A systematic review of the literature is a type of review that aims to collect and summarize all studies relating to a certain topic in order to answer a research question.

In this article, we will look at the differences between an SRL and a traditional literature review, the key stages of a systematic review, and the key resources and tools for conducting a transparent and reproducible SRL.

Systematic Review of the Literature: What Is It?

A systematic review looks at all existing research pertaining to a specific research question and draws conclusions from it in an unbiased, reproducible, and transparent manner.

Since systematic reviews aim to answer a research question and use rigorous methods to arrive at objective conclusions, they may often require as much focus and academic skill as primary research.

RELATED READ: Credible Scientific Research: Importance of sources

Systematic Review VS Literature Review

The main difference between a systematic review and a traditional literature review is that SLRs strive to minimize bias as much as possible, rely on reproducible and transparent methods, follow key stages, and tend to analyze a narrower yet more extensive scope of research.

What’s more, systematic reviews often involve more than one researcher to reduce bias and clearly state how each reviewed study was identified and evaluated.

Thanks to having these measures in place, systematic reviews make for very comprehensive and transparent pieces of research that are extremely valuable to academics, students, and other professionals in the field.

Since SLRs are very time-consuming and require a great deal of academic skill, a regular bachelor’s or master’s thesis will usually include a typical literature review instead.

How to Conduct a Systematic Review of the Literature: 5 Steps

SLRs follow a set of specific stages to ensure the methodology is reproducible and the results valid.

Starting with…

1) Define your research question

Just as in the case of experiments or other types of studies, a systematic review of the literature aims to answer a particular question.

In order to arrive at your research question, it’s vital that you become closely familiar with all the existing knowledge in the field, analyze it for potential gaps, and start asking questions about the subject matter.

Once you’ve razored in on your question, ask yourself:

• Is it clear?
• Is it focused?
• Is it going to bring something of value to the field?

You can also turn to various search frameworks (acronyms that help you focus your research question better) for help.

For example, here is a search framework that’s often used in medical fields:

• P (patient, population, problem)
• I (intervention)
• C (comparison)
• O (outcome)

There are a few more letters you can add depending on your research and field, such as:

• C (context)
• T (type of study design)

Take clinical trials, for instance.

If researchers are trying to determine whether a specific treatment (I) will work for a particular group of people (P), they may split participants into two groups (C), one of which receives the treatment in question and the other a placebo. The differences analyzed between the two groups and the conclusions drawn from that are the outcome (O).

2) Develop a review protocol

A review protocol is essentially a plan that details how you’re going to go about conducting your systematic review.

This is where you map out your selection criteria, describe which data you will collect and on which grounds you will analyze them, and detail the review process so that it is transparent and reproducible by other researchers.

In a nutshell, your review protocol should ideally include:

• The objectives of your review and your research question
• Selection criteria (why certain studies are included and others excluded)
• Search strategy (how you will look for and choose sources)
• Data analysis strategies (collection of data, managing data, evaluating data)

RELATED READ: Table of contents for research papers

3) Conduct a systematic search

A systematic search requires a search strategy. When looking for your sources, it’s important that you stick to inclusion/exclusion criteria you have defined in your protocol, such as:

• Study design
• Date of publication
• Age
• Geography
• Language

You should also determine which databases you will search based on your field and research question.

For example, PubMed or Cochrane Library are very popular databases in the health sciences.

4) Screen all studies

The next step is to apply selection criteria to all the studies and articles you have found. It is important that you document this process so that you can write it all up later on.

It is generally recommended that there are at least two researchers who screen the studies in question in order to reduce bias.

The screening process is split into two stages:

• Abstracts: Include or exclude studies based on titles and abstracts
• Full texts: Read through the articles that made it through stage 1 and decide whether they meet all the selection criteria

There are many different tools you can use to help with your screening, such as PRISMA or CASP.

5) Extract and synthesize relevant data

Once you have selected all the articles that are to be included in your review, it is time to extract data.

This is to be done methodically, ideally in a table that portrays all relevant data for all studies.

The primary information you are looking for is:

• Each study’s methods and results, including study design, context, sample size, and findings

You should also try to evaluate any potential bias and limitations in the selected studies.

After extraction comes synthesis. This is when you compile all your data into a coherent narrative that paints an objective picture of the topic in question and aims to answer the research question.

Again, you can use various tools and software that make the extraction and synthesis process easier, for example, RevMan or JBI SUMARI.

Conclusion

When all the above-mentioned steps are completed, it is time to write your systematic review (here is a PRISMA checklist that helps you stay on track) and get it published in a peer-reviewed journal or a systematic review database.

And if you need help editing or proofreading your review or other scientific documents, don’t hesitate to reach out to the FirstEditing team.

The post Essential Guide: Conducting a Systematic Review of the Literature appeared first on Firstediting.com.

If you’ve already completed your Masters Degree, you’re probably familiar with the ins and outs of academic research.

However, if you’ve only just started your academic journey and are wondering where you’d like to go next or if are looking for more practical guidance during your PhD, you’ve come to the right place.

Here’s how to write a doctoral dissertation from start to finish.

The ABCs of a Doctoral Dissertation

Before we dive into the concrete steps of writing a PhD dissertation, keep these basics in mind:

The words “dissertation” and “thesis” are sometimes used interchangeably depending on the country and university. In the UK, for example, a dissertation is usually written in order to complete an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree while a thesis relates to a PhD. In the US, it is often the opposite. In this article, we’ll use the US term “dissertation”.

Your dissertation may look slightly different and have different requirements than that of a PhD student in another academic field. A doctoral dissertation in English Literature might be structured like an elaborate essay that revolves around multiple supporting arguments and themes for the central question while a doctoral dissertation in Chemistry may have to include methodology, results, and analysis sections that map out your research.

