Showing posts with label proofreading and editing services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label proofreading and editing services. Show all posts

Wednesday, 24 August 2022

7 Qualities of a Professional English Editor

Editing is an important part of writing. After completing a write-up, you have to go through and spot the mistakes so that you can correct them before submission. If you don’t have the time to do so, hire an editor to do it for you. However, you should look for certain qualities in an editor to avail yourself of the best services.

Mistakes are common in writing. It’s not a big deal. However, the thing is that you need to correct these mistakes before submission. If you don’t, you will lose marks and create a negative impression in the eyes of readers and evaluators. This is where the importance of proofreading gains the limelight. If you don’t have time for proofreading, it’s advisable to hire a professional proofreader offering English editing services to do it for you. Given below are some of the qualities you should look for in an editor:


  1. Attention to detail: This is undoubtedly the first and foremost quality of a good editor. A lot of editors will consider themselves perfectionists or type-A personalities. They are the type of people who view a typo on a billboard or hoarding and decide to call the agency to point it out.
  2. Knowledge of grammar: Excellent editors have a solid knowledge of grammar. This encompasses subject-verb agreement, punctuation use, and passive voice vs. active voice. Editors can’t fake the understanding of the language which they are proofreading.
  3. Knowledge of style: Apart from grammar, editors also have to understand the stylistic element of writing. Style is very different from grammar, and editors need to be acquainted with it. Writing style governs conventional practices in particular publications. It’s a fact that different publications use various style guides, so it is hard for editors to grasp the writing style 100 percent accurately. However, a successful English editor has a concrete understanding of APA style and knows when to open the guidebook when stuck on something.
  4. Timeliness: When you are an editor, you have to be aware of the deadlines. If you take a long period to get blogs and articles back to your content creators, you become a hindrance. Being an editor, it’s important that you work quickly and to fast-approaching deadlines.
  5. Writing skills: If you think you don’t need good writing skills to become an English editor, you are wrong. Besides checking grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntactical mistakes, editors are also responsible for checking the writing style and consistency. You should know that a skilled editor is always an excellent writer.
  6. Communication style: Good editors have a friendly communication style and maintain a collaborative relationship with writers. They assist writers in every possible way so that content creators can enhance the quality of their work. They also make recommendations on length, structure, or style to ensure that the write-up is suitable for publication and the readership. Editors may also suggest additional details that will add more value to the piece.
  7. Possesses creative thinking skills: The editing process is a conjugal and creative effort between the content creator and editor. A good editor possesses creative thinking skills, and more importantly, he/she can showcase this skill in his/her write-up. A proofreader providing English editing services exhibits creativity by addressing the gaps and adopting new approaches to achieve the client’s desired outcome.

You will come across several editors offering their services but only a few are worth paying for. So, you have to look for the above-mentioned qualities in them. If you consider the editor to be a good fit for your writing tasks, you can rely on him/her in all circumstances. With the assistance of the editor, you can take your work to a new level.

The proofreading experts at https://www.hknets.net have years of experience and are proficient in delivering quality services under tight deadlines. Here, you can gain access to native English editors who know the dos and don’ts of proofreading better than anybody else.

Thursday, 21 July 2022

Artificial Intelligence Is No Match for the Human Touch!

Artificial intelligence software can be relied on only to a certain extent. They have their own limitations and cannot replace human editing and proofreading by a long shot!

Technology has progressed to the extent that it can correct all kinds of mistakes! For instance, there are a range of digital tools that can check grammatical and other errors in a document. Many of them are available for free and some even promise to take the writing to the next level.

Indeed, artificial intelligence software is now going beyond merely checking a text for spelling, punctuation and grammatical accuracy. They claim to improve the language and style of the writing too.

So does this mean the end of English editing and proofreading services provided by human experts?



Time for a reality check


Spellcheckers are definitely a boon as they automatically correct spelling errors – both known and unknown to the writers. The software will highlight basic mistakes in punctuation, grammar and the like. The advanced versions have moved to tweaking the writing by providing suggestions on ungrammatical features as well.

Based on rules of syntax and other elements, it will point out overused words, recommend better phrasing and even supplement the edits with suitable explanations. The focus is on bringing clarity and effectiveness and the tools are effective to an extent.

While laymen rejoice in the artificial assistance that seems to refine their writing, the limitations and drawbacks may not come to light immediately.

