Tips in Writing and Presenting Information

Tips in Writing and Presenting Information Kanda Runapongsa (krunapon@kku.ac.th) Dept. of Computer Engineering Khon Kaen University

Suggestions in Writing • Do not use the word “Data”, “Basic Knowledge”, “Acknowledge” to represent background information • Use “Background” for the section that includes the background information of the work • Make a reference to the theory that is belong to others 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Suggestions in Writing (Cont.) • Do not forget articles: ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘the’ • Wrong: Design and querying database • Right: Design and querying a database • Avoid needless words • Redundant: There is a car coming to the Computer engineering department • Improved: A car is coming to the Computer engineering department 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Guides for Effective Sentences • Avoid the overuse of short, choppy sentences • Avoid needless separation of related parts of a sentence • Avoid dangling modifiers • Use parallel structure to express ideas of equal importance • Avoid needless shift 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Short & Choppy Sentences • A short, simple sentence can be forceful • Thailand won the Sea games. • But a long string of short sentences usually produces a childish effect • I walked through the wood. I saw a squirrel. It darted up a tree. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Short & Choppy Sentences • The ideas that would otherwise appear in separated sentences can usually be effectively combined • The combination can be used to • Show their relative importance • Show their relationship to each other 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Coordination • The simple sentences can be regarded as independent clauses • They can be joined by a coordinate conjunction to form a compound sentence • Examples of conjunctions • But, and, so, thus, or, nor, yet 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Example1: Coordination • Sentences: The princess had many dresses. She cared for none of them. • Result: The princess had many dresses, but she cared for none of them. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Example2: Coordination • Sentences: Mullins had been tricked once. He didn’t want to be tricked again. • Result: Mullins had been tricked once, and he didn’t want to be tricked again. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Example3: Coordination • Sentences: Jack had nothing to do. He went to the movies. • Result: Jack had nothing to do, so he went to the movies. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Compounding • Simple sentences in which the same word or group of words is used in the same way can be combined • The combination can be done by eliminating the repetition through compounding the verb or the subject 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Examples: Compounding • Sentences: We put up the tent. We fell asleep at once. • Result: We put up the tent and fell asleep at once. • Sentences: Carol is learning to play bridge. I am learning to play bridge. • Result: Carol and I are learning to play bridge. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Subordination • One idea or the other can be given less emphasis by making it into a dependent clause • This method usually expresses the relationship between the ideas more clearly than coordination or compounding 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Examples: Subordination • Sentences: He heard the news. He was elated. • Result: When he heard the news, he was elated. • Sentences: He had failed twice before. He was not discouraged • Result: Although he had failed twice before, he was not discouraged. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Examples: Subordination • Weak: He jumped seven feet, breaking the world’s record • Improved: Jumping seven feet, he broke the world’s record • Sentences: The car wouldn’t start The engine was flooded. • Improved: The car wouldn’t start because the engine was flooded. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Reduction • Whenever possible, eliminate unnecessary words by • Reducing clauses to phrases • Reducing phrases to single words 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Examples: Reduction • Clause: Because he was discouraged about writing stories, Eric decided to try nonfiction. • Phrase: Discouraged about writing stories, Eric decided to try nonfiction. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Examples: Reduction • Clause: The man who is holding the pistol is the starter. • Phrase: The man with the pistol is the starter. • Clause: The fans booed the decision of the umpire. • Word: The fans booed the umpire’s decision. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Separation • Subject and verb should not be separated unnecessarily • Example: • Wrong: I, hoping very much to see him, hurried. • Right: Hoping very much to see him, I hurried. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Separation • Adverbs should be place near the word they modify • Example: • Wrong: We only worked for two hours. • Right: We worked only two hours. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Separation • Phrases should be near the word they modify • Wrong: Notify us if you can come on the enclosed card. • Right: Notify us on the enclosed card if you can come. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Separation • Phrases should be near the word they modify • Wrong: The little girl stood beside the horse in a blue dress. • Right: The little girl in a blue dress stood beside the horse. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Separation • Clauses should be near the words they modify • Wrong: She put a hat on her head which she had just bought. • Right: She put on her head a hat which she had just bought. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Separation • Clauses should be near the words they modify • Wrong: He bought a car from his friend that had a defective motor. • Right: He bought from his friend a car that had a defective motor. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Splitting of Infinitives • Infinitives: to + Verb • Wrong: I asked her to occasionally visit me. • Right: I asked her to visit me occasionally. