new presentation for ragan scott leff and brittany petersen august … · 2018. 5. 2. · brittany...
TRANSCRIPT
10 cardinal sins of bad writing
Presentation for Ragan
Scott Leff and Brittany Petersen
August 11, 2016
First, a video
Via Vevo/YouTube
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What are the 10 cardinal sins of writing?
1. Typos and misused words
2. Hyphen abuse
3. Apostrophe abuse
4. Comma abuse
5. Subject-verb disagreement
6. Sentence fragments
7. Forsaking parallel construction
8. Overuse of passive voice
9. Obnoxious capitalization
10.Speaking only in cliché and jargon
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Cardinal sin #1: Typos
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Cardinal sin #1: Typos
Spellcheck is helpful! Use it!
…but don’t rely too heavily on it.
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Cardinal sin #1b: Misused words
• Peaked/piqued
• You’re/your
• They’re/there/their
• Then/than
• Affect/effect
• Accept/except
• Lose/loose
• List of common homophones: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/1/48/
Via The Oatmeal
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Cardinal sin #1b: Misused words
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Word usage lightning round!
Comprise
• The company comprises the founder and three employees.
Insure
• He insured his house for its full value. He ensured the sale would be successful.
Myriad
• She spoke of myriad (not “a myriad of”) adventures during her trip around the world.
Proved, proven
• This method have been proved effective; it’s a proven method.
Leverage
• Definition: Influence or power or the increase in force gained by using a lever.
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Cardinal sin #2: Hyphen abuse
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Via xkcd
Cardinal sin #2: Hyphen inconsistency
• Hyphens connect words and numbers into a single concept; often used for building adjectives
• Full-time worker BUT: She works full time.
• Real-time feedback BUT: Feedback in real time
• 50-year-old man BUT: The man is 50 years old.
• Exception: adverb very and all adverbs that end in –ly
• Very funny joke
• Publicly available information
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Cardinal sin #3: Apostrophe abuse
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Cardinal sin #4: Apostrophe abuse
• Possessive singular: ’s
• the fox’s den
• BUT: Illinois’ [singular proper name ending in “s”]
• Possessive plural: s’
• More than one fox? Then it’s the foxes’ den
• The board members’ annual report (meaning all members, not just one)
• Its vs. it’s
• But today it’s all different.
• It’s = contraction and its = possessive
• It’s a wise dog that scratches its own fleas
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The age-old punctuation debate: Serial comma or no?
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“Law enforcement officials confirmed Friday that four more copy editors were killed this week amid ongoing violence between two rival gangs divided by their loyalties to the TheAssociated Press Stylebook and The Chicago Manual Of Style.”
“Officials also stated that an innocent 35-year-old passerby who found himself caught up in a long-winded dispute over use of the serial, or Oxford, comma had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
The age-old punctuation debate: Serial comma or no?
• The Chicago Manual of Style and Strunk & White prefer the Oxford comma; the AP Stylebook does not.
• Just pick a side and be consistent.
• Red, white, and blue vs. red, white and blue
• BUT: We had coffee, cheese and crackers, and grapes.
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Cardinal sin #4: Comma abuse
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If a phrase in a sentence can be omitted without changing the meaning, it should be set off by commas.
“My wife, Linda Belcher, has a New York accent.”
If the meaning of a sentence would change by omitting a phrase, it doesn’t need commas.
“I have two daughters—Louise and Tina. My daughter Louise never takes off her bunny ears.”
Cardinal sin #4: Comma abuse
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Johnny Cash who began his recording career at Sun Records was known as the Man in Black.
Johnny Cash, who began his recording career at Sun Records, was known as the Man in Black.
A chef from New Orleans who can’t make shrimp and grits shouldn’t be allowed in kitchen.
A chef from New Orleans who can’t make shrimp and grits shouldn’t be allowed in kitchen.
Cardinal sin #4b: Comma splices
• Generally a symptom of punctuation abuse or sloppy writing.
• The economy was in turmoil, the company was in peril
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Cardinal sin #4b: Comma splices
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Options for fixing it:
• Join the two clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
• The economy was in turmoil, and the company was in peril.
• Break the run-on sentence into two separate sentences.
• The economy was in turmoil. The company was in peril.
