Module 2 Activity 1

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Module 2 Activity 1

• Composing effective texts

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The writing process involves the following stages

• Researching
• Organizing
• Composing
• Revising
• Editing

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What types of writing do you do?
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What is your understanding of audience?
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How do you begin a writing project?
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Research your topic

• Search manually printed items such as books,
  magazines, journals.
• Search digital databases
• Collect information (interviews, surveys,
  questionnaires, focus groups).

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Organize Information Into an Outline
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Tips for Making Outlines

• Define the main topic in title.
• Divide the topic into three to five main points.
• Break the components into subpoints.
• Make each component exclusive .
• Don't put a single item under a major component.
• Use details and evidence to support subpoints.

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Organizing Messages
Main idea comes first followed by details and
explanations
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What types of writing use the direct pattern?
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Explanation precedes main idea
Organizing Messages
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What types of writing use the indirect pattern?
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(No Transcript)
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(No Transcript)
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Writing effective Sentences
Complete sentences have subjects and verbs and
form complete thoughts.

• subject verb
• Employees must report customer complaints.

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Writing Effective Sentences

• Clauses also have subjects and verbs.
• Independent clauses stand alone.
• Dependent clauses rely on independent clauses for
  their meaning.

dependent clause independent
clause When you leave, shut the door.
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Writing Effective Sentences

• Phrases are groups of related
• words without subjects and verbs.

phrase
phrases In the afternoon, I sleep on
the sofa.
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Avoid sentence fragments.

• Fragment
• Even though the work was difficult. Many
  employees volunteered.
• Revision
• Even though the work was difficult, many
  employees volunteered.

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Avoid run- on sentences.

• Run-on Sentences
• Two agencies applied only one was granted.

Revisions Two agencies applied. Only one was
granted. Two agencies applied only one was
granted. Two agencies applied, but only one was
granted.
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Avoid comma- splice sentences.

• Comma Splice
• Many were exceptional, Sandra won the award.

• Revisions
• Many were exceptional. Sandra won the award.
• Many were exceptional Sandra received the award.
• Many were exceptional however, Sandra won the
  award.
• Many were exceptional, but Sandra won the award.

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Identify the sentence-writing error and revise
the following sentences
You can publish the report online it will help
the public understand the policy.
You can publish the report online. It will help
the public understand the policy.
When you apply for a grant, send a complete CV.

• When you apply for a grant. Send a complete CV.

22
Identify the sentence-writing error and revise
the following sentences
If you dont build your dream, someone else will
hire you to help them build theirs. Dhirubhai
Ambani
If you dont build your dream. Someone else will
hire you to help them build theirs. Dhirubhai
Ambani
The first step toward success is taken when you
refuse to be a captive of the environment in
which you first find yourself. Mark Cain

• The first step toward success is taken. When you
  refuse to be a captive of the environment in
  which you first find yourself.
• Mark Cain

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Identify the sentence-writing error and revise
the following sentences
Web 2.0 is changing communication, and people are
able to engage with larger audiences.
Web 2.0 is changing communication people are able
to engage with larger audiences.
The journal is published we have sent out the
delivery trucks.

• The journal is published, we have sent out the
  delivery trucks.

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Identify the sentence-writing error and revise
the following sentences
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the
majority, it is time to pause and reflect. Mark
Twain
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the
majority. It is time to pause and reflect. Mark
Twain
Great minds discuss ideas average minds discuss
events small minds discuss people. Eleanor
Roosevelt

• Great minds discuss ideas average minds discuss
  events small minds discuss people.
• Eleanor Roosevelt

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Identify the sentence-writing error and revise
the following sentences
I have not failed. Ive just found 10,000 ways
that wont work. Thomas A. Edison
I have not failed Ive just found 10,000 ways
that wont work. Thomas A. Edison
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if
you were to live forever. Mahatma Gandhi

• Live as if you were to die tomorrow learn as if
  you were to live forever.
• Mahatma Gandhi

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Achieving emphasis through mechanics

• Underlining
• Can you state your intentions?

Italics and Boldface The use of boldface and
italics provides emphasis and helps the reader
locate key information.
All Caps YOU WON shouts at the reader.
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Revise the following sentences for emphasis

• It is perfectly okay to write garbageas long as
  you edit brilliantly.
• - C. J. Cherry

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Revise the following sentences for emphasis

• It took me fifteen years to discover I had no
  talent for writing, but I couldnt give it up
  because by that time I was too famous.
• - Robert Benchley 

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Revise the following sentences for emphasis

• Most writers regard the truth as their most
  valuable possession, and therefore are most
  economical in its use.
• - Mark Twain

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Emphasis Through Mechanics

• Listing items vertically emphasizes them
• 1. First item
• 2. Second item
• 3. Third item

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Which of the following tools are appropriate in
business letters?
White space
Color
Lines
Boxes ?
Columns ?
Titles
Headings
Subheadings
.
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Which of the following tools are appropriate in
memos?
White space
Color
Lines
Boxes ?
Columns ?
Titles
Headings
Subheadings

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Which of the following tools are appropriate in
email messages?
White space
Color
Lines
Boxes
Columns
Titles
Headings
Subheadings
.
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Which of the following tools are appropriate in
reports?
White space
Color
Lines
Boxes
Columns
Titles
Headings
Subheadings

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Use style to produce emphasis

• Use a vivid expression, such as in bug-free
  software rather than dependable software.
• Label the idea with expressions such as more
  importantly, the principal reason, or the best
  alternative.
• Put the important idea first or last in the
  sentence.
• Put the important idea in a simple sentence or in
  an independent clause.

