Kibbitzer 19

The Overworked 'It' (Part One)

The correct handling of cross-reference, and in particular the word 'it' is one of the most difficult problems for our students. The example below illustrates a common error in the use of 'it': it is taken from the final year project of a Singaporean student of mechanical engineering.

OriginalRevision
2.2.2 Pulse Type Power Supply
It has almost the same working principle as the R-C power supply except that vacuum tubes or solid state devices are used to achieve a fast pulsing switch effect (see Fig E). 		2.2.2 Pulse Type Power Supply
This has almost the same working principle as the R-C power supply except that vacuum tubes or solid state devices are used to achieve a fast pulsing switch effect (see Fig E).

The principle involved here can be expressed quite simply:

Do not use 'It' to refer back to something named in a heading

The following extract from the same piece of work shows another way of 'overworking' the word 'It':

OriginalRevision
2.2.1 Resistance-Capacitance power supply
... In this type pf circuit, an increase in metal removal rate (MRR) depends more on larger amperage and capacitance than on the number of discharges per second.

It has the advantages of simplicity in circuit design and reliability. It also works well at low currents, especially with the milli-ampere currents required for holes under 0.12 mm in diameter.

 2.2.1 Resistance-Capacitance power supply
... In this type of circuit, an increase in metal removal rate (MRR) depends more on larger amperage and capacitance than on the number of discharges per second.

The Resistance-Capacitance power supply has the advantages of simplicity in circuit design and reliability. It also works well at low currents, especially with the milli-ampere currents requitred for holes under 0.12 mm in diameter.

The principle involved here is:

Do not use 'It' to refer back across paragraph boundaries

21st April 1997 Consultant: Tim Johns
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