Research Editor Spotlight: Lyzelle

A good research editor is someone knowledgeable, detail-oriented, and able to communicate effectively with others. When you ask the Journal Lab team whom they think fits the bill, Lyzelle, one of our very own research editors, presents herself as a strong contender. For this article, we sat down with Lyzelle and talked about her experiences, projects, and passion for quality research. Read her story below, and witness how one person’s love for the environment led her to discover her love for research.

 

This article is about Lyzelle, one of Journal Lab’s research editors.

 

Tell us about your editing and publication experience, together with your background.

I am now in my second year as a Research Editor in Lexcode, but before that, I was a full-time graduate student at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, taking a master’s degree in Environmental Science. I also took my bachelor’s degree in Biology from the same university. In terms of editing and publication, I write and edit case studies, term papers, and guidelines, among others. I also worked on the Initial Environmental Examination Report (IEER) for one of the municipal health offices in Laguna and some Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports, specifically regarding the freshwater ecology component, for several development projects in the Philippines.

 

Lyzelle is a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps, a community of 31,000 strong working toward climate resiliency and a low-carbon, sustainable future.
 

What do you do daily as a research editor?

I usually monitor the requests from our clients and some projects or manuscripts submitted to various journals. Aside from this, I allot some of my time to researching technologies and other productivity tools that can help our editors work efficiently. As we’re looking for new members to join our team, I also handle some recruitment and training tasks.

 

“Don’t be afraid to have your work criticized and rejected.”

 

Do you have any advice for academics submitting their work?

I advise, “Don’t be afraid to have your work criticized and rejected.” In a fast-paced environment and generation, failing or having your work criticized makes us feel like we’ve wasted so much time or we’re running late. However, one way to see what’s lacking in our research is to have it critiqued by experts in your field.

Before sending a manuscript to Journal Lab editors, what should an author do first? 

Authors should first know the level of editing needed for their work, whether it should be General Editing, which covers grammaticality, or Scholar Editing, the more in-depth editing service with critique. If they are still uncertain of their work’s quality and need an expert in their field to review the soundness of their research, we recommend they avail of our Expert Review service. For authors who are already finished with their manuscript but don’t know which journal to submit to, it’s best if they share their requirements and preferences (e.g., publication time, target impact factor, acceptance rate, etc.), so we can give them a data-driven and expert-led journal recommendation.

 

“Working at Journal Lab has helped me deepen my understanding of fields of knowledge different from my own.”

 

What do you like most about working at Journal Lab? 

Working at Journal Lab has helped me deepen my understanding of fields of knowledge different from my own. I am able to broaden my perspective as a researcher, reader, and editor by learning from the experts in those fields. I can gain insights into not only the content of their work but also their approaches, methods, and perspectives. This way, my knowledge and experiences as a writer, editor, and researcher are enriched.

What kind of papers do you enjoy reading? 

I really enjoy manuscripts related to biochemistry, pathology, environmental science, and psychology. Because of my background in biology, reading and editing papers with scientific names excite me. Recently, we’ve handled some projects that were not full-blown academic papers but were still related to sustainability and development, so I’ve been enjoying those too.

How do you continue improving your editing skillset? 

As an editor, every day is an avenue to learn new things, so I take time to read the developments related to our job. I also refer to some style guides commonly used as references in formatting manuscripts to help me know more about editing style beyond in-text citations and reference formatting. Finally, I try to edit more files other than academic and scientific files to familiarize myself with the tone, flow, and jargon of different file types, such as legal, promotional, and corporate.

What research subjects are you most interested in at the moment? 

Currently, I am most interested in environmental pollution and toxicology, aquatic ecology, and biochemistry. Specifically, I am looking into the presence and abundance of microplastics in table salts here in the Philippines.

 

Truly an eco-warrior, Lyzelle’s love for the environment has led her to pursue further education and several projects that she hopes will have a long-term, positive impact on the world.

 

What are particular skills critical to being successful in your role as a research editor?

These are, in my opinion, attention to detail, research abilities, and communication skills. To edit correctly, you must have a strong eye for typos, inconsistencies, and questionable word choices. It also requires you to be able to explain and discuss your edits with others, so you must be able to clarify your editorial conclusions. Research editors should also be knowledgeable of the style guide and fundamental grammar rules to ensure correctness and consistency.

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in the scholarly publishing industry since you started?

Since 2020, the most significant changes I’ve seen in the scholarly publishing industry have been a greater emphasis on digital and remote publishing. Publishers have had to adjust swiftly to the changing market by investing in and developing digital solutions, as well as adapting their workflows to be completed remotely. Furthermore, there has been a focus on open access and making content more available to a broader audience. Finally, there has been a greater emphasis on providing resources and services to assist authors in their success.

Do you have any predictions for the future of scholarly publishing?

I believe that technological innovations, such as data analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, will shape the future of scholarly publications. Publishers will shift their focus to content curation rather than content creation, necessitating a greater reliance on technology. Furthermore, I believe that scholarly publishing will emphasize user experience, such as interactive aspects in publications and more accessible content across numerous platforms.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I watch anime and Thai BL* series and read some BL manhwa during my free time. Now, I am watching SpyXFamily, The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting, My Hero Academia, and Mob Psycho 100, but my all-time favorite anime is Haikyu!!. I even have lots of Fuwa Rokorin and Mochi plushies of Bokuto, Nishinoya, and Sugawara. Last October, I also watched a concert featuring one of my favorite BL series, KinnPorsche. Those were among the most satisfying, exciting, and enjoyable four hours of my life. Currently, I am watching Between Us, a side story of Until We Meet Again, and I just finished watching Love in the Air and Big Dragon. (*BL: Boy love)

 

Don’t let the pictures and merch fool you. Lyzelle can edit paper after paper in her workstation, which perfectly captures her hobbies and interests.

 

“… I wasn’t afraid of learning and making mistakes, which made me who I am as an editor today.”

 

What advice would you give someone interested in working in the scholarly publishing industry?

Anyone interested in working in scholarly publications should try it out and not be intimidated. When I applied for this position, I knew that my strengths were primarily based on my experience in writing academic papers, but editing is a different beast, and it made me reconsider my decision to accept this position. But I wasn’t afraid of learning and making mistakes, which made me who I am as an editor today. Also, read trade journals, follow thought leaders in the sector, and attend conferences whenever possible to remain updated on the newest trends and advancements. Above all, be enthusiastic about your work, and don’t hesitate to ask questions.

Finish this sentence: Dear authors…

Dear authors: Thank you for your hard work and dedication to producing high-quality scholarly content. I believe that your work will help our society continue to develop, and it is an honor to have the opportunity to work with you and to help bring your work to life.

Submitting your paper to a journal?

Whether you’re trying to find out which journal you should submit your paper to, finalizing your paper and getting it ready for submission, or just making sure your references and citations are consistently and properly formatted, our research editors, like Lyzelle, are ready to assist you in getting the job done. Reach us at [email protected] for any questions, or visit http://journallab.io/ to learn more about Journal Lab!

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