The author shares three shell scripts designed to help improve writing skills, inspired by a Ph.D. advisor who rewrote himself in bash. The scripts target common issues like passive voice, weasel words, and lexical illusions found in technical writing. The scripts aim to promote clarity and precision in writing by encouraging conscious choices in language usage. The author highlights common problems like salt and pepper words, beholder words, and lazy words, offering examples and solutions. The scripts can be integrated into LaTeX documents for easy access. The author also emphasizes the importance of marketing ideas effectively in scientific writing to capture peer reviewers’ attention.
https://matt.might.net/articles/shell-scripts-for-passive-voice-weasel-words-duplicates/