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Writing Easy-to-Read Documents. C H A P T E R 7 . Presentation Overview. How Do You Write Clear Sentences? How Do You Write Effective Paragraphs? How Do You Write Coherent Documents?. How Do You Write Clear Sentences?. Make actors the subjects of your sentences.
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Writing Easy-to-Read Documents C H A P T E R 7
Presentation Overview • How Do You Write Clear Sentences? • How Do You Write Effective Paragraphs? • How Do You Write Coherent Documents?
How Do You Write Clear Sentences? • Make actors the subjects of your sentences. • Use the active voice when appropriate. • Put the action in verbs. • Keep the actor and the action together. • Emphasize the important information in your sentences.
Make Actors the Subjects of Your Sentences Actor: who or what is performing the action in the sentence Subject: whom or what the sentence is about
Make Actors the Subjects of Your Sentences Actor not the subject Actor as the subject All customers who purchased a vehicle from our dealership last month took a brief satisfaction survey. They received a $50 gas card for completing it. A brief satisfaction survey was taken by all customers who purchased a vehicle from our dealership last month. A $50 gas card was the incentive for customers to complete the survey.
Use the Active Voice When Appropriate • Passive voice either moves the actor after the verb or leaves it out altogether. Passive voice = object of the action + “to be” verb + past participle (+ “by” + actor) object of the action past participle The results will bepresented at our next meeting by “to be” verb “by” the district sales manager. actor
Use the Active Voice When Appropriate • Active voice keeps the actor in the subject position.Active voice = actor + verb + object of the action actor verbAt our next meeting, the district sales manager will present the results. object of the action
Use the Active Voice When Appropriate Passive Active Management will award sales representatives who received positive feedback with a $1000 bonus. Sales representatives who received positive feedback will be awarded by management with a $1000 bonus.
Put the Action in Verbs Nouns that contain action Verb forms accept analyze commit consider discover discuss evaluate expect investigate recommend request* • acceptance • analysis • commitment • consideration • discovery • discussion • evaluation • expectation • investigation • recommendation • request * Certain words are spelled the same in their noun and verb forms.
Put the Action in Verbs Weak “to be” verbs • am • is • are • was • were • be • being • been
Put the Action in Verbs Action not in verb Action in verb More than one customer complained that sales representatives seemed too pushy and rushed. A complaint mentioned by more than one customer was that sales representatives seemed too pushy and rushed.
Put the Action in Verbs Action not in verb Action in verb Management has decided to create a customer service training program. It is the decision of management to support the creation of a customer service training program.
Keep the Actor and the Action Together Actor/action separated Actor/action together Employees may have the opportunity to help build the customer service training program if they have high scores in the survey, a solid sales record, and at least ten years of sales experience. Employees with the high scores in the survey, a solid sales record, and at least ten years of sales experience may have the opportunity to help build the customer service training program.
Emphasize the Important Information in Your Sentences Poor emphasis Improved emphasis According to management, the program will train new sales representatives to use more effective, less high-pressure techniques. The program will train new sales representatives to use more effective, less high-pressure techniques, according to management.
How Do You Write Effective Paragraphs? • Begin the paragraph with a topic sentence. • Put old information near the beginning of sentences. • Use transitions. • Repeat or restate key words or phrases.
Begin the Paragraph with a Topic Sentence Paragraph without a Topic Sentence As water from rain and snow seeps through the ground, it absorbs carbon dioxide produced by decaying organic matter and forms carbonic acid. The carbonic acid eventually reaches the limestone and penetrates it. Limestone is largely composed of calcite, which the carbonic acid dissolves. Once the carbonic acid holding the dissolved calcite is exposed to the air in the cave, the carbon dioxide is released, leaving only water and dissolved calcite. The dripping water deposits calcite on the ceiling, which builds slowly to form a stalactite. It may also make its way to the floor and build to form a stalagmite.
Begin the Paragraph with a Topic Sentence Paragraph with a Topic Sentence According to one theory, stalactites and stalagmites are formed through a slow process involving carbonic acid, a combination of water and carbon dioxide. As water from rain and snow seeps through the ground, it absorbs carbon dioxide produced by decaying organic matter and forms carbonic acid. The carbonic acid eventually reaches the limestone and penetrates it. Limestone is largely composed of calcite, which the carbonic acid dissolves. Once the carbonic acid holding the dissolved calcite is exposed to the air in the cave, the carbon dioxide is released, leaving only water and dissolved calcite. The dripping water deposits calcite on the ceiling, which builds slowly to form a stalactite. It may also make its way to the floor and build to form a stalagmite.
