Common Errors: An Editor’s Checklist

1. Wordiness: The use of an excessive number of words

Wordy: The results caused the revelation that the two variables are unrelated.
Revised: The results revealed that the two variables are unconnected.

Wordy: Treatment with drug A led to the increase in blood glucose levels.
Revised: Treatment with drug A increased blood glucose levels.

2. Redundancy: Using more words than necessary for one idea

Redundant: Three of the women had given birth to a pair of twins.

Revised: Three of the women had given birth to twins.

3. Illogical flow: Information not presented in a logical sequence

Illogical: After Section 4, we present our findings in Section 3.

Revised: After Section 4, we present our findings in Section 5.

4. Punctuation errors: Comma splices, fused sentences, and misused apostrophes

Punctuation errors: She walk’s to work every day, she takes care of her own and her family’s
health.
Revised: She walks to work every day; she takes care of her own and her family’s health.

5. Grammatical errors: Mismatched pronouns and faulty modification

Grammatical errors: After the rats became diabetic, we treated it with the plant extract.
Revised: After the rats became diabetic, we treated them with the plant extract.

6. Tone: The author’s choice of words, sentence structure, and academic conventions

Inappropriate tone: He didn’t do any kind of practice first, so he never even had a chance.
Revised: Since he did not practice beforehand, his chances for success were slim.

7. Technical errors: Misrepresentation of data and factual inconsistencies

Erroneous: This bottle can hold only 100 millimeters of water.

Revised: This bottle can hold only 100 milliliters of water.

Erroneous: Female Wistar rats (250–300 mg) were purchased.

Revised: Female Wistar rats (250–300 g) were purchased.

8. Stylistic errors: Inconsistency in text and headings

Inconsistent: The children observed 65 light grey fish, thirty white fish, and 78 dark gray fish.
Revised: The children observed 65 light grey fish, 30 white fish, and 78 dark grey fish.
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