We have developed and refined a unique 7-step recipe for success. This process helps us to ensure quality for all of our clients. We are continually innovating to improve the author's experience.
Step 1: Meticulous vetting and training for new language and publication experts
We require that our language and publication experts:
- Have at least four years of experience in reviewing academic work.
- Have advanced academic training: A majority of our language experts hold a Ph.D. and are active academics themselves; our minimum requirement is an M.A. or equivalent. This differentiates us from most other author services companies, which rely almost exclusively on students.
- Submit a sample test for our review and critique.
- Possess intimate familiarity with major style and formatting guidelines as well as transliteration styles.
- Undergo a thorough training to ensure they understand expectations for publication-ready work.
Step 2: Language and field expertise matching
We have over 2,500 freelance language and publication experts, which enables us to match every project with an expert who best suits the project’s language and field of research. Our experts work only in their strongest language(s) and field(s).
Step 3: Author reviews samples from our language experts
For projects over 5,000 words, new authors have the option of first reviewing sample projects from our language experts, in order to guarantee their satisfaction with our work. We ask a number of hand-picked language experts to provide short sample passages from the author’s manuscript to ensure the best fit. The author is then given the opportunity to select the expert who best matches their preferences.
Alternatively, many authors prefer that our team draw on their experience to select the most appropriate expert for your project.
Step 4: Managing editor review
All projects are overseen by one of our managing editors whose job is to liaise with the client and the publication expert to make sure that the text is ready for publication. Once the expert has completed their work, the managing editor undertakes a comprehensive review to ensure that instructions have been carefully followed and that the manuscript is formatted appropriately and is free of errors. In general, managing editors respond to all client inquiries within one business day.
Step 5: Certificate of quality
After the project is completed, authors receive a certificate of quality confirming that their works meet the highest linguistic and academic standards. They can then send this certificate along with the text when submitting their manuscript so the editors will know that it has been worked on by ALE.
Step 6: Feedback and survey
Following the completion of the project, authors are sent a feedback form that provides them with an opportunity to evaluate the quality of the work completed, the service they received, and their overall experience. We also have a “learn from clients” phone call initiative in which we schedule calls with clients a month or two after they have completed their project to get their feedback and learn what preferences they have for future projects. Our managing editors are continually providing feedback to our publication experts so they can learn from the experience and grow as publication professionals.
Step 7: Ongoing support
We understand that our job is not only to make sure that our clients are happy but also to ensure that they are successful in publishing their research. That is why we do a personal check-in four months after we finish any manuscript project to see if the manuscript was accepted and if the author needs further help. This makes our authors feel confident that they are supported throughout the entire process and have their own personal experts to consult with if they run into issues. If the author receives a request to ‘revise and resubmit’, we can help them with the revised version of the draft.