Amethyst
Proofreading
With a background in molecular biology and virology, I am well placed to work on a range of scientific documents, including theses and dissertations, research papers, journal articles and textbooks. I am also happy to dip into the world of fiction in the genres of fantasy and science fiction.
I am a meticulous person, curious about science and the natural world, with a strong eye for detail.
Whatever your masterpiece, I will polish your work so that it is clear, correct and professional, ready for successful submission or publication.
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Services
Why use a proofreading service?
When you ask a proofreader to work on your document, they not only check for basic errors which may or may not be picked up by the spellchecker (think from to form, for example, where the typo is also a correctly-spelled word), but also grammar, punctuation and syntax, among many other things.
They assess the document for consistency – of verb tenses, heading styles, headers, footers and page numbering, the use of repetitive words or slang terms – the list goes on and on! In short, a professional proofreader will look at every single element of your document to ensure that it is correctly spelled, placed, numbered and/or formatted as required, and will return to you a polished piece of work, ready for its next steps to publishing or submission.
Basic Proofreading:
This service is the one to choose if you’re fairly sure your document is ready to go, but want a final check from another pair of eyes to be really sure there are no mistakes.
I will check spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation and general formatting, to ensure there are no errors, and that the style is consistent across your document.
This service costs £28 per hour.
Enhanced Proofreading:
If you know your document needs a lot more tidying up, you can opt for a proof-edit service.
I will perform all the usual checks (spelling, grammar, punctuation, illustrations, tables, lists, formatting, together with style and consistency), plus adjust any wording or elements which need to be corrected.
I will also flag up any items which need to be queried, and check with you as to how you wish these to be corrected.
If it would be useful to you, I will also compile a style sheet of your word choices and preferences, for use in your future documents.
This service costs £33 per hour.
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About Me
I began my university career studying first molecular biology and biochemistry, then virology, and continue to be fascinated by these fields.
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BSc (Hons) Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Durham University
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MSc Molecular Biology and Pathology of Viruses, Imperial College London
I also have a love of words and reading, so when a career change was in the pipeline, it made sense to follow this path with proofreading training from the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders.
My favourite genres to read are natural history and nature writing, popular science, fantasy and science fiction. I love playing board games and especially the word-related ones – a new favourite being League of the Lexicon.
When not at my desk I am either making something crafty, or out walking with my dogs along our beautiful coastline.
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Do I need the basic or enhanced service?
This will depend on the amount of work that your document will require to get it to a finished state. A few minor corrections would be covered by the basic rate, but extensive rewriting of sentences, changes to table layouts etc, would require the enhanced service. When I prepare your quote, I will be able to assess the amount of work required, and advise accordingly.
Note for students: Theses and dissertations are usually only eligible for the basic service, as universities have strict policies to minimise the amount of editing by anyone other than the student. You will need to ascertain the policy of your particular university to determine the level of proofreading that is allowed. As an example, please see the guidelines for the University of Edinburgh's policy here.
Will it be perfect?
Given the high number of modifications and corrections which will be made, it is impossible to guarantee perfection, and traditional publishing requires that many different people look over the document at each of several stages of development, to minimise the number of errors. It is unfeasible to replace this process with that of one person making one pass over the document. This being said, I will do my utmost to ensure that your document is error-free.
What will my sample quote involve?
I will prepare a tailored quote based on a sample of 1000 words from your document, which I will amend and return to you. This will give an accurate estimate of the time involved, and allow me to calculate the cost. It will also give you a chance to confirm that you are happy with the work done, and that it will suit your needs.
How long will it take?
The amount of time taken for a document varies enormously, depending on how many corrections are required per page. Please contact me to arrange a tailored sample quote for your specific document.
How much will it cost?
My rates are based on the standard minimum hourly rates given by the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders, and are £28 per hour for basic proofreading, and £33 for enhanced proofreading.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Contact Me
Ask for a quote:
The amount of time taken for a document varies enormously, depending on how many corrections are required per page.
I will prepare a tailored quote based on a sample of 1000 words from your document, which I will amend and return to you. This will give an accurate estimate of the time involved, and allow me to calculate the cost. It will also give you a chance to confirm that you are happy with the work done.
Please fill in the form and I will contact you ASAP.