English Language Skills Development

Academic copy editor register

The Board of the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies (January 28th, 2004) expressed concern at completion delays amongst doctoral students due to errors in grammar and punctuation. To help address this, the decision was taken to establish a fee-based copy editing service, which students would have access to during the course of their period of study. The University of Exeter Academic Copy Editor Register aims to provide such a service.

Conditions of Use

Users of the Register should take note of the following:

  1. The service is intended for students whose work would otherwise be considered ready for submission. The task of the copy editor is limited to correcting ‘low-level’ errors of grammar and punctuation with the intention of, as far as possible, producing a readable version of the student’s own English. Students should note that only minimal negotiation of meaning will be possible with the copy editor. Where questions of meaning remain to be resolved, or when students are uncertain if their work is ready for copy editing, students should seek guidance from their supervisors and/or the support service provided for doctoral students by INTO University of Exeter. Copy editors may judge that a dissertation (or chapter) is not yet ready for copy editing: if this is the case, they will refer the student back to their supervisor or the INTO doctoral support service.
  2. The arrangements made between students and editors are private matters. Payment should be negotiated between students and copy editors. INTO University of Exeter cannot guarantee that the terms of any agreement reached will be met to the satisfaction of both parties. Although INTO University of Exeter will take due care in appointing editors to the Register, this should not be seen as underwriting the work they undertake. INTO University of Exeter cannot offer office space or resources to facilitate the work. 
  3. Users of the service are requested to participate in the process of evaluation and monitoring. (See below)  

 

The Register

Students wishing to use the Register should contact the Copy Editor directly.

RACHEL ADDISON (rachelhaddison01@gmail.com) BA (Hons) Theology: MA (Distinction) Ethics, Religion, and Society: MPhil Theology: PhD Moral Philosophy: TEFL (Level 5).  Rachel has over thirteen years’ experience working with academic students of all levels, and from an international range of universities, on both the technical accuracy of their written work and the effective development and presentation of their academic arguments.   Rachel has spent considerable time as a guest lecturer in the College of Humanities at the University of Exeter, and lectured in Medical Humanities at St. Luke’s Medical School. Rachel currently edits for Oxford University Press across a wide variety of titles going for publication, and copy-edits for a range of materials including postgraduate and doctoral theses, journal articles, chapters for edited volumes, and the preparation of material for publication with Oxford University Press and Routledge. Rachel   has a keen sense for approaching a student’s work with sympathy and understanding, as well as ensuring its grammatical and linguistic precision. 

BIDDY ANDREWS (biddyandrews87@gmail.com): BA (hons) Psychology, MSc (distinction) Clinical Neuropsychology, PhD Psychology, PHCertHE, accredited by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences, Professional-level member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders. I have 8 years experience teaching international and domestic students and have published in an academic journal. I have extensive experience marking and copy editing essays and reports at all levels, as well as MSc and PhD theses.

JOOLS BOND (joolsy@rocketmail.com) is a professional proofreader and editor with a BA in English and Drama, an MA in International Relations and Asian Politics, and a Diploma in TESOL. With over 25 years of academic English teaching and professional editing experience, Jools specialises in proofreading dissertations for master's and PhD students. To date, she has proofread dissertations in diverse disciplines such as English Literature, Engineering, Psychology, International Relations, Finance, Environmental Science, Education, Medicine, TESOL, Islamic Law, Business Management and Quantum Physics.

In addition to dissertations, Jools proofreads journal articles, essays, case studies, books, reports, personal statements and research proposals. She has worked on editing projects for clients from various international institutions, including CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research), the University of Bologna (Italy), Hashemite University (Jordan), the World Economic Forum, UNESCO Indonesia, McGraw Hill Education and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. 

As an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teacher for over 20 years, Jools has worked with many international students at universities in the UK, including Exeter, Cardiff, York and Manchester. Overseas, she has taught in Indonesia, Australia, Vietnam and Bahrain, and co-facilitated a teacher training course in China for Chinese teachers of English. 

WhatsApp is: +44 7572 206078 

MIRANDA BROADHEAD (mtbroadhead@hotmail.co.uk) Dip.TEFLA; MA Applied Linguistics. Miranda has worked with international students for over twenty two years, with eleven of these at a range of British universities, where she has focused particularly on the writing process for students doing pre-sessional and in-sessional work. Having lived in Spain, Greece, Nigeria and Papua New Guinea, and having travelled extensively, she is at ease working with people from different cultures, and is aware of the many differences in attitudes, educational backgrounds, expectations, and assumptions that international students in particular can bring to their studies in Great Britain. Her main interest is in how an understanding of meaning and clarity in writing are connected. She has worked as a Teacher Trainer and as an examiner for Cambridge University and for Trinity College London and has experience editing a wide range of PhD and Masters degree subject areas, from Politics to International Tourism to Education to TEFL to Accounting and Geography.

