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08/08/2010 00:00:00
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topic:
Improving writing style??
Barbara Wilson
Posts 1
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For your writing to flow, it's best to:
• make sure you have a plan first
• from the plan, know how you are going to conclude the document and think of an intro that fits with this
• try writing a system of subheads as a check of the plan and make sure this is logical and interesting for the reader
• think about sentence length and vary this (always short will be choppy but opening sentence short is often good)
• think about linking devices (these join sentences, signpost direction for reader, summarise, help them predict etc)
• check your paragraphs answer units of sense (one main question to answer in each paragraph)
• employ readability techniques, like using the active voice, being specific and keeping it short and simple.
A book that might help: Writing for Science and Engineering by Heather Silyn-Roberts
Best wishes
Barbara Wilson
edited by admin on 24/08/2010
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08/08/2010 00:00:00
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topic:
Improving writing style??
cd
Posts 1
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I am writing increasingly more in depth scientific literature reviews, but my writing does not flow, Consequenlty I am providing several drafts, it is very time consuming. I wish to improve my writing style, Can you recommend a suitable text book, or offer any advice in relation to this??
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20/08/2010 15:38:13
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topic:
Question on Punctuation
Lesley
Posts 2
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We did finally come to this conclusion ourselves but it's brilliant that you could come back to us so quickly. Thank you Catie
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20/08/2010 15:27:27
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topic:
Question on Punctuation
Catie Holdridge
Posts 6
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Hi Lesley
'Last autumn's shows...' is absolutely fine.
However, with your second example, you'd need to put an apostrophe before the final s of 'seasons', so: 'Last season's shows were...' This is to show the possession: the shows belong to the season in question. Mind you, if you were referring to the shows of multiple seasons, the apostrophe would come after the final s.
Hope that answers your question. Do get in touch again if not.
Catie
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20/08/2010 14:24:06
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topic:
Question on Punctuation
Lesley
Posts 2
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We have just written a press release and we are trying to sort out a punctuation problem.
We have written: "Last autumn's shows........"
We have then written: "Last seasons shows were....."
Is this correct?
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26/11/2009 17:04:41
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topic:
Quantities and numbers
Catie Holdridge
Posts 6
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Hello Paul
As is so often the case, this is generally a matter of style. Our style would be to write 20m or 20 million (not 20,000,000). For billions, it's 20bn or 20 billion. However, we would always write thousands as 20,000 rather than 20K.
And – as always – once you've made your style choice, the most important thing is to be consistent.
Thanks for your query.
Catie
edited by Catie Holdridge on 26/11/2009
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26/11/2009 16:37:19
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topic:
Quantities and numbers
paul55
Posts 1
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Are there any set rules as to whether to use figures or words and abbreviations etc? For example, can one say 20 mn (for twenty million) or would that be unacceptable?
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13/11/2009 17:18:09
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topic:
Words per minute?
Rob Ashton
Posts 3
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Catie Holdridge wrote:
Hello Graham
Although we don't have an exact number to give you, our speech-writing expert, Jack Elliott, estimates that half an A4 page (so around four short paragraphs) should take about one minute to deliver. He also advises speaking at half the pace you imagine to be the optimum speed, since it's so easy to gather steam as you go.
Hi folks
Half a page would equate to about 290 words. So that would give you 290 words a minute.
And yes, knock 'em dead!
Rob
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13/11/2009 15:56:25
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topic:
Words per minute?
Catie Holdridge
Posts 6
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Hello Graham
Although we don't have an exact number to give you, our speech-writing expert, Jack Elliott, estimates that half an A4 page (so around four short paragraphs) should take about one minute to deliver. He also advises speaking at half the pace you imagine to be the optimum speed, since it's so easy to gather steam as you go.
For more tips on giving speeches and presentations, listen to Jack speak on the subject in the July edition of our Write On podcast: http://www.writing-skills.com/Uploads/July-Write-On-podcast.mp3
And break a leg!
Catie
edited by Catie Holdridge on 13/11/2009
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13/11/2009 12:29:57
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topic:
Full stops after web and email addresses
Catie Holdridge
Posts 6
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Hello Terri
This is an issue of style rather than one for which there is a particular rule.
It really comes down to ensuring clarity. If you do put a full stop, you run the risk of people adding one when searching for your website, in which case they may well fail to find it. The danger, of course, is that they won't try again. If the web or email address is an online hyperlink at the end of a sentence and you include a full stop, just be sure that it isn't part of the hyperlink.