We have all heard of the common errors overlooked by automatic checkers like affect and effect or insuring and ensuring. As they fail to be corrected, it can impact the impression of the reader, not to mention that some of the suggestions are often found to be incorrect and can mislead the writer.

Moreover, the software is but a tool and cannot perceive the context or nuances of the writing. The emotional connotations and other connects will also be lost on robotic checkers. Nor is it possible for them to appreciate the atmosphere of the writing and particular euphemisms. The rule-based software will suggest bland changes that rob the writing of the author’s unique style and approach.

To add to this, there may be moments where the writer wishes to break a rule in the writing. Or using a passive sentence may make sense based on the form of the writing being used.

Therefore, software can be useful for sure. They can be used to doublecheck the document and eliminate potentially embarrassing mistakes from the writing. However, do not use them as a crutch for theses, reports or other professional documents.

In sum, language is peculiar and complex; it needs human intelligence to appreciate the specific nuances and portray them accordingly. English editing services are essential for refining the work and elevating the writing. And they will continue to play a crucial role no matter how many artificial intelligence software packages invade our computers!

Thursday, 24 March 2022

Make The Right Choice for Eliminating Errors in Your Document

The written word is best when it flows easily – from the paper or screen to the minds of the readers without any glitches, so to speak. The following are some tips on how to choose the right editor/proofreader.

Anything that is written – be it an email, article, manuscript, thesis or any other document – cannot afford to contain errors of any kind. Grammar and punctuation mistakes are particularly off-putting for readers while errors in sentence construction or phrases can create confusion and misunderstandings. In fact, such gaffes not only dilute the written word but can also prove to be quite costly.

Editors and proofreaders help avoid mistakes; proofreading and editing services render the document error-free on all counts! Yet, it is the quality of the service which will ensure peace of mind in terms of weeding out errors and polishing the writing to make the right impression.


proofreading and editing services

The following are some tips on how to choose the right editor or proofreader:


  • Qualification and skills – Consider the education and background in terms of academic degree and training. Here, it is always better to look for native English people as they will have an innate command of the language.
  • Experience –Take a look at the kind of editorial work the provider has done in the past. Familiarity with the subject or domain knowledge will stand you in good stead, especially for academic theses and journals.
  • Client reviews – Checking online reviews and contacting old clients will give you an idea about both the work quality and professionalism. Confirm whether they actually stick to deadlines or just make tall promises.
  • Ask questions – It pays to have a direct conversation with the professional and find out details about the kind of editing/proofreading you can expect, how much you will have to be involved, the approximate turnaround time, confidentiality and so on. Have a general discussion about the topic of the document and how the changes should not end up compromising the original theme and purpose. Also inquire about whether you will be made privy to the proposed changes and if you can come back for more corrections, feedback, etc.
  • Prices – The dollar costs will be a driving factor in the final decision. In general, it is advisable not to blindly choose the lowest offer as this can influence the quality of the work. Moreover, keep a lookout for hidden charges in the editing or proofreading services which can drive up the final bill beyond the initial quote. Established and reliable services usually offer a quote after scrutinizing the document and stick to the same as far as possible.

Once the right service has been finalized, request a free sample of editing/proofreading a page or two of the document. This will become a concrete reference point for the tone and style of the work that can be expected from the professional. It will also ensure peace of mind while the work is underway!

Finally, sparing some time in making the right choice will go a long way in the end….

Wednesday, 8 December 2021

Why do you need proofreading services to improve your content?

Proofreading is what makes a write-up see the light of day. A document stands incomplete and undone if it has not passed the authoritative sanction of a proofreader. Now finding a proofreading service is effortless. There are plenty of service providers on the internet. You just need to know which one is right for you.

The most eyebrow-raising errors on a day-to-day basis are spotted in newspapers. Though every news house has its editorial desk and most writers being adept in the English language should not require proofreaders, to err is human. The single most likely reason why discerning readers choke over their early morning tea is the careless glitches ignorantly published by writers. It is unforgivable and the reputation of the newspaper starts to dwindle. Who should you blame? The writers or the poor editorial standards.


Why is proofreading important?


These days the shift from newspapers to blogs has taken a fascinating turn. Young bloggers sharing their thoughts and stories populate the internet. Many bloggers write refreshing articles; some are enterprising and inventive. But most are below par. You will find freshly coined phrases, words, and unique usage of grammar. The articles fetch bad reviews from readers, often forcing writers to withdraw their blogs. Travel articles, culinary tales, educational articles and even health journals spot a sizable number of errors that make the website lose its position and go way down in the search engine. If the articles were proofread by dependable proofreading and editing services, they would not need to face the fury of readers and the journal would not end up losing the readers they have accumulated.

