|
March 6, 2001
EXPOSITORY PATTERNS--PART V
-------------------------------------------------
PROCESS ANALYSIS
Process analysis is a strategy often used in technical writing to describe a series of steps that develop a process. The steps are listed in chronological or sequential order. Sometimes they are listed separately in paragraphs or identified by numbers and letters.
EXAMPLE:
When considering marriage, here are three steps to consider:
1. Choose someone with a strong, positive character.
2. Spend time developing a friendship before getting serious.
3. Understand the important differences between lust and love.
- - - - - - -
Writers use a process approach to explain complex or difficult procedures, such as those found in company guidelines or in training manuals. It is important to fully and clearly describe each step of the process to avoid confusing readers.
- - - - - - -
Avoid using jargon (technical terms) that may be unfamiliar to readers. If technical language is necessary, include a lexicon in the document which provides brief definitions of key words or concepts.
- - - - - - -
The process description should include the primary objective or goal and explain how each step moves the process toward that destination.
-------------------------------------------------
CHECK OUT OUR "SEARCHABLE" INDEX
Subscribers to GrammarCheck can search past issues of GrammarCheck for topics of interest at
http://www.grammarcheck.com/archives
-------------------------------------------------
SPELLING OR WRITING TIP:
DATES
When writing the date in a month/day/year format, use commas between the day and the year, and after the year if the sentence continues:
I received a bonus on January 2, 2001, after the board meeting.
But when using day/month/year dates, commas are not required:
I received a bonus on 02 January 2001 after the board meeting.
-------------------------------------------------
NEW WORD OF THE WEEK:
ELICIT (i-lis'-it) tr. v: -ited, -iting, -its. (1) to bring out, draw forth; evoke.
The boss' positive attitude elicits her employees' best behavior.
-------------------------------------------------
YOUR GRAMMAR AND WRITING QUESTIONS
QUESTION: I just signed up for your ezine. I'm now reading some back issues and I like the way you stress the importance of grammatical correction in writing.
I like your ezine very much because you go right to the most important factors in punctuation. I usually feel overwhelmed when it comes to picking up a 460-page book to teach you how to be a more successful writer.
I like the simplicity and yet the powerful, crucial grammar points in your newsletter. You can use my feedback as a testimonial anytime! =-) Ernesto
GRAMMARCHECK: Thanks, Ernesto, for your positive feedback. It is really good to hear from readers who find our ezine useful. We'll keep trying to feature grammar rules which we feel will be of most help to our readers.
- - - - - - -
QUESTION: Redundancies are driving me crazy. Even in your sample statements in a recent newsletter (which I love) you wrote:
"She picked the book up off the table."
Well, my first thought is, "She can't pick the book down." I hear these redundancies all the time. The weatherman constantly says, "The temperature will fall down to thirty degrees tonight" or someone will say, "My foot slipped down into a hole."
Where's the dividing line on redundancies? Obviously, the window will continue to get raised "up" or lowered "down," but where can I comfortably put my foot down and eliminate these from my writing?
GRAMMARCHECK: Feel free to put your foot (or pen) down--wherever and whenever you wish! Your point is well taken; we sometimes add the extra word or two that pushes a thought further than necessary. We'll keep an eye on our text for phrasing like the following:
circle around
finally end
separate between
Thanks for writing!
- - - - - - -
QUESTION: Which is correct?
Someone forgot to take his sweater.
-or
Someone forgot to take their sweater.
GRAMMARCHECK: Neither is correct. In your first example, the subject word "Someone" is singular with an unknown gender. Using the masculine pronoun "his" before sweater becomes a form of sexist language (unless you know for certain the sweater belongs to a man).
In your second example, the pronoun "their" is plural and does not fit the singular subject. You can change the sentence thus:
Someone forgot to take a sweater.
-or-
Someone forgot to take his or her sweater.
- - - - - - -
QUESTION: Here's a follow-up on the question concerning the correct use of "you and I" and "you and me."
In a line from the Van Morrison song, "In the Garden," the artist sings
". . . you and I in the garden."
Is "I" correct in this circumstance?
GRAMMARCHECK: Since we are not familiar with the song, we can't say. But the rule is if the phrase occurs in the subject portion of the sentence, it should read as "you and I." If it comes as an object of the verb (which your sample seems to suggest), it should be "you and me." But as you probably know, anything goes in contemporary music, including slang!
- - - - - - -
QUESTION: Which is correct?
Your generosity and leadership is remarkable.
-or-
Your generosity and leadership are remarkable.
GRAMMARCHECK: Your second example is correct due to the plural subject, "generosity and leadership."
- - - - - - -
If someone holds a doctorate, which is the correct way to show it:
Ms. Jane Smith, Ph.D.
-or-
Dr. Jane Smith, Ph.D.
GRAMMARCHECK: Neither form is correct. When adding a title of this nature after someone's name, do not use a title before the name. Here's the correct usage:
Jane Smith, Ph.D.
-or-
Keith Miller, Esq.
-or-
Pamela Jones, Ed.D.
|
Copyright
©1998-2008 GrammarCheck
All Rights Reserved
|
|
