PRS Tip: The proofreaders at PRS read a lot of academic and scientific writing in a wide variety of disciplines and specialisations, so we’ve kind of seen it all when it comes to the presentation and layout of scholarly articles – the good, the bad and the ugly. As readers who need to understand the texts before us both quickly and thoroughly, we can attest to just how vital the use of informative, distinctive and consistent headings, the logical development of thoughtful paragraphs, the clear explanation of transitions and the effective construction of lists are to your readers’ understanding of your research and argument. Noticing when aspects of your writing aren’t working to improve communication or are in fact hindering it is precisely what we do, so we can offer suggestions and corrections to help you produce a carefully organised and beautifully presented article that looks as good as it reads. 34 PRS Proofreading and Editing Service PhD Experts • All Academic Areas • Fast Turnaround • High Quality cHAPteR 4 Journal guidelines and Formal scholarly english Although many aspects of an academic or scientific article can contribute to readers’ misunderstanding or misinterpreting your work, your writing style and the accuracy of the language you use are of paramount importance to successful communication. All scholarly journals publishing articles in the English language will want (and the guidelines provided by most of them will specify the need for) articles written in English that is both clear and correct. Many will recommend using a professional proofreader who is proficient in the English language, especially if you are not a native English speaker. Before sending your work to a proofreader, however, you will need to do everything you possibly can to make your language and style as PARt II: PRePARIng, PResentIng And PolIsHIng YoUR woRk