Category: Grammar

Posted on

Conversation Starter: How Do You Feel About the Singular “They”?

Editor’s Note: As part of our Conversation Starter feature, we present what we hope is the first part of an ongoing discussion about the evolution of the English language, especially the use of gender-neutral pronouns.

Want to join the conversation? Email your thoughts to editor@stc-techedit.org, or write them in the Comments section at the end of this article. We’ll publish them in future issues.

Professor Jo Mackiewicz and Allison Durazzi of Iowa State University are studying how editors make editorial decisions about issues related to gender, and have put together a short survey about the use of the singular pronoun “they.” The findings of this study can help editors better understand how other editors make editorial decisions related to gender and pronouns.

This survey is a much shorter and easier-to-use version than one they distributed previously, and they think (or, at least, hope) that it will be thought provoking. It should take approximately 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the detail you provide in your responses.

To participate in this study, go to: https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2gdfd9eFWxBayb4

If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Mackiewicz (jomack@iastate.edu).

Posted on

Newbies’ Corner: User or Rulebook, Guide or Grammarian?

Editor’s Note: This is the first article in the Newbies’ Corner series, which is intended to give a platform to new, fresh voices, especially from those who are studying the field or just starting out. If you are a student learning about technical editing or just starting out on your technical editing journey, and would like to submit an article, please send an email to editor@stc-techedit.org.

by Nathan Richardson

As technical communicators and editors, we know about the importance of user-centered processes. There’s a growing demand for user experience (UX) writers and UX designers, and for building UX into our organization’s (or personal) content strategy from the start.

We also have a foundational commitment to “the rules.” Our work builds on reviewing content and suggesting changes in media, style, grammar, voice, and tone, among other things. We question the accuracy and completeness of a given communication and its content. For example, when editing a set of instructions, we could follow the steps, seeking errors or missing information. As technical editors, we may also try to break those instructions and identify their limits—which provides our authors with insights they might have missed. We also look for consistency, ensuring that, for example, fractional measurements are plural and consistent (think 0.7 inch vs. 0.7 inches, and within the same document .8 inches becomes 0.8 inches). We ask: are all references to other publications, articles, or patent-related prior art accurate?

Continue reading “Newbies’ Corner: User or Rulebook, Guide or Grammarian?”
Posted on

Brush Up Your Punctuation and Grammar Skills

With more and more of us stuck at home because of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, or out of work because of it, this might be the perfect time to brush up on some basic (and sometimes forgotten) rules of punctuation and grammar.

Leah Guren, an experienced TechComm trainer and presenter, has started a new online series of quick tips for technical writers, editors, and content developers.

Follow Leah’s informative (and always entertaining) mini-presentations on her LinkedIn page.

Posted on

From Around the Web: Do Editors Make Mistakes?

Are technical editing practitioners infallible? We might like to think we are, but we also make mistakes.

UC San Diego Extension copyediting instructors Lourdes Vernard and Christine Steele have complied a list of what they consider to be the top ten most common mistakes made by copy editors.

Do you have anything to add to this list? Write it below in the comments!

Posted on

Conversation Starter: In Response to the Claim That Technical Editors Need Not Be “Grammarians”

(Editor’s Note: Michelle Corbin’s article, “Technical Editors Do Not Need To Be Grammarians,” started a very interesting conversation about technical editing and grammar.
The following lengthy comment was posted to the original article; to make it easier to continue this fascinating discussion, I’ve turned it into a standalone post.
Please feel free to continue discussing this – send your comments to editor@stc-techedit.org.

By Odile Sullivan-Tarazi

Perhaps it comes down to what you mean by “grammar.”

Continue reading “Conversation Starter: In Response to the Claim That Technical Editors Need Not Be “Grammarians””