lec 1 principles of effective writing.ppt
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Principles of Effective Writing
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Principles of Effective Writing
"In science, the credit goes to the man
who convinces the world, not to the man
to whom the idea first occurs."--Sir William Osler
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Principles of Effective Writing
"Writing is an art. But when it is writing to
inform it comes close to being a science
as well." --Robert Gunning,The Technique of Clear Writing
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Principles of Effective Writing
Introduction
What makes good writing?
What does it take to be a good writer?
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Principles of Effective Writing
What makes good writing?
1. Good writing communicates an idea clearly and effectively.
2. Good writing is elegant and stylish.
Takes time,
revision, and agood editor!
Takes having
something to say
and clear
thinking.
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Principles of Effective Writing
What makes a good writer?
Inborn talent?
Years of English and humanities classes?
An artistic nature?
The influence of alcohol and drugs?
Divine inspiration?
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Principles of Effective Writing
What makes a good writer (outside of poets,maybe):
Having something to say.
Logical and clear thinking.
A few simple, learnable rules of style (the tools welllearn in this class).
Take home message: Writing to inform is a craft,not an art. Clear, effective writing can be learned!
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Principles of Effective Writing In addition to attending this lecture, other things you
can do to become a better writer: Read, pay attention, and imitate.
Let go of academic writing habits (deprogramming step!)
Develop a thesaurus habit. Search for the right word rather than settlingfor any old word.
Respect your audiencetry not to bore them!
Stop waiting for inspiration.
Accept that writing is hard for everyone.
Revise. Nobody gets it perfect on the first try.
Learn how to cut ruthlessly. Never become too attached to your words. Make sure to edit your work or have someone else read your work
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Principles of Effective Writing
1. Clear writing starts with clear thinking.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Before you start writing, ask:
What am I trying to say?
When you finish writing, ask:
Have I said it?
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Principles of Effective Writing
Once you know what youre trying to say,
then pay attention to your words!
Todays lesson: Strip your sentences to just
the words that tell.
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Principles of Effective Writing
The secret of good writing is to strip everysentence to its cleanest components. Everyword that serves no function, every long word
that could be a short word, every adverb thatcarries the same meaning thats already in theverb, every passive construction that leaves thereader unsure of who is doing whatthese are
the thousand and one adulterants that weakenthe strength of a sentence. And they usuallyoccur in proportion to the education and rank.
-- William Zinsser in On Writing Well, 1976
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Overview of principles
Todays lessons:Words:
1. Reduce dead weight words and phrases
2. Cut, cut, cut; learn to part with your words
Sentences:
3. Follow: subject + verb + object (SVO)
4. Use strong verbs and avoid turning verbs into
nouns 5. Eliminate negatives; use positive
constructions instead
6. Use parallel Construction
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Principles of Effective Writing
Words
1. Reduce dead weight words and
phrases Get rid of jargon and repetition
Verboseis not a synonym for literary.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Examples:
I would like to assert that the author shouldbe considered to be a buffoon.
The author is a buffoon.
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Principles of Effective Writing
The expected prevalence of mental retardation,
based on the assumption of a normaldistribution of intelligence in the population, isstated to be theoretically about 2.5%.
Examples:
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Principles of Effective Writing
The expected prevalence of mental retardation,
based on the assumption of a normaldistribution of intelligence in the population, isstated to be theoretically about 2.5%.
Examples:
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Principles of Effective Writing
The expected prevalence of mental retardation,
based on the assumption of a normaldistribution of intelligence in the population, isstated to be theoretically about 2.5%.
The expected prevalence of mental retardation, ifintelligence is normally distributed, is 2.5%.
Examples:
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Principles of Effective Writing
Examples:
This paper provides a review of the basic tenets of cancer biology
study design, using as examples studies that illustrate themethodologic challenges or that demonstrate successful solutions
to the difficulties inherent in biological research.
s
and
This paper reviews cancer biology study design, usingexamples that illustrate specific challenges and solutions.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Hunt down and cast out all unneeded
words that might slow your reader.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Very, really, quite, basically,generally
These words seldom add anythinguseful. Try the sentence without
them and see if it improves.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Watch out for the verb to be
Often there are is extra weight.
There are many students who likewriting.
Many students like writing.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Dead weight phrases in the event that
in the nature of
it has been estimated that
it seems that
the point I am trying to make
what I mean to say is
it may be argued that
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Principles of Effective Writing
All three of the the three
Fewer in number fewer Give rise to cause
In all cases always
In a position to can
In close proximity to near
In order to to
Clunky phrase Equivalent
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Principles of Effective Writing
A majority of most
A number of manyAre of the same opinion agree
At the present moment now
Less frequently occurring rare
Clunky phrase Equivalent
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Principles of Effective Writing
With the possible exception of except
Due to the fact that because For the purpose of for
Beware of Use instead
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Principles of Effective Writing
Wordy Pointedin spite of the fact that although
in the event that if
new innovations innovations
one and the same the same
period of four days four days
personal opinion opinion
shorter/longer in length shorter/longer
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Principles of Effective Writing
2. Cut, cut, cut; learn to part with your
words
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Principles of Effective Writing
DON'T BE AFRAID TO CUT
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Principles of Effective Writing
Be vigilant and ruthless
After investing much effort to put words on apage, we often find it hard to part with them.