JANE CLARK (jane.couches@gmail.com) As a freelance copyeditor and proofreader I work with many students to present their final doctoral theses for examination in standard English.  Having work in the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, I have gained a comprehensive knowledge of Middle Eastern affairs and culture. I have copyedited briefings for the Middle East Council on Global Affairs and a manuscript for Hurst publishers. Recently I have been contacted by Nomad publishing which specialises in Middle East publications. My experience covers many fields and apart from Exeter, I have proofread theses on diverse topics from Edinburgh, Warwick, Glasgow, Sheffield and other top universities. In addition to theses, I also copyedit academic work for graduates who are publishing their research. If you would like me to work on your thesis, please contact me by email. I would be happy to discuss your requirements, whether they be for a final thesis or an upgrade, or an article for a journal.

ELAINE DAVIES (E.M.Davies@exeter.ac.uk) BA (Hons) Geography, MA Population Research, PGCE Geography.  After completing her MA at the University of Exeter and PGCE teaching qualification at the University of Oxford, Elaine worked at the University of Exeter undertaking teaching, research and then management activities for nearly 30 years.  She worked with international students from a variety of backgrounds/cultures and has experience of supporting students with academic writing.  She has a wealth of experience editing and proofing academic documents.  Between 2013 and 2015 Elaine was based at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (IAIS), but supported students from across a variety of social science/humanities disciplines including Law, Sociology, Philosophy, Politics, International Relations and Education. She was a social sciences liaison with INTO colleagues for many years. Elaine would welcome enquiries from students across the various University disciplines and is based in Exeter so can provide face-to-face feedback if this is required.

ALEXANDRA GOLDING (alexgolding73@gmail.com) has a PhD in linguistics, twelve years’ experience as a senior lecturer at the University of Brighton teaching English, three years’ experience as a postdoctoral researcher at Brunel University London, and over one year at Paul Valery University, Montpellier in English studies. She specialises in academic proofreading, principally in PhD theses and journal articles. She has published widely in her own field and understands the research process well. She will provide corrections on a range of issues, including structure, clarity of expression, grammar, cohesion, and register. She is extraordinarily thorough and meticulous.

TAMSIN KILNER  (t.kilner@exeter.ac.uk; tamsin@tamsinkilner.co.uk) BA (Hons) English Medieval Studies (Dean’s Commendation), MA English (Dist.), PhD English, PCAP, SFHEA. A freelance copy-editor and proofreader specialising in academic writing. Tamsin has over ten years' experience working with a range of disciplines at levels from undergraduate formative writing to monograph and edited collections publication. Tamsin is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and works as a Senior Lecturer in Education Practice at the University of Exeter. Her love of language and literature is outstripped only by her attention to detail; please get in touch for a detailed quote via tamsin@tamsinkilner.co.uk.  

MATTHEW LAWRENCE (mjlawrence99@yahoo.co.uk) studied a BA in French and Spanish at The University of Kent and an MEd. TESOL (distinction) at Exeter. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and has over 20 years of experience. Matthew has worked at universities and tertiary education establishments in Chile, Iraq, Morocco, Spain, Saudi Arabia and the UK in the areas of English for Academic Purposes, Spanish and teacher training. Specialised in supporting international students, he has worked with undergraduate, master and doctoral-level students from all colleges at the University.  

ISMAEL LOUBER (i.louber@live.com) BA; PGCE; EdD (TESOL) Ismael is an EFL and EAP specialist with extensive experience in secondary and higher education in the UK and abroad. He is a published researcher and currently teaches EAP and academic skills. He has copyedited many master dissertations, PhD theses and academic articles, mainly in the humanities and social sciences.

Rebecca Michel (j.rebecca.michel@gmail.com) (BA French and Linguistics, M.Ed TESOL, Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Skills) has taught English to International students since 1981 in the UK, France, Egypt and Turkey. She has also worked as a Teacher Trainer in this country and overseas, and has held positions as Head of Teacher Training and Director of Studies.  She worked at the University of Exeter for 26 years; for the last 16 years she was Programme Manager for Academic English at INTO Exeter, overseeing the work of teachers of teachers, and helping students to develop their English language and study skills in order to progress to a Masters or PhD at Exeter University. She has many years of experience working with students on their academic writing skills, both in classrooms and in one-to-one sessions, and with her expert knowledge of the University’s expectations, she has helped many Exeter students with writing essays, personal statements, proposals, theses and dissertations.

