While important research is conducted globally, English remains the dominant language of the most impactful academic journals. While most academics have learned English, the complicated process of writing an entire paper for acceptance in a major publication remains a challenge. Yet, with more and more submitted manuscripts littered with grammatical mistakes, journals are insisting that English standards be upheld and in fact, using English as a criterion for acceptance.

Journal selection is an arduous and tiresome process, especially when authors must keep checking the complicated information for authors sections. These sections are set up to detail every aspect a paper must include from type of paper to how to prepare references. With the rise of nonnative English submissions, journals are finding it crucial to emphasize explicitly the importance of English language in submitted articles. Frontiers in Bioscience writes that, "The manuscript should be prepared in Flawless American English." Without expert Proofreading it is doubtful that flawless American English is possible for a nonnative speaker and indeed for many native speakers.

Authors with poor language skills may proofread their own papers but journals maintain extremely high standards. For example, "Advanced Research Journals will not edit submitted manuscripts for style or language; reviewers may advise rejection of a manuscript if it is compromised by grammatical errors." Checking grammar and proofreading a paper usually requires training for native speakers so it becomes a monumental task for those who have learned English as a second language. Science Alert submission instructions start, "Poor English may ultimately be a reason to refuse a paper." As journals receive many submissions and acceptance is very difficult, they can use any reason to reject an otherwise good paper. Researchers should never risk a lack of editing and proofreading as a reason for their rejection. Proofreading techniques and services can be used so that English problems never result in rejection.

Journals are beginning to realize the problems that many poor English speakers encounter and realize that the best option available is to use high quality professional proofreading services. For example, Wiley Blackwell suggests "Professional editing will mean that reviewers are better able to read and assess your manuscript." As written English involves so many complexities, great time is saved when English proofreading services are used to improve grammar, punctuation, and format consistencies. A particular challenging aspect of English for many authors is understanding the differences between American and British English, a time-consuming task that again is best done by using professionals trained in proofreading techniques.

The submission instructions for journals published by the American Physiology Society state, "Authors for whom English is not their native language are strongly encouraged to seek the aid of a professional English language editorial service." Again, these instructions highlight the great need for authors to use online proofreading services. Unless they are able to find a colleague well-versed in their subject area, a nonnative English speaker would be risk rejection solely for ill-placed commas and misspelled words. With the wide breadth of online proofreading services available, ESL authors should begin to think of a final proofreading job as an essential part of their publication and thus, ability to advance further in their careers.

Editage, listed by Wiley as an example of an English editing and proofreading service, offers high-quality affordable proofreading jobs.