Writing Style

Mapping for the reader: Paragraphs

MAP

MAP: Prune for Precision

Try to write almost like the way you speak.

Blackout order of 1942

Such preparations shall be made as will completely obscure all Federal buildings and non-federal buildings occupied by the federal government during an air raid for any period of time from visibility by reason of internal or external illumination.

President Roosevelt said:“Tell them that in buildings where they have to keep the work going to put something across the windows.” William Zinsser, On Writing Well

Word Choice Instead of:

utilizedeemduring the course ofwith respect tomake use ofdespite the fact thatgive consideration to

Use:usethinkduringaboutusealthoughconsider

When you prune, you remove the dead wood.

The following report outlines the different

aspects relating to the current feasibility

of constructing a magnetically levitated

bullet train in Central Texas.

Can you prune these sentences?

• Did you get rid of the empty pronoun??

The population explosion in and around the Austin

area has proved to be problematic regarding water-

drainage structures. It has particularly affected the

Brushy Creek area in southern Williamson County.

Sometimes, combining sentences makes a shorter passage.

The population explosion in the Austin area has

proved to be problematic for water-drainage

structures, particularly in the Brushy Creek area of

southern Williamson County.

Combining sentences produces longer sentences, but longer sentences may reduce overall number of words! The old second sentence is now a dependent or subordinate clause.

Turning verbs into nouns makes sentences longer and more abstract.

The thermal decomposition of the TMAH occurs rapidly at these temperatures and results in the formation of trimethylamine and methyl alcohol.

TMAH decomposes quickly at these temperatures and forms trimethylamine and methyl alcohol.

Subordinating Words: be careful of sentence fragments!

Subordinating words link parts of a sentence together by subordinating one of the clauses:Examples: after, although, because, since, when,

while

The manager was late to the meeting. Because the plane was late.The manager was late to the meeting because the plane was late.

incorrect:

correct:

Subordinating Words Although the data on VOC emissions have been questioned by the

company.

Although the data on VOC emissions have been questioned by the company, the ruling was upheld.

Subordinating words are not transitions (grammatically).

Subordinating words after although because since

Transitional words meanwhile therefore, thus nevertheless however

Make a clause subordinate.

Although the data on VOC emissions have been questioned by the company,. . .

Keep a clause independent.

Thus, the data on VOC emissions have been questioned by the company.

Technical Communication Style: Words

These are the small things that drive you crazy:

Subject doesn’t agree with its verb. Modifying phrase or word in wrong

place. Dangling/misplaced modifiers Limiting modifiers

How to denote numbers? When to use which word?

Subject has to agree with its verb. The projected increase in production rate and

period, in spite of lowered profit margins, are sufficient to keep the company solvent.

The data gathered by a prominent researcher has proven to be false.

Each of the ideas are very helpful. None of the tubes have been tested. The committee agrees on all major points.

Dangling Modifiers

Having broken down many times in the past, we knew that we could not rely on that equipment.

having broken down many times in the past, the equipment could not be relied upon.

We knew that,

Dangling modifiers are a subset of misplaced modifiers.

Dangling modifiers happen at the beginning of a sentence. They often begin with an –ing verb: Having

Misplaced modifiers can happen anywhere in a sentence. The other day I shot an elephant in my

pajamas. They are often prepositional phrases.

Limiting Modifiers

These are easily misplaced one –word modifiers. Their placement changes the meaning of the sentence.

The instructor just nodded to me as she came in.

The instructor nodded to me just as she came in.

The instructor nodded just to me as she came in.

How to denote numbers . . . Check with style sheet in your organization –

follow it If no style sheet, follow these guidelines:

Write out numbers “one” through “ten.” Do not mix numerals and words for items in same

list, except when quantities are adjacent: wrong: 15 wells, three aquifers wrong: 11 90-ohm resistors

Use words for approximations wrong: 1/3 of the energy requirement

Use numerals for these items: units of measure: 4 inches time: 8-second

delay percentages page numbers money: $6 ratios: 3 to 1 odds

These pairs are the most commonly misused words.

affect/effect among/between imply/infer criteria/criterion data/datum cite/site

mostly, affect is the verb among for more than two Imply is your intention.

Infer is your discovery. criteria is plural data is plural site is the place

cite is the verb form of “citation”

Next time . . . .

Commonly Misused Words

affect/effect among/between imply/infer criteria/criterion data/datum cite/site