For social scientists with work to publish
Social sciences editing for researchers and writers
In the social sciences, your writing has to carry the argument. A muddled sentence can blur a point you spent months getting right. You need an editor who sharpens the writing and keeps your voice and your reasoning intact. I've spent 25+ years editing social science writing, and every project is edited by me, personally.
Editing for every kind of social science work
Your work might be a dissertation, an article headed for a journal, or the book your research grows into. Here's the editing that fits each one.
I edit and proofread work you’ve already written. I’m not a ghostwriter, and I don’t write or create content from scratch.
Whatever service you need, the care behind it is the same. Every project comes with both copy editing and proofreading, together with practical advice in the document. I also provide aftercare: once you’ve made your changes in response to my edits, I’ll recheck those changes at no extra cost.
Who you’re working with
I’m Tara, and I’ve spent my career as a professional editor. My social science work runs from doctoral dissertations in psychology and counseling to scholarly writing in politics and criminology. For an education journal, I edited its articles and special issues to one house style. That consistency is exactly what a thesis or a journal article needs. Every project is edited by me, personally, from the first read to the last.
If you’d like to know more about me and the work I do, you can read about my background and experience.
What’s included
Here’s what you can expect when I edit your work:
Both copy editing and proofreading, on every project
Two full reads of your work
Comments and practical advice in the document
A tracked-changes version and a clean final version
Formatting to your required style guide, including APA and Harvard
Citations and bibliography styled and made consistent throughout
Aftercare on every project
See how my editing process works.
Your expertise stays yours
You’re the expert on your research, so everything I do starts from that. My job is to make your writing as clear and consistent as possible. I’ll make sure your argument and your conclusions come through and land well, in your own voice. I don’t write your content or check your facts or your sources, because that’s yours to stand behind. If an edit might change your meaning, I’ll flag it and check with you first. Every edit is done by me, personally, so when your work comes back it still sounds like you, just clearer.
What my clients say and what I’ve worked on
“Tara, thanks again for your work, it really is appreciated and I wish I had googled “copy-editing journals” sooner! As well as helping with the grammar you have been careful and insightful in finding the holes that the reviewers were suggesting were there.”
“I’m very happy with your editing and helpful comments which improved the flow and clarity of the thesis. I will certainly recommend you.”
Politics, security, and international relations
Doctoral theses in international relations, graduate coursework on national security and intelligence, and defense and security-policy papers.
Psychology and counseling
Doctoral and master’s dissertations in counseling psychology, graduate coursework in psychology and psychiatry, and training materials on child development and learning.
Education and an academic journal
A full run of peer-reviewed articles and complete special issues for an academic journal in education, alongside work on participatory and action research, arts education, and education policy.
Criminology
Criminology research and journal articles, including work on policing, offending, and criminal justice.
Sociology and social policy
Sociology dissertations and journal articles, including research on social policy and human rights.
What it costs
Pricing is simple and all-inclusive, with no add-ons or surprises.
Questions people often ask
Can you edit to APA, Harvard, or Chicago, or to my department or journal’s style?
Yes. Send me the style you need, whether that’s APA, Harvard, Chicago, or your department or journal’s own guide, and I’ll edit your writing and citations to match it. I’ll keep your headings, in-text citations, and reference list consistent throughout, and flag anything that doesn’t fit so you can decide. If you’re not following a set style, I’ll keep everything internally consistent and note the choices I make.
Is it OK to use an editor for my thesis or dissertation?
Yes, as long as the editing stays within your institution’s rules, which is exactly how I work. I make your writing clearer and more consistent, and I correct the errors in it. I don’t change your argument, add ideas, or write any part of it for you, so the work and the thinking stay yours. If your university has its own guidance on what an editor may do, send it over and I’ll keep to it.
Do you check my facts, data, or sources?
No. You’re the expert on your research, so I don’t verify your facts, check your data, or confirm your sources and citations. My work is the writing around them. If something reads inconsistently, like a name spelled two ways or a citation that doesn’t match your reference list, I’ll point it out for you to check, but the accuracy stays with you.
I’m writing in English as an additional language. Can you help, and is there an extra charge?
Yes, and there’s no extra charge. Many of the researchers I work with write in English as an additional language, and I’ll make sure your writing reads clearly and naturally while keeping your meaning and your voice. The rate is the same flat rate as for any other project.
Ready when you are
When the argument is this careful, the writing should be too. I’ll give your thesis or paper a final, close read so it’s ready to submit. Whenever you're ready, I’d be glad to hear what you’re working on.
If your work also reaches into the humanities, see my humanities editing. For a subject I haven't listed, take a look at the other fields I work across.