G0472
Week 11 :
Consistency and Word Usage
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Learning Outcomes
The students are expected to
be able to appy consistency
in editing manuscripts.
2
Apply Consistency
• Within an article: proper names, dates
(chronology), etc.
• Within a graphics layout (abbreviations,
capitalization, fonts, etc.)
3
Apply Consistency
• In a multipage layout (body text,
headlines, captions, art elements)
• In a story package, i.e. multiple stories,
sidebars
4
Word Usage
•This listing includes some of the troublesome
words, terms, and expressions most frequently
found in Experiment Station journal paper and
bulletin manuscripts.
•Any glossary of word usage assumes that what
is acceptable for some uses may not be for
others. Some terms and expressions are wornout cliches and have outlived their usefulness;
other expressions and terms, though not
incorrect, are not precise.
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Word Usage
• Above ("the above method," "mentioned above," etc.) -Often, you are referring to something preceding, but not
necessarily above; a loose reference, convenient for
writers, but not for readers. Be specific. You know exactly
what and where, but your readers may have to search
(sometimes through much preceding material).
• Affect, effect -- Affect is a verb and means to influence.
Effect, as a verb, means to bring about; as a noun, effect
means result.
• All of, both of -- Just "all" or "both" will serve in most
instances.
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Yes, you can begin a sentence with a
coordinating conjunction!
If you decide to begin a sentence with a coordinating
conjunction, keep these three things in mind:
1. Be sure that a main clause follows the coordinating
conjunction.
2. Do not use a coordinating conjunction to begin every
sentence. Use this option only when it makes the
flow of your ideas more effective.
3. Do not use a comma after the coordinating
conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are not
transitional expressions like for example or first of
all. You will rarely use punctuation after them.
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Examples
• While I was answering the telephone, Buster, my cat,
jumped onto the kitchen counter and swatted all of my
jalapeño-stuffed olives onto the dirty kitchen floor. So I
had to rinse off the cat hair and crumbs sticking to
these delicacies before I could add them to the salad.
• Flying down the bumpy path, Genette hit a rock with
the front wheel of her mountain bike, flew over the
handlebars, and crashed into a clump of prickly
palmetto bushes. Yet even this accident would not
deter her from completing the race.
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Remember the differences!
Apparently (apparent) -- means obviously,
clearly, plainly evident, but also means
seemingly or ostensibly as well as observably.
You know the meaning that you intend, but
readers may not. Ambiguity results. Use
obvious(ly), clear(ly), seeming(ly), evident(ly),
observable or observably, etc., as needed to
remove doubt.
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Read the following website to get the complete
List:
•
Word Usage In Scientific Writing
http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/checklist.html
•
The coordinating Conjunction
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/coordinatingconjunction.htm
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