FAQ: General Questions About Scribendi
Scribendi has been a world leader in online editing and proofreading for more than 20 years.
We have an easy pricing system with no surprises, and it is based on two simple things: word count and turnaround time. To determine your word count in MS Word, go to the Review tab or Tools menu and select Word Count. If you want your footnotes/endnotes to be edited, make sure to check the option to include footnotes and endnotes in the word count. You can also use the Scribendi Word Count Tool to get a word count, and this is particularly helpful if you do not have a Word document (a .doc or .docx file). You can simply copy and paste your text into the Word Count Tool, and it will provide the word count for your document.
Unlike other companies, we don’t offer vague quotes based on hefty hourly rates or confusing calculations. To find the price for your document, simply select the most appropriate service on our home page, type in your word count, and then use the instant quote widget to generate a free quote.
Our preferred method of payment is via credit card: we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners, UnionPay and JCB cards. Scribendi has a secure credit card processing system provided by Stripe. We also accept Maestro cards through PayPal, as well as PayPal payments. For customers in China, we accept Alipay. Registered retail customers and corporate/government/organizational clients can arrange payments via ACH or wire transfer.
This depends on the service you order. We have turnaround times that range from 4 hours to 3 weeks, though the availability of times will vary based on the service and the word count of your document. Longer documents take a longer time to edit, so short turnaround times may not be available for long documents. Go to our home page and pick the most appropriate service for your document, and then use the instant quote widget to price out the turnaround times for your document.
Yes, we know all about metres and meters, humour and humor, and spanners and wrenches. Just specify what type of English we should be using when you place your order.
Yes! Scribendi is a global company in every sense of the word. All you need is a valid credit card, PayPal, or Alipay account and you can use our services. If you are unable to pay with one of these direct and easy methods, we also accept wire transfers, but please note that these may cause delays in your order being processed. For more details on wire transfers, please contact customer service.
Absolutely! You can take advantage of the free 1,000-word sample edit that we offer to every new customer. If you haven't placed an order with us before and would like a free sample, just pick the type of editing or proofreading you want from our order page and then click Get a Free Sample and follow the simple steps. There are no strings attached. It’s as easy as that. We know your manuscript is important to you and that it's good to be able to "try before you buy" if you're thinking about sending us your work.
You can also take a look at some of the academic journals in which our clients' articles have been featured and some of the published books Scribendi has edited.
Absolutely not. Scribendi and its editors make no claim on your copyright, and we don't require credit, acknowledgment, or anything else beyond the fees for the services we render. Your work is safe on our secure, encrypted system, and no one outside of Scribendi will ever be able to access your work.
No, we don’t check for plagiarism, nor do we write, rewrite, or paraphrase work. Stringent guidelines are required here to protect our clients against charges of academic fraud. However, Scribendi’s experts can provide the professional editing needed to ensure high-quality original work.
We can apply any style guide to your work. The most popular style guides are the American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), Turabian, Chicago Manual of Style, Harvard Referencing, and Council of Science Editors (CSE). We can also apply a journal’s style guide (just send us the details) or a corporate/internal style guide.
A human editor can understand the context and meaning of your writing, and they can figure out what you’re trying to say even if you’re struggling to express yourself. Software can’t do this! Correcting grammar and spelling is only the first step in providing a great edit, and machines can struggle even with this. You can see some of the differences between our experts and automated software tools below.
Human vs. Machine
Scribendi has been a world leader in the field of online editing for over two decades. With over 400 editors worldwide, our global reach is extensive and we have experts in every major field. With two decades of experience, we have proven quality standards and proven processes for evaluating and hiring only the best editors. Our testing process is extensive and thorough to ensure that new editors with Scribendi have been thoroughly vetted and have the necessary skills and experience to excel.
A typical Scribendi editor has two or more degrees, 15 years of professional experience, and is published in his or her chosen field. Our business editors are experienced with every type of business document, be it a marketing report or an analysis of investment opportunities. See what our customers have to say about our qualifications—view a long list of recent comments and customer feedback on our Client Testimonials page. Since our founding in 1997, our clients have come back to us again and again. If you would like help choosing the editor that is right for your document, please feel free to contact us; our Customer Relationship Specialists will be happy to provide guidance.
Scribendi has been a world leader in online editing for over two decades, and we are independently certified by ISO, the gold seal of international standards. We’ve won numerous awards over the last twenty years, and we are a member of the Better Business Bureau, which certifies fair business practices.
