Increasingly, professional organizations and academic institutions are publishing their materials in English. However, their image and credibility can be easily damaged by publications containing poor grammar, spelling mistakes and awkward expressions that may make sense in their authors’ native language but are inappropriate in English.

Contactivity specializes in helping clients to put their ideas across clearly and effectively in good English. We offer editing at two levels:

1. Copy-editing involves checking grammar, spelling and punctuation, as well as ensuring the correct use of prepositions and tenses. We look at the clarity and consistency of the message, assess tables and graphs for readability, and check footnotes/references. We do not judge the material, but apply various language conventions, stylistic rules and common sense. This form of editing is recommended for journal articles and series of publications.
2. Substantive editing involves work on the language, style and substance of the material. We look at the flow of the argument, remove repetitions and rewrite parts of the text if needed – of course always in consultation with the author. This may involve several iterations until the document is ready for publication. Substantive editing is recommended for material intended for a general audience, and also for reports and multi-author books or proceedings that require a consistent style of writing.

At present, Contactivity’s services are focused on the needs of Dutch, European and international organizations specializing in fields such as

• development cooperation policy, practice and evaluation;
• globalization, economics and human security;
• agricultural development and water management;
• science and technology for development; and
• information and communication technologies for development.

The types of materials we edit include:

• academic and professional research reports, journal articles and occasional papers;
• academic and technical books, conference proceedings;
• magazine and journal articles;
• policy and evaluation reports;
• annual reports; and
• PowerPoint presentations.

How does its work?

1. Simply send us a sample of the material to be edited, indicating the number of words/pages, the number of footnotes/endnotes, and other details (such as technical annexes), as well as your deadline and other specific requirements, including the level of editing required. Don’t forget to include a telephone number where we can contact you.
2. One of our editors will look at the material and assess the level of work required, and will contact you to discuss your requirements and whether the deadline is realistic, and to give you a likely price range.
3. We edit your material using the ‘track changes’ of Microsoft Word.
4. When we have finished editing we will return two files, a tracked version and a clean version of the edited document. In both versions we may include comments and questions about parts of the text that are not clear.
5. After receiving your responses, we will complete the editing and make the material ready for publication.

For more information please Rutger Engelhard by email or by telephone at *31 (0)71 514 1166.