Guideline: Higher Degree by Research: Editing of Theses
Purpose
To provide guidelines for editors, whether they are formal supervisors, informal mentors, family or friends or professionals, regarding the extent and nature of help they offer in the editing of research students' theses and dissertations.
Guideline
Background
- The Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd) have collaboratively developed an agreed set of guidelines based on the Australian standards for editing practice that provide guidance to students, supervisors and professional editors in how much assistance they should provide to students who have requested help in writing their theses.
Proof-Reading and Editing of Research Theses and Dissertations
- Academic supervisors of higher degree by research students provide editorial advice to their students on significant issues but do not undertake editorial changes. This advice is covered in Standards C, D and E of the Australian standards for editing practice and may include:
Standard | Advice |
Standard C: Substance and Structure | Nature of academic content and argument in the discipline |
Chapter and section structure and headings | |
Order and balance of content | |
Referencing style and quality | |
Standard D: Language and Illustration | Clarity of expression |
Voice and tone | |
Grammar and usage | |
Spelling and punctuation | |
Graphs and charts | |
Standard E: Completeness and Consistency | Detailed spelling check |
Form and content of preliminary and end matter | |
Accuracy and completeness of internal cross-references | |
Consistent presentation style in the use of fonts, text sizes, numbering schemes |
- Students may use third parties (professional or otherwise) to assist in preparing their thesis for submission, provided they discuss this with their supervisor and provide the editor with a copy of this guideline before they commence work.
- Third party editorial intervention is restricted to:
- Standard D
- Standard E
- Where a third party provides advice on matters of structure (Standard C), only examples should be given, not detailed sets of changes.
- Feedback as a result of professional editing or proofreading is provided in a format that encourages consideration of the recommendations of the editor rather than simply acceptance of those recommendations.
- Where editorial advice is given, it is acknowledged as per the Submission and Examination of Higher Degree by Research Theses Procedure.
Editorial Services
- The Canberra Society of Editors provides:
- A directory of editors at http://www.editorscanberra.org/editors/; and
- A checklist of available editing services that should be discussed with an editor before commissioning them at http://www.editorscanberra.org/wp-content/uploads/checklist.pdf
Information |
Printable version (PDF) |
| Title | Higher Degree by Research: Editing of Theses |
| Document Type | Guideline |
| Document Number | ANUP_000407 |
| Version | 9 |
| Purpose | To provide guidelines for editors, whether they are formal supervisors, informal mentors, family or friends or professionals, regarding the extent and nature of help they offer in the editing of research students' theses and dissertations. |
| Audience | Staff-Academic-Research, Students-Graduate-Research |
| Category | Academic |
| Topic/ SubTopic | Students |
| Effective Date | 1 Jan 2016 |
| Review Date | 1 Jan 2019 |
| Responsible Officer | Dean, Higher Degree Research |
| Approved By: | Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Research Training) |
| Contact Area | Office of the Dean, Higher Degree Research |
| Authority |
Research Awards Rule 2017 |
