​(A) QUOTATIONS

1. Before offering a quotation, I will contact you to discuss your requirements, and will ask to see a sample of your manuscript. This will enable me to determine which service you require, and which rate code is appropriate for your specific project.

2. Projects which require very few corrections will be quoted at the lower end of the price range for the required service.

3. Projects for which any of the following are true, may be quoted at the upper end of the range for the required service:

   • Manuscripts in any format other than Word

   • Corrections to be marked in any format other than tracking changes in Word

   • Manuscripts that are hard to read for any reason

   • Manuscripts that require an unusually large amount of correction

   • Manuscripts that have a lot of tables or figures that need to be checked

   • Manuscripts containing a lot of technical terminology, formulae, equations, computer code, or musical notation 

4. If you supply a sample of your work for me to base my quotation on, but the overall text is of a much poorer standard than the sample text, I may either adjust the quote accordingly or decline the work.

 

(B) TIMESCALES

1. I do not generally work outside of office hours (9am to 5pm). Depending on my availability, and the condition of the manuscript, I expect to proofread at a rate of up to 2,500 words per business day, and up to 12,500 words per business week. However, if you have a particularly urgent project, do contact me and I will see what is possible in the time available

 

(C) BEFORE WORK CAN COMMENCE

1. As the client it is your responsibility to clarify if you prefer –ise or –ize spellings prior to me starting the work.

2. Students/academic clients must clarify what reference system you’re using prior to me starting the work.

3. Students/academic clients must check that your academic institution allows you to use the services of a professional proofreader. Some institutions prohibit the use of a professional proofreading service, or have very strict rules relating to the work a proofreader can do. A breach of any such rule could result in very serious consequences for you. If your university has set guidelines, please send them to me prior to starting the work.

4. Where applicable, you must ensure that you comply with all rules and requirements relating to using a professional proofreader (e.g. declaring your use of a proofreader on your submitted work).

5. If I am able to take your project on, I will send you an approval request by email. This will give details of the project requirements (as you have indicated them to me), the rate I have quoted, and the overall costs and timescales for me to carry out the work.

6. Before I commence work, you will need to email me back, including any information as per points C1-C3 above, clearly indicating that you are happy for me to start work. You must also supply me with the latest version of your manuscript.

7. If your approval, or any supplementary information needed, is not supplied to me before the expected start date of the project, I have the right to change the time and/or date that I will return the work to you.

 

(D) AFTER WORK STARTS

1. If your requirements change after I have commenced work, please contact me immediately to let me know. I will pause working on your manuscript while we discuss your new requirements. I will then produce a revised quote (with revised timescales) which you will need to approve before I recommence work. Production of revised quotes after work has commenced is charged at my hourly rate for project management (rate code 1.2).

 

(E) PAYMENT

1. When the work is completed, I will invoice you as per our agreement.

2. Payment must be in GBP into a GBP bank account within 30 days of invoice. If you wish to pay by PayPal, all transaction fees must be paid by you, and I am to receive the full invoiced amount.

 

(F) FURTHER NOTES

1. I will not pass the work to a third party or discuss your studies with anyone else. However, (for students/academic clients) I will keep the work on file and if your university/academic institution requests a copy from me, I will send them the exact same file I returned to you. For this reason, I need to know the name and email address of your supervisor so I know that any such requests are legitimate.

2. For students: The mark that you are awarded by your university/college is not within my control and I cannot be held legally responsible for a lower than expected mark in relation to any material proofread by me.

3. For students/academic clients: I will not proofread your document in any way that contravenes your academic institution’s rules concerning plagiarism and cheating nor do I include comments or suggestions on the academic content of your work. This means that, for example, I will not rewrite your text, add text from anyone else's work into your document, paraphrase anyone else's work or make any other changes that would constitute plagiarism.