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Frequently Asked Questions

I'm not sure if my department has special formatting guidelines. What should I do?

Almost all universities have special formatting guidelines for dissertations and theses. Sometimes these guidelines apply to all students and sometimes they vary by school or academic department. If you have trouble locating the guidelines, you can ask your adviser. If you still have trouble please let me know and I can usually locate them.


I need my dissertation to be formatted perfectly. What does your formatting service include?

Your dissertation will definitely pass the formatting review. Please see the pages on this site for more information about the formatting service and editing service.


I need my dissertation formatted and quick! I've been told that if I don't pass the formatting review I will have to pay an extra semester of tuition! How fast can you format?

I normally turn around formatting jobs in 3 to 5 business days, but I can have your document back more quickly for an extra fee. I will not make you miss your formatting deadline or defense (please tell me when your deadlines are so that we can work together to make sure everything goes smoothly). Please see my rates page for more information.


Should I give you my dissertation/thesis before or after the defense?

Ideally, after the defense because there will most likely be required changes. However, if you would like, I can take care of most of the formatting beforehand so you have a clean copy for your defense. After you make the final changes then I can help you adjust the document as needed for the format review.


Do you do the dissertation formatting personally?

I personally work on every document. During times of high volume I sometimes have trained team members work on specific tasks, but that is rare and even in those cases I check everything personally. I am available to you by e-mail or phone throughout the entire process as well.


I just need you to make my page numbers change from roman numeral to regular numbers. Can you just do this for me?

I'm happy to look at your document. Many students have told me this before, but generally much more work is needed. Again I will be honest with you, but I have yet to see that this is actually the case.


Why is your rate so low?

I am efficient at what I do, which helps keep my rate down. I also come from a social work, social justice background and I do not believe in overcharging. Compared to what I have seen on other sites, I have very reasonable rates for my editing work as well, especially considering the depth of editing that I provide. Several clients and colleagues have told me that I undercharge, but I prefer to keep my rates as affordable as I can.


Why is your rate so high? (yes, I get both questions!)

I understand that even my rates can add up, especially for long documents like dissertations. I am sensitive to that. However, I am offering a professional service, and I am charging for my expertise and my time. Sure, you can format yourself, and I have no doubt that you are capable of doing so. It is more a question of whether you want to spend the time to get it right. I will do it for you more quickly, you will save time and stress, and I keep my business going. I see my service as mutually beneficial. The editing charge can be costly given the length of dissertations and theses, and much more so than with formatting, the editing service requires a high level of expertise and dedication to applying that expertise. One option, which I often recommend, is to save your money now by not having your dissertation edited; then, if you work in academia, you can put those funds toward editing journal articles or other documents. That should go more directly toward advancing your career and will cost less. If you do need a full edit, I am open to breaking up payments over a few months to make it easier, and, as mentioned above, I do keep my rates competitive.


I saw something in your changes that I wasn't sure if I should accept or reject. What do I do? (This applies to the dissertation editing service only.)

Sometimes seemingly meaningless changes are important to the editorial requirements. For this reason, I suggest that you make comments when you aren't sure if your changes are causing new errors. I can teach you how to use the comment feature in Word or OpenOffice if you are unfamiliar with it.


I love your work! How can I leave you a testimonial?

I love this question. :) If you love my work, please leave me a recommendation on LinkedIn. If you're not sure, this is how to do it. And thank you! References are how I keep going. :)


Are you available in the summer?

Yes, I do work during the summer, and it is a great time for projects. Please be advised that for 2013, I will be out of the country with my wife from June 24th to July 15th. I will be checking e-mail periodically during that time, and I will be taking on limited projects, so if you think that your deadline will fall in that window, please contact me as early as possible so that you can reserve your spot.