FAQ

Our Editing Service
Why should I use American Manuscript Editors?

American Manuscript Editors, a subsidiary of Grammar Labs, LLC, offers high-quality academic editing at an amazing value. We have served over 7,000 customers from over 125 different countries. As an organization comprised of professional people dedicated to helping you look your best, American Manuscript Editors focuses on offering superior, multiple turnaround services at very competitive prices. We are committed to excellence in editing and proofreading services. We ensure that your documents come back to you in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English. Our editors are highly educated and well qualified to guarantee your satisfaction.

How do you select your editors?

We recruit native English-speaking editors from top universities. Editors are selected based on their editing skills and technical expertise in specific academic areas. All of our editors have either a master’s degree or a PhD. You can read more about our editors here.

How is an editor selected for my project?

We have a diverse group of editors with research experience in most academic areas. We ensure that the editor who edits your project has the right technical experience to understand your research area and provide meaningful and thorough improvements to your paper. Moreover, we ask that you identify the overall research area of your manuscript from a predefined list of categories when you submit your document for editing so that we can ensure that your project is assigned to the most suitable editor for your text. You can read some of the bios of our editors here.

What makes your service unique?

The editing and formatting requirements for each journal can be quite diverse. We provide services tailored to fit each specific journal. In addition to ensuring that the language of your manuscript will be error free and well written, we also tailor our editing to ensure that the language meets the author guidelines of the target journal and provide format editing services as well.

Tell me about your Publication Ready Guarantee.

With our Journal Manuscript Editing Service, we guarantee that once our editing team finishes your project, it will be ready for publication in the sense that it will meet the English language requirements of your target journal.

What if I want to submit my manuscript to multiple journals?

When you submit your manuscript to our service, we match your project to the requirements of a specific journal that you specify when you upload your document. Once the project is completed, you can resubmit the manuscript for additional format editing services, i.e., formatting for a new target journal. Simply contact customer service at info@americanmanuscripteditors.com to obtain a quote for your individual project and to submit your project for reformatting.

What type of editing should I expect?

Your assigned editor will correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. He or she will also improve the flow of your paper, eliminate any awkward sentences or phrasing, and ensure that the writing is clear and concise while providing format editing according to the requirements of your target journal. Editors also leave comments to provide further guidance and insight. Once the project has been completed, the manuscript will be ready for submission to the review board of your target journal. You can see an example of a project edited by one of our editors here.

How will I know what changes have been made in my manuscript?

Our editors use the track changes feature in MS Word to clearly highlight the suggested improvements in the document. Comments and suggestions are placed in the margins to provide further guidance.

What if I make changes to my manuscript after your staff completes my project?

Manuscripts that have undergone changes can be resubmitted for re-editing at a 30% discount. We refer to these types of projects as revision projects. Simply find the original project that you have revised on your customer account page and click on the arrow under the “Request Revision” column to begin the process.

Can I communicate with my editor during the editing process?

Yes! We have provided a private message board that is available to you and your editor. Simply log onto your customer account where you can click the link under the "Message Board" column associated with any current or previous project to communicate directly with the editor of that project. You will be alerted of responses from your editor via email.

Do you offer translation services?

As an English language editing company, we focus on helping you prepare the English language, formatting, and style of your text. Therefore, we do not currently offer any translation services.

Do you check for plagiarism in the submitted project?

No – we do not offer the service of addressing plagiarism in a document. That is, we are an editing service, not a writing service. Therefore, we do not offer any writing or paraphrasing services beyond what is necessary in the normal editing process. Addressing plagiarism concerns requires re-writing or ghostwriting, which is beyond the bounds of our services. Instead, we would be very happy to edit the text that you have written or re-written in order to address your plagiarism concerns.

Do you offer a certificate that verifies my manuscript was edited by your service?

Yes, we can provide an AME certificate that serves as verification that your manuscript has been edited by our staff and meets our quality standards. In fact, you can print this AME editing certificate directly from your customer account by clicking on the “Editing Certificate” link under the Download Forms column on your account. For more instructions, contact customer service at info@americanmanuscripteditors.com.

How do I apply to work as an editor with American Manuscript Editors?

If you are interested in applying to work as an editor, please note that we recruit only native English-speaking editors from top universities. Editors are selected based on their editing skills and technical expertise in specific academic areas. All of our editors must have either a master’s degree or a PhD. For more information or to apply, please click here.

Project Submissions
How do I submit a project for editing?

Just click the “Get Started” button in the middle of the home page or click here and follow the onscreen instructions. It is easy! If you have any problems or questions, just contact customer service at info@americanmauscripeditors.com.

Are weekends included in my turnaround time?

Yes, weekends are included in the project turnaround time. Please note that our customer support staff is available Monday through Saturday 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. Customer inquiries sent on Sunday will receive a response on Monday.

How do I calculate the word count?