But fight their seductive pull
Try the sentence without the extra words andsee how its betterconveys the same idea withmore power
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Principles of Effective Writing
Parting with your words
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Principles of Effective Writing
Example:
Brain injury incidence shows two peak
periods in almost all reports: rates are thehighest in young people, and the elderly.
More punch
Brain injury incidence peaks in the youngand the elderly.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Sentences
3. Follow: subject + verb + object
(active voice!)
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Principles of Effective Writing
Subject verb object
Subject verb object
Subject verb object
Subject verb object
or just
Subject verb
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Principles of Effective Writing
The passive voice. In passive-voice sentences, the subject is acted
upon; the subject doesnt act.
Passive verb = a form of the verb to be +
the past participle of the main verb
The main verb must be a transitive verb (thatis, take an object).
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Principles of Effective Writing
In the passive voice,
The agent is AWOL Sin and Syntax
e.g. Mistakes were made.
Nobody is responsible.
vs. The Presidentmade mistakes
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Principles of Effective Writing
"Cigarette ads were designed to appeal especially to
children."
vs.
"We designed the cigarette ads to appeal especially to
children.
Responsible party!
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Principles of Effective Writing
How do you recognize the passive voice?
Object-Verb-Subject
OR just
Object-Verb The agent is truly AWOL!
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Principles of Effective Writing
MYTH: The passive voice is more objective.
Its not more objective, just more vague.
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Principles of Effective Writing
4. Use strong verbs and avoid turning
verbs into nouns
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Principles of Effective Writing
A sentence uses one main verb to convey itscentral action; without that verb the sentencewould collapse.
The verb is the engine that drives the sentence.Dull, lifeless verbs slow the sentence down.
Action verbs reflect the action they were chosen todescribe, and help bring the reader into thestory.
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Scientific Writing, HRP 214
Pick the right verb!
The WHO reports that approximately two-thirds of the worlds
diabetics are found in developing countries, and estimates
that the number of diabetics in these countries will double inthe next 25 year.
The WHO estimates that two-thirds of the worlds diabetics
are found in developing countries, and projects that the
number of diabetics in these countries will double in the next
25 years.
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Principles of Effective Writing
STRONG VERBS carry the main idea of the
sentence and sweep the reader along
Put your sentences on a to be diet
Is are was were be been am
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Principles of Effective Writing
There are many ways in which we canarrange the Petri dishes.
We can arrange the Petri dishes manyways.
There was a long line of bacteria on theplate.
Bacteria lined the plate.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Dont kill verbs and adjectives by turning
them into nouns.
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Principles of Effective Writing
5. Eliminate negatives; use positive
constructions instead
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Principles of Effective Writing
He was not often on time He usually came late.
She did not think that studying writing
was a sensible use of ones time. She thought studying writing was a waste of time.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Not honest dishonest
Not important trifling
Does not have lacks Did not remember forgot
Did not pay attention to ignored
Did not have much confidence distrusted Did not succeed failed
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Principles of Effective Writing
Unparallel:
Locusts denuded fields in Utah, rural Iowa waswashed away by torrents, and in Arizona the
cotton was shriveled by the placing heat.
Vs.
Parallel:Locusts denuded fields in Utah, torrents washedaway rural Iowa, and blazing heat shriveledArizonas cotton.
From: Strunk and White
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Principles of Effective Writing
Make a choice and abide by it!
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Principles of Effective Writing
Pairs of ideastwo ideas joined by and, or,
or butshould be written in parallel form.
Cardiac input decreased by 40% but
blood pressure decreased by only 10%.
SVX but SVX
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Principles of Effective Writing
Pairs of ideastwo ideas joined by and or
or butshould be written in parallel form.
We hoped to increase the response and
to improve survival.
Infinitive phrase and infinitive phrase.
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Principles of Effective Writing
Lists of ideas (and number lists of ideas) should
be written in parallel form.
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Principles of Effective Writing
ParallelismNot Parallel:If you want to be a good doctor, you must study hard,critically think about the medical literature, and youshould be a good listener.
Parallel:
If you want to be a good doctor you must study hard,listen well, and think critically about the medicalliterature. (imperative, imperative, imperative)
Parallel:If you want to be a good doctor, you must be a goodstudent, a good listener, and a critical thinker aboutthe medical literature. (noun, noun, noun)
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