How to Edit a Journal Article
When people think of editing journal articles, some editor stereotypes come to mind. Someone with a stern face, glasses, and a red pen they wield like a weapon. Of course, this person can’t cut it as an academic themselves, so they have to hammer on the language technicalities because it’s their only card.
Alternatively, it’s someone less imposing. This academic editor fixes a few commas, tidies up spelling, and calls it a day. Because the job isn’t that hard, right? It can be done in three days. After all, the spellchecker does most of the heavy lifting.
Both stereotypes are wrong. Especially when working with the right editor.
Editing Journal Articles Isn’t What You Think
A journal article has a very specific audience, structure, and purpose. It’s part of a broader academic conversation. Whether you’re an editor working with a publisher, a researcher self-editing before submission, or a freelancer offering an academic editing service, you need to know what journal editing actually involves.
Specifically, we look at how to edit a journal article after peer review, i.e. the journal has already accepted the article and sent it for external evaluation. Some of our tips will still apply to editing the article for submission, so grab some coffee and settle in.
Table of Contents
What Is a Journal Article, Anyway?
A journal article is a focused piece of academic writing (typically 20-25 A4 pages) that presents original research, e.g. a case study, a methodology, or a theoretical discussion. It’s written for a very specific audience, usually other researchers or specialists in a particular field, and it’s published in an academic journal rather than a book or a thesis repository.
Articles typically follow a set structure (especially in the sciences): abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion. Importantly, they must be formatted according to the target journal’s house style. That means specific conventions for things like references, citations, headings, tables, and figures.
In short: it’s not just about good writing. It’s about writing that meets academic, disciplinary, and journal-specific standards. That’s where a professional editor comes in.
So, What Is Peer Review, Then?
Peer review this, peer review that. Let’s quickly get our bearings.
Peer review is the backbone of academic publishing. Before a journal accepts an article, it sends the article to one or more subject experts (the reviewers) who evaluate its originality, rigour, clarity, and relevance to the field. They might suggest improvements, ask for clarification, or flag weaknesses in the argument or methodology. Sometimes they recommend rejection. Sometimes, they say “accept with major revisions” – which is academic for nice try, try again.
Once the author has revised the manuscript, it may go back to the reviewers for a second look. If they’re satisfied, the article gets the green light: accepted for publication.
At this point, the focus shifts. The research has been approved, so now it’s time to make sure the writing meets the journal’s standards.
The Two Editing Scenarios Post-Peer Review
After the peer review process, journal articles usually land in one of two categories:
- Accepted with revisions still pending.
- Accepted and moving into production.
In the first scenario, the author is still incorporating reviewer feedback, possibly with the help of an editor. There may be structural changes, added content, or clarifications needed before the manuscript is re-evaluated.
In the second scenario, the author has completed all revisions. The peer reviewers have signed off. Now the article is heading into production, and it needs a final round of editing. Not for content, but for language, formatting, and consistency.
This is where many in-house or freelance editors come in, and where our focus and experience lie.
Language Editing for Journal Articles
When you’re editing a journal article that’s already cleared peer review, the goal isn’t to reshape the content. Your job is to prepare the manuscript for typesetting and eventual publication. That means paying attention to:
Clarity and Flow
Even strong research can suffer from clunky phrasing or awkward transitions. This is the moment to smooth out the language. Tighten long sentences, resolve ambiguous wording, and make sure the argument reads logically from start to finish.
However, be warned:
The academic still has a voice. Their name is on the article and it’s another flagstone in their career path. As editors, we don’t get to hijack this by injecting our opinions on a subject we’re not necessarily experts in. Instead, use the document’s comments function to explain why the text isn’t working and suggest solutions.
Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling
You’re the safety net. The last line of defence against rogue punctuation and inconsistencies in spelling (especially if the journal requires UK English, but the article uses US English or vice versa).
A style sheet comes in handy here. Record your language decisions in a document, so you can refer back instead of trying to remember everything. It’s also useful for the academic to understand afterwards why you made certain changes.
Style Guide Compliance
Every academic journal has its own formatting rules. From in-text citations to reference lists, heading levels to figure captions, your job is to make sure the manuscript matches the journal’s style exactly. Most journals’ style guides are on their websites, as academics are supposed to refer to them when submitting their articles. If not, you can email your contact at the journal for a copy.
That style sheet you’re meticulously updating? It should also comply with the journal’s rules. The editor doesn’t decide UK over US spelling, pro- or anti-Oxford comma. The style guide’s stipulations take precedence.
Consistency
Inconsistency, thy name is editorial peril.
Has the author referred to the same concept in three different ways? Are tables labelled correctly and consistently? Are abbreviations defined once and used reliably? Small inconsistencies can slip through during revisions, especially when there have been multiple rounds of peer review. Editors clean those up.
It’s not about being picky or a know-it-all. Consistency in editing means providing an effortless reading experience. The reader shouldn’t stumble through confusing references or doubt the text’s meaning. And for an article with a word count limit, these issues are often starker.
Editing Multiple Articles for One Issue
Now, let’s take it up a notch. You’re not editing just one article. You’re editing a full issue of an academic journal. This might be a themed or “special” issue, a regular quarterly publication, or a collection of articles from a conference. And while each piece might stand on its own, they’re all part of the same whole.
This is where things get more complex.
When you’re editing multiple articles from different contributors, your focus expands beyond clarity and correctness. You’re now applying consistency across the entire issue, so that when it lands in readers’ hands (or inboxes), it looks cohesive and professionally produced.
