Sheridan W
Pace, United States
“Have no fear! The grammar police are here.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
MS in Molecular Biology
University of West Florida
2018–2020
BS in Marine Biology
University of West Florida
2014–2017
Favorite referencing style
The scientific field doesn't actually have a specified referencing style; each scientific journal has its own referencing system that must be followed. However, of the more well-known referencing styles, I am most familiar with Harvard referencing.
Why I became an editor
Science has always drawn me in, and I studied marine biology and molecular biology at university. However, I have always had a love for reading and writing too, and during my time in college, I did some proofreading work. After graduating with my master's degree and working in a science lab for a couple of years, I discovered that the scientific field is not always as ethical and professional as it should be, so I decided to try editing professionally instead.
Background and experience
I did some proofreading work in college, and I enjoyed giving scientific pieces a thorough polishing while preserving the meaning of the essays and understanding the principles behind the work. More recently, I extended my proofreading skills in the last job I held when I proofread written standard operating procedures and technical manuals for my mentor before she would submit them for approval.
Why I love proofreading and editing
An eagle eye and a bit of a perfectionist streak might make for a bad combination, especially when an error cannot be fixed, but proofreading allows me to use these characteristics to help others convey their thoughts and ideas more clearly. One area that desperately needs more proofreading is scientific articles and journals. However, I also just love reading in general, and I enjoy proofreading and editing fiction, non-fiction, history, and science.
Favorite book:
I'm a sucker for spy novels, and Brad Thor is one of my favorite authors. However, one book that I can't recommend enough is Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins.
Hobbies:
When I'm not proofreading, I'm usually writing my own works of fiction, cooking, reading for leisure, playing with my dog, or jogging.
Editing tips:
I always read a document three times, first to get a feel for the author's voice and fix any major problems, second to fix more subtle errors, and finally to fix punctuation and referencing errors.
