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Subject:Re: Reviews and red pens: an informal poll From:Mike McPherson <ENMCPHER -at- ECUVM1 -dot- BITNET> Date:Tue, 21 Sep 1993 10:57:58 EDT
Let me tell you a story:
A friend of mine an I worked for a client editor this summer who lived by
and loved using the red pen. We would turn in draft after draft of which
he would mark up with that red pen of his. After reviewing the drafts (for
one document I had a total of six drafts) I tried to find out what exactly
he was editing for. I found out that the changes that he made between
drafts were minor but the red pen made them seem so big.
I also read in Carolyn Rude's book, Technical Editing that red ink has a
psychological effect on a writer thereby hampering his or her writing
abilities and creativeness.
I don't know if this answered your question, but I think the use of another
color ink (besides black or blue or RED) works. I also teach and I try to
grade papers in green ink. Just a different color and it doesn't hinder
my students writing abilities. Besides, red ink is all they saw on papers
in high school so I am trying to show them there is more than that.
Mike McPherson
Graduate Student/Tech Writer
East Carolina University
