To work with student authors on research papers, theses, dissertations, and other graded assignments, I require permission via a group email exchange with the student’s committee chairperson, course instructor, teaching assistant, or whomever will be responsible for grading the student work and submitting the student’s final grades to the school, college, or university.
For students who have struggled with feelings of imposter syndrome, or who perhaps feel somewhat intimidated by the intellectual scrutiny of their instructors, the thought of divulging that editing services are being sought might sound rather undesirable. However, consider the following:
- The instructor will likely appreciate the transparency and good faith effort to comply with academic integrity policies and principles.
- The instructor will also likely appreciate that the student is taking academic writing and rigor seriously enough to be proactive about seeking deeper training and support.
- The instructor will be aware that the student has received extra support and will have proper perspective when assessing how the student’s work compares to that of the student’s classmates, ensuring more equitable grading for all students.
- The instructor can have a rightful say in what the scope of the editing services ought to be, and can let students know whether the rates students are charged seem reasonable. Some professors or university programs may even have funding to cover a student’s editing expenses.
- The instructor can make suggestions to the student and editor about the most important areas on which to focus to help the student meet the assignment requirements and develop strong academic writing skills.
Ogma Editing 