Introduction

My name is Liz Tynan and I am the author of this course. The Art of Academic Editing has a variety of features that will help you to learn about how to edit your own academic writing. By the end of this course you will be able to:

• use editing “mind states” to refine and correct your document’s substance, structure and English expression;
• eliminate jargon from your work;
• ensure that your punctuation adheres both to the rules of usage and the relevant style;
• edit your sentences for grammatical correctness, clarity and academic style;
• edit your paragraphs to achieve coherence and persuasiveness;
• ensure that your written work is consistent and matches the style relevant to your academic discipline.

Learning outcomes

The aim of this course is to achieve clear explanation of research though professional editing practices.

A properly edited academic manuscript does not just display correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. During the editing process, the scholar engages with meaning as well, and by adopting some simple editing techniques can even develop a better and deeper understanding of their own research, its meanings and implications.

How it works

At the start of every module you will find a video introduction from me that will give you an overview of each topic and help you to understand the underlying theme. I hope to convey some of my own love of the subject and enthusiasm for helping research students become proficient self-editors, both through these videos and in the written materials provided.

You will then find summaries of the most important items of information that you will need to understand to get the most out of each module. I will go on to explain some of the challenges of editing work in English, such as the many stylistic choices we must make. Also, you will find links to more detailed written explanations of these concepts if you want to read in greater depth, as well as links to information from outside sources.

I will encourage you to attempt to edit a piece of text on screen, then will show you my attempt at editing the same piece of writing. I will explain what I have done and why, but will also remind you that editing is an art not a science, so another person might do it differently. Your own edit may well be different to mine, and I will ask you to reflect on the differences and, hopefully, better understand some of the editing choices we must make.

An automated quiz at the end of each module is available to test your understanding of the concepts presented. You will get your results immediately, along with some feedback on your answers.

Each module will have some quotes from various writers and other thinkers that will help frame the topic and give you something to think about as we progress through the topics. These quotes have helped me in my own professional development, and I hope they will help you too.

I invite you to take a step back from your academic writing to think about the basic principles of editing. Your work will benefit from approaching it like a professional editor.

Important Reminder

Any PhD candidates who want to count their participation in The Art of Academic Editing towards RD7003 Professional Development will need to complete the quiz available in the LearnJCU folder, below the link to this module.