What’s more, at Scribendi you can try before you buy. We offer a free 1,000-word sample to new customers.
You can also submit your document in small sections to see how we do; we have no minimum order size, and the minimum charge is just $7.00 (USD).
For more information about our company and our credentials, you can also see our About Us FAQs and company profile. And feel free to review a long list of recent client testimonials!
Scribendi takes customer satisfaction very seriously. You can provide feedback directly to us (there will be a link on your order details page), or you can get in touch with us using the Scribendi Contact Us page or by calling us at +1 (519) 351-1626, and we will look into your issue immediately.
There is no minimum order size, but we do have a minimum charge of 10 XDR (which is approximately 13.91 USD) to cover administrative costs. If you have several small documents, you might consider putting them all in one order to get the best value for your dollar.
We specialize in editing a wide variety of document types, providing academic services, student services, ESL services, author services, business or corporate services, and personal services. We have experts on staff in every field and genre, and since we've been in business so long, we've seen just about every different type of document there is. So no matter your subject or field, rest assured that we have someone who can edit it. If you’re not sure what service is the most appropriate for your needs, please feel free to contact us or talk to us via Chat.
We have an expert team of real, live human editors doing the work here. While we embrace technology, it is always used to assist editors rather than replace them. Scribendi’s editors utilize the best possible resources so that they can provide the best quality of service.
Our website is open for orders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our editing professionals are on duty 24/7. Our administrative staff is available between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. EST (GMT -5); we generally answer all emails within 24 hours, if not sooner.
Your document will be revised based on your selected service and version of English, and you can have elements formatted according to your preferred style guide. Spelling and grammar errors will be corrected throughout, while font and spacing consistency will be ensured. Revisions will be made to improve the flow, clarity, and word choice while maintaining your voice and style as much as possible. The editor will leave comments to indicate areas where further improvements are possible, and they will offer suggestions to help you improve your document and your writing. In the editor notes, your editor will provide a summary of the work that has been completed and may highlight key areas that require further work. Just pick the service that is right for you and select your turnaround time to get a free, instant quote today.
Scribendi stands by its work and guarantees that the work will meet the company’s high standards. Our quality processes are certified by ISO to guarantee that client concerns are investigated immediately. If you are not happy with our work, please tell us; you can use the contact form or fill out the feedback form on your order pickup page. We will investigate your concerns immediately; if there is an issue with the work that has been completed, we will take all appropriate measures to address the concern.
You can reach us through our contact page, by phone at +1 (519) 351-1626, or get in touch via Chat.
Our quote widget automatically calculates and applies a discount for the following: A) when you choose a service with a longer turnaround time, B) when you want us to work on a large document, and C) when you order during off-peak periods.
Some examples:
- You will save money if you order a 48-hour turnaround time rather than a 24-hour turnaround time or if you choose a 1-week turnaround time rather than a 72-hour turnaround time.
- You will save money if you have a very large document, such as a book manuscript.
- You will save money if you choose to have documents edited during the week rather than on the weekend.
If you are from a business or corporation and looking for a customized service, please see our Business or Corporate service page for details.
You don't need to register to use Scribendi’s editing and proofreading services, but if you do register, you can save time and money! If you register, you will benefit from a number of features:
- Whenever you place an order, you will save time because your name and address are remembered.
- You can log in to view all of your current and previous orders.
- You will qualify for special offers, discounts, and customer rewards.
- You can apply to have your orders billed to a business account.
Your personal information will be kept confidential (see our privacy policy for details), and your credit card details will not be stored in your customer profile.
If you have to cancel an order, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you. Once you realize that you have to cancel your order, please try to contact us as soon as possible to reduce unnecessary work from being completed on the document.
You can post your document to us, but Scribendi accepts documents only in electronic format. You can mail us a USB with your files for editing. Just see our contact page for details on how to get in touch via post.
You can find the code of the editor who worked on your document by checking your Order Pick Up notice or, if you are registered with Scribendi, by looking at the Order History in your account. If you still can’t find the editor’s code, please feel free to contact us.
We're here, we're there, we're everywhere! Seriously, we have English editors all over the globe. Our headquarters, which is where all communications are channeled, is in Canada. If you've read all of our FAQs and still have a question for us, see our contact page for details on how to get in touch.
Have a look at our About Us FAQ and our company profile.
If you still have a question after reading our FAQs, please see our contact page for details on how to get in touch or use our quick and easy Chat function.
Scribendi comes from a Latin phrase, cacoethes scribendi, which means "the urge to write."