Concise, Specific Language/Transitions

1. Concise, Specific Language/Transitions Duane Theobald dtheobal@westga.edu

2. Before We Dive In… • http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4096 (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart-watch for language-and a good laugh!)

3. What do these words mean to you? • Concise Language • Specific Language • Transitions

4. Where to go if you want guidance! • A Writer’s Resource- “Editing for Clarity” (pgs. 417-470, especially 459-468) • Wordy Sentences • Missing Words • Mixed Construction • Confusing Shifts • Faulty Parallelisms • Misplaced & Dangling Modifiers • Coordination and Subordination • Sentence Variety • Active Verbs • Appropriate Language • The UWC • Your Professor

5. What is Concise/Specific Language? • Concise: expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form but comprehensive in scope • Specific: having a special application, bearing, or reference; specifying explicit, or definite: to state one’s specific purpose; concerned specifically with the item or subject named • Language: a body of words and the systems for their use common to a people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural tradition

6. How can I become concise and specific in my writing? • AVOID… • Doubling of Words (instead, choose one): • Mutual agreement (agreement) • Consensus of opinion (consensus) • Whether or not (whether) • Intensifiers, Qualifiers (instead, omit or give specific details): • Very • Extremely • Really • Definitely • Formulaic Phrases (instead, use a one-word form or omit): • For the purpose of (to) • At this point in time (now) • Due to the fact that (because) • In the near future (soon)

7. How can I become concise and specific in my writing? • AVOID… • Catch-all Terms (instead, omit wherever possible): • Aspect • Case • Factor • Padded Verbs (instead, use a one-word form): • To have an expectation (to expect) • To make an arrangement (to arrange) • Unnecessary “to be” and “being” (instead, omit): • The program is considered to be effective./The program is considered effective OR The program is effective • because of the terrain being rough/because of the rough terrain

8. How can I become concise and specific in my writing? • AVOID… • Passive Verbs (instead, use active voice-preferably with a personal subject): • The beveling jig is said by most users to be faulty./Most users say the beveling jig is faulty. • http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/539/1/ (Great site for writing in general!) • Overuse of Relative Structures (“who,” “which,” “that”-instead, omit): • It was Confucius who said…/Confucius said… • I think that X is the case…/X is the case, as the evidence shows…

9. Practice #1 • Revise the sentences to state their meaning in fewer words. Avoid passive voice, needless repetition, and wordy phrases and clauses. The first sentence is not wordy and can serve as an example.

10. Practice #2 • Combine each sentence group into one concise sentence.

11. What are Transitions? • Transitions work as glue that holds our ideas and our essay together. Transitions… • Can help you establish logical connections between sentences, paragraphs, and sections of your papers • Tell readers what to do with the information you present to them • Function as signs for readers that tell them how to think about, organize, and react to old and new ideas as they read through what you have written

12. Types of Transitions • Transitions between sections: in longer assignments, it may be necessary/helpful to include transitional paragraphs that summarize the information just covered and specify the relevance of the information to the discussion in the following sections • Transitions between paragraphs: can help you highlight a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows; can be a word or two, a phrase, or a sentence

13. Types of transitions • Transitions within paragraphs: act as cues by helping to anticipate what is coming before they read it; tend to be single words or short phrases

14. Transitional Expressions • Similarity:also, in the same way, just as…so too • Exception/Contrast: but, however, in spite of • Sequence/Order: first, second, third…next • Time: after, afterward, at last, before, currently • Example: for example, for instance, namely • Emphasis: even, indeed, in fact, of course • Place/Position: above, adjacent, below, beyond • Cause and Effect: accordingly, consequently, hence • Additional Support or Evidence: additionally, again, also, besides • Conclusion/Summary: finally, in a word, in brief

15. So…Remember: • A Writer’s Resource- “Editing for Clarity” (pgs. 417-470, especially 459-468) • Wordy Sentences • Missing Words • Mixed Construction • Confusing Shifts • Faulty Parallelisms • Misplaced & Dangling Modifiers • Coordination and Subordination • Sentence Variety • Active Verbs • Appropriate Language • The UWC • Your Professor

16. Also Remember… • The UWC is always here to help you! • 678-839-6513 • writing@westga.edu • TLC 1201 (First floor, past the snacks) • www.westga.edu/writing • Like us on Facebook: University Writing Center (UWG) _______________________________________________ • Duane Theobald (Manager) • 678-839-5312 • dtheobal@westga.edu