Announcing the Value of Editing Research RFP

By Gigi Sutton

Update: The deadline for the RFP has been updated to July 15 and the funding has been increased.

Dear ACES community,

I am pleased to share some important news regarding an initiative that the ACES Board of Directors has prioritized as one of our strategic goals.

To better serve our members and the editing community at large, ACES is developing an editor research study and sending out a request for proposal, or RFP. This initiative aims to quantify the value of editing to readers across various types of media through a scientific study that can be replicated biennially.

As you know, ACES: The Society for Editing is dedicated to advocating for editors and advancing our profession through training, community, and support. Our membership includes nearly 5,000 professionals from diverse sectors, including journalism, academia, business, and government.

Historically, ACES has focused on the impact of editing within news organizations. A noteworthy study funded by ACES and conducted by Fred Vultee at Wayne State University highlighted how editing influences reader perception and identified the types of editing errors that are most impactful. Learn more: “Readers prefer edited news, research sponsored by ACES finds.“

We aim to build on that foundational research by exploring the perception of edited versus unedited content across multiple industries and media. Our ultimate goal is to understand how unedited versus edited copy affects reader experience and identify the most critical errors to address.

Together with the ACES Membership Committee and ACES staff, we are excited about the potential insights this study will provide to reinforce the value of editing.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement as we work to elevate the editing profession.

If you still have questions, feel free to reach out to me at acesresearch@aceseditors.org.

Best regards,

Gigi Sutton 
Executive Director

Learn more about the value of editing

ACES: The Society for Editing

ACES: The Society for Editing is the nation’s leading organization of editing professionals, educators, and students. Founded in 1997 by copy editors, ACES is dedicated to improving the quality of the written word and the working lives of editors. It sets standards of excellence and gives a voice to editors in journalism, government, business, publishing, and beyond through top-notch training, networking, and career opportunities. ACES hosts an annual in-person conference and, since 2022, an annual virtual conference. ACES Academy hosts monthly webinars. ACES also offers certificates in editing, which it co-hosts with The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism.