Writing for Publication Communication Sciences and Disorders

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Writing for PublicationCommunication Sciences
and Disorders

• Building Bridges Through Effective Writing
• ASHA 2006

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• Timothy Meline
• Lamar UniversityTexas
• Patricia Hargrove
• Minnesota State University

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Overview

• What is writing?
• Why is writing important?
• What is the process of writing?
• Stage-process model
• Cognitive-process model
• What is good writing?
• What resources are available to help?
• Will practice help?

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What is Writing?

• Writing is the act of composing, producing,
  expressing, or communicating thoughts and ideas
  in written form.
• Writing serves several purposes
• To inform
• To express
• To persuade
• To manipulate language for its own sake

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Why is Writing Important?

• Need to express ideas clearly and precisely.
• Effective writing is effective practice.
• The ability to write and comprehend technical
  reports, diagnostic and treatment reports,
  treatment plans, and professional correspondence
  is addressed in ASHA certification standards (CCC
  Standard IV-B).
• Effective writing is needed for evidence-based
  practice.

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Does Good Writing Evolve from Skills or Native
Ability?

• Some people may possess a natural talent for
  writing. Natural talent is probably in the realm
  of imagination, ideas, creativity.
• Beyond natural talent--
• Experience is acquired.
• The mechanics of writing are acquired skills.
• Anyone can be a good writer.

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What is the Process of Writing?

• The writing process can be described in (a)
  simple linear stages of activities, or (b) a
  complex interplay of thinking activities.
• A Stage-Process Model
• Simple and somewhat superficial.
• Helpful in its delineation of writing activities.
• A Cognitive-Process Model
• Complex in its interactions.
• Informs as to the mental strategies of good and
  poor writers.

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A Stage-Process Model
PRE-WRITING Plan, generate ideas, mentally
rehearse the organization and writing.
WRITING Implement the prewriting plan. Put ideas
into words.
RE-WRITING Revise written drafts.
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A Cognitive-Process Model of WritingFocuses on
Thinking Skills
TASK ENVIRONMENT Topic, Audience, Text Produced
So Far
THE WRITERS KNOWLEDGE
WRITING PROCESSES Planning, Translating/Drafting,
Reviewing, Evaluating, Revising
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Writing is feared--so much so that some
prospective writers will do almost anything to
avoid it.
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The dog ate my writing hand.
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What Makes a Good Writer?In the Eyes of Laureate
Writers and Others

• Read lots.
• Enjoy writing. Its meant to be fun.
• Write as if youre telling a secret to a best
  friend.
• Your heart must be in it.
• Practice.
• When you catch adjectives, kill most of themthe
  rest will be valuable (Mark Twain).

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What Makes a Good Writer?In the Eyes of Laureate
Writers and Others

• Vigorous writing is concise.
• Look at all the fancy wordings, and get rid of
  them.
• Never use a long word when you can find a short
  one.
• Simplify. Simplify.
• Pay attention to the world around you.
• Read what you write aloud. How does it sound?

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What is Good Writing?

• Good writing is accurategrammar and spelling are
  correct (a primary virtue).
• Good writing clearly expresses ideas (a primary
  virtue).
• Organization is a first step.
• Simple and direct style is next.
• Good writing informs.
• The writer conveys the impression that he or she
  is informed about the subject.
• The writer demonstrates awareness of the
  significance and implications.
• Good writing persuades.
• Good writing is interesting.

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For Whom Should You Write?

• Good writers are sensitive to the task
  environment.
• What is the topic?
• Who is the audience?
• Good writers write for the widest possible
  audience.
• Good writing is good teaching. What is learned?
• Good writers appreciate why anyone should want to
  read their work.

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How Do I Polish My Writing?Daryl Bems Tips in
The Complete Academic

• Omit needless words. Write succinctly, concise
  and to the point.
• Avoid metacomments on writing. The process of
  writing should be transparent to the reader.
  Dont play tour guide.
• Avoid using different words to refer to the same
  concept. Inexperienced writers often use synonyms
  for recurring words.
• Avoid using jargon unless English does not
  adequately convey the concept.
• Avoid passive voice except when style dictates
  and limit reference to yourself.
• Avoid language bias. Use gender-neutral words
  when possible. Use appropriate names to refer to
  ethnic and racial identity.

