It is a commonplace among scientists that want to write about their research: huge insecurity concerning text quality and whether it fits the reviewers’ high expectations and the target journals’ guidelines. Proofreading is the final stage before a manuscript leaves its authors’ hands and enters the huge universe of appraisal for publication, so it is only normal to feel the responsibility to deliver a perfectly written document, avoiding embarrassing mistakes.

The normal process tends to be having either friends or colleagues to proofread, but they too may have their own limitations regarding proficiency in text writing, so it is highly advised that you look for professional help at this important stage.

The main purpose of proofreading is to improve the quality of the paper, ensuring there are no lingering mistakes, and correcting generalized discourse errors or writing inconsistencies, having in mind a well-defined communication goal. Analyzing whether the content is properly conveyed and the sentences are syntactically and grammatically well written is just two basic tasks to achieve an overall result that will be a perfect text, ready to be published in the most recognized scientific journals.

What is proofreading

Proofreading is the last writing process before the author submits the article for publication. It is a stage of verification by the author himself, or by another person, if a paper or scientific project, for example, fits its ultimate purpose. Thus, it is not only important to check grammar and spelling; it is also highly advised to ensure that the idea of the writer/author is in agreement with what he or she wants to communicate with the audience. In other words, guarantee that the message contained in a given content is clear to its intended target audience.

Proofreading VS Editing

Paper proofreader

How often have you conducted high-quality research, but the communication output was just miles away from its level? How many times you have regretted not having seen one mistake that ultimately leads to a failed submission?

Proofreading ensures flawless content for publication, increasing the chances of success. An excellent paper proofreader checks all digital sources related to the document, including websites, for example. At a scientific level, a paper proofreader checks with a precision of the authors’ names as well as existing mail addresses, for example.

A good paper proofreader is someone who will take care of your work as if it were his own and, in addition to correcting grammar errors, also detects the possibility of scientific plagiarism. Proofreading your scientific article using scientific editing will save you from the humiliation of having your article rejected by scientific journals due to grammatical errors or inadequate language.

Why is proofreading important

Effective proofreading is absolutely essential for producing high-quality documents, whether academic or professional. When done clearly, correctly and thoroughly, proofreading can be the difference between writing something that communicates as it is supposed to or a huge misunderstanding, or the difference between acceptance and rejection in a distinguished journal. No author creates an excellent text without reviewing, reflecting, and revising – or trusting someone to do so – before the final version of their manuscript.

Language and text reviewing are important do detect:

• Grammar mistakes and numbering errors – e.g. forms of number, short forms, degrees of comparison, etc.;
• Spelling mistakes – e.g. rules of using of capital letters, rules of hyphenation, solid and separate writing of words;
• Inconsistency in the document format – such as wrong order of new words formation and connection of parts of the word;
• Punctuation errors – it means the use of punctuation marks, like missing or extra commas, periods, and quotation marks used incorrectly;
• Misplaced words – choosing the correct word choice improves your content to a more sophisticated level;
• Poorly structured paragraphs;
• Errors in sentence structure;

Whatever the nature of your research, Elsevier will be glad to give you a hand in reviewing and amending your manuscript to fulfill the high expectations of a well-prepared panel of expert reviewers. Professional editors can proofread your document, so the final product is well written, precise, and easy to read. With Elsevier’s medical editing and proofreading services team, we will help you with grammar, syntax, spelling, and punctuation, maximizing impact, and increasing your chances of publication.

Language Editing Services by Elsevier Author Services:

Find more about our Language Editing Standard: completion within 7 business days; including editing by native speakers in (scientific) American or British English; PhD or PhD candidates selection according to your field of study and an exclusive guarantee: free re-edit or money back