Working with academic authors (individuals and groups) to improve manuscripts

There are a number of ways in which academic work can be strengthened, both for its own sake, and in terms of being seen by assessors as ‘internationally significant’ scholarship. I work with authors on individual manuscripts and can also provide feedback on a portfolio of work.

Specifically, I can help with:

Communication

• suggesting alternative ways of structuring the work

• clarfiying arguments

• drawing attention to less effective expression (ie: unsubstantiated assertions; generalising tendencies; awkward writing)

Originality

• how to ‘own’ the work and feature your own voice

• how to emphasise and clarify the distinctive contribution your work makes

Significance

• how to demonstrate your work is important with potential to make a difference

• how to situate your work so that it has relevance internationally

• how to deepen your analysis and draw on wider, interdisciplinary literatures

Rigour

• pointing out ‘straw persons’ and suggesting alternative ways of making the argument

• identifying areas where more research may be needed

• how to present your work so that it communicates a measured, scholarly, evidenced, and well-argued case