Scientific Editing for Clinical Research & Life Sciences
From draft to submission-ready — for high-impact journals.
Get the scientific review your manuscript needs — before peer reviewers do. Senior biomedical scientists edit your paper for structure, logic, claim strength, and reviewer readiness.
Edited by senior biomedical scientists — led by a researcher with 82+ peer-reviewed publications in journals like The Lancet Oncology, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and Nature Communications. Not language-only editors.
Be among our first clients
Rigora is newly launched — so instead of recycled testimonials, you get something more valuable: a senior editorial team that gives every manuscript honest, founder-led attention, led by a named editor whose record you can verify yourself — a Habilitation-level physician-scientist with 82+ peer-reviewed publications who actively peer-reviews for high-impact journals.
Founding-client offer — 20% off your first order — use code FOUNDING20 at checkout while we onboard our first clients.
Submit Your ManuscriptWhat you get with the full scientific-editing package
No add-ons, no upsells, no per-word surprises. One flat fee covers all deliverables. Entry tiers include the annotated manuscript and language editing; the higher tiers add the full scientific-editing package below.
Annotated Manuscript
In-depth tracked changes addressing structure, argumentation, logic flow, claim strength, and scientific clarity. Developmental editing — not grammar-only proofreading.
Detailed Figure & Table Review
A scientific review of every figure, plot, and table — not just legend formatting. We assess statistical presentation, axis choices, error bars, sample sizes, and whether each visual genuinely supports your narrative.
Example: “Your Kaplan–Meier curve in Figure 3 is missing the hazard ratio and log-rank p-value — reviewers in oncology journals will flag this immediately.”
Pre-submission Peer Review
Strategic Editor Report
A concise report with prioritized revisions, reviewer-oriented observations, journal-fit advice, and concrete suggestions for strengthening your manuscript before submission.
What we systematically check before you submit
Not just language polish — a structured pass over the things that get manuscripts desk-rejected.
- Journal-fit assessment
- Figure & table scientific review
- Statistical reporting check
- Reference consistency check
- Reporting-guideline compliance (CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA)
- Claim-strength assessment
- Reviewer-readiness & claim defensibility
- Cover letter draft
Exact scope depends on your package — see the comparison below.
From submission to finished report in 4 steps
Choose your package
Select Manuscript or Thesis editing at the tier that fits your timeline. Pay securely via Stripe.
Send your manuscript
Reply to the confirmation email with your file. Turnaround begins immediately.
We edit in depth
Your senior editor reviews structure, argumentation, figures, and reviewer readiness.
Receive deliverables
Annotated manuscript, strategic report, and figure review — direct to your inbox.
See exactly what you'll receive
Here's a real excerpt from an anonymized Rigora editor report. No guessing, no trust-me — judge the quality yourself.
1. Executive Summary
The manuscript presents a well-designed cohort study on biomarker X in disease progression. The core data is strong, but the current framing undersells the clinical relevance. Three structural issues need addressing before submission: (a) the Discussion section conflates correlation with causation in two key paragraphs, (b) Figure 3 presents survival curves without hazard ratios, and (c) the statistical methods section omits the multiple-testing correction applied to secondary endpoints.
2. Priority Revisions (Reviewer Risk: High)
Discussion, paragraph 3: “Our data demonstrates that biomarker X causes disease progression” — this overstates the evidence. A reviewer will flag this immediately. Rephrase as “is independently associated with” and add the adjusted OR (2.4, 95% CI 1.3–4.1) from Table 2.
Figure 3, Kaplan-Meier curves: Missing hazard ratio and log-rank p-value in the legend. Reviewers in oncology journals expect these. Add HR=1.8 (95% CI 1.1–2.9), p=0.018 directly below the figure.
Methods, statistical analysis: The multiple-testing correction for secondary endpoints is not mentioned. Reviewers will question whether the reported p-values are adjusted.
Enter your email and we'll send a sample annotated manuscript + in-depth figure and table review report to your inbox. Free, instantly.
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This sample is illustrative. Names, data, and findings are fictional and do not represent an actual client manuscript.
Senior biomedical scientists — led by a named, verifiable editor
Not language-only editors. Not AI. Your manuscript is handled by our team of senior biomedical scientists, led by a researcher who actively publishes and peer-reviews for high-impact journals.
Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Sied Kebir, MD, PhD
Physician & researcher · University Hospital Essen
Clinical neuro-oncology · translational neuroscience · clinical trials
- Habilitation in neuro-oncology
- 82+ peer-reviewed publications
- Active researcher at a German university hospital
- Invited peer reviewer for high-impact journals (IF ≥ 9): Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Lancet Digital Health, Experimental Hematology & Oncology, Molecular Biomedicine
Supported by a vetted team of senior subject-matter editors across the life sciences — each manuscript is matched to the right specialist and overseen by the lead editor.
How Rigora compares to the alternatives
| What you get | Language editing services | Publisher-affiliated services | General scientific editing | Rigora |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named, verifiable senior editor | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Scientific & developmental editing (beyond language) | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Detailed figure & table scientific review | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Standalone figure review (bookable on its own) | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Reviewer-readiness & claim-strength assessment | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Flat fee — no per-word surprises | — | — | — | ✓ |
| 180-day free re-editing | — | — | — | ✓ |
| On-time-or-free & 7-day money-back | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Reflects typical offerings per category; individual providers may vary. | ||||
Four guarantees. Zero risk to you.
