Stop Wrestling with Style Guides: Academic Editing that Follows the Rules
By Michael Smith, Open Book Editing
APA, Chicago, and MLA are designed to bring order to academic writing—but for many students and researchers, they feel like a second language. When you’re trying to finish a paper, thesis, or article, the last thing you want is to spend hours worrying about commas in citations or the exact order of elements in a reference list.
Why style guides feel overwhelming
Style guides are incredibly detailed. That’s good for consistency, but tough when you’re under a deadline. Common problems include:
- Using examples from different versions of a style guide
- Formatting citations one way in the text and another way in the reference list
- Spending more time fixing headings and spacing than working on your actual argument
What academic editing can do for you
Academic editing doesn’t change your ideas—it helps present them clearly and correctly. That can include:
- Checking in-text citations against your reference list
- Ensuring your headings and subheadings follow the right format
- Standardizing numbers, abbreviations, and tables
- Improving clarity and flow at the sentence level
APA, Chicago, or MLA? I meet you where you are.
Whether your institution or journal requires APA, Chicago, or MLA, I align your document with their expectations. If needed, I can also point out sections that may need stronger support, clearer transitions, or more precise wording.
Why it’s worth getting help
Your time is better spent refining your research and ideas—not counting spaces in a reference list. Academic editing gives you peace of mind that the technical details are handled, so reviewers can focus on the content of your work.