Academic and thesis editing
This page describes the academic editing and thesis editing services available from Renee Otmar Consultancy.
Academic editing
Dr Renée Otmar is has extensive experience and expertise in writing, editing and preparing manuscripts for publication by journals and academic (university) presses. She works across a range of academic disciplines, including (but not limited to): assessment, communications, education, governance, humanities, law, medicine, psychology, public health and environmental sciences.
In addition to copyediting, Renée provides developmental editing, structural editing and style editing for crossover works – reconfiguring an academic text for a different audience. Crossover works are essential in ensuring the translation of research into practice and/or general behavioural change. Examples of crossover works include a PhD thesis published for a general trade market, and a research report published for a professional audience (see Portfolio for examples).
As first author and co-author, Renée has published her own research work in peer-reviewed journals and books, including Lancet Oncology, Osteoporosis International and BMC. She has been a regular peer reviewer (and assistant editor) for Osteoporosis International since 2013 (more than 50 assignments). Renée co-supervised a PhD candidate (passed with minor revision in 2022) and holds an honorary research fellowship in Deakin University’s Faculty of Health.
Renée conducts training in research methods and research ethics for health professionals. She has been a member (category f, researcher) of two human research ethics committees (HRECs) for several years: Barwon Health HREC 2013–2020 (including as deputy chair for 2 years) and the Joint Defence and Veterans Affairs HREC since 2017.
If you are an academic or other researcher seeking assistance to prepare your work for publication, you’re very welcome to give Renée a call (or click on the link below to send an email) to discuss your requirements.
Thesis editing
Dr Renée Otmar provides copyediting services to assist research higher degree (RHD) candidates to prepare their theses and dissertations for submission to Australian universities. We provide advice and assistance to help candidates comply with university submission formatting requirements, including bibliographic and referencing requirements to match the chosen method of citation and major style guides:
- Australian Guide to Legal Citation
- Author–date system, also known as the ‘Harvard system’
- Documentary–note system, also known as the ‘humanities style’
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA 7)
- Vancouver system, also known as the ‘citation–sequence system’ or the ‘sequential–numeric system’.
Renée’s thesis editing services adhere strictly to the IPEd code of conduct and the Guidelines for editing research theses, as approved by the Australian Council for Graduate Research. These Guidelines include information to assist you in preparing a brief for:
- Engaging a professional editor for your thesis (for research students)
- When your student wishes to engage an editor (for supervisors).
Please consult the Guidelines and your academic supervisors before requesting a quote for editing of your thesis. Advance bookings are essential. Approximately 10 business days are needed for turnaround of a thesis of up to 60,000 words and 10–15 business days for up to 100,000 words; a surcharge, or ‘rush fee’, may apply for urgent turnaround. A 50% deposit is payable upfront to book your thesis into the schedule and to commence work; the balance is due and payable prior to release of the completed work.
