Documentation Review

[Al Geist]

Annie Wood wrote:

>We're a fairly smallish company (definitely a small department) and we are in the process of putting a set of standards and processes into place. I guess the means for my questions were to get an idea of what people concentrate on while reviewing, who is utilized, and how.
>
>
>  
>
Who is used....

 From “Getting the Words Right,” by Theodore A. Rees Cheney, Writer's 
Digest Books. (ISBN 0-89879-114-6)

USE/UTILIZE

It would be difficult to find a page of governmental, military, or 
academic writing that doesn't have on it the word utilize. It must be 
one of the most over-utilized words in the world. It seems as through 
people out to impress people with the significance of what they're going 
use utilize when they should use use.

Utilize is not an elegant variation of the word use; it has its own 
distinct meaning. When you utilize something, you make do with something 
not normally used for that purpose, e.g., you use a dime when the bloody 
screwdriver is nowhere to be found. If the screwdriver were there, you'd 
use it, not utilize a stupid dime for that purpose. Use use when you 
mean use, and utilize only when it's properly used to mean – to use 
something not normally used. The computer went off-line, so they 
utilized Mr. Wang's abacus, the one he liked to use. Despite the 
temporary breakdown, the computer's use-rate was up (not its 
utilization-rate).



In addition to the archives, you might find helpful information on Geoff 
Hart's site (http://www.geoff-hart.com/resources/bibliography.html)

Al
-- 

Al Geist
Technical Writing, Online Help, Marketing Collateral, Web Design, Award 
Winning Videos, Professional Photography
Voice/Msg: 802-658-3140

Cell: 802-578-3964
E-mail: al.geist at geistassociates.com <mailto:al.geist at geistassociates.com>
URL: www.geistassociates.com <http://www.geistassociates.com> (online 
portfolio/resume)

See also:
URL: www.geistimages.com <http://www.geistimages.com> (fine art prints 
for home for office, and note cards for all occasions)

"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether 
to answer "Present" or "Not guilty.""
Theodore Roosevelt