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>
> once the document grows to a few pages, the large
> organizational changes that are needed simply do not show up without
> printing out the document and looking at it, preferably a day or so
> later.
Before editing my own work, I usually need to step back from the
document and let the sentences fade from my neurons, before I can take a
fresh look.
After writing a document on a computer, I find that looking at a hard
copy of the document helps me to read it more critically and
objectively. I'm habituated to the document on a screen, so the hard
copy gives it a slight novelty that is useful when I edit.
> fixed. However, I suspect some of your difficulty is that the whole
> issue of online editing versus paper editing involves a lot of
> variables which make it difficult to generalize.
Amen.
I think there's also another twist. After thinking about why I prefer
editing on paper and what a survey might reveal, I believe that the
variable 'occupation' (editor or writer) ought to also be gathered in
any survey of editing preference, as it could be confounding.
BTW Diane, I sent you a link to Christina Haas's Thesis at CMU English
Department. The CMU library system has it on fiche (I think you can
order a copy, for a fee). Several other works with her name on them are
in various CMU library stacks. My curiosity is especially piqued by this
title of hers:
"Social dynamics, or scientific truth, or sheer human cussedness :
design decisions in the evolution of the Andrew user interface "
With regard for sheer human cussedness,
Ned Bedinger
doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com
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