This involves:
Terminology and Abbreviations
Are different articles referring to the same theory, method, or organisation using slightly different terms? You’ll need to check for overlap and harmonise usage, especially in niche fields where jargon is common.
For example: World Health Organization. Articles can refer to the organisation in various ways:
- The World Health Organization
- World Health Organisation
- WHO
- The WHO
Some use ‘z’ spelling and others ‘s’. Some use ‘the’ beforehand and others don’t. Some never use the abbreviation (WHO) and others jump right in without giving the full name first.
While spelling things out is part of it, the goal is making sure readers stay oriented across multiple pieces.
Headings and Structure
Some journals provide templates or require authors to use certain heading levels and formats. Others don’t. This can lead to wildly different structures. For example:
Numbered and sentence case:
1. Introduction to editing
1.1 Why editing matters
1.2 Types of editing
1.2.1 Developmental editing
1.2.2 Line editing
Unnumbered with different formatting:
Introduction to editing
Why editing matters
Types of editing
Developmental editing
Line editing
Capitalisation and font size:
INTRODUCTION TO EDITING
Why editing matters
Types of editing
Developmental editing
Line editing
As editor, it’s your job to apply a uniform style (within reason) so the issue reads like a curated collection, not a random pile of PDFs.
Citations and References
This one’s big. Even if every article technically follows the journal’s preferred citation style (spoiler: they often don’t), you still need to look out for formatting inconsistencies: missing DOIs, strange capitalisation, inconsistent journal titles, or every way under the rainbow of citing online sources. You’ll also want to scan for duplicate entries or references that are cited but not listed (and vice versa).
References are a guilty pleasure for us, so we like getting stuck in. That’s why our approach is still very manual: a pen and notebook. But don’t worry, there are other ways too. PerfectIt is a popular proofreading software that helps you check inconsistencies in a manuscript. Capitalisation, punctuation, table titles, acronyms, you name it. If you need it to perform a specific function, like reference checking, you can run macros (generously made available for free by Paul Beverley).
Biographical Notes, Keywords, Abstracts
These often get overlooked, but they matter, especially when readers are scanning a journal’s table of contents online. Do all bios follow the same format? Are keywords punctuated and capitalised consistently? Are abstracts structured or freeform, and are they readable and informative?
When you’re editing a full issue, you become a kind of editorial conductor. You ensure each article plays its part while keeping everything in tune. It’s about curating a professional and coherent academic publication.
Final-Stage Checklist for Editing Journal Articles
Even though a journal is shorter than a monograph or a thesis, it doesn’t mean it requires less effort or is any less intense. There’s still a lot to look after, so a checklist can help you stay on track.
Language & Clarity
□ Are sentences clear, concise, and free of ambiguity?
□ Is the tone appropriate for the journal (formal, neutral, objective)?
□ Have overly long or convoluted sentences been simplified?
□ Are technical terms defined on first use (where necessary)?
□ Is passive voice used purposefully and sparingly?
Grammar, Spelling & Punctuation
□ Is the spelling consistent (UK/US) and correct throughout?
□ Have grammar and punctuation errors been corrected?
□ Are hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes used correctly and consistently?
□ Have you double-checked any auto-correct gremlins or spellchecker misses?
Consistency (Especially Across Multi-Author Issues)
□ Are key terms, abbreviations, and phrasing used consistently?
□ Are heading levels and styles uniform across all articles?
□ Are abstract structures and bios consistent in format and tone?
□ Are keywords formatted consistently (capitalisation, punctuation, spacing)?
□ Are any repeated references, acronyms, or concepts harmonised across articles?
Style Guide Compliance
□ Does the manuscript follow the target journal’s style guide exactly?
□ Are headings, subheadings, captions, and footnotes in the correct format?
□ Are in-text citations styled correctly and consistently?
□ Are references complete and correctly formatted?
□ Are any journal-specific quirks (e.g. British spelling + APA 7th) correctly handled?
Tables, Figures & Data
□ Are all tables and figures numbered and labelled correctly?
□ Are table and figure references accurate and placed appropriately in the text?
□ Are captions informative and consistently formatted?
□ Are visuals legible, properly cited, and correctly titled?
□ Are any accompanying files or supplementary materials accounted for?
Final Checks
□ Is the word count within the journal’s limits (including or excluding references)?
□ Have all reviewer comments been properly addressed and integrated?
□ Are there any leftover track changes or comment bubbles?
□ Have you done a final proofread after formatting edits?
□ Is the manuscript clean, complete, and ready to hand off for typesetting or upload?
Want to Keep This Checklist On-hand?
Download our PDF for easy reference
Editing Journal Articles Is a Craft, Not a Checkbox
Editing journal articles isn’t simply spotting typos or reining in rogue dashes. It’s about respecting the weight of academic work while making sure the final manuscript is consistent and ready for publication. You’re not rewriting the research, but you’re helping it show up in its best possible light to reviewers, journal editors, and future readers.
And yes, sometimes that means fixing a citation style that looks like it was patched together from four different referencing tools and a blurry conference slide. But it also means applying editorial judgement, knowing when to step in and when to let the author’s voice shine through.
Academic editing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Editing an academic monograph, an edited volume, or journal articles all call for different approaches. You’ll likely find anomalies within each. But in every case, the editor’s job is the same: to respect the author’s work, refine the language, and make sure the final manuscript is ready to stand up to scrutiny.
Blue Leaf Team
The Blue Leaf Editing team has over 15 years of combined editing, publishing, and book industry experience. We’re passionate about content and storytelling, and sharing our knowledge with others.
info@blueleafediting.com