Tag Archives: grammar

The Best of Bart’s Editing Tips

I use a set of internal subroutines to improve the documents I’m asked to edit. Today I thought I’d share some of the “best of Bart” tips I’ve written over the years. Others undoubtedly exist, but these will do for … Continue reading

Posted in editing, technical writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

When to Use Utilize

The short version: when in doubt, don’t use the word utilize. It’s an unlovely construction that sounds wordy/pretentious and shouldn’t have been incorporated into English in the first place, but here we are. I have some additional things to share on … Continue reading

Posted in editing, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

To Ampersand or Not to Ampersand?

I am not fond of the ampersand (&). It’s a shortcut piece of punctuation that substitutes for “and.” I’m sure it’s useful and makes sense on some level; the problem for me is that it is often overused when it … Continue reading

Posted in editing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

When Should You Use Words vs. Numerals?

While my official designation is “technical writer,” I actually earn the bulk of my pay these days editing stuff other people have already written. As a result, I start to understand the frustrations some editors face when reviewing someone else’s … Continue reading

Posted in editing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Editing for Scientists and Engineers

It is easy to be underestimated as a technical writer/editor, especially in high-functioning organizations like IT or aerospace engineering. Just because you don’t have an engineering degree does not mean that you are ill-equipped to correct scientists or engineers when … Continue reading

Posted in editing, engineering, science, technical writing, workplace | Tagged , | 1 Comment