An Approach to Successful Writing

1. An Approach to Successful Writing • Being successful requires having a process. • There is the need to practice both writing and revision. • A suggested approach is to focus on a subset of the rules and become comfortable with them before moving on to additional rules. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

2. An Approach to Successful Writing • Preparation • Know your topic, audience and environment. • Organization • Outline your work. • Writing • Use techniques that make your writing clear. • Revision • Make sure what you are writing meets your objective. • Make sure your statements are supported. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

3. An Approach to Successful Writing • Editing • Once the structure is correct then focus on the next level down. • Remove excess words. • Make statements clear. • Active/passive voice • Proofreading • Fixing the lowest level mistakes. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

4. An Approach to Successful Writing • Practice the skills that improve clarity. • Isn’t your objective to clearly convey the message? • Shorter is generally better than longer. • As long as the topic is covered extra words do not serve a useful purpose. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

5. Breaking Old Habits • Generally we follow old habits. • There are hundreds of rules to learn. • Improving your writing is hard work. • Improve your writing in small steps. • Correct your usage in one area before moving on. • Focus on areas that improve clarity or cause the reader to pause. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

6. Revision and Editing • These are not the same. • Revision is about ensuring that the document meets your object. • Editing is about making the document clear. • Proofreading is about correcting mistakes. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

7. Editing • Common errors: • Run-on sentences • Ambiguous pronoun references • Overly long sentences • Misuse of passive voice Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

8. Proofreading • Common errors: • Run-on sentences • Pronoun/noun agreement • Subject/verb agreement • Miss use of commas • Capitalization Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

9. Articles • “A”, “an”, “the” • “A” and “an” are indefinite articles • Denotes an unspecified item. • “The” is the definite article • Denotes a particular item • How was the first slide titled? • Why? Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

10. Punctuation • Commas are used to set off individual elements and thoughts. • Commas add to clarity. • To be successful managers with MBAs must continue to learn. • To be successful, managers with MBAs must continue to learn. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

11. Commas avoid confusion • Leonora walked on her head, a little higher than usual. • Did she walk on her head? • Leonora walked on, her head a little higher than usual. • The driver managed to escape from the vehicle before it sank and swam to the river-bank. • Did the vehicle swim? • The driver manager to escape from the vehicle before it sank, and swam to the river-bank. • The convict said the judge is mad. • Who is really mad? • The convict, said the judge, is mad. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

12. Agreement • The noun and subject must agree. • Agreement is not affected by intervening phrases and clauses. • Plural subjects require plural verbs. • Compound subjects • When joined by “and” a plural verb is required. • Exception if the subject forms a unit “bacon and eggs” • When the compound subject is joined by “or” agreement with the closer subject is required. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

13. Third person singular • What is third person? • I = first person • You = second person • She, he or it = third person • In the present tense • Change the verb ending to “s” Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

14. Third person singular • If the verb ends in –s, -ss, -sh, -ch or x the third person adds –es. • If the verb ends in consonant + -y then change the y to I and add es. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

15. Gender Neutral • Write gender neutral when possible. • One solution is to reword and use a plural pronoun or use genderless nouns. • Every employee must sign his/her time card. • Not gender neutral • Every employee must sign their time cards. • Incorrect agreement • All employees must sign their time cards Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

16. Numbers • Write numbers from zero to ten as words and numbers above ten as numerals. • Spell out approximate numbers. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

17. Common Pit Falls • Every sentence must have an explicit subject. • Every sentence must have a verb. • The subject and the verb must agree. • Every sentence must express an idea. • Can/may • Can refers to capability • May refers to possibility or permission Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

18. Exercise A reason that people chose to break the code of ethics is due to peer pressure that comes from the environment.  In the business world, the actions taken by a company is heavily depended on its ability to produce profits.  Sometimes, competitions among companies can be so fierce that one company will conduct unethical practices to gain a competitive edge.  For example, it might falsely advertise its products or use lower costing materials that might be unsafe to consumers.  Other companies in the market will have no choice but to follow as a matter of survival.  At schools, the competition among students to achieve academic excellence may lead to unethical conducts.  Many students chose to cheat or plagiarize because they first observed how other students have done it.  Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

19. Exercise Lot of steps is taken in order to prevent it. Teachers help students by explaining the evils of plagiarism. They make them realize that plagiarism stops them to think, analyze and practice writing. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

20. Exercise Anyone who steals others assert is considered to be a thief and should be punished. Assert can be of any kind. It can be a jewel, clothes, money property, I or even personnel information through computer. What we should do to avoid form being a victim of loosing your personnel information through computer is a million dolla Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

21. Exercise Sometimes coworkers who purposely create roadblocks to our progress then despite of call it to or complain to his manager go directly to the source and do one-on-one meeting with your colleague and be prepared to discuss specific instances in which a specific action created challenges. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

22. Exercise Estimation if software maintenance is calculation of all requirements, resources, time, and risks that are required to give customer for limited time by the provider. It is crucial for every company which is going to give maintenance because if the company is committed to any customer to give maintenance than it is required to give him/her maintenance with profit or loss. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

23. Exercise Making a virtual project environment just an URL away and minimize start up costs; being able to self-administer such sites also means that the team can manage its own artifacts rather than require the services of a dedicated support team. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

24. Exercise As teams are getting more and more geographically distributed these are getting more and more difficult and critical. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

25. Exercise In 2001, there were many people using different approaches towards software development got together and discussed the similarities and differences between their approaches. So the common things were listened under agile manifesto can be enumerated such as: Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009

26. Exercise Even though FOSS is still not very stable to the market due to the legal handling risk, as SCO Group vs. IBM lawsuit made big news and brought great attention to the companies in technical field, the advantage of FOSS is still simply a good development source in technical aspect, especially for small companies’ lack of development compatibility. Computer Engineering 294 R. Smith Common writing mistakes 09/2009