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Use style to deemphasize an idea

• Use general, rather than specific, words (some
  customers complained, rather than 125 customers
  complained).
• Place the idea in a dependent clause connected to
  an independent clause containing a positive idea.
• Although items cannot be returned for cash, you
  will receive store credit for any returned
  purchases.

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Active-voice verbs show the subject performing
the action.

• Most major employers require drug testing.
• (Active voice the subject is
  acting)
• Dr. Smith recommended Tina for the job.
• (Active voice the subject is acting)

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In passive-voice sentences, the subject is being
acted upon.
The passive-voice verbs require helper verbs and
sometimes the subject is not present in the text.

• Drug testing is required by most major employers.
• (Passive voice the subject is being acted upon)
• Tina was recommended for the job by Dr. Smith.
• (Passive voice the subject is being acted upon)

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Active- and Passive-Voice Verbs

• Use the active voice for most business writing.
• Use the passive voice to emphasize an action or
  the recipient of the actionrather than the actor
  
• New laws were passed drunk drivers were
  targeted.
• Use the passive voice to break bad news
• Although your lease cannot be renewed, we can
  offer . . .

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Convert the following sentences to active voice.
You may have to add a subject.
Our membership meeting was postponed by the
president.
The president postponed our membership meeting.
The résumés of job candidates are sorted quickly
by the software program Resumix.
The software program Resumix sorts résumés of job
candidates quickly.
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Convert the following sentences to active voice.
You may have to add a subject.
All team messages are sent by e-mail.
Team members send all messages by e-mail.
Drug tests are required of all new employees.
The company requires drug tests for all new
employees.
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Convert the following sentences to active voice.
You may have to add a subject.
We were given our orders by the manager.
The manager gave us our orders.
Our intranet is used by employees to complete
forms.
Employees use our intranet to complete forms.
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Convert the following sentences to passive voice.
We must delay shipment of your merchandise
because of heavy demand.
Your merchandise shipment must be delayed because
of heavy demand.
Management rejected our plan.
Our plan was rejected by management.
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Convert the following sentences to passive voice.
The technician could not install the computer
program.
The computer program could not be installed.
Someone did not submit the accounting statement
on time.
The accounting statement was not submitted on
time.
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Developing Parallelism

• Parallel expression uses balanced construction.
  Match nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, phrases
  with phrases, and clauses with clauses.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow Learn and
you will live forever.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow learn as
if you were to live forever. Mahatma Gandhi

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Developing Parallelism

• To produce a mighty
• book, a mighty theme
• should be chosen.
• - Herman Melville
• .

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Developing Parallelism
Serena takes the telephone orders, Matt locates
the items in the ware- house, and the items are
sent by Yolanda.
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How could parallelism be improved in the
following sentence?
"I can write better than anybody who can write
faster, and I can write faster than anybody who
can write better." - A. J. Liebling (1904-1963)
"I can write better than anybody who can write
faster, and if somebody can write better, I will
write faster." - A. J. Liebling (1904-1963)
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How could parallelism be improved in the
following sentence?
"The fundamental cause of trouble in the world is
that the stupid are cocksure while the
intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand
Russell (1872-1970)
"The fundamental cause of trouble in the world is
that the stupid are cocksure while those who are
full of doubt are intelligent." - Bertrand
Russell (1872-1970)
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How could parallelism be improved in the
following sentence?
"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."
- Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
"Glory is fleeting, but forever is how long
obscurity lasts." - Napoleon Bonaparte
(1769-1821)
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Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

• For clarity, modifiers must be close to the words
  they describe or limit.
• Be particularly careful to place a logical
  subject immediately after an introductory verbal
  phrase.

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Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
After considering the problem carefully, new
procedures were suggested by management.
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Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Any student has full online privileges who is
enrolled in the college.
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Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Its hard to under- stand why employees would
not go to our technical support staff with
software problems.
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Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Using a search engine, the Web site was finally
located.
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Revise the following sentence to correct any
misplaced modifiers.
To be hired, two years of experience is required.

• To be hired, one must have two years of
  experience.

Dipped in butter, you can really enjoy a fine
lobster.
Dipped in butter, a fine lobster can truly be
enjoyed.
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Revise the following sentence to correct any
misplaced modifiers.
By advertising extensively, we filled all open
jobs quickly.
By advertising extensively, all open jobs were
filled quickly.
After leaving the office, Jeff's car would not
start.
After leaving the office, Jeff could not start
his car.
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Revise the following sentence to correct any
misplaced modifiers.
She died in the house in which she was born at
the age of 88.

• At the age of 88, she died in the house in which
  she was born.

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Composing the First Draft

• Complete all necessary research.
• Find a quiet place to work..
• Organize information into an outline.
• Imagine you are talking to a reader.