FAQs

 

Q: What services do you offer?

 

A: My rate includes formatting the entire document to your chosen format; checking references cited against those listed on the reference document; correcting grammar, spelling, and punctuation; editing for clarity; and creating the Table of Contents. 

 

Some documents need more substantive editing for content or organization. Others need help with methodology. Most need tables to be reformatted. All dissertations, theses, and journal articles also need to be formatted according to specific guidelines. I do all of these things.

 

I charge by the hour rather than per page, because services vary according to the document. This method, in the end, is cheaper for my clients. I charge $60.00 per hour for most editing, and I typically edit five to seven pages per hour. 

 

Q: Why do some editors charge only $35.00 per hour and some upwards of $80.00 per hour?

 

A: I charged less when I was less experienced . . . and worked more slowly. I’ve edited thousands of pages over the past years, and I’ve developed a flexible but efficient system and an expertise in many areas of academic writing. In short, I understand what committees and publishers are looking for, I understand formatting, and I can identify and fix any discrepancies in methodology, organization, and mechanics.

 

The most difficult aspect of my work is re-editing a piece that was already edited by someone else who took money and did a poor job. Remember: "If you think hiring a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur."

 

Q: How do I hire you?

 

A: To secure my services and get the ball rolling, send me an email at karolynkuehner@gmail.com.  Include (a) a copy of your document, (b) your calendar of deadlines, and (c) any other guidelines that are important. 

 

NOTE: I will not put you on my calendar until I have your document in hand and it is ready to be edited.  Because I receive ongoing requests, I can be fully booked for weeks at a time. As soon as you decide to secure my services, it is best to go ahead and reserve my time, send me your document, and pay the deposit. I will then put you on my calendar, and you are assured of my services. If you make additional changes to your document prior to our scheduled work period, I’ll expect an updated copy prior to getting started. In this case, usually you have made improvements to the document; however, your estimate of cost will remain the same. On the other hand, if additional work is required because of changes, a new estimate may be offered.     

 

Q: What can I expect from our working relationship?

 

After receiving your email, I will respond to you with a conservative, worst-case scenario cost estimate based on your number of pages. Please do note that the actual cost is based on my fee of $60.00 per hour.

 

If you choose to secure my services, you are expected to pay half of the estimate to me in the form of a deposit. This payment makes our e-mail correspondence a binding contract. At that point, I will officially put you on my calendar. When you make your deposit, you are reserving my time, and I consequently turn down other clients. Therefore, the deposit is nonrefundable. You can pay me via PayPal, a secure website that accepts credit cards. You do not have to sign up for PayPal; I will e-mail you a specific link.  Alternative methods of payment may be acceptable, such as money orders, but they can slow down the process.

 

At this point, I set about working on your document. Before or at completion, I will expect a payment of the balance in full.

 

After receiving a full payment of your balance, I will send you the completed work. I regularly send clients two documents: one with the changes marked using Word's Track Changes feature and one "clean" document with only marked changes that may require input from you. Throughout this process, you may ask me questions via email, and I will respond promptly. A second round of edits may be necessary if you must add content or make substantial changes to your document.

 

Q: Do you offer a guarantee on your work? In other words, will my paper receive high marks or be published?

 

Of course, no one can guarantee that your professor will like your finished product or that your article or book will get published. 

 

I do, however, guarantee that my work meets a high standard and that formatting will be accurate and detailed. However, if you or your professor change anything within the document, I must spot edit the changes in order to maintain that guarantee. Spot editing is done at the hourly rate, so you will incur additional charges.

Q: And now for a few words about plagiarism…

 

A: If I discover plagiarism in your paper, I will point it out to you. I will stop working on your document. However, you will charged for any time I spent editing the document; please remember that your deposit is nonrefundable. I will return the document to you with any completed edits. 

If your plagiarism is egregious, clearly deliberate, and beyond the slightest benefit of a doubt (paragraph after paragraph lifted from another paper, citations and all), I reserve the right to report you if you are a PhD, DMA, or EdD candidate. If you've deliberately plagiarized something, please do not hire me.