How proper is proper? 5

[macmet]

I'm wondering how much attention I should pay to tiny details when submitting a report.

Everything I submit I spend a fairly significant time editing format. For example, I was just doing up a report for my boss and a plant manager of one of our customer's. It was all ready to go, printed, when I noticed at one point I had "Site No:." instead of "Site No.:". So I printed the page off again.

I know that when I read someone's report and I see a spelling mistake or sa table with different formatting from the others, I lose a little bit of respect for it.

Am I just being ridiculous here or are others like me?

 

[melone]

I have the same obsessive - compulsive behaviors....

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I like things to be correct ... but I have a limit! That would have been beyond mine ... but then I probably would have written "Site Number:"


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[ktlasers]

I'm the same way. It really bugs me when I see typos or inconsitencies and it really, really bugs me when they're mine.

 

[ktlasers]

or INCONSISTENCIES... case in point

 

[UcfSE]

It is nice to see engineers taking the time and effort to do things consistent and correct. I agree about the losing some respect when you notice that someone doesn't take the effort to check these things. It does have a limit. Good-enough and on time is better than perfect and late.

 

[jmw]

I have a real problem with reports, I have to write them several times over to get them right (as right as I can).
At the end, I rely on spell and grammar checker for a lot of these details... did your's not pick this up and put a little green squiggly line underneath?

When it comes to "Site Number:" or "Site No.:" everyone seems to write it one way or the other but isn't "no," redudant if it is followed by a number? e.g.:
"Site 12" dosn't gain anything by being written as "Site Number 12" because "12" is a number (even if you actually write "Site Twelve" as one commentator in the "Positive and Negative" thread argues is more correct).

I also tend to think that my role is not to be a journalist or an english major but to convey ideas. I am sorry if dsome people allow themselves to be distratced from the engineering and ideas content by the spelling and grammar. Note it, be irritated by it maybe but the object is the conveying of ideas and information. So long as they suffer no ambuguity where is the problem? IN fact, i would be concerned to hear people say they "didn't get the message" because there were typos, or it used Arial instead of Times New Roman.... as an engineer it ought to be that your primary concern with any report is to put in or take out as much information and understanding as you can. I would be disappinted in anyengineer who decided to judge a report on its spelling.


JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[Zapster]

I always thought that spelling skills were directly related to some psychic skills. Perhaps that is because I have no talent for remembering the cryptic letter combinations that are required to spell things correctly. So when I read a report that has spelling and grammar errors, I can only see a small fraction of the errors. So for me, ignorance is bliss. For those who seem to get overly concerned about spelling and grammar errors, get over it. Most engineers are just doing the best they can with the time that they have. I suspect that those who are bothered the most by the errant typos and grammatical errors are just looking for a way to express their feelings of superiority.

 

[waskillywabbit]

hte pnoit is to get hte pinot arcsos so the rdeaer udnrestndas hte ponit rghit?

Brian

 

[Ashereng]

You missed the capital at the beginning of the sentence.



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[waskillywabbit]

I satnd crrotecd. Nto olny deos my splleing scuk btu so deos my grmamr adn cpalitaiziotn...btu yuo gte hte pnoit.

Brian

 

[jmw]

Deja vu!
I appologise to everyone for leading us into this "Cambridge spelling" morass again.



JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[Ron]

macmet...keep it up. Mistakes in reports directly reflect on the credibility of the report. If you take away the opportunity for the reader to snipe at small errors, perhaps he/she will actually read the report and, even better, heed its advice!

 

[GregLocock]

The argument goes, if there are spelling mistakes then the author hasn't checked the report, so how do you trust the numbers?



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[JStephen]

I'll remove any error I see- can't very well fix the ones I don't see.

 

[svanels]

When you write a report, the first thing you need to know: "who is your audience", the next thing to know: "who else might be reading it"

If it will be read by someone higher in the foodchain (with limited technical knowledge and big power) the typos and slang probably will dictate your carreer.

 

[berkshire]

carreer ?
B.E.

 

[Haf]

I have recently come to the sad conclusion that in most cases, the only person that is likely to closely scrutinize your reports is ... you. This is especially true if the report is lengthy, not as true for short memos. For lengthy reports, make sure the executive summary/abstract and conclusions are well written. Also make sure that your plots and tables are well formatted and easily understandable without reading the text.

If you're really looking to maximize your bang for the buck, spend time reading and re-reading your email before clicking send (and turn on the automatic spell checker!). In general, more people will be exposed to your writing through your emails than through your reports.

 

[HVACctrl]

My problem is this:
I feel the same way about getting things right. Typos and inconsistencies do agitate me. However, I see everyone else getting away with it and I am starting to develop a "when in Rome" attitude. For example, salespeople, in some instances, can be very lightly educated (don't take offense educated salespeople), yet make way more money than engineers, be very sloppy with reports and not have to adhere to the long hours that we do. I think that many people take advantage of our high ethics. I think its time to loosen up and start going for what is rightfully ours.

Ed

 

[kchayfie]

I have an ongoing battle with one of the engineers I work with; I know that I can be unnecessarily pedantic about getting things like spelling and grammar correct but he won't see that a simple typo can change the whole meaning of his work - especially when the typos include forgetting the "m" for "milli" in his units.

There should be limits and it seems that most people set these limits at different levels, but caring too much seems to carry less risk than not caring at all - provided the deadline gets met!