Minutes a day n e w y o r k

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Technobabble
Don’t assume your audience shares your interests or familiarity with technology; write instead for a reader
who has a broad knowledge base that is not expert in any subject. That means explaining anything your
reader might not be familiar with, without talking down. Examples include ISP (Internet Service Provider),
screenagers (teens who are online), mouse potato (technology’s answer to the couch potato), and I-way
(information superhighway).
Use the Active Voice
Verbs have two voices. In the active voice, the subject is the source of, or cause of, the action. In the passive voice,
the subject is acted upon. In a personal essay, you are usually the subject. That means the active voice is much more
effective in conveying your personality through your essay—you’re the “actor,” not the “acted upon.” The active
voice is also clearer and more direct. In the following examples, note the simplicity and directness of the first sen-
tence in each pair. The second sentences, written in the passive voice, are clunky and noticeably longer.
Compare:
My friend asked for another helping.
Another helping was asked for by my friend.
I misplaced my wallet.
My wallet was misplaced by me.
The administration has selected three finalists for the open position.
Three finalists for the open position have been selected by the administration.
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Big words won’t win points with your readers. Aim to sound like yourself, not to impress with your knowledge
of ten-letter words. Here are three reasons to stop looking for and using so-called big words.
1. They sound pretentious (you’re supposed to sound like you, not a politician or chairman of the board).
2. They can sound ridiculous (by using words that are not in your normal vocabulary, you run the risk of using
them incorrectly).
3. They may appear as a “tactic” (your reader might think you are trying to add weight with words because
you are worried your essay isn’t well written or that your ideas aren’t worth reading).
To the point: I decided to keep it simple by packing only those things that I could carry in one suitcase.
Thesaurized: I determined to eschew obfuscation by packing only those things that I could transport in one valise.
To the point: At my summer job, I had the chance to learn about Information Technology as it relates to
engineering.
Thesaurized: At my summer employment, I had the fortuity to obtain IT-related information as it pertains to the
engineering field.