as it allows them to compete on an equal footing in terms of academic publishing and ensures that their dissertations are not unfairly judged based solely on language proficiency.

Characteristics of reputable thesis and dissertation editing services

Choosing a suitable dissertation editor can be challenging: numerous individuals offer their services online. However, it is essential to recognize that effective dissertation editing requires the expertise of a trained professional with experience in academic writing and publishing.

As a significant milestone and a substantial academic endeavor, striving for excellence and ensuring the work is brought to the highest possible standard is crucial. Thus, finding a reliable dissertation editing service becomes pivotal in achieving this goal.

How to find a professional editor for your thesis or dissertation (online)

Timeline for hiring a professional dissertation editor.

Determining when to hire a dissertation editor is a common concern for those approaching the completion of their thesis or dissertation.

In the case of a Ph.D. thesis, it is advisable to contact an editor at least six months before the submission deadline. This timeline does not imply that your thesis needs to be fully completed by then, but it provides an opportunity to assess the required editing timeframe and adjust your writing schedule accordingly.

Are dissertation writing services legit?

How do i find an editor for my dissertation.

You can find a reputable editor for your dissertation based on recommendations from your supervisor/s, colleagues and peers, or online. When choosing an editor, make sure to consider the following factors: a reputable service from a well-reviewed company, expertise in academic writing, familiarity with your field or discipline, adherence to data security standards, and personalized editing services customized to meet your specific requirements. If you are seeking a reputable thesis or dissertation editor who meets high-quality standards and provides efficient turnaround times, I recommend the professional thesis and dissertation editing service by Editage .

How do I find a reputable dissertation editor?

Can i pay someone to edit my thesis, how much does it cost to hire a dissertation editor.

Dissertation editing rates can vary significantly, but not all services are equal. A recent analysis on Google revealed that reputable dissertation editing services typically charge between $500 and $900 for a 20,000-word document. If you are looking for a trusted editor who upholds high-quality standards and offers prompt turnaround times, I recommend Editage’s professional thesis and dissertation editing service . They charge $544 for up to 20000 words, and you can enjoy a 30% discount on their services by signing up through Master Academia.

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What is Thesis Editing?

Authors crystallize their ideas and research work in an academic document, known as a thesis. Writing a thesis has multiple objectives: achieving an educational qualification, securing funding, qualifying for a research program, etc. However, if the thesis does not have the required language quality or does not meet the submission guidelines, it may be outrightly rejected. To avoid such a situation, authors rely on thesis editing. 

What is thesis editing?

Thesis editing augments the overall quality of the thesis to improve the chances of its acceptance. It covers the following aspects. 

• Structure: A thesis consists of multiple components such as the literature review, a problem statement, table of contents, research methodology, conclusion, reference articles, etc. Thesis editing restructures the thesis for proper flow and clear demonstration.
• Format: The thesis editing process incorporates the mandatory formatting guidelines such as choosing the Times New Roman or Arial fonts as they are commonly accepted, ensuring line spacing of 1.5 for the text, using numerals for numbers between 1 and 10, hyphenating compound adjectives, left aligning the tables, and more.
• Style:  The thesis, based on the subject area, must comply with style guides. For instance, a thesis on medical research must be in line with the AMA (American Medical Association) style guide. Thesis editing refines the writing style to match it with specific style guides.
• Language:  Thesis editing improves the overall language quality and rectifies the errors in spellings, punctuations, and grammar. It also eliminates reiteration, ambiguity, bias, and redundancy. It polishes the language and refines it to highlight the essential elements of the thesis.
• Proofreading: This is the final step of thesis editing. The final draft is proofread to identify and eliminate errors in language, citation, hyperlinking, etc. Proofreading ensures the thesis is free from language errors and has all the necessary elements for successful submission.

What does a thesis editor do?

A thesis editor rectifies grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, improves syntax, ensures clarity and coherence in the text, and maintains the consistency of font, style, and format. In addition, the editor also checks if the thesis complies with the necessary style guides and submission protocols. Put simply; the editor makes the thesis ready for submission. 

What qualities must a thesis editor have?

• Editing experience: Authors must approach highly experienced editors for thesis editing. The experience enables the editors to easily align with the scope of the thesis and understand the extent of improvement needed to make it submission-ready.
• Quality assurance: An author should notice the difference in the overall quality of the thesis after editing. It is crucial to choose an editor who is sought-after for providing the best quality of thesis editing and making it ready for submission.
• Subject matter expertise: It is essential to choose a thesis editor possessing qualifications, experience, and in-depth knowledge about the authors’ subject area. For instance, an editor who is proficient in physics will not efficiently edit a thesis on biochemistry. Therefore, it is always viable to match the thesis with subject matter expertise to attain top-quality thesis editing.
• Timely delivery: Thesis submission timelines are very tight. The author must consider the editor’s ability to deliver within the established timelines before handing over the thesis for editing. No matter how well-edited the thesis may be, the delay in delivery will make the author miss the deadline for submission, defying the objective of writing the thesis.
• Adept with the necessary guidelines: The editor must be adept with the submission guidelines as thesis editing is not limited to only enhancing the language quality. It also includes aligning the thesis with the submission guidelines to avoid the chances of rejection.
• Attention to detail: Authors seek professional editing services to receive a thesis that is flawless and ready for submission. Therefore, the editor must be able to spot all the inconsistencies and most minor errors that disrupt the quality of the thesis.

