My 2021 reading with suggestions for you
This year I devoted much of my serious reading time to learning more about race through nonfiction and fiction. I also grappled with some issues of race on my blog in “How to edit articles about Black people” and “Working with a sensitivity reader.” Race—nonfiction Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin R. Banaji—I […]
Data are versus data is
Should you write “data is” or “data are”? Whenever possible, I suggest writing to avoid the use of the term “data” by itself. Why? Because, as Garner’s Modern American Usage says, “Data is a SKUNKED term: whether you write data are or data is, you’re likely to make some readers raise their eyebrows.” I think […]
Top posts from 2021’s third quarter
Check out my top posts from the third quarter! They’re a mix of practical tips on writing (#1 & #4), grammar (#2), investment commentary (#3), and proofreading (#5). My posts that attracted the most views during 2021’s first quarter: Improve your financial writing with these rules No apostrophes in plurals!—This drew some strong reactions from […]
How I use Grammarly to improve my writing
Some writers swear by Grammarly for automated grammar and style checking of their writing. I think it’s probably most useful for inexperienced writers who lack familiarity with the rules of writing. But even I find it helpful. I check most of my articles with it. Warning: Grammarly gets things wrong Grammarly is great at catching […]
MISTAKE MONDAY for October 25: Can YOU spot what’s wrong?
Can you spot what’s wrong in the image below? I see multiple problems. Please post your answer as a comment. I post these challenges to raise awareness of the importance of proofreading.