Document
Design – Editing for the Small Points
Now that you have
gathered your information, organized the information the way you want it, have gotten over your writer’s block, it is
finally time to sit down and begin to write your paper, When you write the first task you want to perform is Editing For The
Main Points. The next task is to re-edit the document looking for the small things
that can make or break your paper.
Micro Issues
in editing have to do with sentences and words.
- Avoid Wordiness
This means going through you document with the eyes
of an editor looking for run on sentences on run on phrases etc. Anywhere you
can decrease the word load do it.
Example: Change “you need to be made aware
of the fact that” to a better sentence of “you should know”. With
one small change you have saved your reader five words and a lot of time.
a. Do
not overuse linking verbs
Example
Wordy Sentence: Tim was very successful
in terms of writing this paper
Improved Sentence: Tim writes well
b. Do
not overuse impersonal opening
Example
Wordy Sentence: It was unclear to the store
clerk why
Improved Sentence: The store clerk didn’t
know why
c. Do
not overuse prepositions
Example
Central to our understanding of
the understating of writing is to structure the paper in such a way to make a difference
of what is right and wrong in the process of writing a good paper
The organization problem of a term paper is centered
on the idea of writing in Macro and Micro issues.
d. Avoid
compound prepositions
Example
I am writing this in order to show
you how in regard to other things writing can be easy
I am writing about writing to
show the potential problems that arise so you can correct them before the reader sees them
e. Avoid
elongated verbs with prepositions
Example
I plan to give consideration to another
writing course
I plan to consider doing another
writing course
2. Avoid Overlong Sentences
This is very self-explanatory. Do not write sentences that go on and on and on. Try to break
them up into more meaningful smaller sentences. If the sentence is a list of
some type or instructions break it down into a bulleted segment in your document.
Do what you have to do just don’t make your sentences run on.
3. Active or Passive?
Know when to use the active and passive voice. The sentence Tim wrote is active: the active agent Tim comes first and the
active verb wrote comes second.
The sentence: The page was written by Tim
is passive: the passive verb was written comes first and the active agent Tim comes second.
Some rules of thumb for using the active voice
a. As
in the example above use the active voice to avoid wordiness.
b. Use
the active voice to avoid getting to formal in your sentence structure
Example:
Active: An MBA gives you an unfair advantage in
the job market
Passive: There is an evident bias in the job market
concerning a person with an MBA
c. Use
the active to assign responsibility
Example:
Active: Richard decided to complain about the workload
Passive: It has been decided that someone would
complain about the workload.
d. Use
the active voice to save your reader time
Example
Active: Jennifer states her marriage is not on
the rocks
Passive: It is stated somewhere that her marriage
is not on the rocks.
Some rules of thumb for
using the passive voice
a. Use
the passive voice to take the emphasis away from the writer
Example:
Active: I high recommend reading my book
Passive: It is highly recommended that you read this book.
b. Use
the passive voice to avoid assigning responsibility to only one person or agent
Example
Active: Places blame on one agent: The machine was set up wrongly.
Passive: There was error made.
c. Use
the passive voice sparingly for transition from on sentence to another or from one paragraph to another.
Example:
We will be putting on sale the
following three items. These items were chosen at random.
Jargon
Jargon is all that technical stuff
that people like to add to their paper or presentations in order to appear more knowledgeable on the topic. Jargon should be used only when you are writing to someone in your field or to someone who will understand
it.
Otherwise do not use too much
jargon unless you plan to explain it to your audience.
