Turning your Presentation into a Manuscript

1. Turning your Presentation into a Manuscript Ruth H. Nawotniak MS, C-TAGME Training Program Administrator UB SUNY

2. Something you know • Evaluations • Recruitment • 2010 New Coordinators Presentation

3. Steps • 85% of the work done • Thought through topic • Organized Topic • Major talking points bulleted • Short catch phrases used for prompting

4. Steps • Create first draft • Just write! • Join bullets together to create sentences • Consider writing one paragraph per slide

5. Steps • Review first draft • Did points flow from one to the other? • Reorganize? • Re-word? – Word-smithing becomes important • Expand your talking points with the same verbiage as if you were presenting • Flesh out points with references? Examples? If you ask why, then you need more information • Review of the first draft becomes your 2nd Draft • Just write!

6. Steps • Do as many drafts as needed. You are the only person who matters during this process • Eventually you will tell yourself – I can’t think of anything else I want to say.

7. Steps • Review to consolidate your writing • How can you be more concise – use less words? • How can you be more precise – be clearer? • Introduction - Does it set the background for the purpose for writing? • Conclusion – Does it wrap up what you want to say and does it speak to the purpose? • Do you have the major parts of an academic paper?

8. Steps • Do you know who your audience is? Are you writing for them? • Are acronyms spelled out the first time they are used? • Can everyone understand your references? Example: not all programs have a blue service, but all programs have a pediatric surgery rotation

9. Steps • Spell check – a tool, not a cure • Don’t rely on spell check – you need to proofread • Watch for homonyms: their, there and they’re are all correct spellings, but are different words with different meanings • used and sued are common typographical errors, but would not be picked up with spell check

10. Steps • Grammar Check • Kill as many adverbs as you can. What does “regularly” mean? What about “frequently”? • Watch split infinitives (the to form of a verb: to see, to do, etc) Ex. We want to regularly review our evaluations – We want to review our evaluations once a month. • Parallel construction: When listing, use the same verb tense. Ex. Managing data, analyzing reports, prepare summaries – common error - mixes mix verb and noun forms of the initial words

11. Steps • Grammar Check • Use active voice 90% of the time. Use passive voice sparingly. • Active: The program director wrote the PIF • Passive: The PIF was written by the program director. • Active voice strengthens the writing • Watch for Incomplete sentences • Watch for Run-on Sentences • Use lists and bullets when clarity is needed

12. Next - • Seek feedback • Listen to the feedback! • Consider the feedback and address the concerns. It will improve your work. • Fresh eyes have a different perspective than yours • Fresh eyes will pick up inconsistencies • Fresh eyes will pick up on phrases or statements that need clarifying • Fresh eyes will pick up on spelling and grammatical errors • Find the right venue for submission

13. Academic Writing • Studies / research • Literature references • Statistical analysis • Formal structure • Informational Writing • Problem to be solved; topic to be taught • Scenario centered • Formal structure • May have literature references

14. Structure • Introduction • Purpose (Hypothesis or Question in a research paper) • Methods • Discussion • Limitations (Research paper) • Conclusion

15. Submission • Know the guidelines of the publishing venue • Follow those guidelines • Anticipate editorial board comments and suggestions • Re-write as necessary • Value the process • Don’t give up