Journal Article Proofreading: Process, Cost, & Checklist

• May 19, 2023
• 5 min read

• Tags: Academic Proofreading, Editing and Proofreading, Journal Article, Journal Article Editing

It can take upwards of a few months to get your article published in a journal. In an already lengthy and complicated process, journal article proofreading can help you eliminate the need for excessive revisions.

A large number of articles submitted to journals end up getting rejected due to poor language use and improper formatting. If you want to avoid this fate for an article you have worked hard on, journal proofreading is crucial.

What is journal article proofreading?

Journal article proofreading is the process of carefully reviewing a manuscript to correct errors and ensure that it is of the highest quality before submitting it for publication in a journal. It improves the overall clarity and coherence of your article by highlighting errors in language and formatting.

Proofreading is a crucial step in the publication process. It ensures that the article meets the high standards required for publication and maximizes its chances of being accepted by a journal.

What does a journal proofreader do?

A journal proofreader reviews and corrects your article to ensure that it meets the highest standards of quality and clarity. They undertake a thorough review of your writing to eliminate any errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax.

Specifically, a journal proofreader performs the following tasks:

• Ensure that the article conforms to the journal’s formatting and style guidelines
• Check for consistency in language usage, tone, and the use of terminology
• Review the manuscript for clarity and coherence, suggesting revisions as needed to improve readability
• Ensure that tables, figures, and other visual elements are accurately labeled and referenced
• Check the references and citations for accuracy
• Review the article for spelling and grammatical errors

A professional journal proofreader has a wealth of experience proofreading academic documents. They maintain specific style sheets for the style and formatting requirements of major journals and publications. Along with this, however, your journal proofreader should also have a background in the relevant field of study.

Since journal proofreading firms employ a wide variety of academic experts, they pair you up with a subject matter expert. If you hunt for proofreaders in your individual capacity, you’ll have to ensure that they have a basic understanding of your subject matter.

Why is professional journal article proofreading important?

Professional journal article proofreading is necessary to ensure that your manuscript meets the high standards required for publication in a journal. Even the most experienced and skilled writers can make minor mistakes or overlook errors in their work. Proofreading by a professional ensures that your manuscript is not only error-free but also coherent.

Professional proofreading improves the clarity, coherence, and overall quality of your article. A professional proofreader can provide valuable feedback on the structure and flow of your article, identify areas that require clarification, and suggest ways to improve the readability of your work.

More importantly, professional proofreading ensures that your article conforms to the specific style and formatting guidelines of the target journal. Different journals have different requirements, and failure to meet these guidelines can lead to rejection of your manuscript.

You may wonder why journal proofreading is required if editing also focuses on similar issues of quality. While other editing steps influence your final product in a significant manner, proofreading is merely a quality check. It does not change the content of your article but merely ensures that it is error-free and easily readable.

Essentially, professional journal article proofreading is essential to ensure that:

• Your work is of the highest quality
• The article meets the requirements of your target journal
• You have a high chance of acceptance for publication

How much does journal article proofreading cost?

On average, the cost of proofreading a journal article can range from $0.01 to $0.05 per word, or $10 to $50 per page. Proofreading rates are usually higher for rush jobs and manuscripts with a high level of technical language or complex formatting.

Factors such as the length of the manuscript, the level of editing required, and turnaround time impact the overall cost of proofreading. Plus, some proofreaders charge by the hour, while others charge by the word or page.

You’ll have to account for these factors when hiring a proofreader or proofreading agency. While the actual cost of journal proofreading depends on your specific article, we can give you a rough estimate. Listed below are the minimum and maximum proofreading rates (per 1,000 words) for three prominent journal proofreading services.

Journal proofreading checklist

Professional journal proofreading is always ideal, but not all researchers can afford to get this done. In this case, you’re left with no option but to proofread your own journal article. This can be a challenging task, but a checklist can simplify the process to a great extent.

Here’s how you can proofread your own journal article:

Make sure you proofread for only one issue at a time. This will help you work in a focused and organized manner. This specific checklist moves from broader to narrower issues in your document. It’ll help you proofread systematically to boost your chances of acceptance. All the best!

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Tanvi

With a foundation in Life Sciences, Tanvi enjoys curating technical writing tips tailored for ESL students. When she's not translating complex concepts into bite-sized nuggets, she can be found playing with dogs or painting landscapes.