Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
expression is to shorten phrases by deleting adjectives, such as the second “long” in
the expression “long lists and long arrays”. Overuse of a word can lead to ambiguity,
8
but technical concepts should always be described in the same way, not by a series
of synonyms.
Some phrases are worn out from overuse and, like clichés and the words listed
earlier, should be avoided. Examples include “vicious circle”, “as a matter of fact”,
“tip of the iceberg”, “knotty problem”, “in the final analysis”, “every effort was
made”, and “vexed question”.
Padding
Padding is the unnecessary use of pedantic phrases such as “in general”, which should
usually be deleted, not least because they are irritating. The phrase “of course” can
be patronizing or even insulting—“
of course
it is now clear that that the order is
stable”. The phrases “note that” and “the fact that” are not padding, but are often
used to introduce something that readers should be able to deduce for themselves.
Phrases involving the word “case” (“in any case”, “it is perhaps the case”) are
also suspect. There is rarely a reason to use “it is frequently the case that” instead
of “often”, for example. Unnecessary introduction of quantities, or the concept of
quantities, is a form of padding. For example, the phrase “a number of” can be
replaced by “several”, and “a large number of” by “many”.
Adjectives are another form of padding.
A well-known method such as the venerable quicksort is a potential practical
alternative in instances of this kind.
In all likelihood, the context has made clear that impractical alternatives are not being
discussed.
A method such as quicksort is a potential alternative.
Use the minimum number of words, of minimum length, in your writing. The
Table
7.2
lists common redundant or wordy expressions and possible substitutes for
them. The list is illustrative rather than exhaustive; there are some typical forms of
redundancy, such as “completely unique” for “unique”, for which there are hundreds
of examples. Sometimes a wordy expression is the right choice—to emphasise a key
point, for example, or to lend the writing a conversational style—but in most cases
a concise form is preferable.
8
The following requirement was once in the Australian Tax Act.
Where the amount of an annuity derived by the taxpayer during a year of income is more
than, or less than, the amount payable for a whole year, the amount to be excluded from the
amount so derived is the amount which bears to the amount which, but for this sub-section,
would be the amount to be so excluded the same proportion as the amount so derived bears
to the amount payable for a whole year.