Authors invest a lot of time and effort in writing the thesis. Therefore, they must not be entangled in the tedious process of thesis editing. It is always viable for authors to opt for professional thesis editing to receive;

• A thesis that has quality-rich language and is edited to match the style guides and submission guidelines.
• A thesis that includes constructive criticism from highly qualified and experienced experts on improving its clarity, conciseness, structure, and logical flow.
• A well-formatted thesis that is delivered on time.
• An option to track and review the changes so that the authors can decide upon whether or not to retain the changes as per their preferences.

Thesis editing is a critical and time-intensive process, but it helps the author establish a successful career when done by professionals. So, authors must choose the right thesis editing service to make a brilliant first impression on their faculty and superiors with a well-edited thesis.

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Thesis and Dissertation Policies and Practices

All thesis-option master’s students and doctoral students must follow the Thesis & Dissertation Policies that are outlined in the University Catalog – Policies and Procedures for Administering Graduate Student Programs .

Thesis Copyright Protection

Purdue University Policy I.A.1 , May 18, 2007, Intellectual Property , established that copyright ownership now resides with you, the author. The copyright symbol © is not required for works to be copyrighted. All candidates have the additional option of applying for registration of their copyright: This establishes a public record of theses/dissertations and confers additional legal rights, enabling individuals to file infringement suits and seek statutory damages as well as attorneys’ fees. Copyright registration can be filed here .

Specific questions regarding your rights and responsibilities under U.S. copyright law may be addressed to the Purdue University Copyright Office: 765.496.3864 or Stewart Center Room 246A.

Using Material Protected by Copyright

Purdue University promotes compliance with U.S. copyright law and understanding of the appropriate use of copyrighted works: Purdue University Policy I.A.3, January 1, 2015 Use of Copyrighted Materials for Educational and Research Purposes .

When quoting extensively from copyrighted material, the author must obtain written permission from the copyright holder. There is no precise relationship between the amount of text quoted and the requirement for written permission to use the material. The law governing copyright infringement is based on the fair use principle. Ordinarily, if you plan to quote more than 150 words of continuous text from copyrighted material, you should ask permission from the author. If the work you are quoting has significant commercial value, you should obtain permission to quote any complete or nearly complete text item or section. When your quotation of copyrighted material could have a negative impact on the existing commercial value of that material, obtain the copyright holder’s permission. Figures or other graphical material, including Web pages, should not be reprinted in your thesis without the author’s consent. Permission to use copyrighted material is usually granted on condition that acknowledgment is made. You will be responsible for any required payments.

You will be required to upload copyright permissions to HammerRR (Figshare) when depositing your thesis with the Purdue University Graduate School.

By depositing a thesis with the Purdue University Graduate School, you certify that all copyrighted material incorporated into the thesis complies with United States copyright law and that you have received written permission from the copyright owners for the use of their work, which is beyond the scope of the law. You also agree to indemnify and save harmless Purdue University from any and all claims that may be asserted or that may arise from any copyright violation.

Data subject to EAR, ITAR, DFARS Clause 252.204-7012, and other controlled data designators require increased security to establish compliancy with government regulations. Due to these increased security requirements an alternative method is required to be followed for controlled theses see Controlled Thesis Submission Process -  Guidance Document - Controlled Thesis Submission Process.

Publication of the thesis or dissertation is a required part of the deposit process. The university currently uses HammerRR to publish the thesis after which, your thesis will become an Open Access document with no additional cost to you.

All theses submitted to HammerRR are considered the final copy and are required to undergo a format review. Candidates will upload their thesis to HammerRR and Graduate School administrators will review the thesis for any format errors. In the event format changes are required, the administration will provide you a list of necessary changes that you should make and re-submit to HammerRR as soon as possible. Format reviews will continue until your format is in an acceptable condition. You may schedule a Formatting Consultation before your Final Exam (Defense) to avoid an extensive format review during the deposit process.

