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Source: Data Structures and Algorithms with JavaScript by Michael McMillan (2014)

Example:

I also want to thank my technical reviewers for reading all the text as well as the code, and for pointing out places where both my prose and my code needed to be clearer. My colleague and illustrator, Cynthia Fehrenbach, did an outstanding job translating my chicken scratchings into crisp, clear illustrations, and she deserves extra praise for her willingness to redraw several illustrations at the very last minute.

What exactly does he mean by that? I imagine that chicken scratchings must be the chicken version of pork scratchings which are a type of snack common in Great Britain. Here, he's obviously not talking about the eats.

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"Chicken scratch" is generally referred to as a messy (not neat) form of writing. I'll assume the author is alluding to the fact that the illustrator corrected some of his writings into something more clear and cohesive.

Here's an example conversation that I found from this link which makes use of this idiomatic expression:

Teacher: Please give me your homework.

Student: Here you go.

Teacher: I can’t read this. It’s too messy!

Student: No it’s not! I can read this no problem!

Teacher: Do it again, please! I can’t read this chicken scratch!

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