Read on to know what Enago’s editors had to say about their experience of the BELS exam
New York, USA: Enago is pleased to announce that several members of its expert editorial team are now “ELS”! An acronym for “Editor in the Life Sciences,” the ELS certification is bestowed by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS), which conducts the exam three times a year in various locations throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. About their overall experience, the BELS-certified editors mentioned the following:
BELS certification had come up in several conversations with my friends and colleagues over the last couple of years, and Enago offering a chance to get certified was indeed a unique opportunity, said Dr. Krishna Kumar. “Our in-house L&D team managing this project definitely made things easier for me—The application process was a breeze. The experience was fun and interesting, thanks to the mock exams and group discussions. The exam itself was hassle-free. Of course, the years of working as an editor helped a lot.
According to Sudeep, “My full-time editorial position with Enago provided me with more than enough experience to feel well-prepared for the exam. I also reviewed some of the prescribed style guides—we were provided both soft and hard copies of these style guides!” He continued, “Our L&D manager kept us from the hassle of dealing with the application part, and, as a result, I wasn’t too nervous before the test. Also, the BELS coordinator had recommended a good night’s sleep before the test, and that is exactly what I did. After nearly three years of editing, I breezed through the grammar and typographical questions. I finished with about 15 minutes to spare, so I could revisit the questions I’d marked as tricky.”
Aditi said, “After being part of the STEM industry as a research editor for almost four-and-a-half years, the idea of being certified as an editor and being part of a lauded community of editorial peers was definitely appealing. The entire process was quite interesting, from the fun mock tests and group discussions as part of preparation to the jitters just few days before the results! Seeing “ELS” after my name on opening the result envelope was indeed a delight. The thought that what I do on an almost-daily basis meets the industry standards is truly reassuring.”
Finally, Pranay, who says he was “rather unaware” about the prestigious BELS certification until he seriously considered a career in the STEM industry, mentioned the following: “Enago’s L&D department undertook the complete application process and organized practice tests and study resources, which were very helpful. I also thoroughly checked the ethical considerations stated in the AMA style guide and acquainted myself with conventions in medicine and life sciences, given my relative inexperience as an editor in this area. Nevertheless, the overall experience was very fulfilling as it took me back to my editing roots. The test itself really makes you think—it’s a must-try for all academic editors. I answered based on my instinct as an editor and hoped it would get me through. In the end, I was ecstatic to know I had passed. The certificate with “ELS” written beside my name and the BELS pin made me proud of my achievement and grateful for the organization’s trust in me.”
About Enago
Enago is the flagship brand of Crimson Interactive Inc., an award-winning language solutions company that serves academia and industry through three main entities: Enago (English Editing and Publication Support), Ulatus (Translation), and Voxtab (Transcription). Enago employs one of the market’s largest team of editors (850+) who are proven language and subject-matter experts in more than 1,100 disciplines. To date, the company’s talented pool of specialists has helped more than 81,000 authors share their research in the most impactful journals across the globe. Crimson has a local presence in Japan, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Korea, Brazil, Germany, Russia, India, and the United States.
