Academic editing
Guides in this hub
Academic editing in this cluster — help with your own draft
This hub explains the kinds of editing that apply to academic drafts (research papers, manuscripts and proposals) you have already written, and the role those editing services play in developing your work further.
Editing vs proofreading: which stage is your document at?
Editing and proofreading are two different stages of the revision process. Editing works on content, structure, clarity, style and citations, and proofreading is the final surface-error stage.
The documents covered here
Research papers and scientific manuscripts → Research paper and manuscript editing. If you have a draft of your research paper or scientific manuscript, see the page on research paper and manuscript editing for detailed help. Research proposals and grant proposals → Research proposal and grant proposal editing. If you are preparing a research proposal or grant proposal, see the page on research proposal editing for the specific feedback that applies to that kind of document.
Structure comes first: what editors read against (IMRaD and other frameworks)
In some fields, bachelor's and master's theses and scientific research articles follow the IMRaD model — Introduction, Material and Method, Results, and Discussion. Different disciplines favour specific frameworks. IMRaD is used mainly in natural sciences, medical sciences and engineering; other fields may follow case‑study, theoretical or discipline‑specific patterns. Academic papers typically consist of an introduction, a body (methodology and data) and conclusions. Proposals differ because the research is not yet done — they describe what the writer intends to do and how they intend to carry it out.
What editing never includes
Editing services never include writing, completing or drafting your paper, manuscript or proposal for you. The help described here is feedback and critique of a draft you have already written yourself — not ghostwriting, not a guarantee of submission readiness, and not a promise of publication or acceptance.
Frequently asked questions
As an international student writing in English, what feedback on my own draft can I legitimately get help with? An editor can point out unclear passages, suggest alternative phrasing, check your citations match your references, and flag any grammar or punctuation errors — all while you keep full ownership of the work. General information only — not legal advice.