Therefore, strive to check the format with your supervisor and make use of your university materials to ensure you’re following the right template.

Establish open and honest communication with your doctoral supervisor. It’s always better to ask a question than to pretend you know what you’re talking about and then spend hours working on something you won’t be able to use. Your doctoral advisor is there to offer help, guidance, and direction – don’t be afraid to reach out when in doubt.

There are certain differences between a master’s thesis and a doctoral dissertation, such as the length (PhD dissertations are much longer), the type of research (PhD dissertations are usually based on original research conducted by the student – this can include an expansion of or an addition to an existing argument – while bachelor’s and master’s thesis can comment on existing research in the field), and the language (a doctoral piece of work is to be read and understood by academics whilst a bachelor’s thesis, for example, contains language that can be easily grasped by non-academics as well).

RELATED READ: Discussion vs Conclusion: Everything You Need to Know

How to Write a Doctoral Dissertation in 4 Steps

It’s time to break it all down.

Before we begin, however, do remember that what follows is but a general template. While it offers practical guidance that may help you understand what a doctoral dissertation comprises, it is vital that you consult this with your doctoral advisor and check your own university materials.

1) Conduct a thorough literature review

Similarly to a bachelor’s and master’s thesis, a doctoral dissertation is based on existing knowledge in the field – or the lack thereof.

When reading through academic papers, books, and journals, it is important that you try to locate a gap that invites new and original research or an argument that could be expanded upon or disproved through your own unique study.

As all experienced academics know, a proper literature review is absolutely crucial when it comes to creating one’s own research question and hypothesis.

2) Write and submit a research proposal

Whether or not you need to submit a research proposal depends on your university and field.

While some research proposals need to be submitted as part of a PhD application, some PhDs are “advertised”, which means the central question is already pre-established. There are also PhD programmes where students are encouraged to develop their research question during their studies.

If you do need to write a research proposal, these are the sections it typically includes:

• Title
• Overview (an explanation of what your research question is and how it can contribute to the field)
• Literature review (the context of your research and an analysis of existing studies and texts on the topic)
• Methodology (a summary of how you will go about collecting and analysing your data and which type of research you will conduct, e.g., quantitative or qualitative)
• Potential outcomes (you don’t need to know exactly how your research will be used, however, do try to identify potential outcomes and how your results could be possibly applied)

3) Begin your original research

Once you know what it is you would like to explore, it is time to get to work.

Of course, things aren’t as easy as that.

Oftentimes, it takes PhD students months or years to research and analyze everything they need to know about the topic in question, and if you are conducting an experiment, practical measures (such as facility and equipment use or ethical considerations) must be taken into account.

Here’s a basic overview of the different types of research that can be conducted:

• • Qualitative research (the main focus is on understanding experiences and behaviors through interviews or observations; it prioritizes context and deep understanding)
  • Quantitative research (aims to collect and analyze data on a large scale in order to understand themes, patterns, or relationships; common methods include surveys, experiments, longitudinal studies, secondary data analysis, statistical models, and more)

And here is another way to categorize the various types of studies out there:

• Experimental (is used to determine relationships between variables in a controlled environment) Observational (observes participants or subjects in their natural environment)
• Exploratory (where very little is known about the topic at hand, this type of research tries to gain a deeper insight through literature reviews, interviews, or focus groups)

… and more.

4) Write up your dissertation

In science-related fields, a doctoral dissertation serves to explain and map out your research. In humanities, the dissertation essentially is the research since it deals with ideas that are dissected and analyzed in the text itself.

The general template for a doctoral dissertation follows a very similar style to a bachelor’s or master’s thesis. The main difference is that a PhD dissertation is much longer, more complex, and on a higher linguistic level.

1. Introduction (states the main research question and objectives, presents contextual information to help understand the purpose and scope of the research)
2. Literature review (offers a critical insight into the existing knowledge in the field – analyzes, doesn’t summarize)
3. Methodology (reports how you went about conducting your research: categorizes the type of research you have done, describes your data collection and analysis methods, details where and when your research took place, and evaluates the efficacy of these methods)
4. Results (states which results you obtained, how they relate to the main research question, and informs of any additional data)
5. Discussion (dives into the meaning behind your results and what the potential outcomes and implications are, explains which limitations there have been and the role these limitations play)
6. Conclusion (wraps up the dissertation as a whole, answers the main research question, explains how the research may contribute to the field)
7. Bibliography (a list of all references)
8. Appendices (any additional materials that do not belong in the body of the dissertation, such as interview transcripts, ethical approval documents, technical details, and more)

RELATED READ: 4 Key Steps for Better Academic Editing

3 Things to Remember

Doctoral dissertations take years to write. This is why high-quality editing and proofreading are of the utmost importance. Make sure your draft goes through multiple stages of self-editing, and if you want additional help, don’t forget that there are various AI grammar checkers (such as Grammarly) and professional editing services such as ours.

Make sure your format adheres to your university standards. This includes the title page, the table of contents, font and spacing, citation style, and anything else your university requires.

Again, consult your supervisor when in doubt. They should be able to provide you with a better understanding of what’s expected of you and stir you in the right direction.

Conclusion

Writing a doctoral dissertation is a daunting and complex task. However, it helps to break the process down into manageable steps and to establish regular and honest communication with your doctoral advisor.

If you’re looking for more help when it comes to editing and proofreading your academic work, feel free to reach out to the First Editing team.

The post A Practical Guide to How to Write a Doctoral Dissertation appeared first on Firstediting.com.

