Linter Just Say No

Hedge words make statements sound vague, or questions less confrontational. Overuse can negatively affect your status in the workplace. Avoid hedge words in documents with this Atom linter plugin!

Why?

1. Be more confident — Take Ellen Leanse's advice with a grain of salt and consider if this reason resonates with you or the goal you're trying to achieve with your words.
2. Avoid usage in scientific writing — Note that if you're looking for a more comprehensive writing tips linter, check out the fantastic write-good-linter.
3. Convey facts, not opinions – "As a basic rule, try not to include more than one hedge term in a single sentence."
4. Tami Reiss released an extension for Google Chrome that operates similarly to just-say-no. The Just Not Sorry extension "warns you when you write emails using words which undermine your message".

Controversy

Women are stereotyped to be frequent users of hedge words in the workplace. Hedge words are not in and of themselves inherently good nor are they inherently bad. Looking at raw numbers, studies do suggest that women apologize more often than men; yet that same study attributes this to men that "think they've done fewer things wrong." When controlled for that attribute, men and women apologize at the same frequency.

Whatever conversation style you use — due to socialization or wotnot — it's not your fault if your coworkers treat you wrongfully for it. Women should not have to change they way they speak to gain respect in the workplace. And they certainly should not have to speak more like men to improve their standing. This plugin is just a useful tool; I make no value judgements on anyone who uses it.

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