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Writers are familiar with verb tense, which shows when an action, state, or condition happens (or happened). What they may not realize is how much tense matters in scientific and academic writing. In APA style in particular, tense distinguishes between the author’s work, other authors’ work, and established facts, enhancing consistency and readability. Using tense correctly also demonstrates professionalism and establishes credibility.

Among authors, it’s a common misconception that proofreading and copyediting are interchangeable. It can be difficult to understand the difference between the two, mainly because the overall aim for both types of edits is to find and correct errors. When we look deeper, however, it becomes clear that they are two different, distinct parts of the editing process. Copyediting focuses on improving manuscript clarity while it is still developing; proofreading is the final quality check after the text has been typeset and designed for print.

If you’re like me, sometimes the pen runs away with you. You blink and suddenly you’re a thousand words over the word count limit for the project. And you still have more to say! Words come easily to you, but sometimes that means they wander into the bushes, run the extra mile, or loop in circles. Maybe you groan and switch to a red pen, painstakingly going word by word to see how much you can trim.

The word feedback can mean many things in practice. As editors, our work centers on providing thoughtful, constructive feedback to authors. As mentors, we try to provide growth-inducing feedback to stretch and mold students. And as creatives, we must actively seek regular feedback ourselves if we hope to continue to improve our craft.

If there is one thing that editors work to prevent, it is hopscotch eyes. If the reader can’t understand a sentence on a first pass and must jump back to the beginning for a second or even third try, then they are at risk of becoming frustrated or losing interest.