Martin Payne | development copy editor proofread math science IT education

[email protected]        

I am expert at educational development editing, copyediting, proofreading of educational materials to International A-level and IB. My recent projects have included development editing of an online two-year International A-level (IAL) maths course, copyediting early-years maths workbooks, proofreading school reports (ongoing), copyediting an online IAL physics course and copy-editing, proofreading and answer checking ICT/Computer Science textbooks and online courses.

I also belong to an international editorial collective called Editing Globally, which means that if you are looking for something that I may not be able to provide, I can call on a group of trusted colleagues, one of whom is sure to fit the bill. See our website at www.editingglobally.com.

Specialist subjects

• Maths, ICT and science (physics, chemistry, biology) – proofreading, copy-editing, development editing (maths, physics and ICT), fact checking, answer checking, typesetting (InDesign), proof collation (at IB, A level, IGCSE, GCSE and primary levels) online course, digital resources and textbooks for educational publishers. 
• Information technology – proofreading, copy-editing and formatting for PDF: training manuals, implementation guides, user guides, reports, product manuals, marketing material.
• Business, politics, finance, cybersecurity – proofreading, copy-editing and formatting for PDF and e-book: books, policies, procedures, standards, business reports, ISMS, brochures.
• International development – proofreading and formatting of international development reports, international development proposals.
• Sport (particularly football, rugby union, cricket and motor racing) – proofreading, copy-editing, fact-checking and formatting: biographies, history books, annuals.
• Fiction – proofreading, copy-editing: particular specialisms in YA, science fiction and fantasy, crime/detective novels and thrillers.
• Lifestyle – proofreading and fact-checking of luxury lifestyle magazines, science and technology, photography.

Media

Online education courses, textbooks, workbooks, training manuals, journals, business reports, ISMS and other corporate policy and procedure documents, fiction, luxury magazines, student theses, websites, popular science and other non-fiction books on a variety of subjects. Typesetting using InDesign for professional journals, magazines, books and promotional material.

Recent training

• InDesign 2022 MasterClass – Udemy
• Mastering Styles and Templates – Sharon Parq Associates
• InDesign CC Essentials – Udemy
• Proofreading Headway – Society for Editors and Proofreaders 
• Six Sigma White Belt  – Process Management International (PMI) 
• Brush up your grammar – Society for Editors and Proofreaders
• Microsoft Word Advanced  – Activia
• Adobe Acrobat Masterclass – Certitec
• Business Fundamentals – The Open University
• Ebook publishing – Framework Training
• Proofreading 1 – Society for Editors and Proofreaders

Recent clients

Elliott & Thompson, Cambridge University Press, Pearson Education, Just Content, Schofield & Sims, Oxford University Press, Haremi, Association for Science Education, Newgen, EMC Design, Medify, King Edward's School, British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Hodder, Chemonics, Cambridge University Press, Scriptoria, Grange Communications, FMS, Youth Doctor Academy, Routledge (Taylor & Francis).

Qualifications

BSc Physics, PGCE (Physics and Maths), PRINCE2 practitioner, Agile scrum master.