How much can no proofreading cost an author?


Proofreading before publishing a book is essential. You cannot release a book without ensuring that writing errors are eliminated. It is a known fact how Penguin Book Australia in 2010 was compelled to reprint 7,000 copies of a cookbook that had incorrectly printed ‘Black People’ in place of ‘Black Pepper’. Not only was the statement incorrect but was politically volatile and before it could go off bounds Penguin published its apologies and withdrew the published editions from the market to replace them with corrected ones. The publisher had to bear a hefty fine of $20,000, so the proofreading glitch was a heavy one.

How to use the right word and be conscious of your writing?


Though easier said than done, the safest way out is to write with attention. While you do so, read your write-up thoroughly before you decide to publish it. Don’t rely too much on automated editing. Though it may look quite exciting and give you a feel that your errors are being reduced to a minimum, on the contrary, your unwitting acceptance of errors can be penalized harshly later. Though the auto editor offers recommendations, you must judge if the recommendation is appropriate to your writing. You are most likely to fall prey to homophiles that can be quite tricky. So, know what you want to express and ensure that your expression is not compromised by quirky, out of the context suggestions.

A step you must not miss


The most important step that you must include and never overlook is referring your work to a proofreader if you have the time. Remember proofreading services are easily available on the internet. Both proofreading and editing services are the most reliable source that will help to double-check and ensure that your writing meets its purpose. They will ensure that all errors are cured from your write-up, your text is enriched, and your writing is fit for any publication. Think no more, reach out to one of the most authoritative proofreading sources on the internet, HKNETS. Visit https://www.hknets.net/ and don't forget to mention if you require immediate delivery. You will be surprised by how quick they are.

Tuesday, 23 February 2021

Dishing Out the Right Words

You are starting a new restaurant or a food joint and require a menu card. You have a brilliant cook, but your menu card has the most atrocious spelling. That makes you appear incredibly sloppy. You are launching your recipe book, but the misspelt words stand out like a sore thumb. There is one simple way out to avoid this embarrassment. Find out how?

Dreams are being born every day, people are creating and living their fantasies every day. Your dream food business will definitely be very successful unless you are a really bad cook. However, I am not here to discuss your cooking skills but your menu card. This is one mistake that is common with most new business owners who are trying to carve out a niche in the food industry through their culinary expertise.

Get your spelling right


Master chefs are experts in their fields but are they confident about their reading and writing skills? Sometimes they churn our such inventive spellings that would make their strawberry cake blush ruddier than usual. Indeed, sometimes they make you wonder. The point is, if you have an establishment, you have to see it succeed in leaps and bounds. So why not do it correctly? The minute you decide on your menu card, send it over to a document editor and get the spelling and style corrected to help you set your business in the right direction. Surely you do not wish to end up being the laughingstock with your menu card showing your branding being shared on social media.

Get your language right


The same goes for recipe books. Now writers have always reached out to editors. But now, with the internet opening up avenues for easy fame and online publishing for thriving writers, you find so many writers revealing their indigestibly worded recipes all over the internet. Of course, it is an open forum, but have sympathy for your readers. They will have to rack their brains before they can comprehend the creative letters or words and dig deep into what you are getting at. Why not make it easy? Reach out to genuine editors or English editing agencies that will be glad to help you through.

Conclusion


Google has talked about many users making common spelling mistakes while typing in the search engines when searching for something. Online editors cannot do much about that except for advocating that people should perhaps do their schooling more seriously. But for published errors, there is always HKNETS. Reach out to them before you launch your business. They will make sure that your work is error-free. You have to do this, or you are only putting your reputation at stake. Remember that a discreet clientele always notices your efforts and presentation, and your written work speaks volumes about your sincerity. Contact https://www.hknets.net/copywriting/ right away.

Tuesday, 8 December 2020

Common Errors Made by Students and Researchers

Writing mistakes can happen, but some mistakes are more repetitive than others. If your writing style also includes them then this article will guide you to correct those errors. However, opting for final dissertation proofreading from professional sources is the best way to ensure an error-free document.


While proofreading dissertations, editors often encounter some common mistakes made by writers. Focusing on them will improve their writing quality significantly. Here is a list of the most common errors cited by editors and proofreaders. While going through your dissertation proofreading, you can keep the following in mind to minimize your grammatical errors.

