Terms & Conditions
Scope of Work
All services are limited to the scope outlined in each service package as described at the time of purchase.
Uploading Your Documents
A link to upload your documents will be included on your digital receipt after purchasing a service. Be sure to upload all relevant documents after payment is made.
Once a document is uploaded, changes cannot be made to the original manuscript. If changes are made after an editor already started the service, the editor will have to restart the service, extend the turnaround time, and an additional fee will be charged.
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Payment & Refund Policy
All sales are final and nonrefundable. Due to the nature of digital services and time-based work, Professional Editing Co. does not offer refunds, exchanges, or credits once payment has been made, nor are refunds offered for partially completed or scheduled services.
​Proofreading, Editing, and Coaching Definitions
Dissertation editing services may include proofreading, copy and line editing, or in-document coaching in addition to citation and formatting support. Proofreading includes reviewing a manuscript for typographical errors, spelling errors, punctuation errors, and formatting inconsistencies. Copy and line editing include direct edits to improve grammar, syntax, word choice, clarity, and flow. In-document coaching comments are in-margin comments that offer feedback on the overall organization of your manuscript, the strength of your arguments, the connections between ideas, and the overall quality of your writing. In-document coaching comments also offer suggested alternatives where possible, ask questions to support further manuscript development, and identify underdeveloped ideas.
Turnaround Times
Turnaround times are counted in business days, and they start once your documents have been uploaded after purchasing a service. Clients agree to be reasonably available and respond quickly during the turnaround time period to provide any needed clarifications and answer questions as necessary. Client unresponsiveness can impact stated turnaround times.
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Essay Editing: The standard turnaround time for all essay editing services is 3 business days.
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APA Reference Review Add-On: The APA Reference Review Add-On service adds an additional 1-2 business days to the stated turnaround time for each service, depending on the manuscript’s number of reference pages. The editor assigned to your project will reach out to you to confirm the updated turnaround time once your document has been received.
Clean-Up Service
Formatting to match your university’s guidelines includes front matter, page numbering, table of contents, lists of tables/figures, table/figure formatting, headings, and spacing.
APA Reference Review Add-On Service
For the APA Reference Review add-on service, we seek and find each entry to verify the author(s), publication date, title, source, and DOI/URL. We correct misspelled author names, add missing information (i.e., subtitles, volume and issue numbers, page numbers, etc.), and point out references we are unable to verify. If any changes are made to references that affect in-text citations, we correct those too. You’ll receive a perfectly APA-compliant reference list as both a tracked and clean version.
If a source is unverifiable or has missing information and cannot be found, the client understands they must provide a link or PDF for any unverifiable sources. They also understand they must be reasonably available to communicate with the editor within the turnaround period, as necessary, to complete the service on time.
Pricing for the APA Reference Review add-on service is based on the number of double-spaced reference pages. We ask that you assess the number of reference pages in your manuscript before selecting the page length of the add-on service. If it is determined that the page length is longer than the add-on service selected, the client agrees to be charged the difference, if any, for the updated add-on price, to account for the correct number of reference pages.
Lastly, references should already be listed as citations in the reference list of the manuscript before it is uploaded. Clients whose manuscripts include only a list of links will be charged an additional fee.
Follow-Up Service
The delivery package for each core editing service includes 1) a list of in-text citations missing corresponding reference entries and 2) a list of editor-identified citation issues requiring your attention. The Follow-Up Service addresses these items for you. We format and integrate your missing references into your reference list and (with your input) address the editor-identified citation issues. This service also includes re-running the reference audit after the inclusion of new additions and addressing newly identified issues until the report comes back clean.
In order to book the Follow-Up Service, the client understands they are responsible for providing PDFs, links, or reference entries for all identified missing references.
Citation Audits
Citation audits are performed via Reciteworks. Reciteworks is not perfect, and sometimes the software flags false positives. When this happens, your citation report will show as close to 0 errors as possible. The false positives will be annotated in the version you receive, explaining why each identified error is in fact a false positive and can be ignored.
Partnerships
Partnerships require a 12-month commitment and can be billed annually or in a one-time payment. While all other services outlined in the partnership will be delivered in the stated turnaround times (see Partnerships page), the Full-Service dissertation or proposal edit will require a 14-day or 21-day turnaround time, depending on the partnership chosen. Standard and priority turnaround times are counted in business days, and a small number of “black-out dates” (dates for the duration of the partnership where your editor will be unavailable to accept projects) will be discussed with the client at the start of service.
Academic Integrity & Use of AI Tools
Professional Editing Co. does not use artificial intelligence to generate academic writing, “humanize” AI-generated text, or authenticate the credibility of sources. Editing services are performed by a human editor and are intended to support clarity, accuracy, and compliance with academic standards.
Due to the known limitations and error rates of AI-detection tools, Professional Editing Co. cannot guarantee that edited documents will pass AI-detection systems.
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Client Responsibility
Clients are responsible for reviewing all edited materials and for the final submission and use of their work. Professional Editing Co. cannot guarantee approval, acceptance, grades, publication, or institutional outcomes. Such outcomes depend on multiple factors beyond writing quality, including the soundness of the research design, argumentation, evidence, and alignment with institutional or disciplinary expectations. If changes are made to the document after editing and before submission, those changes may affect the quality, accuracy, or integrity of the final product. Even when no changes are made after editing, outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
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Professional Editing Co. is not responsible for revisions made after submission or for decisions made by instructors, committees, reviewers, or institutions.
Limitation of Liability
Professional Editing Co. is not liable for academic, professional, or institutional outcomes resulting from the use of edited materials or consultation services.
Privacy Policy
Professional Editing Co. respects your privacy. Any personal information collected (such as name, email address, documents, or payment details) is used solely to deliver services, communicate with clients, and process transactions. Client documents and information are kept confidential and are never shared, sold, or distributed.
Referrals
Referral credits or discounts, when offered, are applied per referred client, not per project or service. A referred individual must become a paying client for the referral to be valid.
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