Assign a Shortcut to a Style Applying styles to format text keeps formatting consistent and prevents file corruption unlike formatting “manually” using the icons in the ‘Home’ tab. This means opening the style pane, finding the style, then applying it. There is the option of using the style gallery in the ‘Home’ tab, but that…
Is it time to strengthen your document control system? A document control professional can bring a wealth of benefits to a business by improving productivity, increasing profitability, and even streamlining access to crucial safety information—and professional training can help you fully unlock those benefits. Here’s a rundown of document control: what it is, why it’s…
How many times have you wanted to hire a non-traditional employee but couldn’t because they don’t have the prior knowledge necessary? Or wanted to bring in younger workers, but can’t because they simply don’t have the experience of your senior members? One of the biggest downsides to growing or replenishing a workforce is the fact…
As kids head back to school and workplaces decide whether they want to open office buildings back up, switch to a hybrid model, or stay remote, it’s time to take stock of virtual learning. Did it work? What lessons were learned during mass implementation that could help teams make the most of this training strategy in the years to come? What are the pros and cons of virtual learning?
Do I ALWAYS have to write in active voice? No, you don’t! Although writing in active voice is generally preferable, sometimes passive voice is the better choice, or maybe even the only choice. When you write in active voice, the subject of the sentence accomplishes the action: The technician checked the equipment for leaks. The…
Choose your placement of the word ‘only’ very carefully; its placement can change the meaning of your sentence. The word ‘only’ should be placed immediately before the word or phrase it modifies. Examples: Only Meg said that she was hungry. Meaning: Meg alone said that she was hungry. Meg only said that she was hungry.…
Most technical documents are formatted so that they are either left-justified (with the left margin aligned and the right margin ‘ragged’) or full-justified (when both margins are aligned). Although full-justified margins may appear to look more professional, they also require unequal spacing between the words so that the margins can match up. This sometimes gives…
We see it often in letters, emails, texts, tweets, memos, and notes. This mark is appealing because it helps save character space and looks casual, but how does it fit in formal writing? The Associated Press Stylebook advises using the ampersand when it is part of a company’s formal name or composition title: Barnes &…
What is the difference between preventive and preventative? Is one preferred over the other? According to Paul Brians’ Common Errors in English Usage, the two words are interchangeable, although some people prefer ‘preventive’ because it is shorter. Bill Bryson, author of Bryson’s Dictionary of Troublesome Words: A Writer’s Guide to Getting it Right, agrees. “Preventative…
Which word is correct: toward or towards? Here’s the scoop: toward and towards can be used interchangeably. Technically, they mean the same thing, and it is correct to use either of them. The reason that we may prefer one over the other is simple: it depends on whether you are from the US, Great Britain,…