Are you a grad student who needs help meeting an impending deadline, in connection with a thesis or dissertation project?
 

During the past three decades, I have been involved with literally hundreds of such projects, performing many minor miracles and earning numerous positive reviews.

I am not an anonymous Internet-based entity, farming out work to subcontractors you’ll never get to meet. I’m a former college teacher—with impeccable academic credentials and a solid track record—who works with students directly, one on one.

I can sit down with you in person, face to face, if you’re within easy driving or commuting distance. I can also work with you remotely, in real time, using Google Drive in combination with a voice connection (Google Drive is a free tool that enables two or more users, at different locations, to edit documents simultaneously). I can do editing independently/asynchronously, when a draft lends itself to working on my own, without the student's direct participation in real time.

I suppose it’s possible that there’s someone else out there who offers the same set of qualifications (in terms of experience, track record, academic credentials, third-party reviews, efficiency and effectiveness) but if there is, I would be surprised.

You’re welcome to review whichever items in the FAQ below are of interest to you and then drop me an email (info@bestthesiseditor.com) if you’d like to discuss your situation.

—Daniel K. Berman, Ph.D.

1. How are you different from all the other thesis editors advertising online?
To the best of my knowledge, I am the only one with the following set of credentials and qualifications: (1) Harvard graduate & Ph.D., (2) former college teacher (areas of instruction included technical writing and communication), (3) more than 30 years of experience providing academic support services, (4) doing business online under my own name continuously for 25-plus years and (5) several hundred five-star third-party reviews, on sites such as Yelp and Google, documenting extraordinarily successful results (100% positive record).

2. What services do you provide?
I typically work with students in a tutorial mode, to help them edit their manuscripts, correcting language errors and revising awkward or non-idiomatic constructions, while improving clarity and sentence flow. I also evaluate content, as appropriate, especially with regard to logic. This is generally done in real time, either face to face or remotely, using the free Google Drive tool. I can do editing independently/asynchronously, when a draft lends itself to working on my own. I often help students generate proposals and critical parts thereof, such as problem statements and hypotheses. This is also done in a tutorial mode, in consultation with the student. At an even more basic level, I sometimes brainstorm with the student, to arrive at a good study topic. (Yes, I can also assist with research papers that are not theses or dissertations.)

3. Aren’t these all things that my thesis adviser is supposed to be doing for me?
Much of the work I do with students falls into the category of what is known as remedial writing. Remedial means intended to correct or improve skills in a particular area, foundational skills that the individual is supposed to have acquired by the time the student has entered the program. This type of remedial work is not rightfully the adviser’s responsibility. If the adviser assumed responsibility for remedial writing and editing, there would not be enough time to adequately fulfill required responsibilities.

4. Can you give me an example of a “minor miracle” that you have performed?
A student once came to me (referred by her adviser), feeling stuck, unable to meet the deadline for graduating that semester. She had “writer’s block,” she told me, and couldn’t figure out why. During the course of an initial one-hour meeting, I was able to pinpoint the exact issue and suggest effective techniques for overcoming it. During the next few weeks, I coached her by email, after which I helped her edit her final draft. To her great surprise and delight, she was able to meet her deadline. As a result, she saved approximately $5,000 in additional tuition that she would have paid, had her enrollment in the program been extended for another semester. The total cost to her for my services was less than $500, yielding her a net gain of about $4,500, in tuition savings. An added benefit in such situations is the additional several months’ worth of salary that is gained by beginning post-graduation employment a semester earlier.

5. Is this “legal”?
Over the years, many faculty have referred students to me for assistance, demonstrating that the kind of tutorial, editing and coaching services I provide are permitted.

6. Will you write my thesis or dissertation for me?
As much as I love to learn new things and I enjoy helping people, ghostwriting a student’s thesis or dissertation is not allowed. This applies to writing portions of the study, such as the lit review. It is permissible to assist with research, however, as well as to perform the tutorial and editing services described above. (By the way, if you're one of the many dissertation writers who needs help in a hurry figuring out exactly what a lit review is and how to write a good one in a hurry, here's a free "cheat sheet" that others have found helpful.)

