Academia

For research to achieve maximum impact, its presentation must be articulate and impeccable. I help scholars polish their writing so that the true value of their scholarship shines through.

With extensive experience in academic editing across disciplines, I understand the rigorous standards of scholarly work and the specialised vocabulary of a wide array of fields. My own academic qualifications in art history (BA, Oberlin College, 2001; MA, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2007) and environmental studies (MSc, University of Iceland, 2018) have provided a solid foundation in terms of engaging with scholarship across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences alike. From the start, my eye for detail meant I became the unofficial proofreader of most of my workplaces; I began freelancing as a copy editor and proofreader in 2007 upon moving to Iceland, where my text-savvy reputation quickly spread to the higher education community. Since relocating to London in 2018, my network has continued to expand – as has my commitment to flawless text that expresses each writer’s voice and vision to the fullest.

I pride myself on open and friendly communication in order to understand clients’ expectations and deliver an outcome that will satisfy everyone involved. I have great respect for scholars who write in English as an acquired language, and I’m always happy to explain the linguistic logic of the changes I suggest. While I am a native speaker of American English, I am equally comfortable with British English spelling and usage.

I take academic integrity very seriously. My job as an editor is to help refine the final presentation of research, not to attempt to improve arguments. Although I can assist graduate-level and/or non-native speakers by fine-tuning their written English, I do not rewrite their work or significantly alter their voice.

My services include:

• Copy editing: Usually working with tracked changes and comments in Word. Comprehensive editing for lucidity and style. I correct errors and inconsistencies in spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and formatting; offer suggestions to improve word choice and phrasing; and flag any passages where coherence could be improved.

• Proofreading: The final polish before publication or printing, generally working with markup features and comments on PDFs. Here, I focus on catching any remaining mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and typography. 

• Formatting and style guide compliance: I follow whichever style guide is in use (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, or in-house/journal-specific style guides), aiming for consistency across the entire project. This includes citation and reference checks.

My clients and projects have included:

• University departments

• Academic institutes (current clients include the Icelandic Historical Society and its journal Saga)

• Scholarly volumes and monographs (notable projects include the volume Iceland and Images of the North)

• Journal articles and book chapters

• Master’s and doctoral theses

• Conference papers

• Research proposals and grant applications