OST164 Text Editing Applications

1
OST164 Text Editing Applications

• Section 1
• The Period

2
The Period - 101

• At the end of a statement or command.
• To mark the end of an elliptical (condensed)
  expression that represents a complete statement
  or a command. Example Im done. No problem.

3
The Period - 102

• Use one space after the period at the end of a
  sentence.

4
The Period - 103 a

• Requests, suggestions, and commands are often
  phrased as questions out of politeness.
• Use a period to end this kind of sentence if you
  expect your reader to respond by acting rather
  than by giving you a yes-or-no answer.
• Use a period only when you are sure that your
  reader is not likely to consider your request
  presumptuous.

5
The Period - 103 a

1. Will you please call us at once if we can be of
   further help.
2. Would you please send all bills to my bank for
   payment while Im out of the country.
3. May I suggest that you refer to computer
   criminals who break into other peoples computers
   as crackers, not hackers.
4. If you cant attend the meeting, could you please
   send someone else in your place.

6
The Period - 103 b

• If you are asking a favor or making a request
  that your reader may be unable or unwilling to
  grant, use a question mark at the end of the
  sentence.
• The question mark offers your reader a chance to
  say no to your request and helps to preserve the
  politeness of the situation.

7
The Period - 103 b

1. May I ask a favor of you?
2. Will you be able to have someone help me on the
   Woonsocket project?
3. Will you please handle the production reports for
   me while Im away?

8
The Period - 103 c

• If you are not sure whether to use a question
  mark or a period, reword the sentence so that it
  is clearly a question or a statement then
  punctuate accordingly.
• Would you be willing to handle the production
  reports for me while Im away?
• Reworded sentence I would appreciate your
  handling the production reports for me
  while Im away.

9
The Period - 103 d

• When you are addressing a request to someone who
  reports to you, you expect that person to comply.
  Therefore, a period can properly be used.
• However, most people prefer to be asked to do
  something rather than to be told to do it.
• A question mark establishes a nicer tone and
  often gets better results.

10
The Period - 103 d
Consider using a question mark when your request
to a subordinate involves something beyond the
routine aspects of the job.

1. Will you please let me know what your vacation
   plans are for the month of August.
2. Will you leave the report on my desk.

11
The Period - 104

• Use a period to mark the end of an indirect
  question.

1. Frank Wilcox has asked whether an exception can
   be made to our leave-of-absence policy.
2. The only question she asked was when the report
   had to be on your desk.
3. Why Janet Murray left the company so quickly has
   never been explained.
4. We know what needs to be done the question is
   how to pay for it.
5. I wonder who defined intuition as the knowledge
   that your salary wont cover the cost of your
   childrens education.

12
The Period - 105

• Use a period (without a space before or after it)
  to separate a whole number from a decimal
  fraction.
• Examples
• 5.50
• 33.33 percent

13
The Period - 106

• Use periods after numbers or letters that
  enumerate items in an outline or a displayed
  list.
• Do not add a period if the numbers or letters are
  enclosed in parentheses. Examples
• a. or (a) 1. or (1)
• b. or (b) 2. or (2)

14
The Period - 107 a

• Use periods after independent clauses, dependent
  clauses, or long phrases that are displayed on
  separate lines in a list.
• Also, use periods after short phrases that are
  essential to the grammatical completeness of the
  statement introducing the list.
• Do this with numerical and alphabetical bullets.

15
The Period - 107 a

• Please get me year-end figures on
• Domestic sales revenues.
• Total operating costs.
• Net operating costs.
• When you come back, we can
• Go to the theater.
• Shop at the new mall.
• Visit some of your old friends.
• Today, I want you to
• Pick up a package from UPS.
• Take the dog to the groomer.
• Go by the dry cleaners before noon.

NOTE 1 See how each line completes the original
sentence.
NOTE 2 This applies to lettered, numbered, and
bulleted items.
NOTE 3 Avoid the use of semicolons and a
conjunction in a list.
16
The Period - 107 b

• No periods are needed after short phrases in a
  list if the introductory statement is
  grammatically complete or if the listed items are
  like those that would be found on inventory sheet
  or a shopping list.

Please purchase the following items when you go
to the store 1. Eggs 2. Bacon 3. Milk
Bring the following items with you come to class
tomorrow (a) Pencil (b) Notebook paper (c)
Pencil sharpener
17
The Period - 108

• Use a period after a run-in heading (one that
  begins a paragraph and is immediately followed by
  text matter on the same line.)
• Insuring Your Car. Automobile insurance is
  actually a package of six different types of
  coverage.
• (b) Omit the period if the heading is
  freestanding (displayed on a line by itself.)

Insuring Your Car Automobile insurance is
actually a package of six different types of
coverage.
18
The Period - 108 (contd)

• However, retain a question mark or an exclamation
  point with a freestanding heading if the wording
  requires it.
• Is it Legal?
• Investing your money so as to.
• A period follows a run-in expression like Table
  or Figure, even though the heading as a whole is
  freestanding.
• Table 6. SALARY RANGES
• Figure 2-4. Departmental Staff Needs

19
The Period - 109

• Do NOT use a period
• After letters used to designate persons or things
  (Client A, Class B)
• Exception Use a period when the letter is the
  initial of a persons last name (Mr. A. for Mr.
  Adams)
• After contractions (such as contd)