virginia@virginia-hamilton.co
Copy-editing
An eye on everything
Correction
I check the linguistic nuts and bolts of a document, correcting syntax, grammar, punctuation and spelling. This covers such matters as word usage, prepositions, tenses, capitalisation, hyphenation, italics, apostrophes, and commas. I also check that styles have been correctly applied to headings, footnotes, displayed quotations, lists and tables.
Consistency
Inconsistent use of language can be disturbing for a reader and give an impression of carelessness. I make sure that terms, names, abbreviations, capitalisation, and styles are used consistently throughout a document and in accordance with prevailing practices.
References
Correct bibliographical and legal references enhance the scientific value of a document. I check that citations are complete and conform with any applicable style guidelines. I also verify the accuracy of quotations from publicly available sources.
Readability
To give your document maximum clarity and extra polish, I suggest rewording, where necessary or appropriate. You, as the author, remain in command of the content and set the tone. My role is to ensure that your message is expressed in a way that is grammatically correct and follows a logical flow.
What?
I handle documents of all kinds and sizes – books, articles, reports, brochures, press releases, correspondence – whether written by native or non-native English speakers. My speciality is law, particularly international trade and investment law and alternative dispute resolution.
How?
I generally copy-edit documents on screen using Word track changes. This allows you to see all proposed amendments and to accept or refuse them.
How much?
The price will be based on the number of words in your document. The applicable rate will depend on the nature of the document and the extent of the copy-editing required. It will be necessary for me to see at least an extract from your document before setting the rate. To obtain an estimate, please feel free to contact me using the form below.