As with any point of style: it's up to you which way you go, but always be consistent.
Thanks for your query.
Catie
edited by Catie Holdridge on 13/11/2009
edited by Catie Holdridge on 13/11/2009
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11/11/2009 16:31:51
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topic:
Words per minute?
Graham
Posts 1
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I have been ivited to make a verbal only presentation, is there a rough guide to estimate how many words we speak in a minute?
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11/11/2009 11:11:49
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topic:
Full stops after web and email addresses
terri.westwood
Posts 1
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I am updating my company's style guide. We are debating whether it is appropriate to use a full stop after an email or web address when the address comes at the end of a sentence. Is there a rule?
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22/10/2009 09:57:25
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topic:
The dreaded apostrophe
Catie Holdridge
Posts 6
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Hello Mike
It's 15 years' experience and two weeks' notice.
To work these things out, just ask yourself how you would write it in a different order: it is the experience of 15 years, not 15 year. But of course, if you had only served a fifteenth of the time in said employment, you would have the experience of one year; therefore, one year's experience. Imagine the apostrophe (or apostrophe plus the letter 's') standing in for the word 'of'.
Hope that helps. For more on the apostrophe (hopefully no longer quite so dreaded!), have a look at http://www.writing-skills.com/resources/e-bulletin/article/246/whose-apostrophe.
Catie
edited by Catie Holdridge on 22/10/2009
edited by Catie Holdridge on 25/10/2009
edited by Catie Holdridge on 25/10/2009
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14/10/2009 10:04:47
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topic:
The dreaded apostrophe
mikeoliver
Posts 1
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Here's the question. Is it 15 year's experience or 15 years' experience ? Likewise two week's notice or two weeks' notice ?
Please advise
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07/10/2009 11:58:20
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topic:
a block of bedrooms has / have been reserved?
Rob Ashton
Posts 3
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Hi Sandra
Thanks for your question.
You’re right, of course, that the verb refers to the ‘block’ and should logically be ‘has’, as you suggest.
But ‘a block of’ is actually what is known as a singular expression, along with phrases such as ‘a number of’, ‘a group of’ or ‘the rest of’. These are always followed by plural verbs.
So I would go with the ‘have’: ‘a block of bedrooms have been reserved’.
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07/10/2009 11:57:23
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topic:
When to use "may" or "might"?
Rob Ashton
Posts 3
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Opinions vary, depending on what you read. Here are a few guidelines culled from the Economist Style Guide and the Oxford Guide to English Usage.
1. If the truth of the event is unknown, then may or might are interchangeable.
• I may/might go home early
• if I go home early, I may/might have to come in early tomorrow
• he may/might have come home early.
2. If you are stating a certainty, use may.
• I may be a linguist, but I don¹t speak German.
3. If the event never actually happened, or you are stating something contrary to fact, use might.
• If I had come in earlier, my whole life might have been different
• if I had wings, I might get to work more quickly.
4. Use might when following a conditional subjunctive.
• If I were to go home early, I might have to come in early tomorrow.
Hope that helps.
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07/10/2009 10:59:09
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topic:
What exactly is the active voice?
Catie Holdridge
Posts 6
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Hi Paul
Thanks for your question. I know you're not alone in wondering about this one.
The active voice puts the 'doer' of the action described (in grammar terms, the agent) first. This makes sense clear and leaves no information hidden. For example:
The cat had stolen the dog's dinner.
Here the 'doer' ('the cat') is stated before the action ('had stolen'). Now look at this sentence:
The dog's dinner had been stolen by the cat.
This is the passive voice: the action comes before the 'doer'. In fact, the sentence would still make sense if you removed 'by the cat', which would leave everyone wondering who had stolen the poor dog's food. The passive voice is often used to disguise who performed an action, which produces a very opaque and suspect (not to mention dull) piece of writing.
Hope that's useful.
Catie
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07/10/2009 10:54:57
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topic:
What exactly is the active voice?
Paul
Posts 1
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I know that it's meant to be better to use the active voice, but I'm not really sure what it is. Could you let me know please?
Thanks very much.
Paul
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07/10/2009 10:50:37
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topic:
When to use "may" or "might"?
Mal34
Posts 1
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Can you tell me how to work out when to use may and when to use might please?
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07/10/2009 10:47:21
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topic:
a block of bedrooms has / have been reserved?
sandra1
Posts 1
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Should I say "a block of bedrooms has / have been reserved"? I think it is 'has' as it refers to the block, but on past papers I can see it has said 'have'. Please advise.
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