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Word Blindness
2

Word Blindness

Word Blindness

(OP)
Word Blindness

Over the past few weeks I have posted several threads on different forums on a wide range of subjects. To my great annoyance on reviewing them I found that I had made some basic errors in drafting them.
The thing is when I finished typing them I ran the spell check and reread them to see if I had structured them well and correct any errors. How is then can I miss “Live” for “Life”, “Contacts” for “Contracts” and so forth? I really see these words on the screen and when I post them, they change.

Ever happen to you?

RE: Word Blindness

Proof reading is difficult task to master.  I produce a newsletter for a club that I am in and I have the same problem you do.  No matter how many times I proof read the thing it will have at least one error in spelling or grammar.  It drives me crazy.  My neighbor is an expert proof reader and can find the even the smallest error.  When one proof reads ones own typed words the familiarity of the words prevents accurate proof reading for errors.  Your eye reads over or right through the error because your mind sees it like it wants it to see it.

Techmaximus

RE: Word Blindness

2
One technique that can be useful is to read the text backwards.  That way you have a better chance of reading what is actually there, rather than what you mind expects to be there.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

RE: Word Blindness

No substitute for a fresh set of eyes, preferably someone else's.

RE: Word Blindness

This is why there are "checkers" and "proof readers". You can never hceck your own work.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP3.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: Word Blindness

Quote (Roadbridge):

How is then can I miss ...

Just the same way that you missed the "it" in that sentence: When you're proofing, you have a preconceived idea of what it says so your mind's eye conforms its images to match its version of reality.

In such cases as contract vs. contact, recognize that much of how we read is by a general recognition of the shape of the word and the intial and terminal sounds.

When reading someone else's work, you pay close attention to the context and therefore spot those mistakes more easily. When reading your own, though, you already know the context and you tend to see what you are expecting to see.

Does it happen to me? Yep, pretty routinely. I've done a fair amount of writing and proofing so I'm pretty good at finding them; not perfect by any means, though.

--------------------
Bring back the HP-15
www.hp15c.org
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RE: Word Blindness

CajunCenturion  - I sent you a star for the 'reading the text backwards tip'. I remember in high school I had an English teacher that would take off 1% for every grammar and spelling error. The advice they gave was to read backward to catch errors. It worked then, but I'd forgotten about it until right now.

RE: Word Blindness

? sdrawkcab gnidaeR

tluciffid si eruS

RE: Word Blindness

Roadbridge

You may have seent his before, however it might help explain your "word blindness":

  I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was
  rdanieg The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid.

  Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't
  mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt
  tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.

  The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a
  porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey
  lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Perhaps you're seeing the word that you're expecting, given the context of the sentence, rather than the word you've actually written.  That's why checking it in reverse order is such a great idea -- it prevents you from unconsciously making assumptions about which word is coming next.

RE: Word Blindness

When I am writing any kind of formal report, ether is absolutely no substitute for having and independent proof-reader - someone who understands the subject matter, but had snot previously read the report, so has no preconceived notion of what is or should be coming next. Not only will hey pick up the sort of errors outlined in this thread (word substitution, missing prepositions, etc), but they can also pick up on logical inconsistencies, unjustified assumptions, etc.

Another of my favourite methods is to put put the whole document down for a day or so when it is "finished", and then re-read it start to finish a coupe of days later - time permitting, of course. It is remarkable many such errors you pick up yourself when you read it with a fresh mind.

Of course, neither of these approaches is of much use when using "immediate" written communications, such as posting on forums and replying to e-mails. I ALWAYS spell check before posting, but spell checkers won't pick up a lot of word substitution errors, missing words, etc, and turning full grammar checking "on" in Microsoft Word can be a real pain. If it's really important - get it proof-read by someone else before posting.

(And before anyone bothers to point out all of my inadvertent word substitutions, missing words, etc in this posting - yes, I know! I deliberately left them in to make a point!)

RE: Word Blindness

A proof reader, with or without "snot" is an excellent method.

Another way, if you have the time, is to just put it away for a day or two, and come back to it completely fresh.

RE: Word Blindness

Quote (JulianHardy):

When I am writing any kind of formal report, ether is absolutely no substitute for having and independent proof-reader
I never thought of using ether instead of a proof-reader.  Are there some chemical properties that we should be aware of?

Just kidding - I do live in a glass house.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

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