At many universities, a graduate degree is granted to students who have successfully written and defended their thesis – a large paper on a topic related to their field of study.

If a thesis defense is part of your assessment, you might be feeling nervous and worried, especially if you struggle with public speaking. But if there’s one thing I want you to know right now, it’s that you’re not alone.

Many students are terrified of standing in front of a committee of professional academics, presenting their work, and being asked various questions. And understandably so.

But there is more to your thesis defense than meets the eye. In fact, this experience isn’t just about getting a good grade – you also gain some incredibly valuable skills during the process.

Without further ado, here are the unexpected benefits of your thesis defense.

RELATED READ: How to Properly Write a Methods Section for Your Thesis

1) You develop transferable core skills

Every experience is an opportunity for growth. Including your thesis defense.

When you’re writing your thesis, preparing your notes for the defense, and practicing your public speaking, you’re evolving in new directions without even realizing it – on both a professional and a personal level.

These are just some of the core skills you may develop:

• Critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills: As you’re writing your paper, you’re approaching the process with the knowledge that you will ultimately have to defend what you’re saying in front of a committee of academics. This means you will put a great deal of effort into thinking your arguments through, solving the obstacles that come up during the experience, and making sure each fact is backed by relevant secondary sources.
• Time management and organizational skills: Your defense ought to be carefully planned out, including the time it takes you to present each point. What’s more, you should strive to organize your arguments as well as the material circumstances surrounding your thesis defense, such as technical and administrative factors.
• Public speaking and communication skills: Naturally, your thesis defense will also help you improve your communication and rhetoric skills because you’ll spend a lot of time preparing your speech, enhancing your vocabulary, and ensuring you can defend all your arguments under scrutiny.

2) You improve your resilience and confidence under pressure

Right now, you may feel anything but resilient. You might be scared out of your wits, nervous and jittery, worried, and praying you could just get it over with.

Let’s have a look at this dialogue from George R. R. Martin’s book A Game of Thrones for a second:

“Bran thought about it. ‘Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?’ 

‘That is the only time a man can be brave,’ his father told him.’”

I’m not bringing up a fantasy book in the middle of an academia-related article for nothing.

What this dialogue reminds us is that all those uncomfortable emotions you’re feeling don’t make you any less brave, strong, or smart than the next person. They’re just part of the human condition.

Resilience isn’t about an absence of fear or worries. It’s about feeling it all and choosing to go ahead anyway.

As a result, your thesis defense won’t only help you develop some amazing transferable core skills but it will also strengthen your resilience.

Plus, your confidence might get a nice little boost as well as you’ll come to realize that the experience isn’t as terrifying as you expected. Most things are much scarier in our heads than they are in reality.

3) You boost your sense of self-belief and open up a door to future opportunities

As you’re reading these words, imagine that your thesis defense is already done and dusted, swallowed by the past.

And it feels amazing. Not only did you manage to make it through but your performance was excellent. The thesis defense that had kept you up at night for months eventually turned into a source of self-belief and confidence.

You made it.

What else can you achieve?

This is the foundation of antifragility, a psychological idea that there is something beyond resilience that all humans share – the ability not only to recover from shock but to thrive as a result of encountering adversity.

Now that you know you’re fully capable of making it through stressful situations and combatting your fears, you might seek opportunities you would have otherwise been intimidated by, boosting your professional and personal prospects.

Who knows? Maybe you’ll get a taste for public speaking and decide to become a lecturer. Maybe you’ll feel more confident during job interviews. Perhaps you’ll say “yes” to public speaking opportunities because, well, you’ve already proved to yourself you can do it.

The sky is the limit. No, scratch that. You are the limit – and you have the power to dictate how far you can go.

RELATED READ: How to get the right academic tone

Conclusion

Your thesis defense isn’t just an academic requirement. It’s a springboard for personal and professional growth. The skills and mindset shifts you develop during the process are invaluable, helping you gain confidence, embrace your ambitions, and go after your goals.

And if you ever need help with editing your thesis – something that can help you strengthen your arguments, enhance your language, improve readability, and more – don’t hesitate to reach out to FirstEditing.

Their team of Ph.D. editors, subject matter experts, and experienced professionals in the field have worked with over 50,000 authors, students, and academics worldwide since 1994.

Go ahead and choose an editing package that suits your needs.

The post More Than Just a Grade: The Unexpected Benefits of Your Thesis Defense appeared first on Firstediting.com.

Not only do you need to create credible and logical arguments supported by evidence and research, but your writing skills should also meet the standards of the academic journal you’re sending your work to.

And let’s just admit it – you only have one pair of eyes, which means that you might accidentally miss some grammatical errors or typos during the editing process, decreasing the quality of your paper.

Fortunately, that’s where the certificate of editing comes in!

What Is a Certificate of Editing in Academic Writing?

A certificate of editing is a document that’s sometimes required as part of a submission to an academic journal.

This document essentially states that your paper has been edited and proofread by professionals, which makes the vetting process faster and more effective for the journal editors.

A typical certificate of editing includes:

• The title of your paper
• Your full name
• Information about the editing service
• Date
• A declaration that the text is 100% error-free
• QR code or unique number that can be used to verify the validity of the certificate

There are many editing services that offer a certificate of editing at no cost. FirstEditing, for example, includes it as part of their delivery alongside the edited manuscript. Tell them the name of the journal you’re submitting your text to, and they’ll check the necessary requirements.

Why Is a Certificate of Editing Important?

You might think that the requirement to have your manuscript edited by a professional service is a bit too much – after all, shouldn’t your skills be enough?

Well, the truth is that even the greatest of minds make mistakes.

