Proofreading & Editing
A good proofread makes your argument legible. It does not make your argument for you. We work to the standard university proofreading policy, and we mark every change so you learn the pattern rather than just receiving a cleaner file.
Short answer
What is proofreading & editing?
Academic proofreading corrects grammar, punctuation, spelling, consistency and formatting without changing your argument or adding content. It is permitted at virtually every university, and many institutions publish a proofreading policy that defines exactly this boundary. Editing that rewrites your ideas or supplies new content is not permitted.
What you get
Included in every engagement
- Grammar, punctuation, spelling and typographic correction with tracked changes
- Consistency pass: tense, voice, terminology, number formatting, heading hierarchy
- Locale correction — UK, US, AU, NZ and CA spelling conventions are all different
- Formatting to your institution's submission template
- A short summary of your three most frequent error patterns
- Clarity flags: sentences a marker will have to read twice, marked but not rewritten
How it works
The process
Upload
Send the document and tell us the target locale and style guide.
Two passes
One mechanical pass, one consistency pass. Different passes catch different errors.
Tracked return
Every change is visible and reversible. You accept them yourself.
Pattern report
The recurring errors, so the next document needs less work.
Frequently asked questions
Is proofreading allowed by my university?
Almost always, within limits. Most institutions publish a proofreading policy permitting correction of language and formatting but prohibiting changes to content, structure or argument. We work strictly inside that boundary and will tell you if a request crosses it.
Will you rewrite weak sentences?
We flag them and explain the problem, and we will show you the technique — but the rewrite is yours. Rewriting your content for you crosses the policy line at most institutions.
Do you handle UK vs US spelling?
Yes, and it matters more than students expect. 'Organisation' in a US paper and 'analyze' in a UK paper both read as carelessness to a marker.
Localised
Proofreading by country
- Proofreading in AustraliaAustralian institutions follow the IPEd Guidelines for Editing Research Theses — the boundary we hold for postgraduate work.
- Proofreading in United KingdomUK universities publish some of the most explicit proofreading policies in the world; we work to the standard sector wording.
- Proofreading in New ZealandNZ institutions generally mirror the Australian IPEd standard for thesis editing.
- Proofreading in CanadaCanadian policies vary by institution; we default to the most conservative reading unless your school says otherwise.
- Proofreading in United StatesUS writing centres permit exactly this kind of support; we align to your honor code's stated boundary.
By country
Proofreading in the five markets
Same teaching, different rules. Each market sets its own referencing conventions and has its own regulator, and the law on what a service may provide is not the same in all five.
| Country | What is different there | Common referencing | Integrity regulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australian institutions follow the IPEd Guidelines for Editing Research Theses — the boundary we hold for postgraduate work. | APA 7, Harvard (AGPS) | TEQSA — Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency |
| United Kingdom | UK universities publish some of the most explicit proofreading policies in the world; we work to the standard sector wording. | Harvard (Cite Them Right), OSCOLA | OfS — Office for Students · QAA academic integrity charter |
| New Zealand | NZ institutions generally mirror the Australian IPEd standard for thesis editing. | APA 7, Harvard | NZQA · Universities New Zealand |
| Canada | Canadian policies vary by institution; we default to the most conservative reading unless your school says otherwise. | APA 7, MLA 9 | Institution-level academic integrity offices (no federal statute) |
| United States | US writing centres permit exactly this kind of support; we align to your honor code's stated boundary. | APA 7, MLA 9 | ICAI — International Center for Academic Integrity · institutional honor codes |