/Office for Research and Innovation
Office of Proposal Development

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Copy Editing Support

Request Support Here

The Office of Proposal Development (OPD) works with the following external consultants to provide copy editing services for Stony Brook University proposal submissions:

SBU investigators can request copy editing services from OPD for any submission with a total budget of at least $250,000. SBU must be the lead institution on the project. 

Requests are approved on a case-by-case basis, depending on the availability of funds in the budget. Please keep in mind that the budget for this service runs from July 1st through June 30th each year.

Approved projects can expect to receive the following:

A member of the Research Development Team in OPD will facilitate all of the communication with the consultant, starting with the initial request all the way through to the final review and approval. The PI will typically have the opportunity to review the recommended edits, revise the proposal draft to incorporate the consultant’s suggestions, and send it back for another round of review. The OPD staff member will take care of all of the back and forth communication between the editor and the PI team and will facilitate meetings as necessary. The OPD staff member will also keep the project on schedule, making sure that the PI team receives the revised version of the proposal back from the editor in a timely manner. To ensure you get the most out of this service, it is recommended that you communicate regularly with the OPD staff member to go over project developments as well as significant changes to the proposal content or expected timeline.

This amount typically covers two rounds of edits. Because pricing is dependent on the consultant selected and the length and complexity of the proposal, it is best to discuss options in advance. 

If you expect that you will not be able to cover 50% of the cost, please discuss with a Research Development staff member during your first meeting. Requests for full coverage of external services will be approved on a case-by-case basis, depending on the availability of funds in the budget. 

OPD has discussed the scope of services with all of the recommended consultants, and they understand the proposal development and submission process. They offer a wide range of research expertise, and proposals will be matched with an editor with a complementary focus area. Depending on the proposal size and complexity, as well as the project timeline, the consultant may be able to provide additional editing services, such as scientific review or other strategic guidance. The recommended editors have experience submitting proposals to all types of sponsors. It is recommended that you consult with an OPD staff member before selecting the editor for your project.

The PI should be aware of the following commitments:

PIs receiving copy editing support should set aside ample time to review the suggestions and comments from the editor. While our partner consultants bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise related to effective proposal writing, we do not guarantee that they are experts in the same area of research. Therefore, PIs should not expect a review of experimental plans or technical work and should very carefully consider any suggestions related to those proposal components. Incorporating the editor's suggestions can be a time consuming process. By requesting this service, the PI is committing to put in the necessary work once the revised proposal is received from the external editor.

PIs are also responsible for identifying and clearly communicating the type of copy editing support needed for the proposal. Examples of copy editing support offered by OPD include proofreading for English language and grammar, suggestions of areas to cut or streamline text, and review of the following:

Does the project description/narrative flow well? 
Does the project description/narrative have a consistent voice?
Can the project description/narrative be understood by someone outside the field?

 

All requests should be made at least 4 weeks prior to the date that you need the final product.

If OPD is unable to offer support for your project, you will have the option to work with the above consultants directly. Please be sure to ask about confidentiality agreements. Research Development staff are always available to connect Stony Brook University faculty with recommended editors and provide guidance at any time throughout the project development.