Yesterday, I was reading an article in which the author used the terms fall and autumn interchangeably when referring to the season. As I read, I wondered if this was intentional. Rather than focusing on the content of the article, I was distracted by wondering if I was missing something.
It’s difficult to follow text that uses multiple terms to refer to the same thing.
You can use either fall or autumn to refer to the season between summer and winter. Both terms are accepted in American English.
But switching between the two creates confusion. Your readers may wonder if you’re referring to two different things. They’ll have to stop and reread, and that’s not what they want to do. (Of course, you can use these terms together if they’re not referring to the same thing; for instance, if you’re using fall to mean move downward.)
Consistent use of terms is important.
It makes it easy to navigate your text, and it allows your readers to quickly comprehend. It’s vitally important in technical writing, but it’s important in any kind of writing.
Inconsistent use of terms is distracting for your readers, regardless of whether they are conscious of the inconsistency. Consistency creates order and balance. Organized, balanced writing is appealing. (Read more about the importance of balance in writing.)
You might think it’s okay to let your readers figure out what you mean. And they may; but not without wasting time wondering why you decided to switch terms.
In addition to fall and autumn, consistency applies to other terms. For instance, if you’re referring to a book, try not to switch among book, text, story, and narrative. If you refer to the same thing with four different terms, you’ll confuse your readers. Use one term throughout. An example of inconsistent use of terms I often see in academic writing is introducing a study then switching among terms such as project, test, experiment, and evaluation in reference to the originally introduced study.
Always use terms consistently.
How do you establish consistency?
- When you introduce a term, present the same term each time you refer to the same thing.
- When you’re finished with your draft, read through the text to identify any instances of inconsistent use of terms. Revise them to the term you originally introduced.
