{"id":328,"date":"2019-07-01T19:49:26","date_gmt":"2019-07-01T19:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/scholarlywriting\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=328"},"modified":"2025-10-01T11:52:06","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T11:52:06","slug":"editing-for-clarity-and-conciseness","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/chapter\/editing-for-clarity-and-conciseness\/","title":{"raw":"Editing for Clarity and Conciseness","rendered":"Editing for Clarity and Conciseness"},"content":{"raw":"Some writers are very methodical and painstaking when they write a first draft. Others unleash a lot of words and ideas to get out everything they want to say. Do either of these methods match your style? Or is your composing style somewhere in between? Regardless of the author, the first draft of almost every piece of writing can be made more clear and concise.\r\n\r\nTo be concise, you should edit your writing for wordiness. Eliminating wordiness make your work easier to read because the ideas are clear, direct, and straightforward.\r\n\r\nClick on the items below to see how the wordiness can be revised.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"74\"]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere are some tips for choosing specific and appropriate words to ensure your writing is clear and concise:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Avoid slang. Use scholarly language to replace informal language.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Avoid overly casual language. Write about \u201cmen and women\u201d rather than \u201cguys and girls\u201d unless you are trying to create a specific effect. A formal tone calls for formal language. However, more gender-inclusive language would be \u201cpersons of all genders.\u201d<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Avoid contractions. Use \u201cdo not\u201d instead of \u201cdon\u2019t\u201d \u2013 contractions are considered casual speech.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Avoid clich\u00e9s. Overused expressions like \u201cface the music,\u201d and \u201cbetter late than never\u201d are empty of meaning and are unlikely to appeal to your audience.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Be careful when you use words that sound alike but have different meanings. Some examples are allusion\/ illusion; complement\/compliment; council\/counsel; concurrent\/consecutive; founder\/flounder; and historic\/historical. When in doubt, check a dictionary.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Choose words that have the connotations you want. \u201cProud\u201d has positive connotations, while \u201carrogant\u201d and \u201cconceited\u201d have negative connotations.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Use specific words rather than overly general words. Find synonyms for vague words like thing, people, good, and interesting or add specific details to make your exact meaning clear.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Student Tip<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<strong>Red Herrings<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>[pb_glossary id=\"866\"]Red herrings[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> \u00a0(see <strong>Figure 8.3<\/strong>) are sentences or statements that distract the reader from your main idea or thesis statement. Pay close attention when revising to notice any red herrings. For example, avoid writing about the benefits of mathematic skills in adolescents if your thesis is: Adolescents who are captivated by the sexual images on MTV are conditioned to believe that a person\u2019s worth depends on their sexuality, a feeling that harms their self-esteem and behaviour.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<img src=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2019\/07\/Chapter-8-Figure-8.3-e1567125814863.jpg\" alt=\"a person picking up red herrings and putting them in a basket\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-867 size-full\" width=\"304\" height=\"372\" \/>\r\n\r\n<strong>Figure 8.3<\/strong>: Watch out for red herrings\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<hr aria-hidden=\"true\" \/>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"attribution-notice\">Attribution statement<\/h2>\r\nRemixed with our own original content and adapted, with editorial changes, from:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/writingforsuccess\/\">Writing for Success 1st Canadian Edition<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Tara Horkoff\u00a0is licensed under a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted. Download for free at: <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/writingforsuccess\/\">https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/writingforsuccess\/<\/a>","rendered":"<p>Some writers are very methodical and painstaking when they write a first draft. Others unleash a lot of words and ideas to get out everything they want to say. Do either of these methods match your style? Or is your composing style somewhere in between? Regardless of the author, the first draft of almost every piece of writing can be made more clear and concise.<\/p>\n<p>To be concise, you should edit your writing for wordiness. Eliminating wordiness make your work easier to read because the ideas are clear, direct, and straightforward.<\/p>\n<p>Click on the items below to see how the wordiness can be revised.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"h5p-74\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-74\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"74\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"c8 editing for clarity and conciseness\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Here are some tips for choosing specific and appropriate words to ensure your writing is clear and concise:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid slang. Use scholarly language to replace informal language.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid overly casual language. Write about \u201cmen and women\u201d rather than \u201cguys and girls\u201d unless you are trying to create a specific effect. A formal tone calls for formal language. However, more gender-inclusive language would be \u201cpersons of all genders.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Avoid contractions. Use \u201cdo not\u201d instead of \u201cdon\u2019t\u201d \u2013 contractions are considered casual speech.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid clich\u00e9s. Overused expressions like \u201cface the music,\u201d and \u201cbetter late than never\u201d are empty of meaning and are unlikely to appeal to your audience.<\/li>\n<li>Be careful when you use words that sound alike but have different meanings. Some examples are allusion\/ illusion; complement\/compliment; council\/counsel; concurrent\/consecutive; founder\/flounder; and historic\/historical. When in doubt, check a dictionary.<\/li>\n<li>Choose words that have the connotations you want. \u201cProud\u201d has positive connotations, while \u201carrogant\u201d and \u201cconceited\u201d have negative connotations.<\/li>\n<li>Use specific words rather than overly general words. Find synonyms for vague words like thing, people, good, and interesting or add specific details to make your exact meaning clear.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Student Tip<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><strong>Red Herrings<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><button class=\"glossary-term\" aria-describedby=\"328-866\">Red herrings<\/button><\/strong> \u00a0(see <strong>Figure 8.3<\/strong>) are sentences or statements that distract the reader from your main idea or thesis statement. Pay close attention when revising to notice any red herrings. For example, avoid writing about the benefits of mathematic skills in adolescents if your thesis is: Adolescents who are captivated by the sexual images on MTV are conditioned to believe that a person\u2019s worth depends on their sexuality, a feeling that harms their self-esteem and behaviour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2019\/07\/Chapter-8-Figure-8.3-e1567125814863.jpg\" alt=\"a person picking up red herrings and putting them in a basket\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-867 size-full\" width=\"304\" height=\"372\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2019\/07\/Chapter-8-Figure-8.3-e1567125814863.jpg 304w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2019\/07\/Chapter-8-Figure-8.3-e1567125814863-245x300.jpg 245w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2019\/07\/Chapter-8-Figure-8.3-e1567125814863-65x80.jpg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2019\/07\/Chapter-8-Figure-8.3-e1567125814863-225x275.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Figure 8.3<\/strong>: Watch out for red herrings<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr aria-hidden=\"true\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"attribution-notice\">Attribution statement<\/h2>\n<p>Remixed with our own original content and adapted, with editorial changes, from:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/writingforsuccess\/\">Writing for Success 1st Canadian Edition<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Tara Horkoff\u00a0is licensed under a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted. Download for free at: <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/writingforsuccess\/\">https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/writingforsuccess\/<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"glossary\"><div class=\"glossary__tooltip\" id=\"328-866\" hidden><p>Sentences that distract the reader from your main topic.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"author":34,"menu_order":7,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-328","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":143,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2445,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/328\/revisions\/2445"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/143"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/328\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=328"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=328"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/scholarlywriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}