The commonest error is the inability to discern between 'effect/affect'.

'Effect' is usually a noun and the meaning is a result of a change. When used as a verb it means to bring about or achieve.

Affect, on the other hand, is usually a verb and means to influence or produce a change. When being used to refer to someone’s mood, affect is used as a noun.


 

The correct usage of Apostrophes


Apostrophes are used for marking of the possessive case of nouns. They are positioned after a singular or plural noun. For plural words, those already ending in 's' take only an apostrophe after the pre-existing 's' to form the possessive. If a singular noun ends with an 's' sound, practice varies as to whether to add 's' or the apostrophe alone.

When contracting a word or replacing a missing letter, an apostrophe is used, e.g. Isn’t and aren’t. However, in scholarly writing contractions are not used.

Capital letters


A capital letter is used when starting a sentence after a full stop, for writing someone’s name and the name of a place. In titles, some like to capitalize the words. Articles, conjunctions and prepositions are not capitalized in titles. You can just capitalize the first letter of the first word too. When writing a title, for example, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the entire address is capitalized. In the same way, when referring to a department like The Ministry of Commerce, only the first letters will be in capitals or upper case while the rest follow in the lower case. When you refer to the 'ministry' later you can write it in lower case.

The use of passive voice


Passive voice tends to make your sentences wordier than an active sentence and the other problem is that it makes the object of the action the subject of the sentence and the sentence becomes difficult to understand. However, in places where the action is more important than its performer, a passive voice is used.

Comma misuse or splice


Some people place a comma to separate the subject from the verb. This is wrong. Also putting a comma between two verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate or a comma between two nouns, noun phrases, or noun clauses in a compound subject or compound object is incorrect. Don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent clause follows it.



Using coordinating conjunctions


Conjunctions such as ‘but’, ‘yet’ or ‘and’ should be joined with similar elements in a sentence like two nouns, two verbs, two independent clauses, etc. The words or sentences should bear equal importance.

Confusion between ‘it’s’ and ‘its’


‘Its’ is a possessive determiner used to say that something belongs to something else, while ‘it’s’ is a contracted form of ‘it is’. They cannot be confused. Again, you must avoid the use of contracted forms for formal writings.

The use of less and fewer


Few are related to numbers, so anything that can be counted will be written as few while less should be used with a grammatically singular noun.

Conclusion


English grammar can be confusing but once you get used to the rules it is not too difficult to form proper sentences. Attention to and emphasis on your writing will help you achieve the desired results. Finally, you can get an expert opinion by approaching the professional proofreaders at https://www.hknets.net/. They will ensure that your dissertation proofreading ensures that your work is free from all grammatical errors.

Monday, 28 September 2020

Why Does Academic Proofreading Add Value to Your Writing?

Being in academics, it is likely that you will make fewer mistakes in writing compared to someone who is not. However, despite so much care and understanding, it has been seen that academic writing often cites inexplicable mistakes. Therefore, the best way to avoid them is to get your work checked by professional proofreading services.


Academic writing is done by skilled academicians or students who are cautious about their language usage, grammar, and spellings. They naturally take great pains to produce competent and error-free papers that result in good reading. It could be a dissertation or a thesis, an essay, or a research paper. However, I have often heard guides and teachers complain that, even after conscientious effort, articles lack proofreading.

As a writer, in a bid to complete on time, you are under stress and may fail to scrutinize blatant faux pas in their writing. As an examiner, I found a few areas that can be improved. I advise, regardless of how confident you are with your writing, to arrange a final check from proofreading services which will add value to your writing.


Spelling mistakes


Regarding the use of ‘to’ and ‘too’, I would say that a grade three student would know the difference and I am sure that most academicians do so too. However, sadly this is one mistake I find appearing ever so often.

‘To’, is used to connect two sentences and coordinate them in the same clause,

while

‘Too’, indicates something to a degree of excess or possible, permissible.

I am not offering an example as I am sure the difference is known to all. I believe that people who do not write their papers and rely on the audio version of MS Word, to write their academic script, end up having this error. Therefore, this is more reason to proofread or ask proofreading services for help.

Missing comma after a coordinating conjunction


Do you remember in your school days how your English teacher emphasized the comma after a coordinating conjunction? These words are used to bridge two independent clauses (two different and complete thoughts). A sentence has a complete thought with a subject and a verb.

