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Eight Easy Rules for Editing Your Employees' Writing
by Willy Gissen, President, Cut-It-Out Communications, Inc.
Here are eight easy rules for editing your employees' writing:
The top three are the most important:
1. Avoid the verb “to be."
Initial: Roughly two million U.S. children have a pre-diabetic condition linked to obesity.
Revised: Roughly two million U.S. children suffer from a pre-diabetic condition linked to obesity.
2. Avoid flowery writing. Use as few words as possible.
Initial: In 2005, GSL offered its program in collaboration with the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to teach 26 students.
Revised: In 2005, GSL joined with the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to teach 26 students.
3. Avoid subordination (use of "that" or "which")
Initial: It’s important that those of us in government continue to…
Revised: As elected officials, we must continue to….
Other rules:
4. Avoid the passive tense.
Initial: Local and national elections were disrupted with violence and fraud by political partisans.
Revised: Political partisans disrupted national elections with violence and fraud.
5. Avoid negative constructions.
Initial: Unlike many of our colleagues, he does not deal in raucous vulgarity.
Revised: Unlike many of our colleagues, he avoids raucous vulgarity.
6. Avoid using the word "I" too often.
Initial: As a minority, I am also very interested in the impact and effectiveness of community integration.
Revised: As a minority, my personal interests include the impact and effectiveness of community integration.
7. Avoid gender prejudice.
Initial: Each team member contributes his/her talents and expertise to the customized needs of each client.
Revised: Our team members contribute their talents and expertise to the customized needs of each client.
8. Avoid word repetition in the same or sequential sentences.
Initial: Innovative construction strategies will conserve energy, use environmentally sustainable business materials, reduce operational costs and conserve natural resources.
Revised: Innovative construction strategies will conserve energy, use environmentally sustainable business materials, reduce operational costs and preserve natural resources.
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