Welcome to BELS

The Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS) was founded in 1991 to evaluate the proficiency of manuscript editors in the life sciences and to award credentials similar to those obtainable in other professions.

Why certification for editors?

To provide qualified manuscript editors in the life sciences a way to demonstrate their editorial proficiency.
To provide employers and clients of manuscript editors in the life sciences a way to identify proficient editors.
To establish a standard of proficiency for editing in the life sciences.

Potential employers and clients of manuscript editors usually have no objective way to assess the proficiency of editors. For their part, editors are frustrated by the difficulty of demonstrating their ability. That is why both employers and editors so often resort to personal references or ad hoc tests, not always with satisfactory results. The need for an objective test of editorial skill has long been recognized.

To meet that need, the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences developed a process for testing and evaluating proficiency in editing in the life sciences according to internationally recognized standards. The Board administers two examinations--one for certification and one for diplomate status. The examinations, written by senior life-science editors assisted by testing experts, focus on the principles and practices of scientific editing in English.

	What Is New?

BELS is on Facebook and Twitter! Are you a BELS member or someone who's interested in taking the BELS certification exam? Keep up with BELS news on Facebook and talk to us on Twitter. BELS members: Tell the world you're proud to be a BELS-certified editor. Get BELS shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads, water bottles,and more from the BELS Shop, and take them with you out into the world. Upcoming Exams Sunday, April 15, 2012 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. University of Houston Associated meeting: AMWA Southwest Chapter Conference Register by March 25, 2012 Sunday, May 6, 2012 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Pacific Grove, California Asilomar Conference Center Associated meeting: AMWA Pacific Coast Conference, May 6-9 Register by April 15, 2012 Saturday, May 19, 2012 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Seattle, Washington Seattle Sheraton Hotel Associated meeting: CSE, May 18-21 Register by April 28, 2012 Monday, June 11, 2012 Time to be announced Tallinn, Estonia Location to be announced Associated meeting: EASE, June 8-10 Register by May 21, 2012