To further promote and preserve the intellectual contributions of its degree recipients, Purdue is also partnering with ProQuest / Clarivate to disseminate its emerging scholarship through the ProQuest Dissertation & Theses Global and Web of Science databases, which reaches thousands of institutions and millions of researchers worldwide. ProQuest also partners with major search and discipline-specific indexes for additional amplification and provides all of these services free of charge. By distributing your work with ProQuest, you will increase its visibility and impact within the global research community.  ProQuest recognizes the critical importance of embargos and will never publish a thesis until it has been released for dissemination by the university. You may withdraw your work from distribution at any time. You are eligible for a 10% royalty based upon sales and usage of the full text of the work. Please contact [email protected] with any questions and to set up your account to collect royalties.

Open Access Theses and Dissertations

Each student grants, without restriction, royalty free to Purdue University the nonexclusive right and license to reproduce, distribute, and display, in whole or in part, all theses and dissertations in any format now known or later developed for preservation and access in accordance with this agreement and will be made to the general public at no charge.

Benefits of an Open Access Thesis or Dissertation:

[1] Higher Citation Rates

The more users who can access a work, the more researchers that can cite that work.

[2] Better Global Visibility of Your Work

By making their work globally visible through open access, authors are allowing more scholars, more promising students and future scholars, less wealthy institutions, policy makers, news reporters, and the unexpected reader and citizen scholar to have access to their work who may not have otherwise had the ability or funds to access closed-access scholarship.

[3] Meeting the Land Grant Mission of the University

"Open access at Purdue can publicly showcase the scholarly output of the University and its community members, this provides greater visibility and traffic to your department, school, and ultimately the university. It can also show that scholars and researchers at Purdue think beyond their own disciplines by showcasing the interdisciplinary scholarship and research being created at Purdue. Finally, open access scholarship demonstrates accountability to the public that funds the university, while disseminating knowledge gained and created at Purdue; satisfying the public, land-grant mission of the university."

Students who wish to delay public release of their thesis must make the appropriate selection on the Electronic Thesis Acceptance Form (ETAF), provide the reasoning for the requested embargo, and make the same embargo selection in their HammerRR profile. The information that is provided to ETAF and HammerRR will be validated for consistency at the time of your thesis submission. If inconsistencies are present between the ETAF and HammerRR, the HammerRR profile will be updated by administrators to match what you have selected and what your committee chair has approved on the ETAF. Embargo periods are 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, or indefinite. During the embargo period, the deposited thesis abstract will be available for viewing; however, the main content will remain unpublished until the embargo period has expired. Students may embargo their thesis when applying for patents, have publications pending, or when proprietary rights are involved.

Confidentiality

Students who are applying for patents, are including sensitive ITAR/Export Controlled material, have a contract on file with Sponsored Program Services (SPS), or are including proprietary information may request confidentiality of their thesis. Confidentiality can be requested for one or two years and students who have contracts on file with SPS may request longer periods.

ADA Compliance and Accessible Documents

Before depositing your thesis with the Graduate School, the PDF copy of your thesis needs to be made accessible (the file will be accessible to screen readers and other assistive computer technologies) to the best of the author’s ability.

Word users: To check your thesis for accessibility it is recommended that you use Word 2013 or Word 2016 as these versions have a built-in accessibility checker. You can learn more about the accessibility checker from the Microsoft Accessibility Checker page. Once you convert your file to PDF, you should also verify that the accessible Word document has converted to an accessible PDF file.

LaTeX users: Authors using LaTeX should manually check the accessibility of their PDF document using Acrobat Pro.

Post-Facto Edits

The Graduate School expects candidates and departments to thoroughly review format and content of theses and dissertations prior to their electronic submission. The Graduate School does not generally permit post-facto revisions to ETDs once they have been accepted for deposit by the Thesis & Dissertation Office. Post acceptance changes are only permitted to correct significant textual, data, or mathematical errors affecting accuracy of content and which could be potentially embarrassing to Purdue University.

Exceptions to Graduate School policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be requested by submitting a letter with justification for the exception to the Graduate School for consideration. Requests must be endorsed by the student’s major professor and the Head or Chair of the Graduate Program. The Graduate School may require additional approvals if the request may impact other offices within the University (see Section VII.I of the University Catalog).

A thesis authored at Purdue University should be structured and formatted using one of the below methods:

Traditional

A traditional thesis is a document that provides a complete and systematic account of your research. A typical traditional thesis suggests the following structure:

• Statement of Approval page
• Dedication (optional)
• Acknowledgments (optional)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Conclusions and Recommendations
• Appendix (optional)
• Vita (optional)
• List of Publications (optional)

* Thesis structure may vary by department. Please consult your committee for specific departmental requirements.

Article-based

An article-based thesis is a collection of published (or will be published) research articles consisting of an introductory and concluding chapter. A typical article-based thesis suggests the following structure:

• Published Article #1
• Published Article #2
• Published Article #3

Theses authored using this structure will need to include acknowledgement of prior publication within the respective chapter. Although each journal may have specific statement requirements, the acknowledgment should be single spaced and appear 3 single spaces under the chapter title. Consult your publisher regarding required information that should appear in this acknowledgment.