Specialised software

• Adobe InDesign
• Wiris MathType
• Adobe Acrobat Professional
• Adobe Photoshop

Some recent titles I've worked on

• Cambridge AS level maths adapted for Sultanate of Oman MoE 
• The Catch (David Austin – Science Fiction novel)
• The Future of Geography: How Power and Politics in Space will change our World (Elliott & Thompson)
• School Science Review 104(386)
• St Mary's Calne School reports (ongoing, termly)
• Stage 7 Computer Science
• IB Diploma Physics
• Cambridge University Press O level Maths textbook
• Pearson IGCSE Computer Science T5
• School Science Review 103(385)
• Harrow Schools Online (Pearson) International A-level maths course
• Cambridge University Press Science Learner's Book Stage 8
• King Edward VI School Upper Sixth reports (ongoing, termly – more than 2,000 reports)
• Pearson IGCSE Computer Science T5
• Schofield & Sims Study and Practice Maths (seven books – Reception to Year 6)
• School Science Review 103(384)
• Hodder IT Revision Notes
• Harrow Schools Online (Pearson) International A-level physics course
• IGCSE Computer Science – Python
• School Science Review 103(383)
• Pearson IB Biology Question Bank
• CUP ICT Starters Teachers' Resources
• AQA GCSE Computer Science (Hodder)
• Pearson IB Diploma maths ebook
• Kognity IBDP Maths HL 
• Pearson Baccalaureate: Standard Level Mathematics for the IB Diploma
• Kognity IBDP Maths SL
• Pearson Baccalaureate: Higher Level Mathematics for the IB Diploma
• Medify BMAT Chemistry Tutorials and Practice Questions (online digital resource)
• Pearson International A Level Maths: teacher resource pack (development edit)
• Combined Science Revision Guide
• Combined Science Workbook
• Pearson Exploring Science
• Medify BMAT Physics Tutorials and Practice Questions
• CUP ICT Starters Next Steps
• Exam Skills for A level Biology
• Medify BMAT Maths Tutorials and Practice Questions
• Investigating prevalence and healthcare use of children with complex healthcare needs
• The Integrity of Love
• WAFM Mid-term evaluation
• Revise GCSE Maths Bootcamp Foundation
• BTEC DIT ActiveLearn Delivery Service (ALDS) Teacher Resource
• Pearson Maths IGCSE Revision
• Corporate Thematic Evaluation of UN Women’s Contribution to Governance ...
• Bon Vivant (luxury magazine)
• Development Indicators of Climate Risk (international development report)
• CUP ICT Starters: Initial Steps
• Brexit – a Betrayal of Conservatism?
• Official 2019 football annuals – Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Manchester United
• Cambridge International AS and A Level Chemistry Practical Workbook
• BTEC Tech Award in Digital Information Technology
• Sunseeker Magazine
• Cambridge International AS and A Level Chemistry Practical Workbook
• Introduction to Aesthetics (training manual)
• AI enhancements for machine learning text editors (student thesis)
• Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics Core and Extended workbook (Hodder)
• Management by Seclusion: A Critique of World Bank Promises to End Global Poverty
• Cambridge IGCSE International Mathematics workbook  (Hodder)
• Promoting Excellence in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Rehabilitation
• Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics Core and Extended  (Hodder)
• Max Weber's Vision for Bureaucracy: A Casualty of World War 1
• Whiplash: Risk Factors, Management and Long-term Effects
• Cambridge IGCSE International Mathematics  (Hodder)
• Anthropology in the Mining Industry: Community Relations After Bougainville's Civil War
• Student Engagement in the Digital University
• Islamophobia is the New Racism 
• AQA Level 3 Certificate in Mathematical Studies
• Adapted Reflexology in Musculo-skeletal Pain

My background

I started my career as a teacher – physics and maths up to A level, and science (chemistry and biology) to GCSE – before moving into computing / information technology, initially as a trainer (electronics for apprentices and repair engineers) and later as a consultant and project manager. I have worked with words throughout my career, writing training manuals and producing high-quality technical and business documents. In many roles I have been a department's development editor, copy-editor and proofreader; in my recent information security / cybersecurity role, I have had extensive experience copy-editing and proofreading Information Security Management System (ISMS) policies and procedures. I started my freelance editorial work in 2013 alongside my business / information technology / information security work and completed the transition to a full-time freelance role in 2018. As a copy-editor and proofreader, I have worked on a broad range of business material, technical documents, educational titles (from science textbooks for primary school students to A level chemistry practical workbooks), international development reports, student theses (on subjects from epidemiology to Islamophobia), business documents, and books on subjects as diverse as politics and cosmetic surgery. I have copyedited and proofread for the Association for Science Education (ASE) journal School Science Review since 2019, and have been the Executive Editor since 2021. I took on the additional role of Typesetter in 2022.

Other subject areas

Other subjects where I have a strong interest include:

Artificial intelligence, computer science, earth sciences, electronics, engineering, food and drink, geography, history (particularly military, political and science history), life science (biotechnology), nuclear physics, space science, theoretical computer science.

testimonials

Martin has been fast, accurate, reliable, and incredibly helpful to me when I have had a publisher's deadline or queries about moving a book to production.     

Glynn Cochrane, Professor of Anthropology.

Martin did a wonderful job in designing my manual in a very elegant pdf format. He took care of every detail, replied to every email with very specific answers, did exactly what I wanted and advised when there was something better than what I suggested.

Dr Tariq Sumrein, Medical Director, The Youth Doctor Academy.

Thank you for your great service. I was very happy with your communication and the quality of the work. I will definitely recommend you to friends and colleagues.

Chrissy Bishop, PhD student.

Martin is a very impressive proof reader. We are book publishers and need a very quick turnaround on proofreading. Martin is always fast, efficient and very thorough. Utterly reliable and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him. 

Emily Anderson, Head of Production, Grange Communications Ltd

Thanks again for sending over the files ... I’m currently working through them, and they are really good! So thanks for making my job easier.    

DP, Project manager.

Thanks so much for the very thorough proof read – well done for picking up all the factual stuff! That's often the sort of thing that a proof-reader has missed in the past.

EF, Production Editor.

• Editor
• Proofreader