Chapter 13 - Editing for Readable Style

Editing for Clarity

• Avoid Ambiguous Pronoun References
• Avoid Ambiguous Modifiers
• Unstack Modifying Nouns
• Arrange Word Order for Coherence and Emphasis
• Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
• Use Passive Voice Selectively
• Avoid Overstuffed Sentences

Editing for Conciseness

• Avoid Wordy Phrases
• Eliminate Redundancy
• Avoid Needless Repetition
• Avoid "There" Sentence Openers
• Avoid Some "It" Sentence Openers
• Delete Needless Prefaces
• Avoid Weak Verbs
• Avoid Excessive Prepositions
• Fight Noun Addiction
• Make Negatives Positive
• Clean Out Clutter Words
• Delete Needless Qualifiers

Editing for Fluency

• Combine Related Ideas
• Vary Sentence Construction and Length
• Use Short Sentences for Special Emphasis

Finding the Exact Words

• Prefer Simple and Familiar Wording
• Avoid Useless Jargon
• Use Acronyms Selectively
• Avoid Triteness
• Avoid Misleading Euphemisms
• Avoid Overstatement
• Avoid Imprecise Wording
• Be Specific and Concrete

Adjusting Your Tone

• Guidelines for Deciding About Tone
• Use formal or semi-formal tone
• Use semi-formal or informal tone
• Use an informal tone
• Avoid a negative tone
• Above all, find out what tone your particular reader prefers
• Consider Using an Occasional Contraction
• Address Readers Directly
• Use "I" and "We" When Appropriate
• Prefer the Active Voice
• Emphasize the Positive
• Avoid an Overly Informal Tone
• Avoid Personal Bias
• Avoid Sexist Usage
• Guidelines for Non-Sexist Usage
• Use neutral expressions
• Rephrase to eliminate the pronoun
• Use plural forms
• Use occasional pairings
• Drop condescending diminutive endings
• Use Ms. instead of Mrs. or Miss
• Avoid Offensive Usage of All Types
• Guidelines for Inoffensive Usage
• Be as specific as possible
• Avoid potentially judgmental expressions
• Use person-first language
• Avoid expressions that demean
• Use age-appropriate designations

Considering The Cultural Context

• The challenges that are faced when having documents in different languages or cultures than ours must be taken into account so that all meanings and interpretations are known

Legal and Ethical Implications of Word Choice

• Assessing Risk
• Offering a Service or Product
• Giving Instructions
• Comparing Your Product with Competing Products
• Evaluating an Employee

Using Automated Editing Tools Effectively

• Global Search and Replace
• Spell Checkers
• Grammar Checkers