An academic editor may assist with identifying where there are errors or problems within your work, but editors should not make substantive changes to students’ work. According to Royal Roads University’s (2017) Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy for Students:
Authorship of all published work must be limited to those who have materially contributed to, and share responsibility for, the contents of the publication. Publications must also acknowledge the work of editors, including their roles in the process of publication. (“Misconduct”, para. 5)
As the author of the work, it’s ultimately your responsibility to ensure that the writing:
- Is free of any academic misconduct, as defined by RRU’s Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy for Students
- Meets the expectations of the assignment
- Has the appropriate structure
- Is clear and easy to understand
- Uses correct grammar, sentence structure, and spelling
- Is correctly formatted, including citations and references
Please refer to Academic editors for more information, including a link to a checklist that provides criteria to discuss with your instructor or advisor regarding what work the editor will complete. Please check with your instructor or advisor before hiring an editor to ensure doing so is acceptable for your assignment/project.