When you are using an introductory word or phrase or clause in a sentence, place a comma between the introductory statement and the sentence that proceeds the introduction, and is the main thought in the sentence. The best way to analyze this is that even if you remove the first part of the sentence the second part will not lose its meaning.

E.g.: There are many shops down that sell pita bread in Egypt, but there is a favourite one that I prefer.

Susan took the day off to be by herself, yet the pain of loneliness made her get back to her work.

Even if you feel confident, proofread, or hire professional proofreading services to help you.

Wordiness


This is a habit that many academicians indulge in. To get their views across there is a superfluous usage of extra sentences or words to get their point across. This makes the meaning of the sentence or paragraph more complex.

Wordy: In order to celebrate her birthday, in just the way she deemed right, she walked to the market and purchased a cake, that echoed with her childhood memories and brought back fine thoughts of her parents again to life.

Instead

She thought that the cake was the best way to celebrate her birthday. She bought one that her parents usually got. It rekindled the memories of her childhood.

Breaking the sentence up into smaller parts makes it easy to grasp for the readers.

These are the commonest mistakes that I have spotted. Of course, the list is larger and varied. But this is a good way to start a tutorial. Grammar has its nuances and learning it again with your academic pressure might be difficult. I would emphatically recommend https://www.hknets.net, an extremely competent and precision-oriented proofreading service that will help you improve your work. They have reasonable charges and offer quality services.

Thursday, 27 August 2020

Common Mistakes That English Editing Services Spot

A lot of young people writing their dissertation come to me for their compositions to be proofread. While it is rewarding to read through the way young minds approach different subjects, mistakes can steal away interest.

There are some frequent mistakes spotted by English editing services that I have compiled. Read them to review your work or take help from English editing & proofreading services and then publish your writing instead of rushing into a quick edit and leave gaffes that put your reputation as a writer at stake.

Some common mistakes often spotted.

Subject-verb agreement errors

There is a simple rule that a singular subject must be in agreement with a singular verb and if the subject is plural, the verb will also have to be plural. However, many get confused and there is a tendency to mismatch. This is a common folly that English editing services come across.

Example:


Mistake: compiling this piece have been a very enjoyable task.
Correct: compiling this piece has been a very enjoyable task.


Example:

Mistake: I only wish Shaw and Shakespeare was born together.
Correct: I only wish Shaw and Shakespeare were born together.



Sentence Break

Sentences are fragmented in such a way that they do not have an independent clause. The fragment may be devoid of a subject, a complete verb or sometimes both. Sometimes they are left to depend on the following statement to justify the meaning. Let me show you how.

Example:

Incorrect: He gave her his old watch before she left. Even though she refused.
Correct: Even though she refused, he gave her his old watch before she left.

Example:

Incorrect: I could have my morning tea. Then my breakfast.
Correct: I could have my morning tea, then my breakfast.

Using a comma after the introductory phrase

Introductory elements should never be continued in long heavy sentences. A comma serves the purpose of short breaks. So why not break it up to give your readers a breather?

Example:


Incorrect: Having finished his test he left the examination hall.
Correct: Having finished his test, he left the examination hall.

Example:


Incorrect: To get a seat on the bus you had better come early.
Correct: To get a seat on the bus, you had better come early.

Misuse of the apostrophe in 'its'

When do you use an apostrophe in-between ‘its’? When you are trying to write ‘it is’. Without the apostrophe, it would mean belonging to it.

Example:

Incorrect: I can hardly believe its true
Correct: I can hardly believe it's true

Example:

Incorrect: The ceiling fan is rotating at it's pace
Correct: The ceiling fan is rotating at its pace

Giving commas a miss in compound sentences


When two independent clauses come together in a compound sentence then they are separated by a conjunction. A comma is applied after the first clause before the coordinating conjunction that is used to separate the clauses.

Example:

Incorrect: He plucked the berries from the bushes and I happily ate them.
Correct: He plucked the berries from the bushes, and I happily ate them.

Example:

Incorrect: I bit my cake and sipped my tea and read the newspaper.
Correct: I bit my cake, sipped my tea, and read the newspaper.

Unclear use of pronouns

The pronoun should refer to the exact noun that it is being replaced. An unclear replacement of a pronoun would leave the reader confused and wondering who the pronoun refers to.

