It can be difficult to decide whether to submit your thesis chapters for publication before or after you submit your thesis. On one hand, the more journal articles you have published the better—especially if you will be seeking an academic position or grant funding following your PhD—and if many of…
I remember attending conferences as a child-free PhD student. I’d fully commit myself to every session; I’d have meaningful conversations with people at lunch; I’d stay out late talking science (and other things!) with my colleagues at night. Conferences were the highlight of the academic year. They were an exciting…
The next instalment in our ‘Commonly Confused Words’ series is ‘lay’ and ‘lie’. Am I going to lay down for a nap? Or lie down for a nap? This series aims to explain the difference between a few of the most misused or misunderstood words in academic writing. We’ll also give some examples to…
It’s one of the most common errors; many people genuinely do not know there is a difference between ‘its’ and ‘it’s’. These ‘Commonly Confused Words’ are the next in our series. In our ‘Commonly Confused Words’ series we set out to explain some of the most misunderstood and misused words…
This next instalment in our ‘Commonly Confused Words’ series aims to demystify ‘affect’ and ‘effect’. Often used interchangeably, ‘affect’ and ‘effect’ are widely misunderstood and misused. As always, we will provide definitions and helpful examples to clarify these terms. For our definitions, we use the Macquarie Dictionary—the authority on Australian English…
Using the right invoicing terms increases the likelihood of getting paid promptly and creating a professional impression. As a freelance editor or writer, it’s vital that you take control of your invoicing and income. It’s impossible to plan ahead if you don’t know what you’re owed and what’s been settled. You also…
In Part 1 of this two-part article, we established how important correct comma use is for ensuring your written communication is clearly and accurately expressed. In this second article, we continue our identification and explanation of some of the most common comma mistakes and how to avoid them. The idea is that…
For such a small punctuation mark, the comma plays an extremely important role in conveying your meaning to your audience. In speech, you can emphasise your meaning easily using your voice. In writing, punctuation does this job for you. Perhaps you have had the experience of a poorly punctuated email,…
For academics and students, indeed for anyone who spends long hours on a computer, the risk of developing a repetitive strain injury (RSI) is quite real. Add to those long hours in front of your monitor the time that you spend holding a book, scrolling on your phone and performing…
This September, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre will host the 8th Institute of Professional Editors’ (IPEd) National Editors Conference. Capstone Editing is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of this important conference for the editing industry. Leaders in the industry—including Capstone Editing’s Director and Head Editor, Dr Lisa Lines—are set to present cutting-edge…