As a published author, I know the struggle all too well. Even though you’ve gone over your manuscript ten times, the typos and mistakes your editor highlights leave you completely flabbergasted because you can’t for the life of you figure out how you could have missed such obvious errors.

Therefore, a certificate of editing doesn’t only serve to increase the credibility of your paper – the editing process itself helps you become a more observant writer.

What’s more…

Your paper will be of a high linguistic quality. Excellent academic English is what gives journals credibility, so it makes perfect sense that they’re only looking for papers that fit in with their high-quality writing style.

Plus, details matter. Something as small as a punctuation error can throw the reader off, making them lose track of your arguments. It also worsens the overall impression of your text, which might give rise to apprehension and criticism from the readers’ side.

Your paper will contain the right terminology. In academia, language doesn’t just facilitate discussions – it’s also a whole world in and of itself.

Different fields of expertise require different terminology and lingo, not to mention different styles of writing. Since editing services like FirstEditing offer feedback from subject field experts and Ph.D. editors, you can get the advice you need to ensure your paper linguistically fits in with the rest of the research conducted in your field.

Your paper will comply with a specific style guide. While you’re probably familiar with style guides, from APA to MLA and Chicago, I know from personal experience how easy it is to get things mixed up and make very tiny mistakes that negatively reflect on your text.

However, this is where professional academic editors thrive, so you don’t need to worry about these technical errors because your certificate of editing will serve as proof that your paper is, indeed, correct on a technical level.

Your opportunities for publication will increase. Since many academic journals require a certificate of editing to make things a little bit easier for the journal editors (who then have more time to focus on the content), obtaining this document will increase your chances of getting published.

If you’re not sure whether the journal you’d like to submit to wants you to get a certificate of editing, go over their requirements.

Your own editing skills might improve. When you’re working on a large project, such as a thesis or a dissertation, it’s very easy to overlook a few mistakes or inconsistencies. You’re already so busy drawing parallels, connecting links, and breaking large narratives down into smaller chapters that the subject-verb agreement isn’t exactly high on your priority list. And that’s completely understandable.

It’s also why letting professional editors do their job can be incredibly beneficial – not only will you be able to give more time and energy to the content of your paper, but seeing high-quality editing work in practice might help you get more familiar with the process and become a more efficient editor yourself.

About FirstEditing

FirstEditing is a professional editing service that’s been working with fiction, non-fiction, and academic writers ever since 1994.

They offer multiple different editing packages, ranging from Academic English Editing (recommended for ESL speakers) to Substantive Content Editing (in-depth feedback from a subject matter expert) and Technical Copy Editing (the final round of edits).

What’s more, you can get a free editing sample before you decide to get the full service.

Again, note that FirstEditing can send you a certificate of editing at no cost. It comes as part of the package so that you can fully focus on the content and quality of your paper rather than admin tasks.

Conclusion

To summarize, a certificate of editing is important for multiple reasons:

• Many journals might require it as part of the submission process
• It increases the credibility and quality of your paper
• It verifies that your paper contains the right terminology, complies with the correct style guide, and is free of errors
• The editing process itself may help you become a better writer and editor
• You’ll have more time to focus on the content while also incorporating a professional editor’s feedback

The novelist Zadie Smith once said, “The secret to editing your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer.”

However, if you’ve spent so long working on a specific project – especially if it’s quite a large undertaking, such as a thesis or a dissertation – putting on the reader’s glasses might be quite difficult. And that’s exactly why letting an editor take over could help you view the text from a fresh perspective.

If you’d like to get a free editing sample or discuss your project with a member of the FirstEditing team, don’t hesitate to reach out.

The post The Importance of a Certificate of Editing in Academic Writing appeared first on Firstediting.com.

Now that it’s finished, it’s time to submit, right?

Not just yet! The next stages of the process are editing and proofreading, both of which are of the utmost importance when it comes to the quality, validity, and readability of your thesis.

You can either take on both tasks yourself, or you can reach out to professional thesis proofreading services to ensure that your work meets the highest standards.

But what does a thesis proofreading service comprise? And is it the right choice for you?

Let’s find out!

Thesis Proofreading Services: Why They’re Important & 7 Advantages

You’ve spent months, perhaps years, working on and perfecting your thesis. But let’s be honest – one pair of eyes can only do so much.

Sometimes, having a professional editor or proofreader go over your text is the best way to see your thesis from a different point of view and formulate your language in a way that brings out the best in your work.

While editors dive into the structure, argument flow, and organization of your thesis, proofreaders help you polish your language and writing tone.

Here are just some of the pros of hiring a thesis proofreading service:

What’s more, the process is usually very easy and efficient as most proofreaders track their changes and recommendations in Microsoft Word, which means you have full control over the modifications made to your thesis.

5 Reasons to Choose FirstEditing

Enter… FirstEditing!

FirstEditing is a team of professional editors & proofreaders and subject matter experts who have been helping thousands of academics enhance the quality of their work since 1994.

Here are the 5 reasons why FirstEditing makes for an excellent choice:

1. They possess the necessary qualifications and experience to proofread your work with the subtlety and confidence that this type of service requires
2. They have plenty of testimonials and reviews that show their expertise in the field and excellent communication skills
3. They offer a quick turnaround and competitive prices
4. They aim to help you make your thesis the absolute best it can be
5. They offer four different editing packages so that you can choose whichever service fits your needs the most

Standard: This is a technical copy edit, which is the absolutely final edit before submission. It’s essentially a proofreading service. If you’re fluent in English and are looking for a professional who will help you tweak the last bits and pieces of your thesis on a linguistic level, the Standard package is the perfect choice.

It includes services such as:

… and more.

