As an author’s editor, I can help you increase the odds that your manuscript:

1) will be read (this is a split-second decision for most readers),
2) will be understood, and
3) will be accepted by your target journal.

(For ESL writers, it is often advised that you hire an author’s editor before submitting your manuscript to the journal.) 

Besides communicating the content of your research, by improving how well your paper reads, I can also help you to increase the reach of your research. 

Yes. I have supported dozens of researchers from around the world prepare their manuscripts for publication, many in prestigious scientific journals (e.g., Nature, The International Journal of Cancer). 

Here is only a partial list of some of the subjects that I have edited before:

• Oceanic dimethylsulfide and its effects on climate
• Changing sea-ice in the Arctic and its influence on nutrient supply and carbon export
• The effects of temperature on cicada phenology
• Evaluating free energy gradients within a quantum mechanical framework
• A rib strength index to estimate the ability of extant/extinct semi-aquatic taxa to stand on land
• A comparison of the feeding behaviors of frugivorous civets with those of other sympatric frugivores in a Bornean rainforest
• Eddy current testing for evaluating the depths of cracks appearing in the components of nuclear power plants
• The nature of transient neuronal co-activations underlying resting-state functional connectivity
• A new model monocot plant for investigations using isolated gametes
• The behavior of radiocesium in the water and sediments of regulating ponds in Japan
• A clinical case study of remarkably improved intractable otitis media in a child
• Development of a novel photodynamic therapy for tumors

I earned my degrees in Environmental Biology (BS, Columbia University) and Soil and Water Science (MS, University of Florida).

However, as an author’s editor, my primary focus is to help you create a readable and coherent document that has been reviewed for correct English grammar and punctuation, word use and style, the overall flow of your writing—and perhaps most importantly, whether it actually makes sense to a scientifically literate reader. (The complete list of services that I offer are given below.) 

Because I consider you to be the subject matter expert, you are not paying for me to provide you with a “preliminary” peer review, which will be done, in any case, when your manuscript is accepted by your target journal. I say that out of respect to you, in deference to the hours that I know you have spent acquiring expertise in your subject. I offer you instead expertise in scientific communication.

If the quality of your science does need review, by all means, hire a PhD. You should expect to pay substantially more for those credentials, but it may be money well spent. If, on the other hand, you’re primarily looking for someone to make sure that your communication is effective, I can offer you exceptional value for your money. 

The ultimate benefit of my service is to put you in possession of a professionally-reviewed document that reads well and is “journal-ready.” 

What I do:

• Check your mechanics (spelling, punctuation, and capitalization)
• Correct your grammar (subject-verb agreement, verb tense, pronoun references, etc.)
• Clarify your sentences (coordination/subordination, balance parallel ideas, etc.)
• Emphasize your points (active verbs, parallel structures, sentence endings)
• Conform to your target journal's ITA, if provided
• Make sure that your number style, units, and dimensions are consistent
• Paraphrase or rewrite poorly worded sentences and paragraphs

What I don't do:

• Format your body text
• Check or format references