Has it ever occurred to you that editing an essay is as important as writing it? Just think about it: you can spend hours researching and developing your topic, and then crafting your essay – only to get a lower grade than expected because you happened to make a few errors!
You probably already know how it feels. Perhaps this has even taught you to spend more time editing your essays. Unfortunately, more time spent doesn’t necessarily mean better results.
There are lots of reasons why many students can’t handle checking and proofreading their essays on their own. For example:
- lack of language proficiency;
- not enough concentration and attention to detail;
- lack of experience and understanding of how an excellent essay should be written;
- poor time-management, and more.
Still, editing and proofreading are crucial for an A+ paper. Therefore, students often turn in service Studyfy with the “proofread my paper” request to find professional student editing and proofreading services.
If such a company is reliable, it can indeed provide its customers with quality editing and proofreading and polish their essays to perfection. But how do you know it’s reliable? And is there a guarantee that you’ll get what you paid for? Below, you’ll find some tips on how to do it.
Don’t Choose the First Option
So, you see the search results, and you click on the first link. Surely, there’s nothing wrong with that. However, it’s not wise to place your order on the first website you visit – it’s always better to check other options before making the final choice.
Location Matters
If you don’t want your paper to be “proofread” by someone less competent than you are, check the location of the service you’re planning to order from. Read the “about” section of the company’s official website and check the domain name. It’s also a good idea to check the IP address.
For companies located in the US, look for the full address of the company’s website or mailing list as all the US companies are required by law to provide it.
However, keep in mind that reliable editing services can also be located outside the US – in the UK or Canada, for instance. Still, it’s better to choose a company located somewhere nearby your immediate area.
The Older, the Better
While there certainly are some new good companies providing editing and proofreading services to students, it’s always safer to go with the ones that have been operating for several years.
Newly established websites should alarm you as they are more likely to be scam “services” created for taking the money from the gullible students and then disappearing. Other new companies may not be downright malicious but can offer low-quality services due to the lack of experience.
To check the “age” of a website, use online checkers or look at the original code of the page content.
What about the Prices?
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with trying to find the most beneficial offer possible. Students always try to find affordable services as their budgets are usually low. Writing and editing services understand that and try to keep their prices relatively low.
However, super-cheap offers should also be a red flag as no professional writer or editor will work for nothing. So, if you want the job to be done well and on time, compare the prices and choose a company offering something in the middle of the range – this is usually the safest approach.
Look for Trustworthy Reviews
What do you usually do when you’re looking to buy some product online? That’s right – you read the reviews. Services also get reviewed, so the same method applies in our case of looking for an editing and proofreading company.
You can start by reading the reviews provided on the company’s official website, but such testimonials are often fake, so you also need to check popular review platforms. Some of the most reliable ones for essay services are:
- Glassdoor
- Trustpilot
- Sitejabber
The reviews and ratings provided on these platforms can give you a good reference as to what options you can choose from.
Who Are the Writers?
All the reliable editing services provide an overview of their writer’s education, qualifications, and experience. If there’s no such section on the website or the writers’ profiles don’t look trustworthy, chances are you’re dealing with some sort of a scam.
To ensure you’re hiring a professional, always get in touch with the writer and ask your questions before you finalize your choice and pay a deposit.
What Are the Payment Models?
Normally, writing and editing services ask customers to make a deposit (a part of the full sum) so that the write paper could start. Only after the final draft is provided and the work accepted will they ask you to release all funds. Other models of payment should be considered suspicious and be subject to scrutiny.
It’s also important that the company offers several payment options like credit or debit cards, online payment systems like PayPal, etc.
24/7 Support, Safety, and Guarantees
Reliable services also provide efficient 24/7 online support that can answer your questions and fix issues anytime you need it – you just need to send a message in the chat window.
It’s also crucial that the company doesn’t disclose any of your personal details so that you could stay safe and avoid trouble.
Finally, most of the good companies have a “satisfaction guaranteed” policy and offer a refund in cases where their services failed to meet their high standards (i.g. the writer missed the deadline).
Wrapping Up
Editing and proofreading services can be of great help for busy or inexperienced students. However, choosing a perfect service is not easy at all. In order to get the best value for your money, be careful and use all the tips provided in the article above!