Advanced: This is an academic English line edit. This package mainly focuses on your academic writing style, use of language, and substance of content at the sentence and paragraph level. It also looks at the clarity of your proposal, subject-verb agreement, and the proficiency of your English language.

It includes services such as:

… and more.

Premium: This is a substantive content edit. This package dives into the ins and outs of the content of your thesis – a professional expert in the field will offer valuable feedback on the quality & logic of your arguments, as well as the overall presentation and cohesion.

It includes services such as:

• Working with a subject matter expert in your field
• Checking your visual supporting elements
• Substantive editing (organization, content, structure, and presentation)
• Receiving an Abstract Critique and a Content Review
• Everything from the Standard and Advanced packages

… and more.

Graduate: This is a research support package. It’s the most comprehensive editing service out of the four packages, and it’s highly recommended to get this package in the early stages of your research as you will be able to have a consultation with an expert in your field and a technical editor in order to create a high-quality thesis.

It includes services such as:

• Consulting with a subject matter expert and a professional editor
• Enhancing the clarity of your abstract
• Validating the accuracy of your work on a technical level
• Free multi-round edits and final proofreading services
• Everything from the Standard, Advanced, and Premium packages

… and more.

Conclusion
Hiring a thesis proofreading service is an excellent way to increase the quality of your thesis and ensure your writing is as clear and concise as possible.

It is fully up to you to decide whether you’d like a professional to go over your work and polish your English language. If you want to get a free sample of what a collaboration with FirstEditing looks like, don’t hesitate to head over to the thesis services page.

The post Thesis Proofreading & Editing Services: 5 Reasons to Choose FirstEditing appeared first on Firstediting.com.

Dumbfounded, you’re not quite sure what to make of it, and so you turn to the internet for help.

And that’s where this article comes in!

Today, we’ll go through what all those hieroglyphs – that is, proofreading marks – mean. The next time you look at your edited manuscript, it will be like discovering a brand new language entirely and realizing you can now read it.

What are proofreading marks?

So, what are proofreading marks in the first place?

Proofreading marks are used to point out any operational, punctuation, typography, and other mistakes in your manuscript that ought to be edited.

You will usually find proofreading marks in the margins of a manuscript, although some proofreaders will insert them in the text itself, which is why it’s often recommended to create double-spaced manuscripts to give your proofreader more room.

Proofreading marks are most commonly applied to hard-copy manuscripts, which is why they’re becoming increasingly rare nowadays – after all, many editors now use tracked changes in Microsoft Word to edit manuscripts digitally.

However, working with a pen and paper is another experience entirely, and some editors prefer it because it allows them to approach your text with a fresh perspective.

Your job as an author is to be able to decode the proofreading marks they leave behind and integrate your editor’s suggestions accordingly.

Of course, this isn’t very easy if you’re just seeing proofreading marks for the first time in your life. It’s a very specific language of its own, and there’s a high chance you will need to read through a guide in order to unpack the meaning of every single mark.

Luckily for you, that’s exactly what we’re about to do.

Punctuation Marks

Let’s start off with something simple – punctuation.

Punctuation marks are pretty straightforward because they’re all about inserting specific punctuation symbols, such as commas, apostrophes, dashes, and more.

Here’s a useful overview:

These marks tend to come with an up or down arrow.

The up arrow (⌃) is used for marks that appear at the bottom of letters, such as commas, while the down arrow (⌄) is often used for quotation or apostrophe marks.

Some marks – like periods or colons – can come in circles as well.

Please note: There is a difference between a hyphen, an Em dash, and an En dash.

• An Em dash is the longest one (—) and it’s often used to connect sentences (“Josh told her he was quite fond of her — something that was very much out of character for him — and left the room”)\
• An En dash has a medium length (–) and it tends to highlight a relationship between two words or numbers (“There were 10–15 people” or “The London–Prague flight takes two hours”)
• A hyphen (-) connects two words to create a meaning, for example, compound adjectives or compound nouns (“My mother-in-law is very kind” or “Write a one-page essay”)

Operational Marks

Alright, moving on to operational marks! These focus on spacing, paragraphs, deletion, and more.

Have a look at this image:

As you can see, operational marks are a tiny bit more complicated than punctuation marks.
But worry not! Here’s an overview of what all these marks mean:

• Delete: This refers to a word that should be deleted from the sentence
• Delete & close up: This refers to a letter within a word that should be deleted
• Close up: Delete space
• Mark new paragraph: Begin a new paragraph where the mark stands
• Spell out: Spell the word in full (e.g, “ok” -> “okay”)
• Move left: Move your writing left
• Move right: Move your writing right
• Let it stand: If the proofreader went through the text more than once and decided to alter their previous correction, they’ll put down “stet” to let you know you should leave the original version as it is
• Insert space: Insert space where the mark stands

Typography Marks

Next comes typography! This is the part where your proofreader tells you what you should capitalize, set in italics or boldface, and which words ought to be in lowercase.

These are the basics:

• caps: Set in capital letters
• Ic: Set in lowercase letters
• bf: Set in boldface
• ital: Set in italics
• rom: Set in roman
• wf: Wrong font
• sm cap: Set in small caps

Sometimes, capitalization is also shown as three horizontal lines.

Abbreviations

We’re not quite finished yet – there are a few more abbreviations you should memorize in order to understand the proofreading language in its entirety.

Here goes:

• tr: transpose two words the proofreader selected (change their order in the sentence)
• ww: wrong word
• dict: faulty diction
• rep: too repetitive
• awk: awkward construction
• wdw: too wordy, make more concise
• r-o: run-on sentence

Why is proofreading important?

Now that you know what proofreading marks are and how to decode them, it’s time to ask the question, “Why is proofreading important in the first place? And how is it different from editing?”

