Is this a fair rate for proof reading?

[Bonnynorton1]

My upgrade report for Mphil/PhD is ready. It's been gone through with a fine toothcomb by my supervisors and I, but I'd like someone with a fresh eye to double check section numbering, references, punctuation etc.

I asked a friend if he could do it. He has a translation agency, teaches academic writing and has a post graduate degree in the same field. I did say it wasn't a favour and I didn't want mates rates. So, he has quoted £800 for £15,000 words. That sounds a lot to me as there is no editing or re writing involved. Or am I being a cheap skate?

That does sound a lot. As far as I know, most academic proofreading services will charge around £10 per thousand words... Even allowing for the fact that he is someone you know and trust, rather than a proofreading 'mill', iyswim, outdoes seem a big leap to £800.

Honestly? I would save the money. It's an upgrade report - if there are any minor errors, they will just tell you. Actually - same advice for the PhD. Unless English is not your first language, I would not pay for extra editing.

I think he’s overcharging, yes. I would (and do) charge a good bit more than the £10 per thousand words stated above but would still estimate £300 for the job.
Did he give you a page rate rather than word rate?

Ah, I see that you asked him to check references. That could add quite a bit to the job, depending on number. Also, are you sure your institution allows that as part of proofreading? Some don’t.

Thanks a lot for your quick replies! The quote was for a word rather than page rate.

It's good to know that small slips aren't a huge deal in an upgrade report.

I think I might just force myself to look at it again with a fresh and critical eye, maybe give it to DS (18) to look at it too as he has a good eye. Then send it.

Thanks for the advice. You're right, it's the final thesis that will need paid help.

Ah, just noticed the post about references.

I wanted him to check that all the references are included in the bibliography and that the bibliography is correctly formatted. Would there be a regulation against that?

You’d need to check your own institution’s rules, as part of writing a thesis includes producing a correct reference list, and you are being judged on your ability to complete the thesis. The rules should be easy enough to find.
What I would offer as a proofreader is a spot check, not a check that every reference is included. (In practice, because I find it hard to leave well alone, I tend to check most rather just a few.
A page with 30 or so references to check takes far longer than a page of plain text.

Thanks lancelottie. That's useful to know.

There are, of course, typos in the above post. Sigh. I’m honestly rather good at my job.

One approach I use with references is to make a copy (and make sure it is a copy!!!), then delete every word that isn't a reference. Use WORD sort function to make it alphabetical and check against the references.

Wow, that's a good tip!

Something I find helps for proofreading my own stuff when my eyes no longer see a single thing on the page, is reading it aloud in a newsreader/Radio 4 announcer type of voice. Your head is used to hearing it in your regular voice, but I find when I try to read it like a script (so that also means more slowly), and must be out loud, suddenly I find little errors I'd never seen before!

That is such a good idea OldBlueStitches!

I don't think it's an unfair rate for reference checking, and agree with the others about being sure this is allowed.

But, in addition and if you do go ahead with it - be very clear what happens if it turns out he's not up to the job. I needed my PhD proofreading (I'm pretty dyslexic and my institution had no issue with it except the practical one that we didn't realise how much I needed it until very late on). I tried to find people but even those who claimed to be skilled academic proofreaders were pretty terrible. I've also tried to find proofreaders post-PhD (for the last four years) and it's really, really hard to find someone good.

These days I actually just buddy up with a colleague (and you could with another student at the same level). It's free, and it's immensely easier to spot someone else's errors than your own.

It's been gone through with a fine toothcomb by my supervisors and I

I wouldn't normally comment on something like this, but seeing as this is a post about proofreading, it should be "by me and my supervisors".

Proofreading involves checking a typeset/typed page against a manuscript. It sounds like what you want is a copyedit, ie checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, references? The rate for copyediting is higher than proofreading.

It's also a fine tooth comb (a comb with thinly-spaced teeth) not a fine toothcomb.

But, if the OP is anything like me, she might know these things perfectly well and still manage to get them wrong in writing. One does.

@Sunbeam

Proofreading involves checking a typeset/typed page against a manuscript.

That would be an “against copy” proofread. You can also proofread “blind” when nothing is available to check against. It’s more usual now to proofread without copy to check against.

Don't you have EndNote for your references? Or Mendeley/RefWorks? I would have thought that at PhD level that would be considered essential. I presume you've done the standard spell check on Word, too? If you go to the advanced options in Word, you can set the punctuation rules preference (e.g. 1 space or 2 after a full-stop).

Did you use Word's proper style sheets, navigation pane and a proper contents page? If you do, then all of your section numbering, contents page, etc., will all auto-update if/as you change them.

Be careful this is an academic offence in a lot of places

I have a couple papers going that don't use Endnote. OMG. What a faff.

PedantHere why wouldn't it be "... my supervisors and me"? Genuine question.

I've proofread for various government departments and am paid £300 a day.

Lobster In this case, the OP and the supervisors are the objects of the sentence.
You can't say "It's been gone through with a fine-tooth comb by I", you would say "It's been gone through with a fine-tooth comb by me". Therefore, the correct form is "It's been gone with a fine-tooth comb by me and my supervisors".

Sorry, I misread the question. The OP used "my supervisors and I", which is incorrect in this case. You can say "my supervisors and me", but in my opinion it doesn't sound as natural as "me and my supervisors".