We carry the risk — not you. Every order is backed by all four:
7-day money-back
Not satisfied within 7 days of delivery? Full refund — no questions, no conditions.
On-time or it's free
If we miss the agreed turnaround, your project is free of charge. The deadline is on us.
Free re-editing for 180 days
Reviewer comments arrive months later. Your re-editing window stays open a full 180 days.
English fix, free
If a journal flags your English after our edit, we fix it at no extra cost.
Less than the cost of one desk rejection.
A desk rejection costs you 3–6 months. A major revision costs you 2 months. Rigora costs you days, not months — and comes with a full money-back guarantee.
For comparison: AJE Scientific Editing starts at ~US$1,500. Rigora delivers in-depth editing plus a detailed figure & table review and a named editor — €1,190.
Charged in EUR; USD shown for reference (1 EUR ~ US$1.17 · 30 May 2026).
Researchers from low- and middle-income countries — ask us about regional pricing.
Submission Ready
Developmental editing — not proofreading
Manuscripts up to 7,000 words
~US$805 (ref.)
- Annotated manuscript
- Language & clarity editing
- Figure legend check
- 14-day turnaround
- Signed editing certificate
Reviewer Ready
Full scientific editing
Manuscripts up to 7,000 words
~US$1,388 (ref.)
- Everything in Submission Ready
- Pre-submission peer review
- Detailed figure & table review
- Target journal recommendation
- Signed editing certificate
- 1 round of re-editing (within 180 days)
- 7-day turnaround
Fast Track
Full package, fastest delivery
Manuscripts up to 7,000 words
~US$1,854 (ref.)
- Everything in Reviewer Ready
- 72-hour turnaround
- 2 rounds of re-editing (within 180 days)
- 48-hour priority response on re-edits
- Cover letter + plagiarism check
- Signed editing certificate
Essential
Scientific editing & annotated thesis
Theses up to 60,000 words
~US$2,320 (ref.)
- Annotated thesis
- Language & clarity editing
- Figure legend check
- 45-day turnaround
- Signed editing certificate
Standard
Full scientific editing
Theses up to 60,000 words
~US$4,652 (ref.)
- Everything in Essential
- Pre-submission peer review
- Detailed figure & table review
- 1 round of re-editing (within 180 days)
- 30-day turnaround
- Signed editing certificate
Express
Full package, fastest delivery
Theses up to 60,000 words
~US$6,518 (ref.)
- Everything in Standard
- 14-day turnaround
- 2 rounds of re-editing (within 180 days)
- 48-hour priority response on re-edits
- Plagiarism check
- Signed editing certificate
Need just one thing? Book it on its own.
No full package required — book them standalone, or simply add them to any package at checkout.
Figure & Table Review
The only standalone scientific figure review — by a publishing researcher. Every figure, plot, and table assessed for statistical presentation, axis choices, error bars, and whether each visual genuinely supports your claims.
Response Letter Support
Editing of your point-by-point reviewer response letter, cross-checked against your revised manuscript — so your rebuttal is clear, complete, and persuasive.
What's included in each package
| Feature | Submission Ready | Reviewer Ready | Fast Track |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annotated manuscript | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Language & clarity editing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Figure legend check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pre-submission peer review | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Detailed figure & table review | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Target journal recommendation | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Signed editing certificate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Re-editing | — | 1 round (180 days) | 2 rounds (180 days) |
| Priority re-edit response (48h) | — | — | ✓ |
| Cover letter | — | — | ✓ |
| Plagiarism check | — | — | ✓ |
| Word count | Up to 7,000 words (excl. references). Beyond that: +€75 per additional 1,000 words — confirmed before you pay. | ||
| Turnaround | 14 days | 7 days | 72 hours |
| Price | EUR 690 | EUR 1,190 | EUR 1,590 |
| Final prices · no VAT charged (small-business regulation, §19 UStG) | |||
| Feature | Essential | Standard | Express |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annotated thesis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Language & clarity editing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Figure legend check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pre-submission peer review | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Detailed figure & table review | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Signed editing certificate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Re-editing | — | 1 round (180 days) | 2 rounds (180 days) |
| Priority re-edit response (48h) | — | — | ✓ |
| Plagiarism check | — | — | ✓ |
| Word count | Up to 60,000 words (excl. references). Beyond that: +€50 per additional 1,000 words — confirmed before you pay. | ||
| Turnaround | 45 days | 30 days | 14 days |
| Price | EUR 1,990 | EUR 3,990 | EUR 5,590 |
| Final prices · no VAT charged (small-business regulation, §19 UStG) | |||
Frequently asked questions
Submission Ready: An annotated manuscript with tracked changes, language & clarity editing, scientific/developmental editing, a figure legend check, and a signed editing certificate. Reviewer Ready: Everything in Submission Ready plus a pre-submission peer review (strategic editor report) with prioritized revisions, a detailed scientific review of every figure and table, a target journal recommendation, and one round of re-editing within 180 days after delivery. Fast Track: Everything in Reviewer Ready plus two rounds of re-editing within 180 days with 48-hour priority response, a cover letter, and a plagiarism check. All delivered as files to your inbox.
