Are you writing a journal article but need assistance? Is the journal's style for references confusing? Or are you writing your first protocol and don't know how to start? The NIH Library Writing Center's Editing Service can save you valuable writing time.

Librarians on the Writing Center Team work one-on-one with NIH staff to help with specific work-related writing projects. We can point you to style guides, create output styles for EndNote® or Reference Manager® that convert your in-text citations and references to the proper format, and make suggestions for improving your manuscript's readability. Editorial service turn-around time is negotiated with the editor; delivery times vary based on the complexity of the manuscript.

Our goal is to get you to a solid first draft that you can then take to your mentor, your colleagues, your lab chief, or your deputy director to vet the science. Just request editing assistance.(Please wait to send your document until instructed.)

NIH badge holders are eligible to receive personal assistance when preparing documents for reporting or presentation such as:

• manuscripts
• book chapters
• protocols
• case studies
• research statements
• posters
• PowerPoints 

Library staff regret that we are unable to edit the following types of documents:

• Alien of Extraordinary Ability, "green card," application letters
• medical/graduate school personal statements
• job application letters
• theses or dissertations
• resumes or CVs
• grant applications
• congressional reports
• whole books
• Reports/journal manuscripts of research not done at NIH

What We Will Do For You
We will:

• Listen and help you clarify what your writing needs are
• Direct you to useful books, websites, and services
• Advise you on how to structure an abstract, a manuscript, or a presentation
• Read and edit your draft and suggest improvements for communicating with your audience
• Help you learn new writing skills
• Connect you with others at NIH who provide writing services and training, and
• Deliver editing service results within agreed-upon timelines

Editing
We provide light and medium editing. As the writer, you have the option to accept or reject our editing suggestions. In order to serve all NIH staff who request Writing Center Service, we leave it to you to perform in-depth editing and make all revisions.

Light Editing
Writing Center editors read your draft to:

• Identify needed corrections in spelling, word usage, grammar, and punctuation,
• Check for cross-references to elements such as tables and figures,
• Find sequencing elements that could benefit from consistency.

Medium Editing
Writing Center Team members also edit your draft to:

• Suggest text and heading changes that create parallel structure,
• Ensure consistency of a journal style according to the publisher's author instructions,
• Note where passive voice might be changed to active voice, and
• Flag writing that could be made clearer for the reader.

Additional Editing Support
Fellows and students have access to other formal writing and editing programs.

Fellows Editorial Board
Fellows have the option to submit ready-for-publication manuscripts to the Fellows Editorial Board. Submissions are accepted electronically and require a ten-day turn-around. This is a comprehensive editing service provided by volunteer scientific editors.

NIDA Editing Service
Researchers, fellows, and other NIDA staff can contact Mary Pfeiffer, editor/writer, for assistance editing manuscripts and work-related documents. Call 443-740-2447 or email Mary Pfeiffer.

NIEHS Editing Service
The editorial staff of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) has many years of experience working with authors from diverse areas of environmental health–related science and would like to help NIEHS staff with manuscripts and departmental reports. To request assistance, contact Bono Sen via email or call 919-541-4692.

Office of Intramural Training & Education
Postdoctoral fellows, postbacs, and summer interns have writing classes and career counseling support available through the OITE.

For more information about the NIH Library Editing Service, call Reference & Information Services at 301-496-1080 or email the Writing Center Team.