Alyson O
Suzhou, China
“Proofreading = peace of mind”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
MA Teaching English as a Second Language
Pennsylvania State University
2009–2011
BA Linguistics and German
University of Florida
2004–2008
Favorite referencing style
I like IEEE because the in-text citations are so straightforward and don't take up much space.
Why I became an editor
As an English for Academic Purposes teacher, I've been helping students improve their writing for many years. I've also been involved with creating curriculum and assessments for students on a range of topics, especially science, technology, architecture, and business. This has led to my interest in reading more about these different fields.
Proofreading is a great direction for me because I get to read more about different subjects, and I also get to use my natural attention to detail to help people fine-tune their writing.
Background and experience
I have been teaching English for Academic Purposes for 10 years in the US, China, and South Korea. During this time, I have also been involved with creating, editing, and proofreading English language assessments.
Why I love proofreading and editing
Proofreading provides the perfect combination for my interests and skills. I get to read and learn about new topics while using my experience and knowledge about the English language to improve various types of writing.
Favorite book:
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Hobbies:
When not proofreading, I enjoy baking, traveling, and entertaining my cat.
Editing tips:
I find it helpful to have a list of common issues to look for, like punctuation and numbers. This helps me check for each issue individually and prevents me from missing mistakes.