While some people use the two terms interchangeably, editing and proofreading are actually two different parts of the editing process.

In general, editing goes into much more depth – for example, structural editing looks at your story overall, including your character arcs and your plot development – while proofreading centers around grammar, punctuation, typography, and layout.

While proofreading tends to be quicker – it’s essentially the final correction before your manuscript goes to print or is submitted to the publisher – it’s just as important as editing.

Small details matter, so don’t underestimate the importance of proofreading.

Use proofreading marks to polish your own manuscript

Professional proofreaders aren’t the only ones who get to use proofreading marks.

If you are self-editing your own manuscript and want to do one final round of revisions on paper, using proofreading marks can help you get through the text faster and make the process much more effective.

Instead of coming up with your own elaborate system for inserting punctuation, changing word order, or deleting paragraphs, you already have a solid set of rules to learn and refer to.

Reach out to a professional proofreader for help

Of course, two sets of eyes are better than one, so it’s always a good idea to send your manuscript to a professional in the field.

Don’t worry, not all proofreaders use proofreading marks – tracked changes in Microsoft Word or Google Documents are much more common nowadays – but if they do, you now know how to decipher them!

A professional proofreader will ensure that your manuscript is free of errors, typos, and spelling mistakes, and what’s more, they’ll also look at technical aspects that many writers don’t pay as much attention to, such as your font, spacing, and typography.

At FirstEditing, for example, we offer proofreading services as well as high-quality editing packages. From copy editing to line editing and content editing, feel free to pick whichever package suits your needs.

And remember – now that you know how to use proofreading marks, why not print out your manuscript and go over it with these new symbols in mind before you submit it to a professional editor or proofreader?

You’ve just learned a whole new language, so have some fun with it!

The post What Are Proofreading Marks? A Complete Guide appeared first on Firstediting.com.

Yes, that’s right – you aren’t quite finished just yet. A cover letter is an important part of the submission process, and if you write it well, you’ll increase your chances of getting noticed by the journal editors.

But what is a journal cover letter? And what elements does it consist of?

Let’s get started!

What is a journal cover letter?

A cover letter is a short document researchers submit to journals along side their research papers. Its purpose is to introduce and summarize your research to the editors, which allows them to sort through their submissions at a quicker pace and make decisions more effectively.

A cover letter is essential for multiple reasons:

• It helps speed up the submission process
• It shows the editors that you’re familiar with basic requirements and research practices
• It summarizes your research straight away, which helps the editors decide whether your topic is fitting for their publication
• It demonstrates that you’ve put in extra effort and increases the likelihood that your research paper gets noticed

I can’t stress this enough: remember to always check the journal’s requirements before you submit your paper and follow them to the best of your ability.

What to Include in Your Journal Cover Letter: Checklist

Journal cover letters aren’t just written on the fly – they follow quite rigid rules, and your best bet is to adhere to these rules in order to demonstrate your knowledge and professionalism.

Here’s what a cover letter typically includes:

• The submission date
• The editor’s name (if you know it)
• The journal’s name
• The title of your manuscript and the type of your research (a case study, a review, etc.)
• A confirmation of originality (this typically goes along the lines of, “We confirm that this work is original, that it has not been previously published, and that it is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere”)
• A brief summary of your research, its importance in the field, and its appeal to the journal’s readership
• Any statements of information the specific journal requires of you (for instance, a declaration of no conflicts of interest or suggested reviewers for the manuscript)
• Your contact information (include your academic or professional qualifications)
• “Thank you for your consideration” and “Sincerely” as a closing salutation

How to Best Write a Journal Cover Letter: 8 Tips

As stated above, an effective cover letter abides by standard requirements and doesn’t deviate from the norm.

This means that the best course of action is to familiarize yourself with the concept of a cover letter as much as you can and to have a look at different templates online.

What’s more, try to keep these tips in mind:

Your cover letter is where you essentially “sell” your research as it were – after all, journals are looking for content that will appeal to their readership. Demonstrate why your paper is worthy of publication, why it will be interesting to read, and what it adds to the existing knowledge in the field.
Pay attention to the specific statements of information the journal requires of you and always include them in your cover letter.

Examples:

• Conflict of interest: “We have no conflicts of interest to declare”, “This study received no financial support/received a grant from X”
• Reviewers: “A potential reviewer for our manuscript is Dr X”
• Authors: “All authors agree with this submission”, “All authors approved the final version of this research paper”

Polish your language. If you need help with this, don’t be afraid to reach out to a professional service or an independent colleague. Some services also offer to write a journal cover letter for you.

Don’t copy your abstract word for word. Your cover letter isn’t just an overview of your research – it ought to convince the journal editors why they should accept your submission. You can use your abstract as inspiration but try to come up with a new text for your letter.

Personify your letter. Address the editor by their name if you know it, mention the name of the journal you are sending your submission to, and talk about why your research would appeal to their readership.

Follow standard formatting. If the journal in question has specific requirements or templates for this, stick to it. For example, they may want you to write in UK or US English, number your pages in a particular way, use a specific font and spacing, and adhere to a pre-set paragraph structure.

Avoid presuming statements. For instance, “We look forward to your response” could be seen as presuming, so a simple “Thank you for your consideration” will do.

Keep it brief. A cover letter shouldn’t be too long because that defeats one of its main goals – to make the submission process quicker.

Reach Out to FirstEditing

Need help with your journal cover letter?

Over the years, a team of subject matter experts and Ph.D. editors at FirstEditing have worked with thousands of authors and researchers to help them polish their manuscripts, cover letters, and more.

