Writing Clearly and Concisely - PowerPoint Presentation

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Writing Clearly and Concisely

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In order to be able to analyze and investigate our data, we utilized various statistical software packages with different characteristics that are available in the digital medium. Slide4

Research on Complex Writing

“The pundits are likely right: write clearly and simply if you can, and you’ll be more likely to be thought of as intelligent.”

Oppenheimer, Daniel M (2006). Consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective

of

necessity

:

problems

with using long words needlessly. Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, 20(2), 139-156.

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Writing Clearly

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The great enemy of clear language is insincerity

.

—George

OrwellSlide6

Delete or revise ambiguous words, especially those too informal for the situation.

Interesting

Sort of

Absolutely

Really

Very

Good

This, That, These, Those

Maybe

Could have

okay

Basically

SO

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Clarity and Complexity

Complex: Lincoln’s claim that the Civil War was God’s punishment of both North and South for slavery

appears

in the last part of the speech.

Revised:

In the last part of his speech, Lincoln

claims

that God gave the Civil War to both North and South as a punishment for slavery.

Complex phrases and clauses, new information, and technical terms are easier to process when placed at the end of sentences.

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Complex:

Questions about the ethics of withdrawing intravenous feeding are

the most difficult.

Revised:

The most difficult questions

are

about the ethics of withdrawing intravenous feeding.

8Clarity and

Complexity

Here is another

example—the more complex phrase is easier for the reader to process when it comes at the end of the sentence. Slide9

Check for Repeated Words

Become aware of words you overuse.

When revising, identify

any of these and other instances of unnecessary

repetition

.

Using a thesaurus

and a dictionary, r

eplace repeated words that might distract

readers.

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Key Words

: The most difficult questions are about the ethics of withdrawing intravenous feeding.

Intravenous feeding can prolong life to an indefinite extent, but it cannot always preserve its

quality

. Without

quality

, many would argue,

life is worthless.Varied

Word Choice

:

The most difficult questions are about

the ethics of withdrawing

intravenous feeding

.

Tube sustenance

can prolong

existence

to an indefinite extent, but it cannot always preserve its

quality

. Without

that,

many would argue, living is worthless.

Create CoherenceSlide11

Don’t Dangle Modifiers

A dangling modifier describes someone or something that is not in the sentence.

Incorrect: Plump and juicy,

Aunt Gertrude

won first prize at the fair.

Plump and juicy,

Aunt Gertrude’s roasted pig

won first prize at the fair.

Incorrect: As a teacher,

it

is important to stay patient.

As a teacher,

I

need to stay patient.

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Or Misplace Modifiers

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A

misplaced

modifier

is too far away from the word it’s trying to describe.

Incorrect: Plump and juicy,

Aunt Gertrude

makes the best

roasted pig

in south Texas.

Plump and juicy,

Aunt Gertrude’s roasted pig

is the best in south Texas.

Incorrect: Rotting in the cellar,

my brother

found the

five-year-old potatoes.

My brother found the

five year old potatoes

rotting in the cellar.Slide13

Active vs. Passive Voice

Active: We have determined the target market as adults

between the ages of 30 and 45.Passive: The target market

was

determined

to be

adults between the ages of 30 and 45.

Who’s doing what to whom?Active voice identifies the actor.

Passive puts the thing being acted on first.

Check which style your professor prefers.

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John is.

14John

swims.

John waltzes.Slide15

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Reduce Nominalization

Nominalized: It is my

belief

that there should

be

consultation by the administrators with the student body before changes in the rules

are

made.

Revised:

I

believe

administrators should

consult

with the student body before

changing

the rules.Slide16

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Writing Concisely

This report, by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read.

—Winston ChurchillSlide17

A sentence sprawls when there are many clauses or phrases after the verb. One way to reduce sprawl is by cutting or revising

who/that/

which clauses.

Ex: Teachers should remember

that

students are vulnerable and uncertain about those everyday, ego-bruising moments

that

adults ignore, and

that

they do not understand

that

one day…

Ex: Teachers should remember students are vulnerable and uncertain about those everyday, ego-bruising moments adults ignore, and they do not understand

that

one day…

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Remove Sentence Sprawl

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Delete doubles

Delete redundancies

full and complete

tried and true

each and every

true facts

free gift

in a wise manner

red in color

seven in number

long in duration

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Remove Excess Words

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Arrived at the decision

 decided

Is able to  can A majority of  most

In order to  to

Despite the fact that  although

Are of the same opinion  agree

A small number of  few

For the purpose of  to

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Revise Wordy Phrases

From

Successful Scientific Writing

by Janice R. Matthews, John M. Brown, and Robert W. Matthews Slide20

not different

 similar

not the same  different

not allow  prevent

not notice  overlook

not many

 few

not often  rarely

not stop  continue

not include  omit

Change Negatives to Affirmatives

From

Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace

by Joseph Williams

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In order to be able to analyze and investigate our data, we used various statistical software packages with different characteristics that are available in the digital medium. Slide22

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We used statistical software to analyze our data.Slide23

For More Help…

23Visit our website or call us to schedule an appointment.

We can help you write clearly

and

concisely

. Slide24