Put Old Information near the Beginning of Sentences New information includes words or phrases unfamiliar to the reader because the writer did not use them in previous sentences. The first sentence usually contains nothing but new information. Old information includes words or phrases used in all previous sentences in the paragraph, not just the one right before.
Put Old Information near the Beginning of Sentences Poor old/new pattern To help them navigate, bats emit a high frequency sound wave. The size, distance, and movement of all objects in their path can be determined by the way the sound bounces off these objects and returns to the bat. Echolocation is the name used for their navigation system. Old/new pattern To help them navigate, bats emit a high frequency sound wave. They can determine the size, distance, and movement of all objects in their path by the way the sound bounces off these objects and returns to them. This navigation system is known as echolocation.
Use Transitions No transitions Part of Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, Lechuguilla Cave is the world’s fifth longest cave known to exist, and the deepest in the continental United States. It is so deep that inside there are five separate geologic layers. It is famous for its rare speleothems. Living inside the cave are rare, rock-eating bacteria. The cave is in pristine condition. The National Park Service limits access to protect the cave.
Use Transitions Transitions Part of Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, Lechuguilla Cave is the world’s fifth longest cave known to exist, and the deepest in the continental United States. In fact, it is so deep that inside there are five separate geologic layers. It is also famous for its rare speleothems. Furthermore, living inside the cave are rare, rock-eating bacteria. The cave is in pristine condition; therefore, the National Park Service limits access to protect the cave.
Repeat or Restate Key Words or Phrases Troglobites are cave-dwelling creatures. Key words and phrases These creatures have evolved to survive in the most extreme of conditions. Pronouns Most of them have no eyes or skin pigmentation because these features are unnecessary in total darkness.
Repeat or Restate Key Words or Phrases Summary words Other adaptations they have developed include lengthy legs and spiked feet that help them crawl on slick rocks; special sensory equipment and enhanced nervous systems that give them greater sensitivity to smells, tastes, vibrations, and changes in pressure and temperature; and a remarkably slow metabolism that allows them to survive extended periods of time without sustenance.
How Do You Write Coherent Documents? • Use overviews to introduce readers to your document. • Use headings to show the organization of your document. • Use lists effectively.
Use Overviews to Introduce Readers to Your Document The three kinds of overviews: • overviews that introduce the types of information in the document • overviews that identify the specific sections of the text • overviews that tell readers how to use the document
Overviews That Introduce the Types of Information in the Document This brochure will help you understand: • the cause and symptoms of West Nile Virus, and • the methods for preventing and treating it.
Overviews That Identify the Specific Sections of the Text The instruction manual for rehab aides is divided into these sections: • “Section 1: Daily Duties” includes tasks performed daily such as updating the treatment board, coordinating patient admissions, gathering paperwork for patients, and assisting the therapist. • “Section 2: Weekly Duties” describes tasks performed weekly, including auditing medical records, inputting therapy minutes, creating a report, and presenting the report at a case conference. • “Section 3: Monthly Duties” details the complex procedure for billing patients.
Overviews That Tell Readers How to Use the Document This newsletter provides resources for patients suffering from terminal illness and their relatives and friends. Articles intended for patients appear on the front, and articles intended for relatives and friends appear on the back.
Use Headings to Show the Organization of Your Document Document without Headings • Readers cannot tell easily if the document contains theinformation they need because they have little sense of its organization and scope. • Readers cannot locate specific information in the document orin specific sections quickly without cues. • Readers must process the information from top to bottom. ______ ________________ ___________________ ___________________ _________________ ___________________ __________________ ___________________ ________________________________ ___________________ _________________ ___________________ __________________ ___________________ _____
Use Headings to Show the Organization of Your Document Document with Headings • Readers better understand the organization and scope of the document, helping themdetermine whether the document contains the information they need. • Readers can quickly scan to locatespecific information they needin the document and inspecific sections using headingsas cues. _________________________________________ • _______________ • ________________ • __________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ______ ________________ ___________________ ___________________ _________________ ___________________ __________________ ___________________ ________________________________ ___________________ _________________ ___________________ __________________ ___________________ _____
Use Lists Effectively Sentence without a List Sentence with a List To log into Medisoft: Double-click the Medisoft icon on the desktop to get to the User Log-in window. Type the Log-in Name provided to you at orientation in the blank and press the Tab key. Type the Password provided in the blank. Click OK. To log into Medisoft, double-click the Medisoft icon on the desktop to get to the User Log-in window, type the Log-in Name provided to you at orientation in the blank and press the Tab key, type your Password provided in the blank, and click OK.
