Dissertations & Scholarly Practice Projects (SPP)

You have done the research, conducted your study, written, cited, and reread your dissertation or SPP. Your advisors and readers have given you their feedback. But, you still want to make sure that your dissertation/SPP is spotless. This is where an outside professional editing service may be helpful. Unless your program tells you otherwise, it is not a requirement to get your dissertation professionally proofread and edited. However, after putting all the work in, having an objective, outside party look over your paper for consistency, flow, and any errors will ensure that you are representing yourself as a good scholar and writer. Use the resources below to help you understand what to expect as well as choose a professional editor.

Tips to working with an editor:

• There are different types of editors. Some may only look at grammar and spelling, while others look at style formatting, or sentence structure, logic, and/or clarity.
• Be clear with the editor what you are looking for (see above bullet point for different areas). Get a written agreement of what the editor will be looking at.
• Your editor will not change your voice throughout your work. They will look for errors and cohesiveness.

Disclaimer: The below editing companies and organizations are in no way affiliated with Regis College. A few tips for choosing an editor:

• Read reviews. You can often hear what others' have experienced right on Google Reviews. You can also check the Better Business Bureau for larger companies' track record.
• Check their qualifications-- do have experience in editing dissertations?
• Get a quote before you commit to them. Many sites will have their rates posted, but depending on what you are looking for and how long your dissertation/SPP is, this may vary. Generally, these services charge by the word or by the page, sometimes by the hour. It's not cheap, but can be considered an investment in your future.