Unnecessary Repetition

Repetition is a simple, effective way to create connections. You can repeat key words or phrases, substitute appropriate pronouns, or supply synonyms. The most common strategies involve repeating words and substituting pronouns. Synonyms must be used with care because readers may assume a new word applies to a new concept. Another reason to use synonyms cautiously is to avoid the tendency of many writers to repeat key words far too infrequently. Too little repetition of key words causes more problems than too much repetition. As a general rule, you can repeat the same word three times in a relatively short space without it seeming repetitious.

As an example of how often you can repeat a word, consider the paragraph above. We use repeat three times and words with the same root a total of eight times: repetition, repeat, repeating, repeat, repetition, repetition, repeat, and repetitions. Of course, you can overuse repetition. But when it comes to writing, anything you can do too much, you can also do too little. The following diagram illustrates one pattern for unnecessary repetition.


 

Developing an effective style is like a balancing act: you do not want to lean too far in either direction. However, what counts as too much or too little repetition is not determined by a formula or magic number; rather, the appropriate balance depends on context and sentence structure.

Some Pointers
  1. Avoid "chaining" sentences together by repeating the last words of a sentence as the first words of the next sentence.

  2. Ensure you edit "stream-of-consciousness" writing.

  3. Avoid starting strings of sentences with phrases such as "I think" or "I believe." We assume you think it if you wrote it.

  4. Poetic repetition is a very powerful way to help people remember a key point.

    5. Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror,
    victory however long and hard the road may be;
    for without victory there is no survival.
    ~ Winston Churchill ~


  5. This technique is perhaps best saved for occasions such as delivering eulogies or motivational speeches.


Start Exercise

The following example illustrates one type of excessive repetition to avoid.


Hint
1. Original:

To my knowledge, no Mission Statement exists. This being said, either there is no Mission Statement, or the one that exists is not being made readily available to all employees.

1.Hinted:

To my knowledge, no Mission Statement exists. This being said, either there is no Mission Statement, or the one that exists is not being made readily available to all employees.

1. Revised:

Explanation

This form of repetition occurs when writers are intitially generating ideas as they write (what we call "stream of consciousness" writing. On the one hand, this approach is useful because it allows us to refine our ideas. But we must remember to revise for it to eliminate unnecessary repetition and to avoid contradictions (as suggested in the example).


The next example indicates just how much of a habit chaining becomes for some writers:


Hint
2. Original:

The length of the transistor that can function as a long channel device is strongly related to its junction depth. The junction depth, of the boron source/drain implant, can be reduced by lowering the implant energy. However, lowering the implant energy increases the channelling probability for boron ions. The channelling probability for boron ions...

2. Hinted:

The length of the transistor that can function as a long channel device is strongly related to its junction depth. The junction depth, of the boron source/drain implant, can be reduced by lowering the implant energy. However, lowering the implant energy increases the channelling probability for boron ions. The channelling probability for boron ions...

2. Revised:

Explanation

Even these few sentences demonstrate that this style is monotonous and difficult to follow. Imagine the effect of several pages written in this style. Beyond a certain point, over-connecting ideas through repetition has the same general effect as a lack of connections. Readers get lost, lose interest, and tune out.


To resolve this problem in the last example, we used several strategies to restructure and combine sentences. For instance, we shifted from the passive to the active voice, reversing the order of the second sentence to eliminate two of the repetitious chains. We also embedded the third sentence in the second one to eliminate yet another repetition.


Note that eliminating unnecessary repetition is often simply a matter of replacing the subject of the second sentence with which to combine sentences:


Hint
3. Original:

The length of the transistor is strongly related to its junction depth. The junction depth can be reduced by lowering the implant energy.

3. Hinted:

The length of the transistor is strongly related to its junction depth. The junction depth can be reduced by lowering the implant energy.

3. Revised:

Explanation

Of course, when joining sentences by replacing a subject with which or who, you must also pay attention to sentence length. When the sentences are relatively short, this revision strategy works well. But for longer sentences, you should consider other options. You might, for instance, join sentences using which to eliminate the chaining, but then break the sentence into two new ones at some other point to avoid creating one that is too long or too complex.