Example:

Incorrect: Benjamin got hot potato chips for George, he was so happy
Correct: Benjamin got hot potato chips for George, and that made George very happy

Example:

Incorrect: Mary was ready to leave for college when she fell and that spoilt it all
Correct: Mary was ready to leave for college but her falling stopped her from going there

Common and wrong usage of words


Many words are commonly misused without realization in sentences and they completely change the meaning of the sentence.

Example:

Incorrect: The affects of the drug took over in no time, and he fell asleep.
Correct: The effects of the drug took over in no time, and he fell asleep.

Example


Incorrect: In edition to the following statement, I want to make it clear that we need to abide by the rules.
Correct: In addition to the following statement, I want to make it clear that we need to abide by the rules.

Conclusion

The list is quite long and there are many errors that budding writers tend to make. Just a bit of care and cross-checking would give you better results. However, if you need more confidence you could always send your essays to English editing services.

Wednesday, 3 June 2020

No Compromises Allowed in Thesis Editing

High quality editing is a must before you submit any thesis. From formatting your paper according to the style guide to checking the grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors- thesis editing is an elaborate task.

The last step of your year-long research activities is the thesis submission. While some might think peer review is a great idea to check your academic writing, the truth is, you will need more experienced eyes to refine your document.

Clumsily written papers will alienate your seniors, examiners and guides in reading the entire work. Bad grammar, typos, referencing inconsistencies, and similar such jargons will make your thesis lose its gravitas.

Following the appropriate academic style without compromising the syntax, spelling and punctuation is essential for a good thesis.

Thesis editing and dissertation proofreading services are available from the editors of HKNETS who possess in-depth knowledge of not just the English language but also have skillful knowledge in various subjects such as medicine, engineering, law, finance, economics, architecture and more. There's no extra fee for urgent deadline and will help you do further revision if required.

Check out more about their services at https://www.hknets.net

Saturday, 23 May 2020

How professional editors can help you?

After spending a substantial part of your academic year, you might have completed your academic paper or thesis. You have read and re-read the dissertation, but your gut feeling is telling you something is not right. Somehow the words and sentences of the dissertation are unable to fully express your point of view, and furthermore you don’t know how to fix the situation. In these cases, hiring a professional for thesis editing might come handy.

Here are some of the benefits of hiring a professional editor for your thesis:

1. A fresh perspective

During the editing phase, you might easily overlook the grammatical and typographical mistakes, or ignore the incorrect word choices you have made while writing the thesis. A professional editor can easily pinpoint those errors, improving the quality of the paper.

2. Time-saving

Reading and re-reading the dissertation multiple occasions consumes a lot of time, which you could have dedicated to other projects. Hiring a professional editor ensures your project gets checked on time, while you are concentrating on something else.

3. Improvement in language

Professional editors can help in improving your word-choices and fixing the common ESL (English as Second Language) errors.

Having an extra set of eyes during the editing phase is always helpful, and has a better pay off. If you too are planning on hiring an experienced editor for thesis editing, then you can approach HKNETS. For more information, visit https://www.hknets.net, or write to hknets@netvigator.com

Friday, 20 March 2020

Proofreading for Citations

When you use external sources in a paper, the references have to be credited with a citation. There are different specific formats for citing the sources and they have to be strictly followed throughout.

Writing a thesis, dissertation, academic paper or other essay calls for detailed research from different sources. The student is also required to include quotations or at least paraphrase part of the original text as this will lend both clarity and credibility to the academic writing.

However, plagiarism issues enter the picture, and the writer should ideally credit the source by providing a citation. The citation refers to the original work thus maintaining the intellectual honesty of the writer even though it adds weight to the arguments or conclusions presented in the paper.


How to cite a source
 
A citation usually mentions the author’s name, title of the book/paper, year of publication, publishing house, etc. This can be provided in-text or as a footnote along with a reference in the bibliography. There are certain specified formats – known as citation styles – which dictate how the information about the source should be ordered.

The most common of these are –
  • American Psychological Association (APA) - Author’s last name followed by the year of publication in brackets. A comma separates the name and year.
  • Modern Language Association (MLA) – There are different editions of this parenthetical citation style and the latest one requires the author’s surname followed by page number.
  • Chicago/Turabian - This supports two styles: Notes and Bibliography, Author-Date. In the former, sources are cited in footnotes at the bottom and full source information is given in a bibliography. The latter cites the source in brackets within the main text and provides full information in a reference list.

