Graduate Editing Service
The GES is a free editing service that the University provides to SU and ESF graduate students for selected high stakes documents (excluding coursework). Graduate students may request copyediting on final drafts of dissertations, master's theses, articles, conference presentations, and grant proposals. This service is available subject to advisors’ approval and GES capacity.
GES editors respond to initial requests on weekdays within 48 hours. GES submissions take a minimum of five business days to review. Copyediting time varies depending on length and complexity.
Graduate Editing Service vs. Writing Center—What’s the difference?
| Category | GES | WC |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to users | free | free |
| Specialization | sentence-level copyediting for clarity, grammar, and tone | feedback on ideas, structure, evidence, argument |
| High Stakes Documents | full chapters, articles, whole dissertations | job, fellowship, or graduate program application materials |
| Meeting with Consultants | not expected to meet | make an appointment |
| Drafting Stage | final draft stage only | any stage including revising or starting out |
| Coursework Policy | no coursework | any writing, including coursework, up to 5 pages per session |
| Permission Policy | advisor permission required | permission not required |