Yes. Every manuscript and thesis package includes a signed editing certificate confirming your work was professionally edited by a named senior biomedical scientist at Rigora. Many journals request proof of professional editing — you can submit it directly. Standalone add-ons such as the Figure & Table Review do not include a certificate.
We offer an unconditional 7-day money-back guarantee. If you're not satisfied within 7 days of delivery, you receive a full refund — no questions, no conditions. Re-editing is included in the higher tiers within 180 days of delivery: Reviewer Ready and thesis Standard include 1 round; Fast Track and thesis Express include 2 rounds, with a 48-hour priority response.
Yes, without exception. Your manuscript is never shared with third parties. Files are stored securely on EU-based servers and deleted after project completion.
Manuscript Submission Ready: 14 days. Manuscript Reviewer Ready: 7 days. Manuscript Fast Track: 72 hours. Thesis Essential: 45 days. Thesis Standard: 30 days. Thesis Express: 14 days. Turnaround begins the moment you send us your manuscript by email — not at the time of payment. If we miss the agreed turnaround, your project is free.
Fill out a short intake form and pay via Stripe. You'll receive a confirmation email with instructions for sending your manuscript. The entire workflow happens by email — no portal logins, no extra accounts. You receive your annotated manuscript and editor report directly in your inbox.
Life sciences broadly: medicine, biology, chemistry, pharmacology, neuroscience, clinical research, and related disciplines. If you're unsure whether your manuscript fits, call us before ordering.
Your manuscript is matched to a senior editor from our team with expertise in your area, with editorial oversight from our lead editor (Habilitation, 82+ peer-reviewed publications). If your manuscript requires highly specialized domain knowledge beyond our editorial scope, we will tell you upfront — we do not take on projects we cannot meaningfully improve.
We will tell you. If your manuscript has fundamental problems with study design, statistical methodology, or data interpretation, our editor report will flag these clearly and explain why reviewers will likely object. We do not pretend everything is fine. Our goal is to save you from a painful review process, even if that means delivering feedback you did not expect.
Manuscript pricing covers manuscripts up to 7,000 words (excluding references). Thesis pricing covers theses up to 60,000 words (excluding references). If your manuscript or thesis exceeds these limits, a surcharge applies: EUR 75 per additional 1,000 words for manuscripts, EUR 50 per additional 1,000 words for theses. We will always confirm the exact cost before you pay.
Yes. If you have received reviewer comments and need help strengthening your response, you can order another round of editing. Many clients return after their first review to get targeted help with specific reviewer objections. Select any package that matches your timeline, and include the reviewer comments in the Notes field.
.docx (preferred), .doc, .odt, and .pdf. LaTeX source files are also accepted. Figures can be sent as separate files.
Yes. We offer three thesis tiers: Essential (EUR 1,990, 45 days), Standard (EUR 3,990, 30 days), and Express (EUR 5,590, 14 days). Essential includes an annotated thesis with language and clarity editing. Standard and Express add the full scientific editing package: pre-submission peer review (strategic editor report) and detailed figure review. Use the Manuscript/Thesis toggle in our pricing section or select your tier in the request form.
No. This is in-depth scientific editing — the focus is on argumentation, logic, framing, claim strength, and how peer reviewers will likely respond to your manuscript. Language improvements happen as part of that process, but grammar-only proofreading is not what we offer. We also don't do ghostwriting, standalone statistics consulting, or guarantee publication.
Your unpublished work stays private
Your manuscript is unpublished, sensitive research — we treat it that way. It is seen only by your editor, never shared, and never used to train any AI.
Email-only workflow — no third-party portals or extra logins. We sign a mutual NDA on request before you send your manuscript. Full details in our Privacy Policy.
What we don't do — and why
Some 'editing' services quietly cross lines that put your paper — and your name — at risk. We don't. Here's where we draw the line, on purpose:
No ghostwriting. We edit and strengthen your writing — we never write the paper for you. Authorship stays yours, as journal ethics require.
No citation manipulation. We never insert citations to inflate metrics or a journal's numbers. Coercive or gratuitous citation is a research-integrity violation.
No AI text generation — and no 'AI-detection removal.' Your manuscript is edited by a human expert. We don't generate text with AI, and we don't disguise AI-written content to slip past detectors.
No data or results tampering. We flag statistical and reporting problems; we never alter your data, results, or analyses to make them look better.
No guaranteed publication. No honest editor can promise acceptance — that depends on your science and your reviewers. We make your manuscript as strong and defensible as possible. We don't sell false certainty or '99% success' claims.
If a service offers any of the above, be cautious — it's your reputation on the line. We'd rather give you the honest version.
Submit your manuscript now.
Turnaround starts when you send your manuscript — not at the time of payment.
Oncology reviewers will expect the hazard ratio and the Kaplan–Meier log-rank p-value. Add them and the claim becomes defensible.