Ten Principles for Improving Clarity of Written Documents

The chief aim of the writer is to be understood. –John Dryden (1631-1700)

1.      Prefer the active voice.

Example1: I rang the bell. The bell was rung by me.

Example 2: I completed the project. The project was completed by me.

As you can see by these examples, the active voice gives writing a sense of strength, energy, vitality, and motion. The passive voice slows things down.

2.      Don’t make nouns out of good, strong “working verbs.”

What is a working verb? One that expresses action. Strong working verbs are the backbone of English sentence structure. They are the engines that make sentences move they put action into writing.

Example 1. Authorization for my absence was given by the supervisor. The supervisor authorized my absence.

Example 2. Professor Johnson is negligent in the details of his duty. Professor Johnson neglects the details of his duty.   

If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. –George Orwell (1903-1950)

3.      Be concise. Cut out all excessive baggage. Keep your average sentence length under 20 words.

Wordiness is caused by using more words than you need to express an idea.

Example 1 before: University health records are further subdivided into two sections which are medical treatment records and dental treatment records. Medical treatment records will be contained in Form 20-A. Dental treatment records will be contained in Form 20-B.

Example 1 after: University health records are further divided into Medical Treatment Records (Form 20-A) and Dental Treatment Records (Form 20-B).

Words With Overlapping Meanings

DON’T SAY          SAY

absolutely complete   complete

ask the question      ask

assembled together    assembled

consensus of opinion   consensus

exactly identical       identical

repeat again          repeat

still remain           remain

the reason is because   because

Example 1 before: They all arrived at a consensus of opinion in regard to the basic principle that the continuing utilization of the worn-out methodology of the electoral college is antiquated, outdated, and generally inefficient. 

Example 1 after: All agreed that the electoral college is outdated and inefficient.

Example 2 before: In very few cases, if any, do members of politically liberal types of groups have any degree of approval concerning the free and totally unrestricted widespread proliferation of unlicensed handguns, pistols, automatics, revolvers, and sidearms.

Example 2 after: Liberals seldom approve of unlicensed firearms.

Numerous scientific and psychological studies show that long sentences are harder to understand than short ones. Walter Ptkin once wrote that “a sentence grows worse by the square of the number of words it contains, to put it very roughly. A poor built sentence of twenty words is about four times as hard to attend to and to understand as an equally poor sentence of ten words.”

Ockham’s razor, or the principle of parsimony: A methodological principle dictating a bias towards simplicity in theory construction, where the parameters of simplicity vary from kinds of entity to the number of presupposed axioms to characteristics of curves drawn between data points (“All things equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one.” –Jodi Foster in Contact)   

4.      Be specific. Use concrete terms instead of generalizations.

How to Keep Writing In Focus?

1)      Aim directly, with a specific purpose, at a central subject.

2)      Omit all extraneous material.

3)      Emphasize the import!ant attributes of the subject. If necessary, give examples.

4)      Play down the less import!ant material. If you keep the really import!ant items in sharp focus, you can permit the lesser ones to get a bit “softer.”

Example 1 before: The young man read a magazine until very late the other day.  

Example 1 after: Teenager Bill Jones read Economist until ten o’clock on January 14, 2003.

Example 2 before: We had a talk about a controversial issue.

Exercise 2 after: Bart and I had an argument last night about the pros and cons of abortion. 

5.      Discuss only one main idea in each paragraph. Every supporting sentence must directly explain or prove the main idea, which is stated in the topic sentence.

Example 1: The recent water shortage in California forced changes in Californian’s lifestyles. When water was rationed, Californians learned to conserve water. They didn’t water their lawns and gardens or wash their automobiles. Also, they took fewer showers and baths. The water shortage lasted two years. Californians also learned to recycle water. For example, they used the rinse water from their washing machines to water their houseplants and gardens.

6.      Avoid unnecessary shifts of tense, subject, voice, or point of view.

Clarity in writing requires consistency. Your reader will have a much easier time comprehending quickly what you have written if you are consistent in your approach. (Keeping this in mind will also help you to organize your points.) Try to stick to one point of view, one subject, until there is a definite need to change it. When a change is needed, start a new paragraph.

Example 1: “When he heard about the accident, he screams and cries like a baby.” “When he heard about the accident, he screamed and cried like a baby.”

Example 2: “Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky, but Illinois was his home in later years.” “Abraham Lincoln was born inKentucky, but lived in Illinois in later years.” “Kentucky was the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, but Illinois was his home in later years.”

Example 3: “If a coach wishes to win the respect of his team, a firm discipline must be maintained.” “If a coach wishes to win the respect of his team, he must maintain a firm discipline.”

