Dr. Claudia B
Swindon, UK
“I secretly proofread everything I read.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
PhD Chemical and Process Engineering
Newcastle University
1997–2001
MSc Chemical Engineering
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
1995–1997
BSc Chemical Engineering
Universidade Católica de Pernambuco
1990–1994
Favorite referencing style
Harvard because I am more familiar with it, having used in my own writing.
Why I became an editor
One of my main jobs as an engineer is to write technical reports. It is common for technical professionals to be good at maths but not at grammar, but that has never been my case. I have always loved reading, and writing is one of my strong points.
Over the years, the quality of my reports was recognised, and I found myself in demand to proofread my colleague’s reports. Then I thought, why not do it professionally? This is when I decided to become a proofreader and editor. Now I do something that I enjoy and get satisfaction from improving the quality of other people’s writing.
Background and experience
I've held the following roles: water engineer, Jacobs Limited, 2004–2019; research associate, Newcastle University, 2001–2004. My experience in proofreading and editing started with training at the Proofreading Academy and a role at Proofed.
Why I love proofreading and editing
I love the satisfaction of making a piece of writing read flawlessly. I especially enjoy proofreading and editing anything on engineering, bioengineering, science, and computing. I have experience writing journal articles, so I particularly enjoy proofreading those. I used Harvard referencing for my PhD thesis, but as a proofreader I have also acquired experience in APA and Chicago styles.
Favorite book:
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Hobbies:
When I'm not proofreading, I love spending time with my daughter (usually baking), reading, or going for outdoor walks.
Editing tips:
The first thing I do when I start proofreading is to do a grammar check using the Word editor review. In this way, I eliminate the most obvious mistakes, and then I proceed to do a detailed check.