DENISE PARKER  (denisecparker74@gmail.com) (B.A.Comb. Hons, R.S.A. Dip T.E.F.L, Postgrad Dip.in Ed.MgT.) has more than 30 years' experience in teaching EFL,EAP, and ESP in Europe, the United Kingdom and the Middle East. She has taught and examined at Universities in the U.K. and Bahrain and has been an examiner for Cambridge ESOL and Trinity College, London. She has specialised in Business English, as Head of Department on the European Programme at Portsmouth University and then spent 4 years with an international Business Language Consultancy. She has also developed her interest in Medical English following 2 years with the Ministry of Health in Qatar, 4 years teaching Medical students at the Arabian Gulf University and 4 years as a Problem-Based Learning Facilitator at the University of Exeter Medical School. She currently works for Refugee Support Devon as Coordinator for ESOL and Employability, where she has initiated a project to support refugee doctors to qualify for posts in the NHS. Her professional interests include the development, delivery and support of on-line learning; she particularly enjoys working with students one-to-one. She has extensive experience of proofreading dissertations and theses from a wide range of disciplines, including Business, Politics, Finance, Marketing, Management, Education, Social Sciences and Law. She is happy to provide references from past clients and welcomes enquiries to discuss students’ requirements.

JAIME ROBLES (jaime@jaimerobles.com) has a PhD in English Literature (University of Exeter, 2013). She is a professional writer and reviewer (bachtrack.com), and taught writing to graduate students in the San Francisco Bay Area for seven years. She worked in publishing for twenty years as an editor and copyeditor. She is adept at reviewing the logic throughout a written piece, developing argument and correcting a paper’s organization. She works on electronic or hard copy and is very prompt. She proofread the following dissertations, among others: “The Water Imagery in Classical Arabic Poetry: al-Jahily and Andalusian” (Alwarde, Warwick University); “Developing a New Regime for the Recognition and Enforcement of International Commercial Arbitral Awards in Saudi Arabia” (al-Abdullah, University of Exeter); “Juliet’s Dilemma of Individual Freedom and Social Identity: Practice Performance of Romeo and Juliet” (Chen, University of Exeter); “Imagery of the Muslim in American Film Post-9/11” (Bayraktaroglu, University of Exeter).

PAUL ROGERS (p.c.rogers@exeter.ac.uk) (BA, MA, PhD, R.S.A.Dip.TEFLA) has been a referee and proof-reader for an academic journal focusing on topics in psychology, philosophy and cognitive science. He taught ESOL for over 20 years. University experience has included teaching philosophy in the areas of cognitive science, education, psychology, bioethics and sociology alongside the supervision and marking of dissertations.

SUZANNE STEELE (rosesofdevon@gmail.com; suzanne@etchedinsteele.com) BMus, Master of Library and Information Science, PhD in English (University of Exeter), and LTHE 1 & 2.  Suzanne has several years' experience working closely with undergraduates, Master and PhD level foreign language students. A Canadian, she has lived abroad for several years and has worked extensively with Middle Eastern students as well as students from Asia, Europe, Russia etc. She can do substantive editing, copyediting, or can advise on structure and layout. Students can consult her via Skype. Past subject areas have included: English, Theology, Comparative Religion, Arabic Studies, Business, and Science. 

DILYS THORP (D.A.Thorp@exeter.ac.uk) (B.Sc Hons Geography, PGCE, MA Linguistics for ELT) has 30 years’ experience in teaching EFL, ESL and EAP in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Oman, Europe and the UK. She also has considerable experience of teacher training, involving teachers from all over the world. She has written and published materials for distance learning as well as a number of research articles. She is particularly interested in the writing process and in helping students to develop and express their own stance or attitude in their work. She has worked for many years on both the pre-sessional and the in-sessional programmes at Exeter, in particular helping students from a wide range of disciplines in one-to-one writing tutorials. Whilst much of her work has been with postgraduates of education, she also has interests in Medical English, having had a post as Research Fellow at the Peninsula Medical School. She is currently working with students in the School of Law as well as the School of Business. In addition to her work at INTO, she is a tutor with the Open University; she has also edited and proof-read articles for publication by the Department of Politics.

JAMES SCANLAN (scanlan.james.m@gmail.com) BA (Hons) Arabic and Persian. James has worked in publishing in the UK and Egypt and has over six years’ experience proofreading research relating to Arab and Islamic Studies and translating Arabic texts into English.

NATALIE SWAIN (n.a.swain@exeter.ac.uk) (BA Hons Sociology & Spanish from the University of Exeter; CELTA: Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Natalie teaches English as a foreign language to students of all nationalities, both in face-to-face classes in Exeter and in online classes to those living abroad. As well as teaching Business English and preparing students for exams, Natalie offers a copy editing service to students writing dissertations and other texts in various academic areas. Having lived and taught abroad and learnt languages herself, Natalie appreciates the language difficulties with which students are often faced and approaches this with patience, ease and enthusiasm.

This service is overseen by INTO University of Exeter. We welcome feedback on this service from all users - students and copy editors. Teachers of academic writing wishing to be included as Copy Editors should send their CV to Emma Sweeney.