Editing

Abstract

The writing of a paper begins with a rough draft, perhaps based on records of experiments or sketches of a couple of theorems. It will probably include material produced during the project, such as notes taken in meetings, reviews of literature, emails discussing the research question, and text from sources such as progress reports. The next phase usually consists of filling out the draft to form a contiguous whole: explaining concepts, adding background material, arranging the structure to give a logical flow of ideas. Finally, the paper is polished by correcting mistakes, improving written expression, and taking care of layout. Although it does not change the quality of the research, it is this last phase—the styling of the paper—that has the most impact on a reader. It should not be neglected, however strong the ideas being communicated.

(1) The reader should be able to find out what the story is about. (2) Some inkling of the general idea should be apparent in the first five hundred words. (3) If the writer has decided to change the name of the protagonist from Ketcham to McTavish, Ketcham should not keep bobbing up in the last five pages.

James Thurber’s standing rules for writing of humour

What’s So Funny?

If a conscientious reader finds a passage unclear, it has to be rewritten.

Karl Popper

Unended Quest

If you give me an eight-page article and I tell you to cut it to four pages, you’ll howl and say it can’t be done. Then you’ll go home and do it, and it will be much better.

William Zinsser

On Writing Well, Sixth Edition