7. What subject areas do you cover?
Editing does not require expertise in the subject matter, especially when the student is present to clarify questions. Though my own degrees are in the social sciences, I have taught technical writing at the graduate level in the department of electrical engineering at SJSU and have edited manuscripts in numerous scientific disciplines, with excellent results. I can’t recall a single incident involving a student who came to me for help that I had to turn down because of unfamiliarity with any particular subject matter. If I’m not confident that I can do an excellent job for you, however, I assure you that I will inform you promptly.

8. Can you help me with formatting (APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.)?
Yes, I can but if all you want is formatting help, you can probably get that done more economically elsewhere.

9. Can you help me with statistics?
I have collaborated with many statisticians and assisted with write-ups for statistical studies but I myself am not a statistician or a statistics consultant.

10. From what schools do you hold degrees and where have you taught at the college level?
My degrees are from Harvard, Northwestern and UC Berkeley. A list of the universities at which I have taught is available upon request, in response to qualified queries.

11. What are your rates?
For editing work not done in real time with the student's direct participation (asynchronous editing), I quote a job fee after assessing the manuscript. (Please keep in mind that only when text is relatively unambiguous does it lend itself to asynchronous editing.) Otherwise, my hourly rate for editing working together in real time is as follows:
(1) Basic language issues (spelling, capitalization, punctuation and grammar), proofreading for typos and APA style adjustments only—$95
(2) Higher-level editing and revision/rewriting for qualitative social sciences and humanities work (this includes word choice/sentence structure issues and rephrasing for clarity)—$150
(3) Higher-level editing and revision for business, quantitative and STEM subject area work (including medical/healthcare)—$200
Topic/proposal development is either category 2 or 3, depending on subject area and whether the context is qualitative or quantitative. The steps in rates are based on requirements for additional effort and expertise. Keep in mind that I can typically accomplish for a student in one hour what usually takes other less experienced or competent editors/coaches several hours to accomplish. This is the result of native ability in combination with more than 30 years of experience. There are not many things that I can do better than almost anyone else. This just happens to be one of them.

12. Isn’t that more than most students can afford?
If the services rendered result in a substantial net savings (as in the “minor miracle” story described above), then they are affordable. If a student does not really need my services to realize the savings, then I would be the first to say, “Save your money.” It is also worth noting the discrepancy between the nominal hourly rate and the effective (actual) hourly rate, which factors in the time that the student is typically not billed for (time involved in making arrangements, for example, and other logistical communication, as well as additional past-the-hour/overflow time that I often don't charge for). When this extra time is factored in, the effective/actual rate is in fact lower than the nominal rate.

13. Could you give another example of how you are able to realize substantial savings for students?
Over the years, many students have come to me after having invested a five- or even six-figure sum toward a graduate degree, facing an ultimatum from their school or department: “Finish your thesis [or dissertation] and get it approved by [date] or you’re out of the program.” In such cases, the student faces the very real possibility of a tremendous loss of investment, in terms of both time and money, not to speak of the emotional investment that has been made. Countless times, I have helped the student achieve a momentous reversal of fortune, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, thereby replacing agony with exhilaration. In context, my fees represent a small fraction of the tremendous investment that the student has been able to save because of my expertise and efforts, not to speak of the future benefits that will accrue to the student as a result. Case in point: A student came to me after his thesis manuscript had been roundly (emphatically) rejected by the Office of Graduate Studies & Research (GS&R, as it called itself at the time), the quality control enforcement unit for theses and dissertations at San José State University. The student was given two weeks and one opportunity at revision, after which his time in the program would be up and he would be obliged to leave without having earned his degree. Not only would his investment (monetary and otherwise) have been lost. His visa status would have been jeopardized, possibly obliging him to return to what had become a dangerous environment, in a war-torn part of the world. In just three two-hour sessions, we revised his document to the point that it was accepted by GS&R. The student received his degree and with it, the opportunity to work at a job in his field in the United States, paving the way for future application to a doctoral program. Total cost of the service: just a few hundred dollars. Was it worth it? The student certainly seemed to think so—but you be the judge.

