Why academics should hire generalists to edit their work (opinion)

I became an academic editor by accident. In 2015, an acquaintance asked if I was up for some last-minute proofreading. He was an adjunct professor and the sole author on a short article. His revisions were due the next day, and he was nervous about his grammar, but he’d heard I had an English degree. Could he hire me?

When I said yes, I thought I was agreeing to a one-off job. That it would turn into six years of us working together, and start my freelance editing career? The thought never crossed my mind.

But in the near-decade since, I’ve worked with scholars across disciplines—ranging from my start in computer science to engineering, nursing, social work and more. That happened despite the fact that I don’t have a background in any of those fields; instead, I have two English degrees and a professional background in administration and magazine writing.

That makes me a generalist, defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “a person capable of tackling a wide variety of tasks or subjects.” Although countless articles—including those in Indeed, Emeritus and Forbes—have debated the merits of generalists versus specialists, generalists can make particularly effective editors. Why? Because they’re not familiar with the content they edit and can easily see what’s missing. That could include a vague abstract, missing context in a literature review or methodology that needs further explanation (which are, according to the Western Journal of Nursing Research, common peer reviewer criticisms). A generalist can spot all of those things, in addition to checking grammar, syntax and citations.

In short, the closer a writer is to a subject, the easier it is to leave gaps in the content. This cognitive bias is called the “curse of knowledge.” Coined in a 1989 article in the Journal of Political Economy, it describes how an expert often forgets to account for their wide knowledge base and assumes that everyone has access to the same depth of information. That is one of the reasons that it can be difficult for a beginner to learn from an expert; a 2017 article on instructional design notes that without careful attention to pedagogy, “experts forget what is easy and what was difficult to learn.” That can create a disconnect between teacher and student.

The same bias can apply to researcher and peer reviewer. Working with a generalist editor can help you spot, and correct, your own curse of knowledge.

Editorial Resources You May Already Have

First and foremost: You do not need to hire an editor. Faculty members at all levels are under intense pressure, and feeling obligated to find and hire an editor, on top of everything else, can seem overwhelming. You can always edit your own work.

That said, if you want additional resources, consider swapping research with someone you trust. Check with current and former mentors, former classmates and/or colleagues to see if anyone is interested, looking for someone who has specialized in a different area than you have.

That is how I approached my first piece of academic research, an examination of war in the 1959 novel A Separate Peace. I’d originally written about it for a course and was struggling to rework it as a journal article, so I reached out to a former professor for guidance. Although he wasn’t familiar with the novel, he was able to critique my work using his background in English and writing.

If that option isn’t right for you, check with your place of employment to see what services they offer. In higher education, some institutions employ an academic editor or have writing centers or publication departments for this purpose. (In fact, I do just that—I’m currently contracted to edit for a college.)

If that doesn’t work out, you may need to hire an independent editor. Word of mouth is a great way to meet editors who’ve already been vetted by people you know and trust, so ask your colleagues, department chair or research partners if they’d recommend anyone. Be sure to consider factors such as cost, turnaround time and your deadline. This is a great option if your peer reviewers have requested an editing certificate, which proves that your article has been read by a professional editor.

Hiring an Editor on Your Own

Despite your best efforts, you may need to find an editor on your own. The internet is vast—and aside from outright scammers, there’s also the Dunning-Kruger effect, whereby someone believes their skillset is better than it is. How can you find a qualified editor?

The answer to that depends on what kind of help you’re looking for. Generally speaking, you can hire an agency or an individual editor, but more specifically:

• Some publishers offer editorial services or partner with an agency to offer these services for a fee, including Taylor & Francis and Wiley, among others. You may have seen these advertised on your desired journal’s Guide for Authors or Author Instructions page. Keep in mind that using a publisher’s service does not guarantee that their journal will accept your paper.
• When hiring an individual, consider starting with a professional organization, such as the Editorial Freelancers Association. From their searchable member database, look for an academic editor. Ideally that person will have a website that lists their credentials, including relevant degrees, certifications, peer-reviewing experience, editing experience and publishing experience—either with their own research or in a formal role such as editor-in-chief. They may also share a portfolio of articles they’ve edited—bonus points if they’re named in the acknowledgments. Since researchers aren’t required to thank their editor publicly, it’s a good sign if they’ve chosen to do so.
• If you’re looking for ESL proofreading, look for an editor or agency that mentions this service by name. Qualified editors may have an advanced English or writing degree, and they may advertise their English language proficiency; many will note whether they’re a native speaker, for example. You can also look for credentials in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) to ensure that the editor or agency understands ESL-specific needs.
• If you’re seeking citation help, such as APA or AMA compliance, confirm that the editor is familiar with your desired style. Some editors list their preferred styles on their website, but if they don’t, ask. This is a place where you’ll want a specialist!
• If you want your editor to correct your formulas, or assess the rigor of your methodology, you’ll want to find a specialist in your field. These tasks may very well be outside the purview of a generalist.

Once you’ve found someone who looks like a good match, reach out. Many editors offer a free sample, typically 500 to 1000 words, to ensure that you’re on the same page. It’s a good sign if the editor makes recommendations, catches errors, asks questions and doesn’t introduce new errors (such as mis-formatting a footnote citation as a parenthetical).

Publishing your research can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. An editor can help you polish your work so that it can find the right journal to call home.