Completing an internal policy document and the review clause has created some debate in the office. Some may call it petty, I call it a quest for betterment, either way I am seeking some consensus from the experts as to which wording is more appropriate.
So, when specifying that the policy review will be conducted at least annually and also as needed, which wording is more correct?
‘The policy will be reviewed and updated annually and as needed’
OR
‘The policy will be reviewed and updated annually or as needed’Google results and logic seem to support the first but I guess I am after best practice as determined by those ‘in the know’ 🙂
Answer
Without realizing it, you’ve already answered your own question.
You say this:
So, when specifying that the policy review will be conducted at least annually and also as needed, which wording is more correct?
When you’re not thinking about it, you automatically use the correct grammar.
It might also be due to the fact that you are using qualifiers that make the choice more obvious:
✔ at least annually and also as needed
If you were to use or, then one or the other condition would be optional:
annually or as needed
But if it’s mandatory that annual reviews be conducted (which you indicate when you say at least annually), then you cannot put that condition on its own in front of an or condition, at least not without rephrasing:
annually or annually and as needed
But in that phrasing, there is the possibility of there being no as-needed reviews:
annually and only annually or annually and as needed
However, I doubt you mean that either. Unless you really do want to say there is the possibility of never conducting any reviews outside of an annual schedule.
This leaves us back at the original and conjunction:
✔ annually and as needed
However you interpret it, if annual reviews will always be required, and as-needed reviews will never be denied, then the correct conjunction is and.
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : user55646 , Answer Author : Jason Bassford