The ABCs of Writing

1
The ABCs of Writing

• Adelita G. Cantu, PhD, RN

2
Why Writing is Important to Profession

• Writing/communicating effectively prerequisite
  for advancement
• On job descriptions-oral and written
  communication the most important elements
  (reflects directly on the company)
• Patients consider a good nurse because of his
  or her ability to communicate well

3
I will only do writing on charts

• often informal
• shorthand notation
• not the type of writing that requires critical
  thinking
• think about how writing influences the following
• support from administration
• reimbursement
• publishing
• higher education

4
Which one is it?

• There
• adverb
• speaks to a location
• at or in that place
• It is over there, not here.
• pronoun when used to introduce a clause or
  sentence
• There are many tales about the place.

• Their
• adjective
• take the place of nouns for readability
• speaks to an individual, belonging to an
  individual
• used to indicate possession or the agent or
  recipient of an action
• The team won their first title.

5
Examples

• All of the employees on the unit believed that
  (their, there) actions were medically necessary.
• (There, their) now, dont cry.
• (There, their) is a method to (their, there)
  madness.
• Both the doctor and the nurse documented (their,
  there) actions during the surgical procedure.

6
Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding
s

• Follow this whatever the final consonant
• Charless friend
• Burnss poem
• the witchs malice
• Exceptions ancient proper names ending in es
  and is
• Jesus
• for conscience sake
• for righteousness sake

7
Pronominal possessives

• Hers, its, theirs, yours, ours have no
  apostrophe
• Common error is to write its for its or vice
  versa
• The first is a contraction, meaning it is the
  second is possessive
• (Its, its) a wise dog that scratches (its, its)
  own fleas.

8
Omit Needless Words

• the question as to
• there is no doubt but that
• used for fuel purposes
• he is a man who
• in a hasty manner
• this is a subject that
• Her story is a strange one
• the reason why is that

• whether
• no doubt or doubtless
• used for fuel
• he
• hastily
• this subject
• Her story is strange
• because

9
The fact that

• The fact that is an especially debilitating
  expression. It should be revised out of every
  sentence in which it occurs.
• owing to the fact.since (because)
• in spite of the fact that.though (although)
• call your attention to the fact that.remind you
• I was unaware of the fact that.I was unaware
  that (did not know)
• The fact that he had not succeeded.his failure

10
Words Expressions Commonly Misused

• All right. Properly written as two words all
  right
• Among. Between. When more than two things or
  persons are involved, among is usually called
  for The money was divided among the four
  players. When, however, more than two are
  involved but each is considered individually,
  between is preferred an agreement between the
  six heirs.
• And/or. A device, or shortcut, that damages a
  sentence and often leads to confusion or
  ambiguity.

11
Words Expressions Commonly Misused

• First of all, would an honor system successfully
  cut down on the amount of stealing and/or
  cheating?

• First of all, would an honor system reduce the
  incidence of stealing or cheating or both?

12
Words Expressions Commonly Misused

• Anybody or anyone. Should be written as one word.
• As good or better than. Should be corrected by
  rearranging the sentences.
• My opinion is as good or better than his.
• My opinion is as good as his, or better (if not
  better).
• As to whether. Whether is sufficient
• Being. Not appropriate after regard as
• He is regarded as being the best dancer in the
  club.
• He is regarded as the best dancer in the club.

13
Words Expressions Commonly Misused

• But. Unnecessary after doubt and help
• I have no doubt but that
• He could not help but see that

• I have no doubt that
• He could not help seeing that

14
Words Expressions Commonly Misused

• Case. Often unnecessary
• In many cases, the rooms lacked air conditioning
• It has rarely been the case that any mistake has
  been made.

• May of the rooms lacked air conditioning.
• Few mistakes have been made.

15
Words Expressions Commonly Misused

• However. Avoid starting a sentence with however
  when the meaning is nevertheless.
• The roads were almost impassable. However, we at
  last succeeded in reaching camp.

• The roads were almost impassable. At last,
  however, we succeeded in reaching camp.