The Importance of Editing Articles

Editing is the process of selecting and preparing language, images, sound, video, or film through processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media. A person who edits is called an editor. In a sense, the editing process originates with the idea for the work itself and continues in the relationship between the author and the editor. Editing is, therefore, also a practice that includes creative skills, human relations, and a precise set of methods.

Editing consists of: correction of grammatical mistakes, misspellings, mistyping, incorrect punctuation, inconsistencies in usages, poorly structured sentences, correction of statements conflicting with general scientific knowledge, correction of synopsis, content, index, headings and subheadings, correcting data and chart presentation in a research paper or report, correcting errors in citations.

This activity ensures that documentation is of good quality. In large companies, experienced writers are dedicated to the technical editing function. In organizations that cannot afford dedicated editors, experienced writers typically peer-edit text produced by their relatively less experienced colleagues.

Editors specialize in language, whether that language is used in an annual report, marketing brochure, newsletter, novel, website – or anything in between. In other words, any project that has text in it can benefit from the input of an editor.

If you’ve spent months or years working on your manuscript, it’s often difficult to see it with an objective eye. An editor represents your intended reader and reviews your project with that reader in mind – whether it’s a 10-year-old child, a professional, or a member of the general public.

An editor will make sure the reading level is right and the text is structured to flow easily. He will eliminate repetition and redundancy and make sure your message is clear, concise, and says exactly what you mean.



If you are like most business writers, you have done everything you can to make your copy the best it can be. Yet, once the piece is produced, you’ve cringed at the errors that got through. Perhaps you’ve had to make last-minute corrections and reprint and resend corrected documents. It happens more than you think.

A professional editor can also help you by overseeing special writing and marketing projects. When you have no staff dedicated to such projects, a professional editor can save you time and money by coming on board as needed and taking the project from beginning to end. An editor can also augment existing staff when an important deadline looms.

If you're in business, you've worked hard to be recognized as knowledgeable and professional in your field. Your marketing materials are designed to convey an image that will gain the trust of your customers and tell them that you know what you're doing. Simple spelling errors, inconsistent facts and faulty grammar reflect on the quality of the work you do – shoddy language translates into shoddy work, or tells readers that inaccuracies and mistakes don't really matter to you.

Errors and omissions in any writing, editing or proofreading of your letters, newsletters and reports can diminish your company's image and jeopardize your credibility. Meticulous language, on the other hand, reflects the scrupulous care you provide to clients and customers.

Fraud at 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup

Fraud and corruption can only affect the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup negatively. A huge loss in money and assets can cause an increase of taxes on tourists and citizens of South Africa to make up for the losses. Tourists can also be victims of fraud if they are caught by scammers of organised crime, for example: credit card fraud or airline ticket fraud.

The corruptness of Metro Police officers are also creating a negative reputation of South African Law enforcement, and these officers are seen as incompetent, which may not be up to international standards. If corruption flairs during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, International News stations like CNN and BBC will focus on the negative aspects of South Africa, instead of the positive aspects like cultural diversity, fauna and flora, and the history of South Africa.



Setting standards high and creating effective controls to prevent fraud and corruption may lower crime. If, for instance, the Metro Police were trained better, and given a higher salary, officers may not feel the need to ask for bribes. Creating a task team to deal with corrupt officers may also be an effective method of curing the incompetent service that the Metro Police is providing.

10 Points for Article Writing

1- Do not write too much, if an article is too long, people won’t read it.

2- Make sure that the theme of an article is pointed out at the beginning of an article.

3- Don’t use difficult words.

4- Plan the layout of the article.

5- Write a catchy headline.

6- Keep open spaces so the article doesn’t look cluttered.

7- Write sentences straight forward, instead of using metaphors or examples that might confuse the reader.

8- Make sure that the article includes business ideas, so the article is
meaningful to managers and directors.

9- Separate information from instructions to avoid confusion.

10- Make sure that you address the reader and that all facts and responsibilities are clear.

Five Important Points for Report Writing

1 - Use of technical jargon, slang, and/or colloquialisms:

Generally the writing you do in a report will be formal in nature and you will need to avoid using words which are not recognized as being Standard English. Standard English is the form of English most commonly used in print and which is taught in schools. It is also the form of English used for academic writing. Don't feel constrained by having to use formal English, but try and express yourself using words which most people would understand, and which are appropriate to the context. Watch out for regional words and phrases too. This also means having good spelling and grammar. While you won’t be directly marked down for poor spelling, not having any ‘howlers’ means your report will read much more nicely and give a better impression.

2 - Do not clutter:

In all graphical elements of your report it is essential that you avoid clutter, confusion, business and sloppiness. In the main body these issues tend to break the reader’s concentration and cause numerous problems with printing and page breaks. These things interfere with your main goal which is communication. Do this by being careful about where you place labels in graphs, titles in tables, notes appended to either and reference marks or ticks.

