Eight Weeks in the Life of an Academic Editor: A Portfolio Showcase

As a professional academic editor specializing in APA 7 style, I've had the privilege of working on a diverse range of projects over the past eight weeks. This portfolio showcase highlights the breadth and depth of my editing expertise, demonstrating my commitment to enhancing scholarly work across various disciplines and formats.

Project Highlights

1. Doctoral Dissertation on Immigrant Women's Narratives

This extensive project involved editing a 68,983-word dissertation exploring the experiences of immigrant women. Key editing tasks included:

• Restructuring and formatting headings for clarity and APA 7 compliance

• Creating a comprehensive document map and table of contents

• Ensuring bias-free and inclusive language throughout the document

• Cross-checking in-text citations with the reference list

2. Research on Psychedelic Therapies for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals

This 18,602-word study required meticulous attention to detail, including:

• Applying custom APA 7 styles for consistent formatting

• Creating a comprehensive document map for easy navigation

• Developing a specialized word list for consistent spelling of technical terms

• Verifying proper usage of abbreviations and acronyms

3. Master's Thesis on Spiritual Emergence and Emergency

This 6,810-word thesis demanded a quick turnaround without compromising quality. Editing tasks included:

• Ensuring all headings were in title case and properly formatted

• Generating and formatting an automatic table of contents and table of figures

• Creating a table of abbreviations for reader clarity

• Cross-checking in-text citations with the reference list, highlighting missing citations for author review

4. Exploration of Consciousness and Ancient Perspectives

This 7,003-word paper required a nuanced approach to complex philosophical concepts:

• Addressing capitalization inconsistencies in specialized terminology

• Ensuring proper formatting of references for interdisciplinary sources

• Refining language to maintain clarity while preserving the author's voice

5. Study on Brain Waves and Higher Consciousness

For this 7,566-word paper, key tasks included:

• Standardizing scientific terminology and abbreviations

• Formatting complex tables and figures for APA 7 compliance

• Ensuring consistency in the presentation of neurological concepts

6. Reclaiming Creativity

This 5,785-word paper on reclaiming creativity required a balance between academic rigor and creative expression:

• Refining language to maintain the author's unique voice while adhering to academic standards

• Ensuring proper citation of creative works and psychological theories

• Formatting creative exercises within an academic framework

7. Exploration of the Orphan Archetype in Psychology

This 5,865-word paper demanded careful attention to psychological terminology:

• Standardizing capitalization of psychological terms and archetypes

• Ensuring proper citation of foundational psychological texts

• Refining language to balance academic rigor with accessibility

8. Book Project on a Developmental Process

This ongoing project involves editing a 120,000-word manuscript for publication:

• The author has passed the proposal stage and has asked me to continue on as her developmental editor

• Developing a comprehensive editing timeline and communication protocol

• Preparing for monthly coaching calls to support the author's writing process

• Planning strategies to simplify language and improve readability for a broader audience

• Creating a system to track word count progress and ensure compliance with publisher guidelines

9. EMDR and Indigenous Mental Health Services

This multifaceted project included editing various materials:

• Reviewing and providing feedback on PowerPoint presentations

• Editing flyers and essays for clarity and impact

• Ensuring culturally sensitive language and appropriate terminology

• Balancing academic content with accessibility for diverse audiences

10. Dissertation-to-Journal Article Transition

This project involved transforming a doctoral dissertation on religious schemata into a publishable journal article:

• Condensing a lengthy dissertation into a concise, focused article suitable for journal submission

• Restructuring content to meet specific journal guidelines and word count requirements

• Refining the literature review to highlight key studies relevant to the article's scope

• Adapting the methodology section to provide essential information within space constraints

• Revising the results and discussion sections to emphasize the most significant findings

• Crafting a compelling abstract that encapsulates the research's essence

• Ensuring all citations and references comply with the target journal's style guidelines

• Developing a submission strategy, including identifying suitable journals and preparing a cover letter

Editing Process Highlights

Across all projects, my editing process included:

1. Applying custom APA 7 styles for consistent formatting

2. Conducting thorough grammar, spelling, and style checks

3. Ensuring logical flow and coherence of content

4. Verifying proper use of APA 7 elements such as headings, citations, and reference lists

5. Running specialized editing software (e.g., PerfectIt) for additional quality assurance

6. Performing a final, comprehensive proofread

Value-Added Services

In addition to core editing tasks, I often provide clients with:

• Custom APA 7 style sheets for future reference

• Handouts on specific APA 7 rules relevant to their work

• Guidance on bias-free and inclusive language

• Suggestions for improving document structure and flow

• Ongoing support through coaching calls and email communication

• Assistance with presentation materials and public-facing documents

• Strategies for transitioning academic work from one format to another (e.g., dissertation to journal article)

• Advice on publication strategies and journal selection

These projects showcase my ability to handle diverse academic editing tasks, from extensive dissertations to concise articles, scholarly books to presentation materials, and complex format transitions. My expertise in APA 7 style, combined with attention to detail and a commitment to preserving each author's unique voice, ensures that every piece of academic writing I touch is brought to its highest potential.

Whether you're a doctoral candidate, a master's student, a professional researcher, an author working on a scholarly book, or an academic looking to publish your research, I have the skills and experience to polish your academic writing. Let's work together to make your scholarly work shine!