This document discusses editing complex documents. It covers style guides, plain English, active and passive voice, inclusive language, basic punctuation, grammar, and electronic editing. The key points are: 1. Editing is a vital step in the writing process and ensures consistency, avoids errors, and presents the company positively. 2. Style guides and sheets provide instructions for writers to ensure consistency across documents regarding formatting, structure, language usage and more. 3. Using plain English with everyday words, precise language, and varying sentence structure makes documents clearer and more engaging for readers. 4. Electronic editing allows for easy version control, collaboration, and undoing of changes.

1. BSBWRT401 Write complex documents
Session 3
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2. ‘The worker who achieves the most sales will receive
a plague for Worker of the month.’
‘Greenwise is happy to launch our new vegeterean
products.’
‘Our new director hails from a multi-delinquent
family with a high incarceration index.’
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3. Purpose of this presentation
This presentation will introduce you to the concepts
of:
 editing and style guides
 plain English
 active and passive
 inclusive language
 basic punctuation
 basic grammar
 electronic editing.
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4. Editing is essential
Editing is a vital step in the writing process. Poorly
edited documents can mean:
 loss of potential work, sales, clients for
company
 poor reflection of company in public
 your writing reputation in tatters.
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5. Top ten editing rules
1. Use plain English.
2. Avoid American spelling (don’t trust spell checker)
3. Use paragraphs and margins.
4. Adhere to format conventions.
5. Use minimum punctuation.
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6. Top ten editing rules
6. Check grammar.
7. Follow the ‘ten rule’ for numbering.
8. Use underlined text for hyperlinks.
9. Use numbers and captions for figures.
10. Use design elements carefully.
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7. Style guides/sheets
 can be general or specific
 can be created by company, e.g. house style
 are instructions for writers
 ensure consistency across documents
 detail conventions to be used.
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8. Style guide instructions
Include conventions about:
 presentation, e.g. footers, headers
 graphics, e.g. size, placement, font, icons
 text content, e.g. bolded words, headings, key words,
punctuation, references
 structure, e.g. order of information
 punctuation
 spelling, e.g. no American spelling to be used
 language, e.g. plain English.
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9. Style sheet - business letters
Use the following general structure
 date
 address
 salutation
 reference line
 opening paragraph link to previous business, if any
 body contains main message
 final paragraph indicates action to be taken
 signature
 copies to other parties.
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10. Plain English
 use familiar everyday words
 be precise; be clear but avoid unnecessary words
 Avoid long, stilted words and phrases e.g. ‘it is often the case’.
 avoid cliches, euphemisms and overused words
 use personal pronouns ‘we’ and ‘our’ (unless formal)
 use active voice
 prefer simple sentences over complex sentences
 vary sentence length (average 22 words)
 minimum punctuation.
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11. Gender-specific language
Words that specifically describe the male or female
gender should be avoided, e.g. chairman.
 replace ‘man’ with ‘person’
 replace male pronouns ‘he’ and ‘his’ with ‘they’
and ‘their’
 use ‘author’ instead of ‘authoress’.
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12. Active voice
 is where the subject performs the action.
 is more direct/immediate
 is more engaging for reader
‘The director launched the new product yesterday.’
(active voice)
‘The new product was launched yesterday by the
director.’ (passive voice)
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13. Basic punctuation
Capitalisation
 keep it to a minimum
 use at start of sentences, proper nouns, start of
headings.
Full stops
 use to end sentences
 at the end of abbreviations, e.g. etc.
 not used at end of contractions, e.g. Doctor – Dr (not
Dr.)
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14. Basic punctuation
Apostrophes
 use for contractions, e.g. do not = don’t
 use to show possession, e.g. the company’s
services
 not used every time there is an ‘s’
 no longer used in dates, e.g. 1960’s, ten weeks’
time
 it’s = it is, not the possessive for of ‘it’.
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15. Basic grammar
Grammar is a set of rules that describe:
 how words (nouns, verbs, pronouns, prepositions, etc)
relate to one another
 how words are arranged
…to create meaningful sentences.
Use a grammar guide or book such as the
Commonwealth style manual for writers and editors!
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16. Basic grammar
Common grammatical errors
include:
Examples:
Commas are left out, or put in the
wrong place in a sentence, changing or
confusing the sentence’s meaning.
Compare:
‘The panda eats shoots and leaves’
with
‘The panda eats, shoots and leaves’.
Related words in a sentence do not
‘agree’ with each other. Remember that
a company or organisation should be
referred to as a single entity, not as a
group.
‘AAT released their annual report’ is
incorrect. Replace ‘their’ with ‘its’.
‘There were books on the table and
writing on the board’.
Change to: ‘There were books on the
table and there was writing on the
board’.
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17. Basic grammar
Common grammatical errors
include:
Examples:
Use of the relative pronouns ‘that’ or
‘which’? They can generally be used
interchangeably, except where the
meaning of the sentence is affected.
Notice how the placement or absence of
a comma before the word ‘which’ affects
its meaning.
‘Compare the following:
‘The triceratops that could run faster
than the t-rex would escape capture.’
‘The triceratops which could run faster
than the t-rex would escape capture.’
‘The triceratops, which could run faster
than the t-rex, would escape capture.’
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18. Electronic editing
There are many advantages to editing electronically. A
few of these advantages are:
 no need to write and edit your document in different
media
 make copies of your edited documents
 send marked-up copies to various stakeholders
 keep track of multiple edits by different people
 undo your changes to revert to earlier versions.
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19. The next step
 Complete the group activities.
 Read Section 4 of Student Workbook before the
next session.
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