DM Nabti: Edit, Communicate, Organize - Course on Flash Editing

1. Course Flash Edit, Communicate, Organize DM Nabti

2. Plan for Today • Edit • Improve the quality of early drafts, self-editing, and peer editing. • Communicate • For clarity and efficiency. • Organize • Find, use, share, and publish documents easier. DM Nabti

3. (Edit)ing ~ Adjust Your BRAIN • THINK: “EDIT” • Different “mindset” than writing. • Critique, analyze, question. • Details, words, sentences, paragraphs. • Must look at overall organization and flow, but also must look at every word. DM Nabti

4. (Edit) Who? Me? • First editor - the author. • Thinking as a WRITER ~ free your mind, focus on ideas, thoughts, descriptions and arguments, and letting all that flow onto the page. Think about the reader (PN/PB). • Thinking as an EDITOR ~ critique, analyze, detailed-oriented, organize, reorganize, focus the arguments, examine the details, cut unnecessary parts, identify where more/better information is needed, while always thinking about the reader. DM Nabti

5. (Edit) First, the Author • General Overview • Check flow, organization, logic/arguments. • Did you answer the question? • Does your EVIDENCE prove your ARGUMENT? • Detailed Critique • Check word by word, sentence by sentence. • Consistency of style/structure. • Spelling, grammar, word choice, accuracy. • Spell-check. DM Nabti

6. (Edit) How to Edit Better • Go slow. Take your time. • Wait an hour or a day, then edit again. • Move down each page with a sheet or ruler. • Go backwards looking for spelling mistakes. • Constantly think about the reader. • CARE, and BELIEVE that you can write a better paper. Realize that the paper has your name on it, and it ultimately reflects the most on you. DM Nabti

7. (Edit) Next - Peer Review • A second pair of eyes always catches mistakes, and sees things in a new light. • Introducing - the Peer Review Guide . DM Nabti

8. (Edit) Who, when? • The paper, from first draft until final (publishable) draft, is ultimately the responsibility of the AUTHOR. • ONLY WHEN the AUTHOR thinks the paper is a FINAL DRAFT (publishable), should it be given to the division chief. • ONLY WHEN the DIVISION CHIEF thinks the paper is a FINAL DRAFT, should the paper be given to Haitham, Atieh, Tomaso, Munir, or Paola, et cetera. DM Nabti

9. (Edit) Who, when? • NOTE: It is important that papers/drafts are improved first by the AUTHOR before being sent to the Division Chief or others for full reviewing, but this does NOT discourage discussing the paper or ideas at any point, before or during the writing process. Authors are ALWAYS welcome to discuss ideas, ask questions, or ask for certain words or sections of the paper to be reviewed, et cetera. DM Nabti

10. (Comm)unicate • EMAIL • TYPING DM Nabti

11. (Comm) Email • Subject: ALWAYS. Make sure it is clear. • Summarize: As appropriate. • Be a gatekeeper. If something is unclear, but you think it is important enough to send to other people, add/subtract/summarize/change the information to clarify the message (just make sure it is clear where the message came from, and that you changed it). • If forwarding a message, send only what is important, and get rid of what isn’t important. DM Nabti

12. (Comm) Email (2) • Judgment: Please use it. • Think twice before sending any unnecessary, confusing, or non-work-related messages (except if it is really REALLY funny…). • Creates a written record. • So you can look back at the email if you forget, or something is unclear. • Bottom line: USE IT! • Email can be far better, clearer, more complete than talking over the phone, or even in-person. All forms of communication have their place, but email is valuable. Make use of it. DM Nabti

13. (Comm) ~ Email How-To • Be Complete: If you refer to another document in your message, explain how to find it: on the Internet (link); on the shared folders; or attached in the message. • Be Clear and Concise: Say what you want, and include a timeline, requests, or other important/relevant info. DM Nabti

14. (Comm) Typing 10 Fingers, No Looking at the Keyboard… • Faster • Better • Easier • Healthier • Frees your mind… Think about what you are writing, not about the process of writing. DM Nabti

15. (Comm) Typing Challenge • GOAL: That EVERYONE (including Tomaso!) learns to type within the next three months, English AND/or Arabic. • For people who do NOT know how to type at all… take the Three-Month Challenge! • I will provide resources, all you need to provide is (1) interest, (2) determination, (3) 30 minutes a day for first week, then 10 minutes a day after that. DM Nabti

16. (Org)anize ~ File Naming • File naming system? • A systematic way to name computer files. • Why? • To organize your files better. • To find files easier. • To get more use/information from file names. • To share files easier. DM Nabti

17. (Org) Hierarchical Sorting • Pics, label them 1-15. Example: SCmtg.jpg • 1-SCmtg.jpg, 2-SCmtg.jpg, … 15-SCmtg.jpg • SCmtg-1.jpg, SCmtg-2.jpg, … SCmtg-15.jpg • SCmtg-01.jpg, SCmtg-02.jpg, … SCmtg-15.jpg • RECOMMENDATIONS • Have general/identifying/category info first. • Have progressively more specific information. • Remember how computers sort information. • Same for both files and folders. DM Nabti

18. (Org) Apply to NAPC • FILE NAMING RECOMMENDATION • PB01-RDD-SustainAgri-SS-En.doc (final pub) • For Drafts: PB-RDD-SustainAgri-SS-En-draftZ3.doc • CB (Commodity Brief) • PB (Policy Brief) • PN (Policy Note) • WP (Working Paper) • Report/Study: Name/Year (FSS, CAS, SAT, etc.) • PROC (Proceeding) • SAD (SAD Documents) • NWSLTR (Newsletter) • TRAIN (Training Docs) • WEB (Inter/Intranet docs) • NAPC (General Org Docs) DM Nabti

19. File Naming ~ Complications • Length limitation • Character Limitation: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, “-” (dash), and “_” (underscore). • Sharing between people. • Different systems/req’ts/compatibilities. • Capitalization, spaces, extensions. • Web-safe filename cannot have two periods, and CANNOT HAVE ANY SPACES. DM Nabti

20. Questions? • Next Steps? DM Nabti