Frequently Asked Questions
Who are we? What do we do?
Medical and Scientific Communication (MSC) is a division of the Research Support Unit (RSU), National University Health System. The division is supported by both the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and the National University Health System (NUHS).
At MSC-RSU, we provide services to help NUHS researchers, primarily early-career physician investigators/scientists/innovators to communicate their research more effectively through better medical/scientific writing, whether for peer-reviewed scholarly publications or competitive grant applications.
Who is eligible to use your services?
We serve NUHS staff and researchers actively involved in scientific research.
NOTE: We do not edit texts that are part of a student’s work for a formal degree at the National University of Singapore or elsewhere. Academic supervisors are requested not pass their student’s work to us for professional editing.
Do we have to pay for your services?
Presently, all services provided are free of charge to eligible NUHS staff and researchers.
Do we have to acknowledge your assistance when we publish our research findings?
Yes. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors requires authors to give full disclosure for any assistance rendered during their research (from research conception to completion to publication).
Contrary to popular belief, reputed journals such as the Nature Communications group of journals encourage the use of professional editing services, and disclosure of having engaged in such services does not make the manuscript less acceptable for publication or render the author less credible.
Will my research idea, data, and other information be kept confidential if I use your service?
Yes. We understand and respect the confidentiality of your research ideas and unpublished findings. Every article you submit to us for pre-submission editing will be considered private and confidential. We adhere to a strict privacy policy that will not allow disclosure of your pre-published content to any third party without your explicit consent.
What do you do in the scientific editing of documents?
In scientific editing, an editor with a background in both scientific/medical research and scientific writing will examine and edit your manuscript from both the scientific and linguistic perspectives, modify or restructure the writing, if necessary, for clarity of presentation of your research, the outcomes and the interpretation, and to ensure the logical flow of content and consistency in your delivery of the messages.
What type of manuscript drafts may I submit for your editing?
This should be your final draft (pre-submission version, with Journal guidelines fulfilled) of the manuscript to be submitted to Q1 or Q2 journals.
How long will it take for my document to be edited?
The timeframe for editing your document depends on the volume of manuscripts in our queue. While we strive for an average turnaround time of 2-3 weeks, it could extend during peak seasons. As a non-commercial entity with limited capacity, we appreciate your understanding that our capabilities are constrained and we can only manage a workload within our capacity.
Can I request a fresh editing round after the revision post-journal review?
Yes, you are welcome to get back to us if you require further editing of your manuscript.
Do you proofread pre-publication galleys for authors?
No, we do not offer this service. This is the responsibility of the author.