Manuscript Writing
Scientific Editing Services: A valuable (but traditionally costly) tool for researchers
Learn about what scientific editing services are, how they can help you, and what you should look for when choosing a service.
What are Scientific Editing Services?
Scientific editing services help researchers structure and organize their manuscripts to improve the flow, clarity, and communication of research findings. These services ensure the use of correct grammar, appropriate scientific terminology, and a logical presentation of arguments. They also help ensure that manuscripts adhere to journal-specific or grant-specific structure and formatting requirements. Additional support may include checking for plagiarism, translating manuscripts between languages, and assisting authors in responding to reviewers’ comments. Some editing services employ field-specific experts who can provide deeper insights into the subject matter, further enhancing the quality of the manuscript.
Why are Scientific Editing Services beneficial?
Scientific editing services can save researchers valuable time and reduce stress by handling the tedious tasks of correcting grammar, polishing formatting, and ensuring compliance with submission guidelines. A well-edited manuscript is not only easier to read but also more likely to be seen as professional and credible, increasing its chances of acceptance and publication. These services may be particularly helpful for non-native English speakers who are writing in English, as they ensure that complex scientific concepts are communicated clearly and effectively. Ultimately, by improving readability and precision, editing services help researchers convey high-quality scientific information to the broader scientific community.
What are the top Scientific Editing Services?
Scientific editing services are offered by various providers, including professional editing companies, freelance editors, and even some journal or publishing houses. Prominent editing companies like BioScience Writers, Editor World, LetPub, American Journal Experts, and Enago provide a range of services catering to researchers worldwide. Freelance editors, often experts in specific fields, can provide tailored support and in-depth knowledge of niche topics. Additionally, some journals and publishing houses offer in-house editing services, making it easier for authors to meet submission standards.
What should you consider when choosing an Editing Service?
There are several factors to consider when selecting a scientific editing service. First, evaluate the service's reviews and ratings to assess its quality and reputation. Check the educational qualifications and experience of the editors, especially if you require subject-area expertise to ensure scientific accuracy. Some services specialize in journal-specific formatting, which can be beneficial if you have a target journal in mind.
Next, review the range of services offered, such as language editing, formatting, or quality control processes, and choose one that aligns with your needs. Confidentiality policies are also crucial to protect the integrity of your work. Additionally, consider the service's turnaround time to ensure it meets your deadlines, particularly if you are in a time crunch. Finally, compare pricing models and packages to find one that fits your budget.
The cost of scientific editing services
Despite clear time and effort savings from using scientific editing services, their widespread adoption is limited by cost. For a simple format of a manuscript for a journal, this can cost $100USD - $300USD. For English language edits of a scientific manuscript you are looking at $500USD to $1500USD+ depending on length. Finally, for more in depth writing assistance (particularly with subject matter expertise) you can be looking at several thousand USD per manuscript. This is prohibitive for most clinical or academic researchers, however, the primary customer for these premium editing services are industry and pharmaceutical companies who are less price sensitive.
AI Scientific Editing Services
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help with scientific editing have become increasingly common in the past few years, particularly as the quality of large language models (LLMs) to accurately generate text increases. Some services like Jenni AI focus on improving scientific writing. This can be particularly useful for non-English native writers, or those wanting to improve efficiency of writing. Alternatively, more focused tools like Resub automate the painful process of formatting manuscripts for publication in different journals. Through leveraging AI, Resub is a much cheaper alternative to traditional editing services(which costs hundreds of USD per manuscript format) and researchers can reformat many manuscripts on a single plan.
Where to get started with Scientific Editing Services: Consider Automated Manuscript Formatting
If you are interested in using AI to improve your productivity and efficiency as a researcher and aren't sure where to start, you can try Resub for free today. Resub will format your manuscript, but doesn't alter any of the text so isn't a 'generative AI' tool that you have to declare. Instead, Resub focuses on making the submission process as streamlined and efficient as possible, saving your hours per manuscript.