Results: Get Out Your Little Red Pen

You know who you are -- some feel the overwhelming urge to correct every single little grammar or spelling error, even when it is obvious what the intended meaning is. In other words, some are obsessive-compulsive correctors, and we have them right here on Tellwut. According to a recent paper published in PLOS One (2016) these overly enthusiastic correctors have "less agreeable" personalities than those who just let errors slide. And those who are super-sensitive to typos or errors, are generally less open, and are also more likely to be judging you for your mistakes than everyone else. So, do you consider yourself to be one of these so-called obsessive-compulsive correctors?

I ran across a strange little book, called "The Little Red Pen", which is based on the old story of Little Red Hen. Sitting atop a paper-cluttered teacher's desk, Little Red Pen rushes to get papers graded. If they don't get the papers graded, she says, "the students won't learn, the school might close, the walls might tumble, the floor might crumble, the sky might fall, it might be the end of the world! Who will help me save the world?" Do you ever get the feeling that these obsessive-compulsive correctors feel if they don't point out these types of errors that the world will "end"?

By profession, I am a writer and editor, and I know that mistakes happen. I try and proofread my surveys on here, but things slip by, and the intended message is still clear. I see spelling mistakes and grammar errors, and what is obviously typos on here all the time, but do not feel the need to point them out, because we are all here to get points and maybe learn things, not be constantly pounded with grammer lessons. It is a different thing altogether, when someone creates a survey with misinformation or blatant lies. Then, I feel it is OK to point out inaccuracies. Where do you fall on this topic?

Just to show there are no hard feelings, I did leave one little typo in this survey for you obsessive-compulsive correctors to find. Did you locate the error?