• Join the clauses with a semicolon (and possibly a conjunctive adverb
such as however, thus or therefore).
• The economy was in turmoil; the company was in peril.
Cardinal sin #5: Subject-verb disagreement
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Cardinal sin #5: Subject-verb disagreement
• Unfortunately, a shift in inefficiencies have led us to a system…
• Unfortunately, a shift in inefficiencies has led us to a system…
• Keeping the lights on safely and reliably are the responsibility…
• Keeping the lights on safely and reliably is the responsibility…
• The AARP and its Chief Executive Officer wants to ensure…
• The AARP* and its chief executive officer want to ensure…
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Subject-verb agreement lightning round!
1. Carlos is the only one of those students who (has/have) lived up to the potential described in the yearbook.
2. The International Club, as well as the Choral Society and the Rowing Club, (need/needs) to submit a new constitution.
3. One of my best friends (is/are) an extra on Black-ish this week.
4. Not only the students but also their instructor (has/have) been called to the principal's office.
5. Most of the milk (has/have) gone bad. Six gallons of milk (is/are) still in the refrigerator.
6. The majority of voters (is/are) in favor of immigration reform.
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Cardinal sin #6: Sentence fragments
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Cardinal sin #6: Sentence fragments
• Sentence fragments have no subject-verb relationship.
• Even though he had the better arguments.
• While I was driving to work and there was an accident on the road.
• His work was solid. But rushed.
• After Gabriel walked three blocks.
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Cardinal sin #7: Forsaking parallel construction
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Cardinal sin #7: Forsaking parallel construction
• We need to preserve, to leverage, and celebrate our current fleet.
• We need to preserve, to leverage, and celebrate our current fleet.
• We need to preserve, to leverage, and to celebrate our current fleet.
• We need to preserve, to leverage, and celebrate our current fleet.
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Cardinal sin #8: Overuse of passive voice
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Cardinal sin #8: Overuse of passive voice
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Cardinal sin #8: Overuse of passive voice
• Passive voice is useful — for example, when the agent of the sentence is unknown or you are being purposefully vague.
• The cave paintings of Lascaux were made in the Upper Old Stone Age. [We don't know who made them.]
• But avoid overuse, particularly in forceful writing.
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Cardinal sin #9: Obnoxious capitalization
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• Just because someone is important doesn’t mean his or her title is capitalized in a sentence.
• The governor came to dinner.
• The president sat next to him.
• The chief executive officer glared at them both.
• As opposed to:• Governor Pat Quinn went to dinner with President Barack Obama.
Throughout the dessert course, Honeywell Chief Executive Officer David Cote glared at them both.
• Pat Quinn, governor of Illinois, went to dinner with Barack Obama, president of the United States.
Cardinal sin #9: Obnoxious capitalization
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Despite what the press offices of governors and mayors might assert, AP Style calls for lowercase in the following instances:
• The city of Chicago; the city (not “the City”)
• The state of Illinois; the state (not “the State”)
Capitalization does not automatically confer importance; in many instances, it’s an indication for overtly promotional material that will be ignored.
Tip: Unless you work for a law firm and you are submitting a brief to the court, don’t overcapitalize.
Cardinal sin #10: Jargon and cliché
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Cardinal sin #10: Jargon and cliché
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Jargon: The technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group; also, confused, unintelligible language
• Issue: Reflexive overuse renders many terms no more than filler
• Example: Take it offline, synergy, the net-net
Cliché: A phrase or expression that has been used so often that it is no longer original or interesting; also, a hackneyed theme, characterization, or situation
• Issue: Conveys a laziness and lack of sophistication in writing
• Example: The rising tide lifts all boats
Cardinal sin #10: Jargon and cliché
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Jargon and cliché shouldn’t be confused with terminology—“the technical or special terms used in a business, art, science, or special subject.”
• In aviation: revenue per available seat kilometer (RASK)
• In utilities: fuel switching or cost shifting
• In oil and gas: local content
Any questions?
• Here’s a secret: The AP Stylebook and Strunk & White cover almost every major problem we see in inexperienced writing.
• As professional editors, we refer to these grammar and usage rules daily.
• If you go off-book, consider creating an in-house style guide.
• Just be consistent.
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Thank you!
Scott Leff
312-388-0216
Brittany Petersen
847-620-9907