![]() ![]() When we're proof reading our own work, we know the meaning we want to convey. "Rather, we take in sensory information and combine it with what we expect, and we extract meaning." When we're reading other peoples' work, this helps us arrive at meaning faster by using less brain power. "We don't catch every detail, we're not like computers or NSA databases," said Stafford. It's a very high level task," he said.Īs with all high level tasks, your brain generalizes simple, component parts (like turning letters into words and words into sentences) so it can focus on more complex tasks (like combining sentences into complex ideas). "When you're writing, you're trying to convey meaning. The reason typos get through isn't because we're stupid or careless, it's because what we're doing is actually very smart, explains psychologist Tom Stafford, who studies typos of the University of Sheffield in the UK. If we are our own harshest critics, why do we miss those annoying little details? Frustratingly, they are usually words you know how to spell, but somehow skimmed over in your rounds of editing. They are saboteurs, undermining your intent, causing your resume to land in the "pass" pile, or providing sustenance for an army of pedantic critics. But, the first thing your readers notice isn't your carefully crafted message, it's the misspelled word in the fourth sentence. You comb for errors, and by the time you publish you are absolutely certain that not a single typo survived. You've sweat over your choice of words and agonized about the best way to arrange them to effectively get your point across. You have finally finished writing your article.
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