More effective writers know the great hallmarks of more effective technical writing — clarity and conciseness — and more effective writers attempt to secure both for their writing. However, sometimes writers find these values at odds with each other. In such cases, clarity always trumps conciseness.
The phrase in order to provides an excellent example. Often the single word to serves the same purpose and provides the same meaning as its three-word cousin. However, when conciseness would replace clarity with confusion, more effective writers will select that three-word cousin.
Consider the example sentence in the cropped graphic above. What message does the writer intend to convey? As written above, the sentence connects costs with the project, conveying the sense that management must know how much the proposed project costs. But a writer focused on conciseness may inadvertently communicate a different message.
The phrase in order to provides an excellent example. Often the single word to serves the same purpose and provides the same meaning as its three-word cousin. However, when conciseness would replace clarity with confusion, more effective writers will select that three-word cousin.
Consider the example sentence in the cropped graphic above. What message does the writer intend to convey? As written above, the sentence connects costs with the project, conveying the sense that management must know how much the proposed project costs. But a writer focused on conciseness may inadvertently communicate a different message.
Management must know the estimated costs to evaluate the feasibility of the project.
This sentence could mean that management wants to know how much a feasibility evaluation of the project would cost. That’s different than asking after costs for the project itself. Thus, a more effective writer wanting to communicate that the cost estimate is for the project and not an evaluation of the project would use in order to rather than to. Three words are less concise than one word, but sacrificing clarity obscures meaning. And communicating meaning is a primary role of language.
By all means, pursue conciseness in your writing. But you should never sacrifice clarity for anything, not even conciseness. So use in order to in order to preserve clarity. Otherwise, and especially when a sentence without in order seems to communicate the same message, use the single preposition to. More effective writers leverage precision of language to become even more effective writers who can present their messages to their audience more effectively. And that more effective presentation will better represent you and your brands to your audience.
By all means, pursue conciseness in your writing. But you should never sacrifice clarity for anything, not even conciseness. So use in order to in order to preserve clarity. Otherwise, and especially when a sentence without in order seems to communicate the same message, use the single preposition to. More effective writers leverage precision of language to become even more effective writers who can present their messages to their audience more effectively. And that more effective presentation will better represent you and your brands to your audience.
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