Students who contract with an editor or typist must provide that person with the Style Guide for the Applied Dissertation. Editors and typists must communicate with the student, not with university personnel. The university does not assume responsibility for a student's contractual agreement with an editor or typist or for the quality of the editor's or typist's work.
The Fischler School cannot recommend a freelance editor, nor does it employ editors. If you require professional editing, speak first with your dissertation committee chair; ask if he or she is able to put you in touch with a former student who had success with an editor. Contact within your network of Fischler School doctoral students may also yield specific recommendations.
Dissertation editors and typists may be found through a variety of other sources, including the Internet, phone directories, and college and university bulletin boards. Please be aware, however, that the skill levels of editors vary widely. If you do find it necessary to hire a nonreferred editor, ask beforehand if he or she has successfully worked on a Fischler School doctoral dissertation. If the answer is "yes," request at least one reference so you can verify the editor’s qualifications with the Fischler School graduate; if the answer is "no," it would be advisable to continue your search.
Once a decision is made, be sure that all aspects of the contractual agreement are clearly spelled out. For example, your edited manuscript may require substantial content changes during the final-review process. In such a case, your manuscript will need to be re-edited. Establish an understanding with your editor in regard to a procedure—and payment, if necessary—for additional work that may be required after the initial editing.
Editors and typists must not make changes that affect the content of your dissertation, nor should they send the manuscript directly to the Applied Research Center or to your committee chair. You are responsible for ensuring that the applied dissertation is correct prior to its submission to the dissertation committee. Therefore, the manuscript should be edited before the committee recommends it for final approval.