Seminar II

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Seminar II
241-702, Semester 1, 2012-2013
3. Writing Tips

• Objectives
• tips on improving writing style and the look of
  the report.

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1. Figures and Tables

• Every figure/table must have a caption
• Every figure/table must be explained.
• Figure/tables must be located just after the
  paragraph where they are explained.

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Example
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Format of a Figure

• 1. One sentence before the figure.
• 2. The figure, with a one-sentence caption
• Figure 1. This is a Capitalized Caption.
• 3. Several sentences after the figure, explaining
  it all.

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• In the text, always explain every figure.
• use "Figure 1", not "fig1", "F1", etc.
• The figure diagram must be big enough, and clear
  enough, to read all the text on it.
• it's best to draw figures yourself
• use PowerPoint, then paste into Word

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A Bad Figure Diagram
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2. Grammar and Spelling

• Always check your own writing.
• Ask a friend to look at your writing.
• Your supervisor will read your report
• do not expect your supervisor to correct all the
  errors in your writing

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• Spell checkers
• very useful but not 100 reliable, e.g.

• Grammar checkers
• a bit useful, poor reliablity

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Helpful Books

• A English-Thai/Thai-English dictionary
• A bigger English dictionary
• to look up hard words
• A thesaurus
• to find alternative words

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3. Writing Style

• Use simple (plain) language/grammar.
• Use familiar words.
• Write short, simple sentences.

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Un-Plain Language

• Each person to whom this request is herein
  addressed is henceforth solicited to submit, or
  to have his or her department representative
  submit, to the appropriate Ministers office as
  described above, a comment on whether the
  proposed plan, in his or her considered view,
  meets the requirements of the new law. Two (2)
  or more such persons may join in a single comment.

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• Better
• You may wish to comment on whether the proposed
  plan meets the requirements of the new law.
• Even Better
• Does the plan agree with the law?

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Use Familiar Words

• Bad
• Please utilize the correct operational parameters
  to complete the task.
• Better
• Please follow the directions.

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Eliminate Repetition

• Bad
• Workers will be able to add two additional
  workers to help the three previously hired
  workers who make up the workers team.
• Better
• Workers will be able to add two additional
  employees to help the three previously hired
  members who make up the team.

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Omit Boring Adverbs

• Try to avoid the adverbs
• very
• quite
• definitely
• completely
• really

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Example

• Bad
• Brokers are quite certain that these stocks are
  completely safe.
• Better
• Brokers are certain that these stocks are safe.

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Avoid 'story' Style

• Bad
• After we'd worked a long, hard eight hours in the
  lab, we realized...
• We were so happy to make the discovery early one
  morning...
• Better
• We realized...
• We discovered...

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Other Style Issues

• Do not start with "Nowadays...".
• Do not start a sentence with "Because..." or
  "And..."
• Write complete sentences, not Powerpoint bullets.

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4. Jargon (technical words)

• Only use jargon from textbooks and refereed
  articles.
• not from computer magazines and web sites
• If you use any unusual jargon, define it when you
  first use it.

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5. Acronyms

• Only use very common acronyms
• e.g DVD, IBM, OS
• Explain every unusual acronym when you first use
  it.
• Do not invent your own acronyms.
• Write acronyms in upper-case.

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Example
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6. Avoid Slang

• Bad
• John asked his friend to mellow out.
• Better
• John asked his friend to relax.

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7. Avoid Clichés

• Clichés are overused expressions (for native
  speakers).
• Bad
• We had reached the end of our rope.
• Better
• We had to stop.

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8. Report Formatting

• Use Times New Roman, 12pt font for text.
• Use New Courier , 10 pt font for code
• Headings should be in bold.
• Number the pages.

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• Each section should be numbered
• e.g 2. Literature Review
• Each sub-section should be numbered
• e.g. 2.1. Information Retrieval
• Do not number the "References" section.

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• There must always be text between a section
  heading, and a sub-section.
• Bad
• 2. Literature Review
• 2.1. Information Retrieval
• The text in between will be an overview or
  introduction to the sub-sections.

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• A paragraph should be defined to have 6pt spacing
  after it's end
• do not use a blank line to separate paragraphs
• Each sentence must be separated by one blank
  space.
• Each sentence must start with a capital letter.

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• Avoid tabbing/indenting of text.
• Write complete sentences, not bulletted points.
• Do not "copy and paste"
• Spell check at the end

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• Never use underlining.
• Very rarely use italics.
• A title contains
• the title, your full name, e-mail address, date,
  your supervisor