Q12 Writing Tips Flashcards
Four principles of writing
- The fewer numbers the better
- Smaller numbers
- Prefer simple numbers
- Personal numbers
Optimal sentence length
25 words or fewer
The more numbers we see . . .
The less we comprehend, so only keep the number that has actual meaning
Once a number gets into the millions like this: 5,036,587
Make it smaller like this: 5 million
Round larger numbers unless . . .
Precise ones are required
UF has 50,000 students. Is this round number okay?
- Yes because this is understood as a general statement
- Context implies this is an approximation
You can’t start a sentence with a number unless . . .
It’s spelled out
This semester, UF has 50,000 students enrolled. Is the rounded number okay?
No, because the context implies a more exact number so it should be precise
How many digits are okay for exact numbers?
Up to three
Never use the phrases:
- More than or less than
- Instead, say “about”
When is “about” unneccessary?
When rounding a decimal to a whole number, because that’s an equivalency not an approximation
When are decimal points necessary?
To distinguish two numbers
Changing percentages to ratios makes them . . .
More personal
