Writing With Precision

Precision is important in technical writing, or any other kind of fact-based writing (news stories, for example). Often that means replacing subjective words with something that's more detailed or precise.

Erika Konrad explains what this means in Reader Awareness, Subjectivity, and the Flu, published by TechWhirl's Tech Writer Today Magazine. It's especially relevant today, what with the fog of disinformation surrounded the current coronavirus outbreak.

Some typically subjective words to watch out for are adjectives and adverbs, But remember all words, even the word “wash” can be subjective. That is, when we think of “wash,” we do not all have the same idea:  our scrubbing speed, pressure, soap amount, and water temperature might vary.

The CDC offers a solution for the subjectivity of the word “wash”: 

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.