Writing with Style and Substance

1. Writing with Style and Substance Sue Robinson & Marilyn J. Shaw Institute on PhilanthropyUniversity of Richmond Step 7: Checking the Mechanics June 2011

2. Step 7: Checking the Mechanics • Style and manual (Proper name guide) • Punctuation • *Words--simple and stylish • Spell Check, MS Word assistance • Other advice: • When in doubt, leave it out • Be prepared to kill your babies • Add adjectives and adverbs only with a compelling reason (c) Well Put LLC and Robinson & Assoc LLC

3. Use the 50-Cent, Not $3 Word • Acknowledge • Thank, Accept • Acquire • Get, Buy • Demonstrate • Show • Substantiate • Prove • Now you try it: • Subsequently • Request • Personnel • Notwithstanding • Fundamental * Source: http://www.4syllables.com.au/resources/cheat-sheets/common-words/ (c) Well Put LLC and Robinson & Assoc LLC

4. Metaphors & Similies “The liver is like a cruise ship taking in water. As it starts to sink, it sends out an SOS. Only instead of radio waves, it uses enzymes. The more enzymes in the blood, the worse the liver is. But once the ship has sunk, there's no more SOS. You think the liver's fine, but it's already at the bottom of the sea.”Locked In episode of TV show “House” Richard Nordquist, About.com, “’House’ Calls, the Metaphors of Dr. Gregory House” (c) Well Put LLC and Robinson & Assoc LLC

5. *Types of Punctuation • Period • Exclamation point • Question mark • Comma • Hyphens--can clarify meaning A man-eating shark, a man eating shark Woman killer at large • Quotes (single, dbl) • Dashes (spaces or no spaces?) • Colon • Ellipsis • Semi-colon • Apostrophes -- (contractions, possession) (c) Well Put LLC and Robinson & Assoc LLC

6. Enlisting MS Word’s Help • Spell Check • (Review tab/“ABC” Spelling) When to perform spell check Advantages Disadvantage • Auto Correct • Grammar check • Word Count (Review tab, Proofing/Word Count) • Readability (Quick Access Toolbar, More Commands, Proofing, Show Readability Statistics) (c) Well Put LLC and Robinson & Assoc LLC