You can find the total word count of your document or a highlighted portion of your document by looking at the status bar in the lower left corner of your document in Microsoft Word. Our staff will also verify the word count of each document submitted to our service. Submitting the proper word count of your document will avoid delays resulting from an inaccurate word count given that our charges are based on the word count of the document. If you need help with this process, please contact customer service at info@americanmanuscripteditors.com

Can I try your editing service before I pay for it?

Yes! We offer one free sample to clients who are new to American Manuscript Editors so that they can try out our services before they submit their complete project. Simply choose “free sample” as the “project type” when you submit your project. These samples are limited to 250 words, and they will be returned in approximately 48 hours.

What file formats do you accept when I submit my project for editing?

Since our editors use the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word to highlight the changes that they make to your file, we prefer that you submit your file as a Word document (i.e., a .doc or .docx file). However, we can also accept and convert PDF files. Please note that we cannot edit your document in LaTeX. We recommend that you do not simply cut and paste your text from LaTeX into Word because this will create some major format issues in the document. Instead, use one of the many converters that are available online. Simply search online for ”LaTeX to Word converter” for options. Some are free while others charge a small fee.

Is my manuscript safe?

Your research and data are absolutely safe with us. We will not share any of your research or personal information with a third party. Our editors sign confidentiality agreements when they join our staff. All of us at American Manuscript Editors are committed to protecting the confidentiality of your research.

Is editing considered plagiarism?

No, it is not. Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty, and it is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.” Our editors suggest changes to correct grammar and structure errors and improve flow and readability. They do not insert ideas of their own. Therefore, you can safely submit your text for editing without fear of plagiarism. However, we also do not correct plagiarism issues within your text because this requires serious ghost writing, which is beyond the bounds of an editing service.

What happens if I am not satisfied with the final product?

At American Manuscript Editors, we are focused on doing our best to make you, our customer, look great! We provide the best service possible. We provide the best service possible. If you are dissatisfied with your finished product, you can re-submit it for further editing or contact customer service at info@americanmauscripeditors.com for a full refund. We are committed to your satisfaction on each and every project.

I see that I can choose between American or British English. What if I need Australian English? Canadian English? Or some other variant?

As you may be aware, there are many different dialects for the English language, each with their own special characteristics. However, each of these lean more toward American or British English as a category. For example, Canadian English leans more toward American English, and Australian English leans more toward British English. Therefore, we would recommend that you choose the English type that most closely matches your specific choice and then leave a message on the project message board to explain the specific needs of your project.

Payments
How do I make a payment for my project?

We offer multiple options for submitting a payment. When you submit your manuscript, you can securely pay using any major credit card through one of our two payment partners, PayPal or Stripe, or you can also securely pay through WeChat. You can also choose to make a wire transfer directly from your bank account. Just click that option when completing your transaction to access instructions that you can take to your financial institution when you complete your wire transfer. You will also need to email a copy of a receipt of your wire transfer to customer service at info@americanmanuscripteditors.com in order for your project to move into the editing process. If you have any questions, please contact customer service at info@americanmauscripeditors.com.

Will I receive an invoice marked paid?

Once your project is complete, you can print your invoice marked paid from your customer account by clicking on the “Invoice” link under the Download Forms column on your projects page. For additional information, contact customer service at info@americanmauscripeditors.com.

How much will my project cost? How do I get a quote?

At American Manuscript Editors, the cost of your editing service is determined by your word count of your text, the timing that you choose for the return of your document, and the type of editing that you select. You can find our pricing and an instant quote generator here. If you need any additional assistance, please contact customer service at info@americanmauscripeditors.com.

How can I obtain a pro forma invoice before I submit my project?

You can access pro forma invoices from our instant quote generator here. Once you input your information in the quote generator, click “Print Pro Forma Invoice” to start the process. Just follow the onscreen process to generate a PDF of your pro forma invoice. If need any additional information on your pro forma invoice, please contact customer service at info@americanmauscripeditors.com.

Our Formatting Service
What does the Manuscript Formatting service include?

Our Manuscript Formatting service includes modifications to page layout, margins, line spacing, text formatting, in-text citations, references, headings, etc., according to your target journal’s guidelines. Also our formatters will make changes and suggestions regarding revisions to comply with word count restrictions for the title, running title, abstract, and/or the main text.

What is the difference between Manuscript Formatting and Journal Manuscript Editing with Free Formatting?

With the Manuscript Formatting service, our formatters provide high-quality journal-specific formatting according to the author guidelines of your submitted target journal. However, with our Journal Manuscript Editing service, our editors provide high quality journal-specific formatting, style, and editing for grammar, flow, and readability for one price. The editors also provide formatting according to the author guidelines of your submitted target journal.

My manuscript was previously formatted by American Manuscript Editors, but now I want to submit to a different journal. Can you reformat my manuscript for a new journal?

Yes! Our formatters can absolutely reformat your previously formatted or edited manuscript according to the guidelines of your new journal. However, this will be considered a new formatting project.