Is Editing a PhD Dissertation Ethical and Even Allowed?
When it comes to PhD dissertation editing (sometimes also referred to as PhD dissertation proofreading), you are probably wondering whether having someone edit your PhD dissertation is ethical and if it is even allowed. Let’s start with the answer to the second question: It depends on your institution. While many universities allow PhD dissertation editing by third parties, some explicitly prohibit it. Meanwhile, those that allow it often regulate what is permitted and what is not. Which leads us to the answer for the first question: If your institution allows PhD dissertation editing, then, yes, it is ethical as long as you adhere to the guidelines set by your institution.
So if you are thinking about having some edit your PhD dissertation, the first thing you should do is familiarise yourself with your university’s policy about third-party editing. I also strongly recommend talking to your supervisor, particularly if your institution has no official policy or provides only limited guidance on the matter.
In case you are curious, here are the guidelines for third-party editing from several universities around the world:
- Australia: Australia National University, Macquarie University, Western Sydney University, University of Technology Sydney
- Canada: Simon Fraser University, University of Waterloo
- New Zealand: University of Auckland, University of Ontago
- UK: Cambridge University, Cardiff University, LSE, Oxford University
Editing associations also provide information. For example, IPed‘s (Australia, New Zealand) academic editing page has Guidelines for Editing Research Theses, which are approved by the Australian Council of Graduate Research. Editors Canada has Guidelines for Editing Students’ Texts and a permissions form that supervisors can download and fill out.
What about PhD Formatting?
Submitting your PhD dissertation often comes with strict formatting requirements for the manuscript. In the US, many universities have a dedicated Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) office, which assists with the electronic deposit of theses and dissertations to the university’s own archives, library catalogues, and/or national and international databases (usually ProQuest). These ETD offices provide internal assistance and sometimes also maintain lists of third-party editors who can ensure that formatting guidelines have been applied correctly throughout the manuscript.
When to Start Thinking about Hiring an Editor
Start thinking about having your PhD dissertation edited as early as possible. This will allow you to 1) find the right editor, 2) make sure you have the money to pay them, and 3) plan your writing in such a way that you will have sufficient time for having your manuscript edited.
Why You Should Hire a Professional Editor
You can ask family or friends to edit your dissertation, but unless they are professional editors, they are unlikely to be as thorough as someone who does this kind of work for a living. The downside of hiring a professional is that it costs money – and quite a lot.
However, having your dissertation edited by a professional is an investment in yourself and your future. Your dissertation plays an important role in you earning your doctorate. You spend years doing research and writing it up, then you must defend your work. Doing research itself is not enough. You must also be able to put your findings into words, and organise your writing in a cohesive and compelling manner. Your ability to do so well matters, especially if you hope to continue in academia after you graduate. Even with the limitations that are in place for editing examined student work like a PhD dissertation, an editor, especially a professional one, will make your manuscript better.
How to Find the Right Editor
Talk to people: your supervisor, your peers, your colleagues. Chances are that someone will be able to recommend an editor. Your graduate school, department, or ETD office (in the US) may have a list of editors available. You can also check the directories of professional associations, such as the Editorial Freelancers Association, Editors Canada, IPed, and CIEP, for academic editors that edit dissertations. (Note: Not all academic editors do!)
Once you have the names of a few editors, check out their websites and vet them. (Here are 10 Tips for Hiring an Editor.)
How to Pay for PhD Dissertation Editing
Inquire about funding. Some departments or grad schools have editing budgets, including for PhD students. This is particularly true if you are a multilingual, non-native speaker of English (although everyone benefits from editing, not just non-native speakers).
If no funding is available, find out if there are any external grants or scholarships you can apply to. Start looking early so you don’t miss any application deadlines.
If you need to pay out of pocket, again, start putting money aside early for this purpose. Most editors will ask for a deposit or even the full fee upfront. Some will allow you to pay in installments.
How Much Does It Cost to Have Your Dissertation Edited
The exact cost of having your PhD dissertation edited will depend on various factors, including the manuscript length and what the editing includes (proofreading? formatting? checking references?). Many editors will charge you by the word; some use an hourly rate or a flat fee. I don’t recommend going for the cheapest option. Rather, get quotes from several editors and find out what exactly they will do for you. Editors with more qualifications and experience will usually charge more than those that are just starting out.
Dissertation editing: Assume at least €0.02-€0.03 per word.
Dissertation formatting: Assume at least €0.02-€0.03 per word.
Reference check: Often calculated per reference, assume at least €2 per item.
When to Contact Potential Editors
Contact potential editors as early as possible, before you have finished writing your manuscript. Four to six months before your submission date is great, one to two months before is okay, but you may not get your first pick. In-demand editors are often booked out weeks or months in advance.
If you have never worked with the person before, you will have to agree on a timeline, the scope of the work to be done, payment, and more. Sorting out these practical details takes time. Assume at least several days to a week in addition to the time needed for the editing itself. If you are thinking about contacting several editors, plan accordingly.
When to Send Your PhD Dissertation to Your Editor
You and your editor should have agreed on a specific date for when to send the PhD manuscript. Adhere to this timeline. If there are any delays, let your editor know as soon as possible as they may or may not be able to accommodate you.
Remember: Good editing needs time. By the time your editor reads your dissertation, you will – in one way or another – have put several years of work into it. You don’t want to rush this step because of bad planning. Your editor will also do a better job with more time. Editors usually read manuscripts more than once and many like to leave some time (at least one night, ideally a few days) between each pass as it improves the quality of their work. We talk about “reading with fresh eyes” for a reason.
What to Send to Your Editor
Send the full manuscript. Yes, we can work through it chapter by chapter, but some edits (consistency!) are only possible when we have the full manuscript.
Also, clean up your manuscript as much as possible. You want us to catch the typos you couldn’t spot yourself, not clean up the parts you were sloppy about.
Make sure to tell your editor which citation style you used. If you have a style sheet, include it. Hiring someone to format your dissertation? Provide them with all the details they need to know, including links to the specific formatting requirements, templates, and examples (if provided by your institution).
Some Final Bits of Advice
Expect to be asked for a sample section of your dissertation when first contacting the editor. Provide a sample that is representative of the full manuscript you will eventually be sending. Editors use writing samples to offer you a fair quote. If you share a chapter that has been carefully polished but later send an unformatted manuscript riddled with spelling mistakes, they may ask you to pay more.
Your editor may ask for your supervisor to fill out and email them a form regarding what exactly they are permitted to do. This is a good thing.
Don’t ask for a discount. Editors are highly trained professionals.
Don’t try to find an editor a week or two before your dissertation is due.
Don’t expect your editor to work weekends or overtime because you did not properly plan for the editing. If your editor agrees to work weekends or overtime, expect to pay more.
Be realistic and honest about deadlines – to your editor and yourself. For PhD dissertation editing, the file you receive from your editor is not a ready-to-submit file, it is merely a manuscript that has been professionally edited and you will still need to work through those edits. (Note: If I’m your editor, I prefer knowing both when you need me to return the edited manuscript and when you will be officially submitting your dissertation to your university.)
Still Have Questions about PhD Dissertation Editing?
Send me an email and I will do my best to help you.