Professional Editing

I have several years’ experience editing professional documents of many types, including dissertations, grant and fellowship applications, resumes, cover letters, and graduate school applications. I am excited to help writers finish their projects and get everything ready for final submission.

If you are interested in working together, please contact me at Megan AT drangstveit DOT com or submit the form on the Contact page.

How this works…

Send me a message and we can discuss what type of assistance you are seeking (proofreading, copy editing, formatting), your budget, and your timeline. I will eventually need 1) your document, 2) documents from your institution / program / opportunity that outline specific requirements, and 3) your timeline & deadlines to provide a better estimate of cost.

All edits will be done using Track Changes in Word. I am available via text, email, phone, and Zoom / Skype / FaceTime / Google and will likely contact you for clarification as I work through your document.

Rates…

I charge by the hour so it is most fair to writers – you only pay for my time spent on your materials, and if your document requires less attention, it will cost you less. Proofreading, editing, and formatting are not quick fixes — it can take about 30-40 hours to proofread a 200-page dissertation and up to 60 hours to copy edit. If you want to proceed, you pay a deposit. This deposit is non-refundable and will guarantee that your document will be completed in the time estimate given.

Once you pay any remaining balance (with actual time charged, not necessarily the full estimate) I will return the completed document in two forms: 1) with Track Changes marked in the document, and 2) a finished version with all Track Changes accepted.  Comments may be present in both versions that will require your attention.

I charge the same hourly rate no matter the task (proofreading, copy editing, APA citations / references, and final dissertation submission formatting). The chart below outlines the estimated time it will take for your particular document, though time will vary, depending on content.

Services provided… 

If your document doesn’t fit neatly into the chart below, we can discuss options! All price estimates below are for 150 pages with an hourly rate of $50.

Type of Editing Tasks Involved Cost / Pace
Proofreading
  • Basic grammar; Spelling; Punctuation; Verb-tense; Overall correctness and consistency.
  • APA formatting of document (fonts, margins, headers).
 4-12 pages/hour

Est: $625-$1,875
Copy Editing
  • Basic grammar; Spelling; Punctuation; Verb-tense; Overall correctness and consistency.
  • APA formatting of document (fonts, margins, headers).
  • Line editing with suggestions; Sentence and paragraph structure for clarity and conciseness; Flow; Readability; Organization and logic of concepts; Word redundancy.
 4-12 pages/hour – basic editing

2-4 pages/hour – heavy editing

Est: $625-$1,875 basic editing, $1,875-$3,750 heavy editing.
APA Formatting
  • Citation check throughout document for APA format. References list formatted.
  • In-text citations checked for reference entry & vice versa. Missing citations / references noted.
 4-12 pages/hour

Est: $625-$1,875

Time will depend on number of citations in document.
Final Dissertation Formatting
  • All elements of electronic submission / ProQuest formatting.
  • Title page; Abstract; Copyright; Dedication; Acknowledgments; Table of contents; List of tables; List of figures; Body of dissertation; Appendices; References.
  • Page numbers; Sections & headings; Margins; Font.
 Includes a 24 hour turnaround for any corrections, if necessary.
Other documents
  • Resumes, cover letters, and other academic materials.
 Time will depend on the task.

Other services can be arranged by page, word count, task, or hour. I sincerely want to help other people finish their academic and/or professional commitments, so let me know what you need.