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No. 6913 July 1, 1969 

Writing Errors and 
Plain Writing Guide 


BUREAU OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SERVICE 
DIVISION OF EXTENSION : THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
Foreword 
Mrs. Maxine B. Shoemaker, elementary teacher in the Austin Public Schools, acted as consultant and prepared the writing examples for this book. We are grateful for her fine work and advice. 
$.10 per copy 
Statement on Equal Educational Opportunity 
With respect to the admission and education of students, with respect to the availability of student loans, grants, scholarships, and job opportunities, with re· spect to the employment and promotion of teaching and nonteaching personnel, with respect to the student and faculty activities conducted on premises owned or occupied by the University, and with respect to student and faculty housing situ· ated on premises owned or occupied by the University, The University of Texas at Austin 'hall not discriminate either in favor of or against any person on ac· count of his or her race, creed, color, or national origin. 
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PUBLICATION NUMBER 6913 PUBLISHED TWICE A MONTH BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UNIVERSITY STATION, 
AUSTIN, TEXAS, 78712, SECOND-CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT AUSTIN, TEXAS. 
Instructions to Spelling Contest Graders 
Writing Errors and Plain Writing Examples 

Since the Interscholastic League spelling contest is written, both correct spelling and legible writing are inescapably involved. A contest­ant who can spell a word correctly but cannot write it legibly might as well have spelled it incorrectly, insofar as scoring is concerned. Empha­sizing the writing to the exclusion of the spelling or concentrating on the spelling to the detriment of the writing will result in imbalance,­and the contest will limp like a man who has one leg shorter than the other. 
Each grading committee should read this pamphlet carefully before grading the papers in the spelling contest. The sponsor and contestant will also find it helpful in preparing for the competition. 
INSTRUCTIONS TO GRADERS 
1. 
The correct spelling of a word consists in writing legibly the letters which compose it in their proper order. Printing the word is not accept­able. Legibility, and not handwriting style, is to be emphasized. If two of three judges rule that a letter is legible, it should be considered cor­rect. Letters must be joined to form words. 

2. 
The first authority is the spelling list, which follows in nearly every case the first spelling given in the third edition of Webster's International Dictionary. 

3. 
In case any word is misspelled in any edition of the spelling list, that word is not to be considered in grading the spelling papers. 

4. 
The following faults in handwriting shall be considered errors: 


a. 	
An undotted "i'' or "j" or an uncrossed "t." (A "Parker" "r" is admissible if it passes legibility test; also "final t.") 

b. 	
A looped "i" or an unlooped "e" or "l." 

c. 	
An "n" or "m" not curved at the top. 

d. 	
A small letter beginning a word which rises as high as the two or three-spaced letters in the word or which rises as much as one space above the other one-spaced letters in the word shall be considered a capital. 

e. 	
An "o" not closed, or looped at the top. 

f. 	
Furthermore, any malformed letter or illegible letter, if consid­ered out of its context, is considered a miss. A freakish affecta­tion in writing, such as putting a circle instead of a dot over an "i" is considered a miss. 


[Note.-To determine whether or not a given letter is legible, place a blank piece of paper on either side of it, thus separating it from its con­text, and then see whether or not the character may be identified.] 
5. 
The misuse of an apostrophe or hyphen is considered a miss, and a mistake in capitalization is also considered a miss. 

6. 
Words are to be pronounced in regular order in the lists furnished, and any word omitted is a miss. In cases where all papers omit the same word, it is considered evidence that the pronouncer failed to give this word, so it is not considered a miss. 

7. 
Contractions and possessive forms may be written with all letters connected or may be written separately. Either is correct. 

8. 	
Final test of plain writing is legibility. 


WRITING ERRORS 
Since it is difficult to describe the writing errors previously noted, certain "horrible examples" are reproduced on the left of this pamphlet, together with the correctly formed letters on the right. 
The undotted "i" and the unlooped "e" are each considered a miss. Yet the State Office each year receives papers containing marks which are unlooped and undotted and could be read for either. Compare the examples from such papers on the left with the correctly formed letters from handwriting texts on the right: 
The "a" and the "o" are also easily confused if not written plainly. The looped "o" may degenerate into a mark resembling an "a". The downstroke on the first example does not follow to the line; little curlicues mar the legibility of the second, third and fourth "a". The next to the last specimen has an open, gaping mouth, while the last has loops which make it look like two "e's" bumping heads. Either would spoil an otherwise perfect paper. The looped "o's", culled from spelling papers, are fine examples of improper writing. Note that the correctly written "o" is not round but slightly flattened and that the terminal stroke does not drop promptly to the line as does the final stroke in the "a". 
zµ "9J cY 4/ -tV +-' ff.--?V~~en{; 
~~~ 41./ ,Q./,,CU ~~~ 
Written too hurriedly, a "c" can become an "e". 
The "s" is usually not too difficult but the bottom stroke should not be a loop unless a capital is intended. 
Another small letter that is difficult is "r". The League office is often asked if the so-called "Parker r" is correct. When properly made, it is good. When good, it is very very good,-but when it is bad it is "horrid", as are these examples: 
No comment is necessary on these small, straggling "t's". The "cross" on the "t" should not chop it in two nor yet be so high as to resemble a hat that was too small: 
The "x" is seldom used, being less frequently required; badly written, it can be mistaken for an "r" or, if left incomplete, be illegible: 
The similar letters "u", "v" and "w" can bring a contestant to grief. Taken from context, many "v's" are indistinguishable from "u's". The "w" must be carefully formed or it gets blind staggers and resembles the "m" or may become completely illegible: 
~~~,,v.-//L--~~~ 
.'tf/ .,,J---_u-_,J--_.-v<--~~~ 
To be easily distinguished from each other and from "u's" and "w's", the "m's" and "n's" must have rounded tops. Sharp tops and gable roofs are both wrong: 
_£4</ fa1J .Av---"~ ~~~ 
~~»~.,,MJ ~~~ 
The larger letters which sit on the line, "I", "b", "d", "h" and "k" are usually more legible; some contestants have trouble with these, too. The "h's" may be carelessly made. The "d" appears in a greater variety of shapes and sizes than perhaps any other letter. Here are a few which resulted in rejection of papers in which they appeared. Please fix firmly in mind the correct formation of both "b" and "d". 
Could these marks be "l's"? Both "l" and "e" must have a loop: 
These "h's" suffer from malnutrition and are nearing collapse. Com­pare with the "healthy" specimens: 
On the other hand, these "k's" suffer from elephantiasis. Endeavoring to show the "hook" which distinguishes the "k" from the "h", the con­testants have made them too large: 
Another letter often too "fat" is the "p". These need diet and exer­cise to bring them down to proper proportion : 
The "j" is frequently ill-formed, perhaps because it is not often used. Horrible examples shown prevented the contestant from receiving his 100% Spelling Certificate: 
The letter "f" has one loop or wing above the line and one below, coming together gracefully like a wasp in the center. "These "f's" were disqualified by the State Grading Committee: 
~f -f' -1--+ /-JtJ-U/U~~ 
Other below-the-line letters are "g'', "q", "y" and "z". These do not offer as much trouble but should also be neatly written: 
From the foregoing examples, it is not to be assumed that handwriting is the most important part of the contest. The spelling of the word is still the crux of the matter. 
Remember that the final test of the correctness of a word is its legi­bility. If the grader will put postcards, or other nontransparent papers, on either side of the letter in question, so that it stands alone he can decide if it is legible. Even though it may not be perfectly written, any letter is considered correct which can still be identified when separated from the remainder of the word.