14. Do you have any documentation showing how GS&R (at the nearest major university) regards your work?
From this link, you will see a GS&R editor’s rarely awarded handwritten accolade—“outstanding writing”—at the top of the title page, with an acknowledgement of me as the editor, on the facing page.

15. What are your terms for payment and what forms of payment do you accept?
When meeting with someone in person, payment is due at the end of the session (check or cash). Otherwise, the terms are payment up front via PayPal or Zelle.

16. Can you quote me a fee for editing, without actually seeing my draft?
It is not in your best interests to utilize a service that charges by the word or by the page, regardless of the condition that the draft is in. This kind of one-size-fits-all factory approach does not lend itself to high-quality work. I ask to see your draft, so I can evaluate it on an individual basis. If it doesn’t need much work, then you will benefit from being quoted a lower fee. It if requires a lot of work, then you can be sure that I will do a conscientious job for you, as the fee I will have quoted you will have taken this into consideration.

17. What is the process for working together remotely in real time?
After setting an appointment, we meet online via Google Drive, in combination with a voice connection (phone or Skype). We are able to edit documents together simultaneously.

18. Is working together remotely as effective as meeting face to face, in person?
There can be advantages to working remotely, apart from saving the time it takes to get to and from my location. For one thing, all the distractions involved with meeting in person are removed. That being said, I am always happy to meet in person, for which there can also be certain advantages. UPDATE: In keeping with "best practices" during the time of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, all sessions are curently conducted remotely/online (using Google Drive, a free and easy-to-use tool, in combination with a voice connection—phone or Skype).

19. Under what circumstances would it be appropriate for you to edit my document on your own, as opposed to working on it together?
This is feasible when the writing is clear enough that I can understand the intended meaning, without asking questions.

20. How can I tell what you’ve corrected, after you return my document?
I use the Track Changes function in Microsoft Word, which shows suggested edits in red, also allowing for comments and questions off to the side. These edits can then be accepted or rejected, either individually or all at once. Free videos on YouTube show how to do this, if you do not know already.

21. Is there a charge for evaluating my document or my situation?
When this is done by email, there is no charge. If we meet in person, my hourly rate applies (see item 11 above).

22. What kinds of guarantees do you offer?
Regardless of how we work together, I guarantee that I will adhere to the high standards that have kept students coming to me for 30-plus years, the same high standards that are reflected in my numerous five-star third-party online reviews.

23. Does your fee include unlimited additional work that may be requested by my committee?
Typically, additional requirements from advisers are minimal but please be aware that I am obliged to charge for all the work I do, regardless of whether that work is done in person or remotely (delivered by email).

24. Will you keep making corrections until I am satisfied?
When someone has a handful of things that take only a few minutes, I typically do this, as a goodwill gesture, at no additional charge. If we are working together in real time, when the hourly rate applies, we can continue until you are satisfied.

25. How long will it take you to respond and to do the work?
When queried by email, I respond promptly, sometimes within minutes and almost always on the same day. Generally, for jobs that lend themselves to being done asynchronously, I am able to offer relatively quick turnaround. For jobs that call for working together in real time, I am usually able to offer appointment times within the week. As far as how much time a particular job would take when working together is concerned, that depends more on you as the author of your study than on me. It depends on how quickly and clearly you respond to requests for clarification, for example, and how many occurrences of ambiguities there are in your manuscript. Can I predict how long it would take, working together in real time, to revise and edit a draft with numerous issues at various levels—especially when speed depends more on the student than on me (as explained immediately above)? No, I cannot. That being said, what I usually encourage people to do is try an initial two-hour session. Even though the pace picks up as more work is accomplished (issues tend to recur), you might be surprised how much ground can be covered in a single first meeting. There is no contract to sign and no long-term commitment required, so the risk involved is relatively minimal.