These citation styles are generally associated with specific disciplines, and therefore, the choice depends on the subject of the paper. The instructor may also specify a style for the paper. For instance, the field of Humanities (like English, Art History, Philosophy, Music, Religion, Language, Linguistics, etc.) follows the MLA style while APA is used by Education, Psychology, and Sciences. Chicago Notes & Bibliography is considered appropriate for History while Chicago Author-Date is associated with Physical, Natural or Social Sciences.

In addition to this, there are various other citation formats, like Harvard, Oxford, ASA, AMA, IEEE, etc. that are also specific to certain disciplines like Economics, Medicine, Chemistry, Engineering and so on.

Moreover, some of the citation styles also have specific rules for the formatting of the paper itself. This includes the cover page, margins, spacing, font size, titles, headings and also how to write numbers and abbreviations.

Following the citation style

Students are required to strictly adhere to the chosen/specified citation format throughout the paper. Any deviation or errors will make the document look inconsistent and may also be frowned down upon by the instructors.

This is where professional editing and proofreading comes into play. Professional dissertation proofreading will ensure that the references are correct and formatted exactly as required.

Friday, 7 February 2020

Why Native English Editing is Helpful

The benefits of editing and proofreading by native English editors are broad and far-reaching. HKNETS’ editors will even rewrite parts of the text to make it sound polished and give the right impression.

There are many reasons why non-native speakers need English editing services. Professional proofreading and editing will weed out the errors of grammar, syntax, punctuation and the like which usually tend to escape their notice. Especially when it comes to formal writing like your thesis, dissertation, conference papers, journal submissions, legal documentation, business proposals, etc., such errors create a bad impression and can even mar the prospects of the writer.

Professional thesis proofreading or legal editing will ensure that the written document is free of all typos and other errors.


It’s not just about these types of errors alone. Non-native English speakers often have a limited vocabulary as they have learnt English as a second language. Their lack of command of the language shows up in more ways than one. They typically tend to repeat the same words and phrases in their writing. For instance, the person may keep using the same ‘professional’ word continuously in one sentence after the other or sometimes, even in the same sentence. They may not be familiar with other synonyms like specialized, proficient or even qualified, trained, expert and so on.

Using such synonyms lends an interesting variety and rich appeal to the text which will otherwise obviously be found lacking given the repetitiveness. Moreover, even if the writer tries to use a Thesaurus or other tool to substitute more engaging synonyms for the repeated words, he or she may not realize that the context or usage is wrong. The text will become jarring and may not sit well with the person reading/checking the document.

This is why skilled proofreading and editing service providers – like HKNETS (https://www.hknets.net) – provide thorough and in-depth editing where the document is checked not just for grammatical and other errors; they will even change words or phrases and rewrite some sentences of the text as needed. Every effort is directed towards polishing the text to a native English standard!


Wednesday, 25 December 2019

The HKNETS Difference Shines Through!

Editing and proofreading are useful for enhancing the quality and accuracy of any written material. The skills and knowledge of the specialists will dictate the value of the work they deliver!

HKNETS provides top-quality proofreading and editing services for all kinds of theses, dissertations, manuscripts, academic papers, business correspondence, emails and other professional documents. The work is carried out by highly qualified and experienced editors and proofreading specialists who are native English speakers themselves.
The document editing is not limited to typos and grammatical mistakes alone. Apart from ensuring correct grammar, punctuation, syntax and sentence structure, the professionals may also replace phrases or rewrite some parts of the text. The overall goal is to achieve consistency and accuracy while ensuring a smooth flow and professional style in the document.

Moreover, the editors are professionals who specialize in varied fields ranging from academics to cutting edge technologies. They are also well-read and remain up to date with the latest developments in various fields. Therefore, it is quite possible that the editor/proofreader will already be familiar with the subject matter of the document under review. Furthermore, they will go the extra mile to research the topic and understand the subject in detail. This kind of expertise and knowledge ensures better editing and precision all around.

What’s more, the editors will not hesitate to seek clarifications from the client if they do not understand a topic or are confused about the same.

This way any document that is edited or proofread by HKNETS will always be returned crystal clear, correct, consistent and accurate down to the very last word. It will be easy to read and understand without failing to sound persuasive or impressive, as needed.

All changes are presented in track change format and it is the client’s choice whether to accept them or not. Necessary explanations supporting the suggested changes will be provided as well. The editors are always open to revisions and feedback too.

And yet, the academic editing fee rates are surprisingly low and remain the most competitive in the market!