Example 4: “When you look through a microscope, the cell divides to form two organisms.” “When you look through the microscope, you can see the cell divide to form two organisms.” (even logically faulty)

7.      Prefer the simple word to the far-fetched, and the right word to the almost right.

King instead of Monarch

8.      Don’t repeat words, phrases, or ideas needlessly. But don’t hesitate to repeat when the repetition will increase clarity.

Example: Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two import!ant characteristics. First of all, it has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. It never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago. Another of its import!ant characteristics is its usefulness to industry and science. For many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications. Its most recent use is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear heat shields made from it for protection outside the spaceship. In conclusion, it is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility. 

9.      Use parallelism whenever it is appropriate – that is, when you are expressing similar thoughts, make sure you write your sentences so that the elements are in similar or parallel form (“parallel” in this context means grammatically consistent or balanced) But do not use parallel structure when expressing thoughts that are not truly similar.

Parallelism is neither complicated nor difficult. All you need to know is that you can show the similarity of certain thoughts or ideas together by using similar grammatical constructions in a number of successive units –whether those units be words, phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, or even longer units.

Parallelism is a useful device that can:

-         tidy up thoughts or ideas

-         clarify relations

-         straighten out mixed-up phrases, clauses, or sentences

-         convert entire paragraphs, pages, sections, or chapters from chaos to order

-         unify entire documents or books.

Example 1 not parallel: Briefly, the functions of the executive staff are to advise the president, transmitting his instructions, and the supervision of the execution of his decisions. 

Example 1 parallel: Briefly, the functions of the executive staff are to advise the president, transmit his instructions, and supervise the execution of his decisions.

Example 2: The duties of the Secretary of the Women’s Association are:

(a)    to take minutes of all the meetings

(b)   the secretary answers all the correspondence and

(c)    writing of the monthly reports.

10.  Arrange your material logically. Always begin with ideas the reader can readily understand. If you must present difficult material, go one step at a time. Do not skip any steps. Arrange your format to give the reader every possible “handle” on the material.

Checklist: Logical Arrangement

1.      Start with something the reader is familiar with, and interested in. Then move on, one step at a time. Don’t skip any steps. Lead the reader at a comfortable rate from the known to the unknown, or from the general to the specific.

2.      Use analogies, comparisons, contrasts, examples, or illustrations to help explain any difficult ideas or concepts.

3.      Use the same system all the way through. This means if you’re using measurements, for example, you will stick to the same kind. Don’t use “feet” or “miles” in one section and “meters” or “kilometers” in another. If for some reason you need to use both systems, ordinarily you should give the familiar one first, then use parentheses to convert the figures into the other system. Don’t make you reader do the math!

4.      Choose a logic that will be quickly clear to the reader. For example, if you are discussing four animals –a cat, a dog, a horse, and an elephant –what would be a logical arrangements? Or chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4?

5.      Work out a suitable layout and format to help the reader. If you are discussing just three or four items, a narrative paragraph will probably work fine. But if you are dealing with a longer list, you might want to consider tabular form, or numbered or lettered items, so that the differences and similarities can readily be contrasted and compared by the reader.

6.      Use tables, graphs, and pictures whenever they seem appropriate. Many readers will find material much easier to understand in pictorial form. Don’t hesitate to augment narrative descriptions with tables, charts, graphs, or other illustrations. Some critics might consider this approach wasteful of space and paper don’t believe them. Some readers are word minded others are oriented more toward mathematics, engineering, and visual displays. Help both groups, not just one.

Checklist for Writing Instructions

1.      Use short sentences and short paragraphs.

2.      Arrange in logical order.

3.      Make your statements specific.

4.      Put the most import!ant item in each sentence at the beginning.

5.      Win the reader’s attention and interest, or there is no real meeting of the minds (shared understanding).

6.      Say one thing in each sentence. Don’t try to pack in any extra information or thoughts beyond what it takes to do the job. Let’s repeat –say one thing only in each sentence.

7.      Choose your words carefully. Avoid jargon and technical terms if you can, by using everyday words familiar to the average reader. If you must use technical terms, define them. One good way to do this is to furnish the reader with a glossary of technical terms.

8.      Give an example or an analogy, if you think a statement may puzzle the reader. Using diagrams, tables, or illustrations is often even better. (It’s always better to show than say. –English saying

9.      Check your completed draft for logic of presentation. Make sure you have progressed from (a) the known to the unknown or (b) from the general to the specific.

10.  Don’t omit steps or take shortcuts, in the belief that something is obvious, and the reader will understand.

I never understand anything until I have written about it. –E. M. Foster (1879-1969)

Man understands a thing to the extent he can express it in words –Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951)