26. How do I contact you to discuss my situation?
Just send me an email (info@bestthesiseditor.com).

27. May I just call you and talk things over with you by phone, at no charge?
Over the years, I have experimented with different approaches to answering the phone whenever it rings and also with engaging in exploratory conversations by appointment. Simply stated, the conclusion I have come to is that the only way I can keep up with emails, while keeping appointments and providing editing services, is by limiting professional phone time to paid consultations. What you will find is that this system serves your best interests. If you send me an email, you will receive a prompt and conscientious reply. If you are working with me in person, I will not be taking calls or even looking at my phone. With all remote communication in writing, there are rarely any misunderstandings but if ever there are, there is a written record to which to refer.

28. May I speak/consult with you by phone for a fee?
Yes, at an hourly rate of $200, payable up front via PayPal or Zelle (with a $200 minimum per phone consultation). To make arrangements, simply email me with a list of your preferred times and dates, which I will match with my schedule for availability and then respond with a request for session confirmation. I usually create a document on Google Drive and type extensive notes as we speak, so you will have something in writing to refer to after the consultation.

29. May I meet with you in person for a complimentary (free) consultation, to help determine "fit"?
This extensive FAQ, which includes links to more than a hundred five-star third-party reviews (Yelp and Google, given at the top), should be sufficient to help you determine whether you wish to invest in a trial session or consultation (with a one-hour minimum remotely and two-hour minimum in person). Previously, when I did offer such free consultations, what was invariably the case was that these sessions involved substantial substantive guidance with regard to the student's thesis or dissertation project—and they invariably (always, without exception) exceeded an hour, regardless of assurances made in good faith prior to the meeting. Please understand that my "stock in trade," so to speak, is time and expertise. If I were to give these away at no charge, I could not be available to help you or anyone else with their projects, as such a business model would not be viable in the long term.

30. I want to pay less than your posted rate. How much of a discount will you give me?
If I were offering off-the-shelf product, I would be happy to sell it at a razor-thin margin—or, under certain circumstances, even no margin at all (at cost, in other words). But what I am selling, in effect, is my TIME, in combination with my expertise. Time is of course limited—and when you are in your 60s, as I now am, you become acutely aware of the value of whatever remaining time you might have. You come to understand that every hour is important and what you do with it matters. You have a responsibility to yourself and to your family to use your time wisely. To discount the value of your time is to disrespect it and thereby to disrespect yourself. After reading the material above, you should be able to answer the question as to whether you really need my services and whether the benefits you would likely derive clearly justify the cost, at least of a trial session or consultation. The answer to this question should help you make an informed decision.

What if my question is not included on this list?
You are welcome to email (info@bestthesiseditor.com) me your question, for a prompt and conscientious reply.

Do you or does anyone you know need help with a personal statement (also known as a statement of purpose or SOP) or other type of application essay? Visit BestPersonalStatements.com.

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Institutions at which edited/revised thesis projects have been approved include:
American InterContinental University American Public University System Argosy University Arizona State University Ashford University Azusa Pacific University Baker College Boston University Brigham Young University California State University, Fullerton California State University, Long Beach California State University, Northridge Capella University Colorado Technical University Columbia College Missouri Columbia Southern University DePaul University DeVry University Drexel University Florida International University Florida State University Grand Canyon University Grantham University Indiana University, Bloomington Iowa State University Kaplan University Liberty University Michigan State University National University New York University Northcentral University Northeastern University Nova Southeastern University Ohio State University Penn State University Post University Purdue University Rutgers University San Jose State University South University Southern New Hampshire University Stanford University Strayer University Texas A&M University Texas State University UCLA UMass Online University of Alabama University of Arizona University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of Central Florida University of Florida University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Manchester University of Maryland University College University of Michigan, Ann Arbor University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Missouri University of Phoenix University of South Florida University of Washington University of Wisconsin UT Austin Walden University Washington State University Western Governors University

Copyright © Daniel K. Berman, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.