Dr Rachel Tyson

Featured

I am an editor and proofreader with over 25 years' experience of working on academic publications. I specialise in copy-editing and archaeology and history, from all periods and diverse geographical areas. I particularly relish the wide range of subject matter in archaeology publications, from historical discussions and finds catalogues, site plans and artefact drawings, to technical science analyses and complex bibliographies. I have experience of a broad range of other social sciences and humanities, and would also welcome non-academic texts.

I have copy-edited single- and multi-author books, ensuring consistency throughout, as well as collections of papers where each author has a different style. Other media include management reports, journal articles and society newsletters. I enjoy liaising with authors and publishers, individuals and organisations. As a published academic and researcher myself, I can appreciate the sensitivities of the author as well as the requirements of the publisher. I can intervene in greater depth for authors whose first language is not English. I am familiar with a range of publishers' house styles, and can help design an individually tailored house style. 

I am happy to discuss your particular requirements in any of the subjects listed below, and consider others, however large or small the project. I am professional but friendly, reliable and quick to respond to queries, and my meticulous approach ensures a high-quality end product.

Media

Books, multi-author books, journals, newsletters.

Experience

Freelance since 1996.

Training

References (CIEP) 2020, Editing with Word (SfEP) 2018, Copy-editing Progress (SfEP) 2016, Introduction to Proofreading (SfEP) 2015.

Attended SfEP South-West Mini Conference in Bristol, 13th July 2018.

Clients

Cambridge University Press, Taylor and Francis/Routledge, Thames and Hudson, Out of House Publishing, English Heritage, Archaeopress, British Archaeological Reports, Cotswold Archaeology, Archaeology South-East, Wessex Archaeology, Association for the History of Glass, British Museum publishing, Society of Antiquaries, Oxbow Books, Geo ExPro magazine.

Subjects

Archaeology (prehistory, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, medieval, post-medieval, excavation reports, artefacts, theoretical, scientific analysis, materials science, environmental, Britain, Europe, Near East, sub-arctic), Art and Antiques (glass and ceramics, art history, museum studies), History (ancient, medieval and modern, local, church, ethnohistory, world), Heritage Management, Social Sciences (material culture, ethnography), Education (primary), Geology (general).

Qualifications

BA Archaeology, PhD Archaeology, PGCE Upper Primary Education.

Testimonials

Rachel undertook an urgent copyediting job for us at short notice. She was very attentive and accommodating considering the specific requirements of the job and the time constraints. The work which Rachel handed back was thoroughly checked and of high quality. She also raised queries in the manuscript where appropriate, and put her subject matter expertise in archaeology to good use. I highly recommend Rachel and would not hesitate to use her again for future copyediting and proofreading jobs.

Rita Demetriou-Swanwick, Senior Commissioning Editor, BAR Publishing

Rachel Tyson was the most meticulous copy-editor that anybody could wish for.

SS, author of forthcoming book

• Editor
• Proofreader

• Archaeology
• History
• Humanities