In the last post we considered precision of language. In this post we’ll examine this topic again as well as a related but different topic: understanding the differences between spoken and written English. More effective writers understand incorporate these differences into their writing. Because spoken English by convention is more lax, it carries an informality inconsistent with the tone which technical writing should often convey.
For instance, take the example sentence in the graphic above. The phrase inside of is colloquial and as such conveys that informality which more effective technical writing omits. A more effective writer will opt to replace the colloquial phrase with a more formal but equivalent meaning expression. Here are some examples:
For instance, take the example sentence in the graphic above. The phrase inside of is colloquial and as such conveys that informality which more effective technical writing omits. A more effective writer will opt to replace the colloquial phrase with a more formal but equivalent meaning expression. Here are some examples:
The inspection crew completed their work in less than two hours.
The inspection crew completed their work in under two hours.
The inspection crew completed their work within two hours.
The inspection crew completed their work in under two hours.
The inspection crew completed their work within two hours.
Compare each of these sentences with the example sentence in the above graphic, and you should discern a difference in tone. More effective technical writing demonstrates a greater sensitivity for such differences.
In some instances, inside of seems to be the proper expression because the word the writer really wants to use is inside. In such cases, the word of is redundant and should be eliminated. Note the difference between the two example sentences below. The first uses the redundant inside of, and the second eliminates the redundancy.
In some instances, inside of seems to be the proper expression because the word the writer really wants to use is inside. In such cases, the word of is redundant and should be eliminated. Note the difference between the two example sentences below. The first uses the redundant inside of, and the second eliminates the redundancy.
The weld appears just inside of the joint.
The weld appears just inside the joint.
The weld appears just inside the joint.
The only difference between these two sentences is the word of. Yet that first sentence containing this extra word conveys no additional or different meaning than the second sentence. The extra word is therefore redundant, and more effective technical writing eliminates such redundancies.
To produce more effective technical writing, take the inside track on inside of and other such expressions. Avoid colloquialisms and redundancies in language. Such efforts will produce not only more effective technical writing but also more effective presentations of both you and your brands to your audience.
To produce more effective technical writing, take the inside track on inside of and other such expressions. Avoid colloquialisms and redundancies in language. Such efforts will produce not only more effective technical writing but also more effective presentations of both you and your brands to your audience.
RSS Feed