Dissertation Editors

The American Psychological Assocation (APA)and Modern Language Association (MLA) are two common style guides used for writing academic papers. APA is used within social sciences (e.g. psychology, education, sociology). MLA is primarily used in the liberal arts and humanities.

Before you begin writing your college paper, your professor will advise you of the style that is required. In addition, they may require additional preferences (e.g, a different style to the cover page). Pay attention to these requirements because instructors will remove grade points if a student does not follow the formatting for approved grammatical and citation requirements.

It is recommended (strongly) that students study and learn the requirements of the style early on in their education career and keep updated as different editions are released by MLA (currently 3rd edition) and APA (currently 6th edition). Having a good knowledge of the style will assist the student write more efficiently. A good tip is to keep a copy of the style book next to your computer to use as a reference as you write. Highlight the most commonly used punctuation and other information with a highlighter and post-it notes, because the answer surely will come up again.

Both APA (http://www.apastyle.org/) and MLA (http://www.mla.org/) have Websites and search engines that can help if you have a tough style problem. Also, most colleges have Writing Centers or online tutorials to help you with ensuring that your use of the style guidelines in your academic paper are perfect.

Here are some major differences in the two styles.

Reference Examples:

APA Style
Jelfs, A., Richardson, J., & Price, L. (2009). Student and tutor perceptions of effective tutoring in distance education. Distance Education, 30(3), 419-441. doi:10.1080/01587910903236551.

Mellers, B.A. (2000). Choice and the relative preasure of consequences. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 910-924.

MLA Style
Jelfs, Anne, John T. E. Richardson, and Linda Price. "Student and tutor perceptions of effective tutoring in distance education." Distance Education 30.3 (2009): 419-441. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 Feb. 2010.

Palmer, William J. Dickens and New Historicism. New York: St. Martin's, 1997. Print.

In-text citation examples:

APA Style
This is the citation format when there is a quote: According to Black (2009), "all clowns scare children to death" (p.3).

MLA Style
According to Kenneth Black, "all clowns scare children to death" (3).

Professional Editing
There is another option if you need help with academic writing, especially when you are writing a thesis or submitting a paper for publication. Many editors, like the editors at FirstEditing.com, specialize in academic writing and will offer to edit a paper based on word count or pages and the type of editing required. Academic editing will cost more than a standard edit. These editors are professionals who have a lot of experience editing papers in different style formats. They can provide expertise for the difficult editing issues such as footnotes and endnotes, charts and tables, and citing references.

"I'm a good writer; I don't need anyone else to read my stuff." Ever said or thought that? Well, maybe it's true that you've committed Strunk & White to memory; your work is polished, professional and print-ready; and publishers are scrambling to be the first to sign you.

On the other hand, maybe, just maybe, you're like the vast majority of the human race and have issues with the use of "who" and "whom" and are never quite sure where to properly place that comma-or should it be a semi-colon?

This is where a professional editor can be a lifesaver. Professional editors know the proper use of "who" and "whom." Further, they're familiar all the mystifying little rules of grammar and punctuation that befuddle the average writer. It's not only their job to know these things; it's also their passion. You see, professional editors are those annoying people who just can't help themselves: grammatical and punctuation errors seem to leap out at them, even in published books or magazines. They're the ones who will read a passage in a great work of literature and, instead of sighing over its perfection, mull ways it could have been differently worded. They think nothing of telling store owners-politely, of course!-that their outside sign reads "hear" when it should read "here."

So what exactly does this mean for the aspiring novelist or the student with a paper due yesterday?

A professional editor can check your work for mistakes that your word processing program's grammar/spell check missed. S/he can suggest ways to better word sentences and even move entire paragraphs around to make your work read more clearly and logically. Professional editors can help ensure your work conforms to the style guide your instructor or publisher requires. In short, a professional editor can take your unpolished manuscript and turn it into a polished gem, ready for submission to those who will decide its ultimate fate.

And isn't the ultimate fate of your work what it's all about? A research paper turned in with numerous grammatical errors or using the wrong style guide will receive a failing grade. A novel submitted to a publisher with run-on sentences and improper use of quotation marks will be tossed into the reject pile.

Don't let your hard work be for naught: before turning in that term paper or submitting that novel to a publisher, take the time to hire a professional editor through a firm such as First Editing. It's worth the money spent to make sure your work is as perfect as humanly possible.

Do you have any suggestions to share about hiring a professional editor? Feel free to share them with us.

Get A Price Quote. Make sure your editor provides you with a firm price quote.

Request A Free Personal Editing Sample. A free personal editing sample will let you see first hand just how great your editor is.

Read Their Testimonials. Make sure you check out their testimonials page and see what others are saying.

The editors FirstEditinghave many years of experience with all types and formats of dissertations, from Arts and Humanities to Engineering and Chemistry, from APA to Chicago and Turabian to Harvard - we know them all! We can also format to school and journal guidelines, so just tell us your requirements and we'll fulfill them for you!

Dissertation editors with long experience and PhDs

Our professional dissertation editors have served as examiners for undergraduate, Master's and PhD theses, so they know what to look for in a dissertation. Therefore, they also know what your examiner is looking for! Your editor will indicate all areas that need to be tightened up in order to for you to pass your degree - they have been through it themselves and with their own students. They will treat your work as though it came from one of their students and do their utmost to ensure that you have a polished, finished product.

Our professional dissertation editors will help you to achieve your deadline

We know your writing and your dissertation are critical to your success! That is why we make sure all of our editors have more than ten years of experience writing and editing. They are published authors and editors who are dedicated to assisting you. Our editors have experience in a variety of scientific areas. We want you to be completely satisfied with the end result. We are here to answer your questions and give you suggestions.

And remember, if you are unsure what level of editing your dissertation writing needs, please send us a sample of your work! We will provide you with an edited version of your sample and recommend a level that will give you the results you are looking for, FREE, and within 24 hours! Try before you buy! Let our experts ensure that your message shines through, not your mistakes.

* Thesis & Dissertation Research
* Admissions Essay
* ESL (English as Second Language)
* Articles for Publication in an Academic Journal
* Faculty Research
* Student Application
* Personal Statement
* Abstract
* Term Paper
* White Paper
* Column
* Monograph
* Doctoral Candidate Submission
* Text Book
* Grant Proposal
* Projects & Presentation
* Policies and Procedures Manual
* Teaching and Training Manual
* Prospectus
* Personal Bio / Profile
* Blog
* Tutorial and Training Material
* Reference Guide
* Lectures & Speeches
* Technical Document
* Conference Proposal
* Instructional Handbook
* Programming Manual
* Research Citations
* Style Guides MLA, APA, Chicago, CSE and more...