Creative work

The Graduate School is prepared to accept theses in creative formats subject to departmental and committee approval. Students wishing to submit a creative work as their thesis requirement should consult with their committee chair and contact the Thesis & Dissertation Office with their proposal.

If the primary literature on a subject matter is in a language other than English and the thesis or dissertation addresses a community of scholars who publish in a language other than English, a student may elect to write the thesis in a language that all committee members speak and read and support its use in the thesis. In this case, the thesis should contain a title page and abstract page in English.

All West Lafayette , IUPUI , and Northwest candidates are required to submit the ETAF through their Plan of Study portal. This form should be submitted on the day of Defense or no later than the date of the Final Examination Deadline each semester.

Purdue Fort Wayne candidates are required to submit paper versions of Forms 9, 32, and 15 . Copies of these forms should be submitted to the Thesis & Dissertation Office prior to submitting the thesis to HammerRR.

Effective September 1, 2014, Purdue’s Graduate School requires that all theses and dissertations be reviewed using the iThenticate software and any issues identified by the software and any issues identified by the software addressed prior to the deposit of the final thesis or dissertation with the Graduate School. Satisfaction of this requirement will be certified by both committee chair and degree candidate on the ETAF. Click here for more information.

All master’s candidates are required to pay a Thesis Deposit Fee of $90 and Ph.D. candidates are required to pay a Thesis Deposit Fee of $125. The fees will be uploaded to a student’s myPurdue account within 5-10 business days after the HammerRR submission is approved.

West Lafayette, PFW, and PNW candidates will pay the fee through their local bursar’s office. IUPUI candidates will receive an e-bill following their successful thesis deposit.

Candidates are required to meet both departmental and Graduate School deadlines each term.

Thesis-option master’s and doctoral students are required to submit their thesis for a final format check to the Graduate School no later than the close of business (5:00pm ET) the day before the semester's designated deposit deadline date. Candidates who miss the semester's deposit deadline at 5:00, but still wish to graduate, must submit a request for a deposit extension (endorsed by committee chair and department head) to the Graduate School for full consideration. If approved, the student should expect to pay a Late Graduation Deadline Fee . Contact the Thesis & Dissertation Office for questions.

Ph.D. and master’s students are required to complete the Graduate School Exit Questionnaire (GSEQ). In addition to the GSEQ, Ph.D. candidates are required to complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates. These surveys will become available to complete during the semester the student registers as a candidate for graduation.

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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!

Scribb is a valuable collaborator.

Scribb is a valuable collaborator for me in my English language work. They are professional, serious, punctual and very good, they give advice on how to improve and get better and better results. I trust them a lot!

Great service

Scribbr has taken away a major stress in…

Scribbr has taken away a major stress in writing papers. This is one less time-consuming part of writing that I don't have to deal with anymore. Thank you Scribbr

Scribbr is obv awesome

Scribbr is simple, doesn't overwhelm you with ads, has a few cool features here and there and gets the job done.

Easy to use and a big time saver!

This has helped me enormously

This has helped me enormously, I highly recommend Scribbr.

On time. Top-notch Formatted my document, and now it looks perfect

Amazing Stuff

4 years Strong

I have been working with Scribbr throughout my entire undergrad and could not be more happy with the product. It quickly generates bibliographies, has options to check my work for plagiarism and provides accurate intext citations for my work.

A Much Needed Tool

As a writer, I am often told this book would be better if you had the proper proofreading and grammar checks. Thank God I came across Scibbr. They are the best in the industry. They're quick and fast and go beyond measure to get the job done. Writers are left confident that after using Scibbr your work is ready for showtime!

I use this for referencing my level 3…

I use this for reference for my level 3 work and it was very helpful.

The editor provided me a lot of…

The editor provided me a lot of constructive comments and helped me improving my writing to be more concise.

Easy to use

Scribbr is easy to use when doing citations.

easy to create

I appreciate the help in assisting a student in creating a correct reference and the ease of putting in information and receiving a cite instantly.

Love this website

Love this website. It has saved my life when it comes to citations. My citations are spotless and I get good grades always.

Excellent, easy to use, and formatted perfectly with all my papers, memos, and presentations.

really useful

Oustanding precise feedback by Doug

Doug provided very precise feedback especially with respect to APA formating and citation referencing. His assistance signifanctly raised the level of my dissertation paper.

Very professional and helpful

I owe my M.Sc to Scribbr…

I used Scribbrs' Citation Generator for all the papers I submitted for my Masters Program and I'm om track to finish with a Distinction!. Wouldn't have done it without them!. Thank you Scribbr.

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