October 23, 2012

• Formal Writting

  “Finally, Part 5 will present a number of positive recommendations for reform which will alleviate the conflict issues in Australia’s guardianship system for unaccompanied minors seeking asylum, and will ensure better care and protection of this vulnerable group in future.”

   

  Bleeeeeeeeeeeeh.

  Blogging is one thing.  I don’t use a spell checker when I blog, and  I don’t even proof what I write before posting.  However, when I’m editing other peoples’ work, especially submissions or discussion papers to government, there are rules and stylistic issues that people ought to observe.

  A few of the most common mistakes:

  • People often write:
  • “It is obvious that…”
  • “It is interesting to note that…”
  • “It is clear that…”
  • NO!  Stop that! If it’s obvious, then stop being a prick and repeating the obvious.  If you’re writing it, it’s because it’s not obvious, so cut out that kind of pretentious sentence-lengthening shit.
  • Learn to use punctuation. Nobody wants to read a sentence that’s got 100 words in it.
  • First rule of punctuation: don’t use commas (or even worse, “and”) when a period and and a capital will do.  Yes, that means: shorter sentences!
  • One idea per sentence please.
  • If you really must put more than one idea per sentence, learn to use commas properly.  Better yet, learn to use colons and semi-colons.  Especially with really technical writing, semicolons will make the difference between someone understanding what they’ve read on the first try, and having to try 5 more times.  (By the 3rd time, they don’t give a damn what you’re writing about anymore.)
  • Use an active voice.  “The allegations of the Minister were that…” is much better off as  “The Minister alleged…” because it cuts down words.  Cutting down words is one of the key goals in making writing understandable.  People who are receiving formal writing form you don’t want you to be Virginia Woolf.
  • You probably want to avoid exclamation marks.
  • Who cares who you are and what your opinion is? Get your damn footnotes and references right!
  • Don’t be redundant.  True story: “Part 2 [...] will be specifically focusing…” srsly?  Because… there’s a way to focus, without being specific? “Specifically dealing” is better, or reword the whole thing to “Part 2[...] will focus…” and BOOM.  You don’t sound like a wordy asshole.
  • Do not use the same buzzword in the same sentence.
  • Try and avoid using the same buzzword in the same paragraph. It makes you sound like a nag.

  • 9:07 pm
  • 1 Comment