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Dangling Modifiers • A modifier is said to dangle when there is no word in the sentence that it can sensibly modify. The error can be corrected • (1) by adding a word that the modifier can modify • (2) by expanding the modifying into a subordinate clause 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Dangling Modifiers • Dangling Participle • Wrong: Flying over the Alps, the views were spectacular. • Right: Flying over the Alps, we saw spectacular views. • Right: When we flew over the Alps, the views were spectacular. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Dangling Modifiers • Dangling Gerund Phrases • Wrong: After walking for hours, the cabin was found by the hikers. • Right: After walking for hours, the hikers found the cabin. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Dangling Modifiers • Dangling Infinitive • Wrong: To be well cooked, you must boil beefs a half hour. • Right: To be well cooked, beefs must be boiled a half hour. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Dangling Modifiers • Dangling Elliptical Clause • Wrong: When a little girl, my uncle took me to a circus. • Right: When a little girl, I was taken by my uncle to a circus. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Use Parallel Structure • Use parallel structure to express ideas of equal importance • Wrong: She is slender, with blue eyes, and has a friendly manner. • Right: She is slender, blue-eyed, and friendly. 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Use Parallel Structure • Wrong: He likes hiking and to fish • Right: He likes hiking and fishing • Right: He likes to hike and to fish • Wrong: I like to go jogging and shop • Right: I like jogging and shopping • Right: I like to go jogging and then go shopping 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Omitting Unnecessary Words • In comparison or degree, avoid omitting unnecessary words • Wrong: I was so tired. • Right: I was so tired that I fell asleep • Wrong: Salaries of supervisors are higher than workmen • Right: Salaries of supervisors are higher than those of workmen 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Shift • Shift in person • Wrong: When you are healthy, one should be thankful • Right: When you are healthy, you should be thankful • Right: When one is healthy, he should be thankful 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Shift • Shift in Number • Wrong: If a person works hard, they will succeed • Right: If a person works hard, he will succeed • Right: If people work hard, they will succeed 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Shift • Avoid needless shift in subject or voice of verb • Wrong: Laughter could be heard as we approached the house • Right: We heard laughter as we approached the house 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Shift • Avoid needless shift in subject or voice of verb • Wrong: Marilyn lived by the lake, and many hours were spent in the swimming • Right: Marilyn lived by the lake and spent many hours in swimming 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Shift • Shift in Tense • Wrong: She sat down by the fire and begins to knit • Right: She sat down by the fire and began to knit 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid Needless Shift • Shift in Mood • Wrong: Finish your work, and then you should rest • Right: Finish your work and then rest • Right: You should finish your work, and then you should rest 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Avoid the Double Negative • The word hardly and scarcely are negative in meaning: they should be used with not: • Wrong: I can’t scarcely hear him • Right: I can scarcely hear him • Right: I can’t hear him 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Use the Active Voice • The active voice is usually more direct and vigorous than the passive voice: • Weak: My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me • Improved: I shall always remember my first visit to Boston 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Use the Active Voice • Weak: The reason that he left college was that his health became impaired • Improved: Failing health compelled him to leave college • Weak: There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the ground. • Improved: Dead leaves covered the ground 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Use the Positive Form • Make definite assertions • Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non-committal language • The reader is dissatisfied with being told only what is not; he wishes to be told what is • Weak: he was not very often on time • Improved: He usually came late 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Use the Positive Form • Weak: he did not think that studying Latin was much use • Improved: He thought that the study of Latin useless • Not honest  dishonest • Not important  unimportant • Did not remember  forget • Did not pay attention to  ignore 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Organizing a Paragraph • Make the paragraph the unit of composition: one paragraph to each topic • Each paragraph should begin with topic sentence (the sentence that tells the main idea of the paragraph) • The final sentence either emphasizes the thought of the topic sentence or states some important consequence 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Suggestions in Presenting • Use the font size large enough to be seen by the audience • Do not use too small font sizes • Use a well-contrasted text and background colors • Use a dark text on a light background • Use a light text on a dark background • Avoid distracting animation 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Organizing a Presentation • You must do four things • Make it short • Make the organization obvious • Make the ideas simple and vivid • Summarize and be prepared for questions 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Make it Short • It takes twice as long as to speak as to read • Stick to a few main points • Practice it aloud 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Make the Organization Obvious • Acknowledge the Introduction and the Audience • Then tell them what you’re going to tell them • Then tell them • Then tell them what you told them 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Make the Ideas Simple & Vivid • Put your ideas in verbal pictures • Explain your strategy (where you are trying to go) before you tactics (the details of your route) • Use questions to keep the audience’s attention 168493: XML and Web Services (II/2546)

Tips in Writing and Presenting Information