English Editing and Proofreading for Life Science and Medical Papers
This week, we are pleased to announce that Evelyn Harvey has joined our team of science editors.
Evelyn has a wealth of experience in scientific editing and writing, an area she has worked in since graduating from the University of Oxford in 2004 with an MSc in Biochemistry. The areas she specialises in include biomedical research, immunology, oncology and infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis and HIV.
Evelyn is a member of the UK press, and also co-authored papers on cell signalling and invasion, and on tuberculosis molecular genetics. Like many of our science editors, she has focused her career on assisting other researchers by reviewing and editing their work for both its language and scientific content.
We at BIOEDIT are delighted to have such a skilled and experienced medical editor on board with us, and we look forward to offering Evelyn's expertise to the many authors in medicine who send us their reports on a regular basis.
This month, Bioedit moved into its new Manchester offices...
Avoid beginning a sentence with an antecedent (e.g., “Its”) or a demonstrative pronoun (e.g., “this”).
When a number is used to describe a single measurement, a singular verb is used (10 ml was added). However, if the subject is considered in separate parts, a plural verb is required (10 ml drops were added one by one).
The definite and indefinite articles should be used in formal writing; however, they may be partially excluded in headings, titles, figures, and lists.
Avoid pleonasms: for example, are found to be in agreement-agree, give consideration to-consider, in order to-to.
When a sentence begins with a number, the number must be written in full.
Avoid using a split infinitive unless the sentence requires it to avoid awkwardness or confusion.
Do not use the possessive apostrophe in acronyms (Incorrect: DNA’s).
Do not begin sentences with “and”.
"Hopefully, I could send you as many manuscripts as I can this year. Please continue to help the publication of our research reports. Thank you."
Tokyo University of Pharmacy & Life Sciences, Japan. May 2009.
"I am very much satisfied with your editing service. The manuscript has been beautifully overhauled and transformed in to a better communicable form. I wish I can write such good English. Your editors have done an excellent job. I owe a lot to all of you. If I can publish this paper in JAMA I will share my happiness with you all by informing you. Thank you. "
Immunobiology Div, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow 226001, UP, Indi
"It has been long since I asked you to edit our manuscripts. I appreciate for a series of your wonderful works and also, your help for my collaborators at Kyoto University. I am now a professor at Fukushima Medical University and a dean of graduate school. Your help was quite important for my career. Thank you. "
Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan. November 2010
"With your editing service, I made my papers accepted in several journals: Appl. Environ. Microbiol., ISME J., Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol., and etc. I appreciate your editing service and will continue to send you more of my work in the future. "
Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Kyonggi-do, South Korea. May 2010.
"Thank you for quick and beautiful editing of our paper.Yesterday, I have re-submitted our paper. And several hours ago, the paper was accepted in Nucleic Acids Research. I appreciate you and other editors in BioEdit. Someday, I will request you to edit our next paper. "
Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan. December 2010
"I'd love to inform you that our manuscript was finally accepted to Nature. I appreciate you very much that your edition of our previous version of manuscript was so helpful to be accepted. "
Osaka University, Osaka, Japan. December 2010
"I just want to thank you for your editing.The manuscript entitled “The carboxy-terminal region ....” was accepted within one day. Thank you for your good editing. "
Nara Women's University, Nara, Japan. December 2010
"I really appreciate your immediate, meticulous editing of my revised manuscript free of charge. I hope this re-edited manuscript will be accepted for publication. Thanks again. "
National Institute of Infectious Disease, Tokyo, Japan. November 2010