HelpDocs: Formatting/Editing Help

Hiring a third-party contractor for formatting and/or editing help can save a candidate much time and energy. A few students, however, have encountered difficulties and ended up in high-cost disputes because the contractor used another university's framework or MSWord thesis template, and was unable to conform to SFU's requirements.  Therefore, it is important to be sure that the person you hire understands and follows the SFU regulations and requirements, and has expert MS Word skills to do the job. Any student who hires a third-party contractor needs to understand that it is the student, not the contractor, who is responsible; this means that the student must make sure the formatting of the thesis/project/essays document he/she intends to submit to the SFU Library meets the University's/Library's requirements for submission.

Formatting of a thesis does not include text editing. Obtaining assistance with English language, grammar, referencing and citation style guide requirements, etc., are issues that need to be addressed with your senior supervisor, who is responsible for setting the scholarly standards for your work.  The Student Learning Commons (SLC) in the Library offers specialized assistance for graduate students. Prior to hiring an editor, the thesis office recommends you consult an SLC advisor to help identify the specific problems with which you need help.  Having done this you may find that you need not hire an editor. Such a discussion can also help clarify your needs, so that you can define your contractual arrangements with the editor and reduce the risk of future disputes and escalating costs.
 

SFU-SGSC Guidelines for Use of a Proofreader in Theses

While the student is ultimately responsible for writing quality and the thesis presentation, the use of a proofreader is acceptable for a thesis or dissertation and the proofreader must be acknowledged in the thesis, either on the acknowledgement page or at the end of a project or extended essay.  A student’s use of a proofreader should be discussed with the senior supervisor and written approval to use a proofreader must be obtained from the senior supervisor.

Proofreading is defined as the correction of errors in spelling, grammar and sentence construction, referencing, and punctuation, and may include identifying passages that lack clarity or are poorly written. The proofreader must ‘track the changes’ and make liberal use of comment boxes in any electronic versions of the thesis.

The University expects that academic supervisors of theses will provide discipline-appropriate editorial comments including advice on the form, arrangement, thesis length, referencing, tables, figures, and headings. Supervisors should advise on whether the elements within the thesis are complete and consistent.

Additional reference: Pease see the Editor's Association of Canada [EAC]  guidelines and sample agreement form for thesis editing.