1. Effective writers should not depend on spell-check programs to catch all of the proofreading errors. Spell-check will catch spelling errors, typos, and basic grammar errors; however, it cannot replace concentrated proofreading. Spell-check only catches words that are not in the English language. If your typo happens to create a word in the English language, spell-check will not catch it. The meaning might be completely different. Spell-check does not know the difference between a person definitely attending or defiantly attending, between being stranded on a desert island or a dessert island, or between my dear or my deer. Both options are spelled correctly, but they have dramatically different meanings.
Proofread your documents thoroughly. It is helpful to read your documents out loud. If you read it in your head, you often read what you meant to say instead of the information you wrote. Have someone else proofread your document too.
2. Effective writing should be comprehendible and enjoyable to your target audience. Have you ever become frustrated reading an instruction manual because the directions were confusing? Clearly, the writer did not accurately gauge the target audience. If the reader is throwing the manual down in frustration, then the writer has failed. How can you avoid this?
Do not use technical terms or acronyms unless you are certain that the reader is familiar with these terms. If you must use the term, be sure to define it in your document. You want your message to be clear and not frustrating to your reader.
Do not use slang, text language, hashtags, emoticons, or jargon in formal writing. Many people do not understand these terms, and find it frustrating to receive correspondence containing it. This type of communication is acceptable in informal communication, but is too casual and informal for business communication or academic writing. Imagine receiving the following email from your manager, “OMG! U will b xited 4 2morow! :)” Would you take your manager seriously? The message is too casual, and makes the writer look amateurish and unprofessional.