Not only that but FirstEditing also offers writing services. In fact, one of their add-ons is the writing of a journal cover letter itself. Plus, they can provide you with a Certificate of English Editing, a document that many journals require alongside your submission.

Are you ready to take your academic writing to the next level? Get in touch!

The post How to Best Write a Journal Cover Letter appeared first on Firstediting.com.

The good news is that once you learn how to break your methodology down into specific steps, the whole writing process will become much easier.

Let’s unpack the purpose of a methods section, the elements it ought to comprise, and some of our top tips!

The Goal of a Methods Section

While a literature review provides an overview of the current knowledge in the field, a methodology chapter is where you explain how you went about researching your topic and why.

Methodology is a fundamental part of your thesis for three reasons:

1. It shows how you procured your findings in detail, which gives your research credibility
2. It makes your study replicable so that other researchers can compare their own findings to yours using the same process
3. It displays your knowledge of research methods

What’s more, the methods section is where you get to point out any limitations to the study (for example, you may be working with a smaller sampler than would be preferable) and explain why your research matters in spite of these limitations.

How to Write a Methods Section: Checklist

Now that you know what the purpose of your methodology chapter is, it’s time to figure out what the best way to write it is.

First of all, let’s do a quick run through a checklist of all the essentials. No matter what type of research you’re conducting, your methods section should ideally include:

• The aim of your research (what you are hoping to achieve)
• An explanation of your research method and why you’ve picked it for this particular topic (this can be a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method)
• A detailed description of your chosen research method (for example, interviews or focus groups for qualitative research, and surveys or experiments for quantitative research)
• A summary of all the equipment you used and how you went about collecting your data and analyzing it
• A section on your respondents, participants, or samples (where you found them, why you chose them – what criteria you based your decisions on – and how many there were)
• Limitations of the study (which difficulties you encountered, in which ways your study is limited, and why your conclusions are important to take into consideration nonetheless)

When writing your methods section, try to avoid adding unnecessary information. Any extra materials (such as a lot of detailed images) can go in the appendix, and your results belong in the results section, not here. In a great thesis, everything has its place.

How to Write a Methods Section: 4 Steps

That’s our checklist ticked off! Now comes the next question. In what order should you organize all this information?

While some methods chapters differ from others, there are essentially four steps you can follow:

1. Describe your methodological approach and dive into the specifics of why and how you picked this approach (this is where you talk about research methods and the specific type of research you conducted, such as an experiment or a survey)
2. Explain how you collected your data (if you collected it through a survey, how did you design the survey? What kinds of questions did you choose and in what form? How did you select and look for respondents? How many were there?)
3. Show how you analyzed your data (again, if you created a survey, how did you go about turning your respondents’ answers into a statistical graph? Which software did you use?)
4. Justify your choices (discuss why your research method was the right choice for the topic and acknowledge any limitations)

4 Extra Tips

Before we part for today, here are a few more tips that will help you make your methods section the best it can be:

• Write in the past tense (“I collected my data…”)
• If relevant, reference other credible sources that help show your knowledge of the field (but don’t go into too much detail – that’s what your literature review is for)
• Always keep the aim of the study in mind (the methodology section shows how you went about solving your primary problem, so don’t stray too far from it)
• Write for your reader, not for yourself (what would a complete outsider to the study need to hear in order to grasp all your concepts? Which information would be irrelevant or redundant?)

Conclusion

The methods section isn’t so scary after all, right? All you need to do is adhere to a checklist of all the essentials and organize your information in a logical order.

And if you still struggle with your methodology chapter, don’t worry – the dedicated team of subject matter experts and PhD editors at FirstEditing is here to help.

The post How to Properly Write a Methods Section for Your Thesis appeared first on Firstediting.com.

Well, if you’re an academic who’s written a research paper, literature review, thesis, or any other form of academic text that is to be published in an academic journal, you might need to obtain a certificate of English editing – especially if English isn’t your first language.

Why?

Let’s discuss.

What is the certificate of English Editing?

An editing certificate serves to show that your academic text has been edited and proofread by a professional English editor.

After an editor or an editing team has gone over your work and helped you polish your manuscript, you may request to receive the certificate and keep it on file.

Why do you need the certificate of English Editing?

Okay, now comes the question of why.

Many academic journals – especially if they’re prestigious – have a lot of work on their plate. In order to simplify the submission process, they might therefore ask you to obtain an editing certificate that proves your work has already been edited by a professional.

This way, the journal editors have one less thing to worry about and can process a higher number of submissions.

Obtaining the certificate is often expected of ESL authors (those who aren’t native English speakers) to ensure that their language is as fluent and high-quality as can be. While this may seem unfair – many ESL speakers are highly proficient in English, after all – it’s usually better to cover all the bases in order to keep the journal’s quality up to standard.

If you ever read through the submission requirements of a specific journal and can see that an editing certificate is on the list, it’s time to find an academic editing service.

RELATED READ: How to Write a Research Outline

How can you obtain the certificate of English Editing?

Now that we’ve established our why, it’s time to get to the how.

There are many different online editing companies that will edit your manuscript and then issue a free certificate that you can send over to your desired publication alongside the research paper.

Oftentimes, the certificate will contain a unique number – a verification code – that the journal editors can use to confirm your certificate is legit. They might also contact the editing service directly to ask for the original copy (unedited and edited).

Try not to make any changes after the edited version has been returned to you because any tweaks or adjustments that happen after the editing process aren’t covered by the certificate.

When looking for the right editing service, make sure that they cover:

• Grammar
• Spelling
• Punctuation
• Phrasing
• Sentence structure

The certificate itself should include the following:

• Title of your paper
• Your name
• Guarantee and declaration that the text is 100% error-free
• Important information about the editing service that shows credibility
• Date
• Unique number or QR code that the editors can use to verify the validity of the certificate

How can FirstEditing help you?

