There have been some changes to Royal Holloway’s proofreading scheme since I became an approved proofreader in 2015.

Founder’s Building in spring

Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) is one of the UK’s leading universities and my alma mater. It is located in Egham, Surrey and is famous for the beautiful Founder’s Building. You might recognise Founder’s from its fleeting appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron (it was really weird to see Thor outside somewhere I know so well).

The proofreading scheme is open to postgraduates and only allows the identification of errors. Undergraduates looking to improve their writing are encouraged to attend workshops and meetings organised by the Centre for the Development of Academic Skills (CeDAS) and are not currently allowed to use the proofreading scheme.

The identification code and proofreading policy remain the same, but the method of arranging the proofreading work has changed. This is what happens:

1. The student’s supervisor completes a proofreading consent form and the supervisor sends the completed form to CeDAS.
2. The student uses CeDAS’s online booking form to request the service of a proofreader from the approved list.
3. CeDAS send the booking request to the proofreader. The proofreader contacts the student with a quote and timeframe for the work.
4. The student sends the proofreader the final draft and the style guide.
5. The proofreader returns the work and receives payment. The student makes corrections and then submits the work, making sure to acknowledge the use of a proofreader.

I’m happy to discuss my availability with RHUL students before they complete the booking request, but I can’t make any guarantees until I receive the official form from CeDAS. It is also important that students familiarise themselves with the level of intervention they can expect. You can read more about the scheme here.