3 - Charts are more effective than a wordy description:

Statistical reports should not have great chunks of text, instead the majority of information should be summarised in a table or graph, with a small, pertinent comment underneath to show what the figure demonstrates.


4 - Keep it neat:

When using headings and sub-headings you have to ensure that the same pattern is followed throughout the whole report or proposal. To keep a neat, flowing structure, all graphs and other visual aids should be clearly numbered and labelled; this numbering should be consecutive throughout the text of the report. In general, you want your report to look as neat and uncluttered as possible. A very neat way to do this is the use of footnotes to direct the reader. Using the same font and size for headings and making sure graphs are the same size, also makes a report flow better.


5 - Visual aids make a report more attractive:

Visual aids are eye-catchers. They need to be used appropriately and moderately to be effective. They must always be titled, clearly labelled, and explained. Different types of visual aids emphasize different data relationships, so choosing the right type is very important. Whatever graph, chart, or illustration type is chosen, data must be presented truthfully and accurately. Distorted scales on graphs or misleading emphasis suggest weaknesses in an argument. This will only hurt your credibility. When submitting a proposal, recommendation, or evaluation report, photographs are a good visual aid to use. For example, if you are buying a house, it is easier to compare houses by using photos, the same goes for cars, machinery, etc. When it comes to report writing, one should be aware of using pictures, as it might distract people from the topic.

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Fraud Prevention

A multidisciplinary approach to fraud prevention consists of management, staff members, oversight bodies, computer experts, internal and external fraud experts, and legal advisors. As previously stated, management is responsible for adhering to company policies and making sure that all employees do the same. All of the bodies in the organization are responsible for the prevention and detection of fraud.

Staff members have to be trained to identify fraud and misconduct in the work place, and there has to be a reporting line available to all employees, which assures anonymity, and the ignorance or failure to report fraud or other offences should also result in a disciplinary hearing. Employees should be aware of the organization’s ethics policy, and be obligated by their contracts to adhere to the rules and procedures as set by management. Responsibilities in the work place should be given so that all employees are responsible for their own mistakes and misconduct, and disciplinary actions should be taken against employees who violate the code of conduct or ethics code.

The Audit Committee or Board of Directors’ members are mostly from outside the organization and they help the Main Board with operations, because of time restraints, and should have a written charter of responsibilities approved by the Main Board. They are financially literate, and help the Main Board with financial reporting and internal control responsibilities. The Audit Committee has to encourage management to create functional reporting systems, and receive feedback from all fraud cases, and they also have the right to investigate senior managers with the help of internal and external fraud auditors.

Internal fraud auditors are needed within and organization to detect fraud. Responsibilities also include adding value to the organizations operations, and evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, internal controls, and the governess process. By evaluating and improving the governess process, internal auditors contribute to the prevention of fraud, and they communicate and establish values and goals, monitor the accomplishments of goals, ensure accountability, and preserve values.

External auditors’ primary responsibility is to audit financial statements and other information, and give comments on it, making sure that the financial statements of an organization is valid, and that it corresponds with the organization’s affairs. In effect, irregularities have to be reported. External auditors are needed to detect and prevent fraud and errors within the organization, but they can not be held responsible for the prevention of fraud, as that responsibility lies with management. They do however work with managers and the Board of Directors or the Audit Committee to help prevent fraud, by reporting on irregularities and suspected fraud, and providing assessments on the organization’s process for identifying, assessing, and responding the risks of fraud.



Computer experts are needed for implementing effective controls to protect organizations against computer crimes, such as hacking, and stealing information.

Certified fraud examiners have the same duties as the internal and external auditors, but their knowledge is extensive. They can also assist the Board of Directors directly when it comes to investigating senior personnel. They provide better evaluations of fraud risks, gained by experience. They also create operations and tests to resolve allegations or suspicions of fraud, and they report to either management or the Board of Directors.

Forensic auditors investigate fraud within the organization, with the goal to obtain legal confessions and prove the elements of fraud. Their responsibilities include investigation of evidence, analysis and presentation of evidence, supplying information and findings in the form of reports and supporting documents, and assisting in legal proceedings, such as testifying in court as an expert witness.

Forensic accountants are needed in an organization to analyse, interpret, summarise, and present complex financial statements, needed to investigate fraud, as the forensic accountants are experts in accounting and auditing. They investigate and analyse, and create computer systems to assist in investigating and analysing financial evidence, and they document reports on findings, and lastly they also assist in legal proceedings, such as testifying in court as an expert witness.

Legal advisors can be internal or external to the organisation, and they’re duty is to advise and assist the organization in any legal proceedings, for example, taking action against people who have committed fraud.

Management's Responsibility Regarding Fraud

Management is responsible for the organization’s actions, conduct and performance. Their primary objectives are to give relevant, reliable, and credible financial and operational information, make effective and efficient use of the organization’s resources, safeguard the organization’s assets, comply with laws, regulations, ethical and business norms, and contracts, and lastly they have to identify risk exposures and create effective strategies to control risks. With regards to fraud prevention, management has to set high moral standards, provide tools to accomplish organizational plans and follow policies, establish and maintain internal controls, and they have to establish and maintain lines of communication and a reporting system to recognize the risks involved within the organization so that safeguarding plans can be updated.

