Frequently Asked Questions

What are the academic backgrounds of your staff?

Our reviewers come from a wide range of academic backgrounds. We possess BA, BSc, MA and PhD degrees. Most of us hold a teaching qualification and have taught at either secondary or tertiary education level in the UK or overseas. Some have research experience in cross-cultural settings and have publications in both local and international journals.

Can I rely solely on the spelling checker on computer to proofread my work?

No. The spelling checker is useful in flagging obvious misspellings and typographical errors, and telling if the words match those in the dictionary. However, it cannot tell if you have chosen the appropriate word if the mistake matches an entry in the dictionary. For example, the spelling checker cannot distinguish the homonyms their and too in the original sentence. The tool is no substitute for a pair of fresh eyes.

The original sentence: Their are too different theories behind.
The corrected version: There are two different theories behind.

Can I rely solely on the grammar checker to proofread my work?

No. While grammar checkers are useful in flagging typical or frequent problematic sentence structures (e.g. sentence fragments, long sentences, overuse of the passive voice), punctuation, grammar (subject-verb agreement, singular and plural), etc., they cannot inform grammatical choices in context. Similar to spelling checkers, they are no substitute for professional judgment.

How do I know what errors I have made?

We will make use of the Track Changes function available in Microsoft Word so that you are informed of the errors and corrections suggested. Refer to Samples.

Do you have any guidelines for using Track Changes?

Certainly. Please refer to the Guidelines for using Track Changes for MS 2003 and 2007.

What are your payment options?

We accept payment through PayPal in UK Pounds sterling.

Is my credit card information safe with you?

We do not share your credit card information. We accept payment through website payment provider PayPal. You can shop online securely and conveniently using your debit or credit card, bank account or PayPal balance without revealing your financial details to us.

Do you have a minimum charge?

While we welcome jobs of any size, but due to the cost involved in processing each job, we will charge a handling fee of £5 per transaction for service below £20. However, we are happy to waive the handling charge for service over £20.

How do I submit an order to your company?

Simply submit your work via our web-enabled submission system for an instant quote and wait for our prompt reply. If you are happy with the quote, follow the procedure as specified in How it Works. The quote will be valid for 1 calendar month.

How long does it take to get my document back?

Our standard turnaround is 3-4 days from the date we accept the order. The agreed time will be specified in your reply email.

Do you offer express services?

Yes, we provide express services (1-2 days) but they are subject to the business demand at the time. Please note that an express service is available for documents of 3,000 words or less and will incur a 30% surcharge of the price for a standard turnaround. We endeavour to set a reasonable and realistic deadline for a long document without compromising the quality of our service.

What kind of research support service does Academic Voice offer?

As we are committed to doing language-related research work, we are specialised in transcribing research data and translating language data (only from Chinese to English) in a style parallel to the original data. Other types of language-based work are negotiable.