I have to disagree right back :-)...otherwise, I wouldn't have to stop my
fingers from typing "information" so often when I really mean
"informatics"...once those fingers get flying, the patterns can run away
with themselves. It's not necessarily a matter of failing to engage brain
before putting fingers into gear.

I can't dispute that such errors detract from the overall impact of the
message, of course. (Furthermore, the it's-its mistake in students' papers
is one of my worst peeves!) But I don't think it's sufficient cause for an
almost ad hominem attack on the whole list--maybe it only calls for a
private "say, did you realize how this diminished your believability?"

I should probably have put this in a private message, myself, but...
...well, I'm only defending my dissertation next month--I guess I can still
make a few mistakes in public :-)

Ted Morris
Kent State University
[log in to unmask]


At 5/10/01 11:49 AM, Terry, Roseanne wrote:
>I beg to differ -- inserting an apostrophe is an intentional action, which
>demonstrates that the typist meant to put it there, as opposed to a "typo"
>which is putting one's fingers on the wrong key.  Unfortunately, spelling
>and grammatical errors do detract from the message, and call into question
>the writer's grasp of intellectual issues.  Form and content, content and
>form -- any good writer knows this potent combination.  And yes, one does
>expect more from a Ph.D., particularly if they are going to set themselves
>up as an authority.  I have to agree with the original lamenter -- sigh....