First Editing is a professional service that has helped over fifty thousand writers, researchers, and professionals since 1994.
Your manuscript will be taken care of by Ph.D. editors, academic editors, and even subject matter experts who have experience in your field of interest.

FirstEditing offers many different packages based on your needs, for example:

• Academic English Editing (this is recommended for ESL speakers and it focuses on the technical side of the English language and academic research writing)
• Substantive Content Editing (again, this is recommended for ESL speakers and it comprises much more in-depth feedback from a subject expert that relates to the overall concept and presentation of your text)
• Technical Copy Editing (this is recommended for native speakers as it’s the final edit before you send off your manuscript to an academic journal; it improves style, organization, grammar, and readability of your text)

Receive a Certificate of Editing at no cost. Tell us the name of the journal, and we will include the Certificate of Editing when we return the edited version of your manuscript.

What’s more, you can always request a free editing sample before you make the decision to choose the full service. You can also check out many different reviews and testimonials.

Conclusion

It may sound daunting to let a professional editor look at your work, however, the results are well worth it – you’ll end up with a top-quality research paper that is ready for submission to an academic journal.

Before you reach out to an editing service, make sure to check whether your publication of choice requires you to submit a certificate of English editing. If the requirements aren’t clear, don’t be afraid to email them and ask.

Once your manuscript is ready to be edited and proofread by expert editors, all you have to do is ask them whether they offer a certificate of English editing. If they do, they will send it over to you once the collaboration has been successfully completed.

The post What Is the Certificate of English Editing and How to Obtain It for Your Academic Work appeared first on Firstediting.com.

You would hardly guess that based on the final product, though. If you look at an error-free and high-quality research paper, your assumption might be that the author is just really smart.

The truth is, the text you’re reading has been reviewed by at least two different people who collaborate together in order to make sure the world only gets to see the absolute best version.

If you’re an academic, it’s highly likely you will want to work with an academic copy editor so that your manuscript is as polished as can be.

It’s not as simple as hiring just anybody, though. Today, let’s have a look at how to choose an academic copy editor and what to expect!

Recap: What Is Academic Copy Editing?

Academic copy editing is a service that aims to improve your academic language. As opposed to structural editing (where consistency of arguments and logical flow play a major role), copy editing is all about the linguistic side of things.

That doesn’t mean it’s any less important, however. A great academic copyeditor will be a subject matter expert in your field who knows the right lingo and has an eagle eye.

This in and of itself is a very specialized skill as it means they have studied the subject for years and are highly proficient in linguistics alongside their background knowledge on the topic.

How to Choose the Right Academic Copy Editor

Academic editing is different from regular editing in so that it requires specialized and in-depth knowledge.

That’s not all, though. When choosing the right academic copyeditor, make sure that they:

• Have qualifications that prove their expertise in the field
• Are familiar with the lingo and terminology used in your field of interest (someone with a Ph.D. in literature may not be completely familiar with biology-related definitions and vice versa)
• Have a keen eye for detail (your manuscript should ideally be completely error-free once the editor has done their job)
• Know the correct procedures when it comes to referencing and quoting (for example, an academic copyeditor ought to know the difference between MLA and APA and edit your manuscript accordingly)
• Display punctuality (this is extremely important as deadlines are often non-negotiable in the academic world)
• Communicate clearly, effectively, and respectfully
• Have positive reviews that show why they’re the right person for the job

A high-quality editing service goes hand in hand with a well-designed website, great testimonials, and easy customer experience. FirstEditing, for example, has a team of Ph.D. editors who deliver highly valuable feedback and thoroughly check your language as well as your citation style.

7 Tips for Working With an Academic Editor

Amazing, you’ve chosen your copy editor!

The time has come to begin your collaboration. The process isn’t as easy as you might expect, though. While you probably think that you can just send off your manuscript and then receive the most polished version that can be, communication is completely vital.

Therefore, keep the following 7 tips in mind:

1. Speak to your editor about the expected timeline (ensure there is a sufficient amount of time left after the completion of the project in case you’d like any changes made)
2. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the service includes (for example, a copyeditor will look at your text on a linguistic level but may not go into that much depth as far as content goes)
3. Consider whether their pricing fits within your budget (top academic copyeditors can be quite pricy as their knowledge is highly specialized, and what’s more, revisions may be at an extra cost)
4. Ask yourself whether your manuscript needs structural editing, too (and if it does, hire a structural editor first and only then look for a copyeditor; this is because a structural edit is about reworking your content in depth, which may include rewriting entire paragraphs)
5. Brief your copyeditor properly (tell them what your preferred citation style is, which journal or publication house you want to publish the manuscript with, what your concerns are, and how you feel about the text as a whole)
6. Be open to feedback (it isn’t easy to receive some negative critique, but in many cases, that’s precisely what your manuscript needs in order to evolve. If you disagree with your copyeditor, ask them further questions or find another independent party that could provide objective feedback)
7. Make your manuscript the best it can be before submission (just because you hire someone to edit your text doesn’t mean you shouldn’t polish it yourself beforehand. Trust me, a good editor will give you more than enough feedback even after you’ve put all your effort in)

Conclusion

The reason many research papers are so brilliant isn’t only because they’ve been written by some great minds; it’s also because high-quality editors have done their job well, ensuring the final product is smooth and error-free.

If you’re looking for an academic copyeditor, it’s time to research your options and get in touch with the FirstEditing team.

The post 7 Tips for Working With an Academic Copy Editor appeared first on Firstediting.com.