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Pamela Walcutt
Professor Dollieslager
English 101
26 November 14
The Devil Is In The Details
I used to work for the Riverside Health System as a Certified Nursing Assistant. A
former nursing supervisor I will call Jane Doe made grammar and spelling errors
in memos she emailed and tacked upon bulletin boards all around a local nursing home.
She also could not perform simple mathematical calculations necessary for nursing work.
The whole workplace laughed at poor Jane. Subordinates under her pointed at her memos and
made jokes. People did not respect Jane and made many hurtful remarks. They questioned how
someone with such poor spelling and grammar could get hired for that position. Jane did not
think grammar was important. She did not care.
Jane’s poor grammar made her look stupid, careless and lazy. Her memos were a
projection of her in her physical absence (Wiens). I used her as an example of the importance of
proper grammar in speech and writing. Kyle Wiens states in his article, I Won’t Hire
People Who Use Poor Grammar.Here’s Why.,”grammar mistakes make otherwise competent
people look stupid.” Jane was a nursing supervisor and patients needed to know they could trust
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her with their lives. Subordinates needed to know they could trust her in a leadership position.
She was otherwise competent to do her job but her refusal to pay attention to the way she wrote
and spoke made others wonder. Grammar mistakes make us look careless, stupid and lazy.
The devil is in the details. Employers think that people who make mistakes with grammar are
not detailed oriented. Employers and coworkers question the quality of their job performance.
Good grammar makes good business sense as the employer associates it with
job performance, creativity and intelligence. The employer may judge one’s learning
curve by one’s grammar. If it takes someone twenty years to notice how to properly use
“it’s” then thats not a learning curve they are comfortable with. This is the reason employers
may pass on employees with bad grammer who are otherwise competent. People who
think writing is unimportant think other things are unimportant. When it comes to my
business, details are everything. I hire people who care about details.. Details are
important in the workplace. The devil is in the details (Wiens). In nursing one’s ability to be
detail oriented may save a life.
Susan Adams in her article, Why Grammar Counts At Work, asserts that ,“when one
speaks one projects a level of intelligence and thoughtfulness.” Use of grammar demonstrates
how well organized one is in one’s thoughts and intentions. If one can get one’s sentences
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straight before one says them one is more likely to master a task at work. It is best if one can
eliminate the use of “ums”and “uhs”and other awkward pauses in speech. Eloquence
suggests that one is a good listener and are concerned about what one conveys to others . Good
grammar and clear sentences suggest respect (Adams).
It is crucial in the workplace to be able to understand and follow instructions from
the supervisor. It is also important to clearly communicate with the supervisor and other
members of the work crew. Good grammar makes good business sense as the employer
associates it with job performance (Wiens).
This is especially true in my ideal job, Forensic Science Technician. I watch every episode of
CSI and Bones, popular television crime shows. I am curious about the Forensic Science field. I
found out one needs a four year Bachelors degree in a natural science such as Chemistry or
Biology (OOH). This program must also include mathematics and chemistry. There are schools
that offer degrees in Forensic Science. It is typical to have an undergraduate degree in Natural
Science and a Masters degree in Forensic Science.
It is vital to a Forensic science technician to be detail minded. It is necessary to develop
superior skills of observation in order to notice small changes in mundane objects in order to
excel at collecting and analyzing evidence. Part of the job involves writing reports and testifying
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in court. Forensic Technicians are scientists, one must keep complete, accurate records of one’s
work. One must also draw sound conclusions from experimental results through sound
reasoning and judgment (OOH). Good grammar is relevant for all companies. Good
grammar is credibility, especially on the internet. Your words are all you have (Wiens).
This research has helped me understand the importance of learning correct
grammar usage. The ability to communicate is important in every field. I am not a big fan of
English Class but I have benefited from this semester. I would prefer to spend my time
crunching numbers and peering through microscopes. I have come to understand the vital
importance of the skills I am taking away from English class in my life.
In my chosen field of interest it is expected that one communicate like a professional. A
majority of this communication involves computers. I would benefit from further training with
computer usage. Communicating like a professional also involves the ability to write and speak
correctly. I have improved in this area also but I have much more to learn. I have also learned to
network with other students as they can assist me.
Others judge us on the way we speak and write. Our words paint a picture of what
we is like to those who have not met us. Errors in grammar make one look stupid, lazy and
sloppy. Poor grammar is a symptom of a disorganized mind. Is one fails to communicate in a
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professional manner one’s resume may end up in the bin as many employers feel like Kyle
Wiens. The employer wonders about one who is careless about grammar usage. I do not know
how Jane Doe got her job but employers prefer applicants that care about details. In the nursing
field patients, coworkers and other supervisors wondered if Jane could be trusted. Patient’s lives
were at stake. Communication between team members was crucial to the safety and well being
of patients. Employers prefer to hire applicants who can prove they are detail minded. One’s
use of grammar, spelling and basic arithmetic is a reflection of one’s ability to be detail oriented.
The devil is in the details.
Work Cited
Adams, Susan. "Why Grammar Counts at Work." Forbes. 20 July 2012.
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/07/20/why-grammar-counts-at-wor
Forensic Scientist.”Occupational Outlook Handout”. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8
Jan.2014.ians.htm<http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/forensic-scienc
e-technic
Weins, Kyle. "I Won't Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here's Why." Harvard Business
Review: HRB Blog Network. 20 July 2012.
<http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/07/i_wont_hire_people_who_use_poo.html