(an ongoing series of tips for helping people talk to students, peers, and even bosses about their writing in helpful ways)
#3) Make your markings clear.
Nothing is more frustrating than finding a mark that you don’t understand. In written comments, explain your abbreviations the first time. Make them simple and obvious: “W.C.= word choice.”
Then, explain how to fix the problem the first time so that the marking is extra clear. ”Instead of ‘sidetrack,’ did you mean ‘soundtrack’?”
Keep your handwriting legible. No one likes having to translate your creative m’s and n’s. You are not Thomas Jefferson.
If online, make sure you don’t comment with shorthands that only you understand. Typing can make your communication sloppy. Don’t let it! Just because the letters are clear doesn’t mean they make sense.
