,, and Punctuation ACOM 2302-001 Fall 2018 Review Science vs. Scientific Communications Learn how to improve writing skills Why is GSP Important Get a Dictionary Objectives Understand basic grammar rules Explain common spelling errors Explain how to use punctuation marks appropriately Review editing marks Make sure your words go together Make nouns and pronouns agree Must agree in number (singular vs. plural) and Steps to Improve your Writing 1. Write from an outline 2. Read your work aloud 3. Put aside the draft, then re-read it later 4. Ask someone to review and critique the draft gender Wrong: A student should do their best. Correct: A student should do his or her best. Correct: Students should do their best. Wrong: She is a person that likes football. Correct: She is a person who likes football. Wrong: The hog who won Houston was from Lubbock Correct: The hog that won Houston was from Lubbock. 1
Make sure your words go together Collective noun that represents a business, association, or other group: Don t use they, their, or theirs Use it or its Make sure parallel items in a sentence are worded similarly Wrong: He enjoyed gathering information and then to write about it. Even though the business is made of multiple people, it is discussed as a single entity Example: John Deere gave its approval. Correct: He enjoyed gathering information and then writing about it. When to use Active Voice Active vs. Passive voice Active Voice Emphasizes the person or thing performing the action We received the report yesterday. Passive Voice Emphasizes the recipient of the action itself Emphasize who is responsible for an action Stress the name of a company Re-write a top-heavy sentence Passive: If we want to get to the concert early, we need to leave now. Active: We need to leave now if we want to get to the concert early. The report was received [by us] yesterday. Make a shorter sentence Passive: Some surprising findings were revealed by the study. Active: The study revealed some surprising findings. When to use Passive Voice Emphasize the receiver of the action Use the correct word Passive: New shirts can be purchased here. Old shirts can be purchased there. Google things if you aren t sure. Active: Purchase new shirts here. Purchase old shirts there. Avoid the egocentric tone that results from repeating I, we, and your company s name Break the monotony Affect/effect Affect is USUALLY a verb and affect is USUALLY a noun. The lighting will affect the image. The lighting will cause a strange effect. 2
Whose/Who s Over/More Than Use more than when a number is involved Wrong: The book was over 300 pages long. Correct: The book was more than 300 pages long. Use over for everything else. He climbed over the rock. She is over the page limit. Whose shows ownership Whose project is this? Who s = who is Who s finished with their project? Possessive for words ending in s Mrs. Rogers invited me for lunch. It will be at the Rogers lake house. Two dogs are running. The dogs owner is chasing them. Contractions In BUSINESS writing, do not use contractions (Intro project email and job application) Contractions: don t, I d, I m, it s, etc. Exclamation Points and Quotes Avoid exclamation points (!) in this class How to quote a person: I hope Tech wins this weekend, Kelsi said. Lawsuit in Maine Lawsuit in Maine Dairy truck drivers sued dairies for overtime pay Dairy truck drivers sued dairies for overtime pay Law required time-and-a-half pay for each hour worked after 40 hours EXCEPT for: Law required time-and-a-half pay for each hour worked after 40 hours EXCEPT for: 3
8/31/18 Changed to this to include those who solely DISTRIBUTE 1, 2, and 3 Use a comma before and in a list Not ALWAYS necessary in life, but it is in this class. Correct: Kelsi, Haylee, and Austin A list within a list use semi-colons I need a folder; red, green, and blue pens; and a pencil. Use a hyphen to join two words into one Before a conjunction sometimes Hyphen Wrong: The president will speak to small business men. Implies that he is talking to businessmen who are small. Also, businessmen is one word. Correct: The president will speak to small-business men. I went to the movies, and I saw Aunt Ted. Between two adjectives Correct: He brought beautiful, yellow flowers. Wrong: He bought beautiful, Black-eyed Susans. Black-eyed Susans are the type of flower ly will help you tremendously in this ly class Can use in Word if you have a PC Can use online with anything Need to know how to interpret our marks Editing Marks Use to edit your own work when proofreading Worksheet 4
Bad Email Contest I want bad examples of an email you should send your professor Nothing vulgar (this includes cursing) Email to me (kelsi.opat@ttu.edu) by 5 p.m. Sunday The worst email will be used as an example on Wednesday The writer will get 10 points added to their intro project 5