Do essays make you nervous? You’re not alone.

We all know about how autocorrect and contextual spelling programs (like Microsoft Word and others) are actually changing English (in some cases, killing off words.) We haven’t mentioned something obvious, but crucial: Technology is turning us into much more careless writers. Do you find errors in emails after you’ve sent them? Do you spot embarrassing mistakes in your essays and memos only after they’re turned in? You are not alone. These errors are all too common in business writing and in students’ papers.

According to psychologists, our brains read in two different ways: the lexical route and phonological route. The lexical route is the fast and easy road where we read things that are familiar. It helps us read rapidly in part by skipping joining words like of, the, and a.  This reading route is the most common, and it’s handy for helping us read quickly and efficiently. However, it also means that we read carelessly, especially text we have just written that is flowing through our lexical route. 

The phonological route, on the other hand, is much slower. When we use this route, we sound out each syllable for its meaning. In experiments,  psychologists  flip letters upside down to activate this slower phonological route. When letter orientation is changed, people use the phonological route and are more likely to find their mistakes. However, without changing text formatting or deliberately altering the text, it is very hard to activate that reading route.

Because we primarily rely on the lexical route, we are literally unable to proofread work that we’ve just written, to find mistakes. The best tactic is to wait a day or two, then look at your work with fresh eyes. However, that is not always possible. A term paper or memo may be due in two hours, and you may not have the time to give your reading brain a break.

What is the solution then?

·         Try to get as much relaxation as possible when not having to concentrate on intense work

·         Get someone to check your work for you

·         Take your mind of your current work by doing something that stimulates your brain e.g. Puzzles, Crosswords, Board Games etc

·         Have a light snack

·         Take a short walk

·         Listen to some light music