8.5: Strategies for writing comments

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Page ID: 51574

Tiffani Reardon, Tammy Powell, Jonathan Arnett, Monique Logan, & Cassie Race
Kennesaw State University

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When you edit technical materials, do not simply insert corrections unless the edits are simple or you have explicit permission to make final decisions. Instead, write comments to the author and suggest changes.

Before you write the comments, analyze the person you're writing to. Who is the author that created the materials you are editing? How will this person react to your comments? People are often very sensitive to criticism of their writing.

When you write the comments, actively think about the words and sentence structures that you use. Some authors are more open to criticism than others, but even receptive authors will ignore weak comments and balk at rudely stated commands.

Write your editorial comments using the strategies that Mackiewicz and Riley (2003) suggest:

Opinion
- "I would use Verdana for the document's typeface."
- State your opinion if you mean the author should make a change.
Suggestion with an active modal verb
- "You should probably use Verdana as the document's typeface. It'll make the text more readable onscreen."
- Combine a strong suggestion with "should," will," or "ought" if you mean the author should make a change. You can include a "downgrader" such as "probably" to soften the tone. You can, but don't have to, explain the payoff.
Command
- "Use Verdana as the document's typeface, please. It'll make the text more readable onscreen."
- Issue a command if you mean the author should make a change. You can include a "downgrader" to soften the tone. You can, but don't have to, explain the payoff.
Possibility statement with an active verb
- "You could use Verdana as the document's typeface. That's just an idea. It would make the text more readable onscreen."
- Make a suggestion with "can" or "could" if you are suggesting a non-mandatory option. You might also state the payoff.
Question
- "Could you change the document's typeface to Verdana?"
- Ask a question only if you don't know the answer. Otherwise, avoid this strategy.
Suggestion with a passive voice modal verb
- "The document's typeface should be changed to Verdana."
- Avoid this strategy
Possibility statement with a passive voice modal verb
- "The document's typeface could be changed to Verdana."
- Avoid this strategy.
Hint
- "Using a sans serif font for a document that will appear onscreen increases the document's readability."
- Avoid this strategy.