It is an all too familiar sight in a crowded lecture theatre to see the ambient glow of students’ laptop screens. Some diligent students may be taking lecture notes, but they may also be sneaking in moments to check their personal emails or scrolling through their Facebook feed. There is…
Referencing is a challenging part of academic writing. It’s slow and painstaking work, and mastering a referencing style takes time. To reference a piece of writing correctly, it can literally come down to the correct placement of commas and full stops. It’s no wonder then that many students opt to…
Student holidays and semester breaks are a lean time for those reliant on teaching income, as contracts do not extend into these periods. The lack of reliability of the work is obviously financially disadvantageous: in summer, one cannot live on sunshine alone, it’s difficult to acquire a mortgage based on…
Flexibility Working casually as an academic is somewhat flexible, particularly in research work, when hours can be put in around other commitments. ‘It was great at the time … I could work whatever hours fitted in with my family responsibilities. I could leave early to pick my daughter up from…
‘What are we going to do with you?’ said my supervisor, tapping at the table with his pen. ‘There’s no job for you here.’ I stared at my hands. I knew there was no job, nor the likelihood of a future job. In fact, I didn’t know if I even…
Seeking feedback on your writing is scary. It requires the ability to be vulnerable with something that is often very close to your heart. It can feel like you are putting yourself on the page and emailing it for people to judge. But feedback, when given effectively, can drive us…
Capstone Editing is excited to announce the launch of a new scholarship to help people in need to train to become professional editors. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many people are changing careers or seeking flexible work they can perform from home. We have noticed a sharp increase in the…
I won’t beat around the bush; idioms shouldn’t be used in academic writing. I don’t mean to big note myself, but this article will explain why idioms are inappropriate in formal contexts. If you’re sitting on the fence about it, let me tell you that academics wouldn’t be caught dead peppering their writing with idiomatic expressions (like…
While natural aptitude is essential if you want to become a fantastic editor, it’s also true that editing is a highly technical skill. Editors love working with the rules of language and writing. There are countless books and articles weighing in on everything from minor grammatical disagreements to profound linguistic controversies. When…
Carers returning from maternity leave or other career breaks often need to rebuild their networks, refresh their knowledge and reinvigorate their enthusiasm for their career. Conference attendance is a vital part of a professional career. But caring responsibilities can make it difficult or, at the least, financially very expensive to…