Managers are responsible for making rational decisions that will benefit the organization. Honesty is a policy, and managers may not have a conflict of interest, or make a secret profit at the organization’s expense, and they must keep insider information within the organization private, safeguarding the affairs of the organization. With that said, managers have to supervise employees, making sure that controls are effective in the prevention of fraud.

They, the managers, may not be appointed as a manager, if such a person has been removed from an office of trust because of misconduct, or has been convicted of any economic crimes, been sentenced to imprisonment, has been convicted of an offence involving the promotion, formation, or management of an organization, or has been found guilty of recklessly conducting business or conducting business with the intent to defraud an organization, or, lastly, has been found guilty of breaching his/her duty as an officer of an organization. Fraud can be prevented by appointing the right person as manager, and in effect, those managers can set the standards for other employees to be honest. Managers are responsible for fraud prevention, detection, and the disciplinary hearings of fraudsters. They have the tools to also check up on employees that fall under them. Looking at employee’s phone calls, e-mails, system logs, clock-in and clock-out times, performance, behaviour, and personal issues can prevent and detect fraud.



Managers are responsible for confronting employees for misconduct and the lack of adhering to the Code of Conduct. If problems arise, managers should implement systems to prevent further misconduct. If, for instance, stationary is stolen, a sign-in sheet or safe can be prevention of further theft within the organization. Or if employees are not working all the hours they’re contract requires, a sign-in sheet or access card system can be implemented to prevent payroll fraud. Checking system logs to see what employees are searching for through the system can prevent identity theft, and double checking on client’s account numbers and invoice numbers on files and making sure that delicate information is kept password-safe, can make sure that employees can’t commit cash fraud, cheque fraud, credit card fraud, procurement fraud, accounts receivable fraud, electronic banking fraud, and computer fraud.

Every system should have adequate security measures, cash tills have to have employee codes and passwords, administered by management.

How to Create and Maintain a Culture of Honesty and Sound Ethics

In order to create and maintain a culture of honesty and sound ethics, the municipality has to start by setting the tone at the top. All employees have to be encouraged to do the best that they can do, and “go the extra mile”. By increasing work ethics, more work is accomplished, but this can only be done if there is a positive work environment. Management is responsible for creating a positive work environment, and it can be accomplished by creating a rewards system that corresponds with company goals, creating equal job opportunities, making sure that team-orientated and collaborative decision making policies are in use, obligating Human Resources to administer a remuneration program, and that all employees are constantly trained with the organization’s main focus on career development.

A negative work environment is created when management acts inappropriately, and they don’t recognize good behaviour and performance. If management acts autocratic rather than participative, they can set unreachable goals, making staff stressed, especially when goals aren’t met, and problems have to be discussed with management. As seen with TELCOM, employees have low loyalty to the company, and work ownership is not a priority. We can speculate that they are not trained well, and that there is a lack of clear communicated organizational responsibilities and methods. For the Summersby municipality, they have to set reachable daily goals, and the employees need to be trained sufficiently, making sure that they can advance in the organization, with the proper rewards systems in place.

All employees have to be vetted properly by checking criminal records, civil records, disciplinary records, insolvency, qualifications, technical competence, and employees have to go for psychometric testing. When training employees, they have to understand the organization’s values, and adhere to the Code of Conduct as set by the Board of Directors. The work environment it self has to be neat, organized, and has to have working systems and equipment to fulfil daily responsibilities. There has to be a functioning work routine, and employees must communicate problems with management.



Weekly staff meetings can create the perfect opportunity for staff and management to communicate goals, problems, and organize team decisions for new operations or things like team buildings, staff rewards, year end functions, and even birthdays, holidays, congratulating staff members on getting married and having baby showers. All of these opportunities create a positive work environment. It can also be suggested that and employee be the head of functions and team buildings, who can receive a budget for events like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, etc. It is well known, that if an organization shows that it takes care of its employees, the employees will be proud of their work, creating a positive work environment, making the organization’s performance better than companies that don’t reward their employees.

Not neglecting controls, there has to be an effective disciplinary system in place, especially when it comes to fraud, corruption, and theft. These matters should be addressed in the Code of Conduct. The audit committee or board of directors has to work with internal and external auditors to create and maintain a working internal control system, which should be constantly improved as relevant matters are addresses. Violators should be investigated and appropriate and constant disciplinary actions should be taken against them. Employees have to be aware of all security controls and measures, and they should be trained to identify fraud, and a report system has to be in place, making sure that all staff members are responsible for taking action against violators, and the lack of reporting crimes must also result in a disciplinary action. Reporters must remain anonymous to prevent grudges. Effective grievance procedures must be put in place to relieve work stress and anger, thereby preventing violations against the organization’s policies.