The Value of an Editor

Even educated people make mistakes. If you want to reduce the number of writing mistakes that you make, I suggest you have another pair of eyes look at what you write, especially if that person has expertise that you don’t. It might help you not look like a doofus. Here’s a quote in Ars Technica of from evolutionary biologist Carles Laleuza-Fox, who  told The New York Times’ Carl Zimmer

This is yet another genetic nail in the coffin of our over-simplistic models of human evolution.

I can picture both the NYT people and the Ars Technica folks grimacing at the redundant phrase “over-simplistic.”  Simplistic already means oversimplified. You shouldn’t use the word “over” twice.

I admire the journalistic integrity of both organizations in not changing the quote.