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Tips for Better Writing

• Start strong. More than 75 of readers never get
  beyond the first paragraph.
• Open with a statement about people, not SLPs or
  Audiologists.
• Open in a provocative way that catches attention.
• Ask a question or state a problem pertinent to
  the theme.
• Tell readers why they should be interested. Keep
  your audience in mind.
• Make sure your writing does what it says it will
  do. Fulfill your promise to the readers.
• End strongly with a clear take-home message.
  Whats the punch line? Leave readers with what
  you most want them to remember.
• Based on the writings of Robert Sternberg and
  Daryl Bem.

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What Resources are Availablefor Writers?

• Textbooks and guides more than 400,000 hits for
  keyword writing on amazon.com.
• Writing Fiction The Practical Guide
• Writing Magic Creating Stories that Fly
• On Writing (Stephen King)
• On Writing Well
• 50 Writing Lessons that Work
• Spelling and grammar checkers. Some English
  mavens warn that over-reliance on grammar
  checkers dampens creativity and may stifle the
  acquisition of good grammar habits.
• Web resources many internet sites are freely
  available to web surfers.

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Internet Sites
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Topics

• Scientific Paper Guidelines
• Students
• Professionals
• APA Style (General)
• Citation Formats
• APA
• Other

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• Grammar
• Punctuation
• Spelling
• IPA
• Comprehensive Sites
• University Sites
• Links and Other References

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Scientific Paper Guidelines Students

• http//classweb.gmu.edu/biologyresources/writinggu
  ide/ScientificPaper.htm
• http//abacus.bates.edu/ganderso/biology/resource
  s/writing/HTWgeneral.html
• http//www.bms.bc.ca/library/Guidelines20for20wr
  iting20Scientific20papers.pdf

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• http//abacus.bates.edu/ganderso/biology/resource
  s/writing/HTWtoc.html (discusses plagiarism)
• http//physics.gac.edu/huber/misc/wricheck.htm
  (checklist)
• http//www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/research/pap
  er.html (includes editing hints)

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• http//www.lib.umich.edu/taubman/eres/data/about/p
  ubguide.html
• http//www.sci.sdsu.edu/smaloy/MicrobialGenetics/
  topics/scientific-writing.pdf
• http//www.cariboo.bc.ca/disciplines/
• http//www.shepherd.edu/scwcweb/hand11.htm

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Featured Site

• University College of the CaribooThompson Rivers
  U BC,Canada
• http//www.cariboo.bc.ca/disciplines/
• Hints for writing in different disciplines within
  the university and interviews with selected
  faculty

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Scientific Paper GuidelinesProfessionals

• http//pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/ci/31/speci
  al/02sb_inet.html
• http//members.verizon.net/vze3fs8i/air/airpaper.
  html (lighthearted essay)
• http//www.ascb.org/files/0405wicb.pdf (essay)

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Featured Site

• Scientific American article
• http//www.amstat.org/publications/jcgs/sci.pdfse
  arch22scientific20writing22
• The Science of Scientific Writing (Gopin
  Swan, 1990)

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APA Style General

• http//www.apastyle.org/pubmanual.html
• http//www.wisc.edu/writetest/Handbook/DocAPAForma
  tting.html (from University of Wisconsin-Madison)
• http//www.psychwww.com/resource/apacrib.htm
  (links)
• http//www.ipfw.edu/casa/WC/NavBarLinks/handouts.h
  tml

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Featured Site

• American Psychological Association Commercial
  site
• http//www.apastyle.org/pubmanual.html
• Includes
• Style tips (language bias, electronic media,
  related issues)
• Changes in the 5th edition
• FAQs

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APA Citation Style

• http//www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/ci
  tapa.htm
• http//www.wcu.edu/writingcenter/isource.asp?page
  apa_format.html
• http//www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/apa.html
  (attributes WCU)
• http//www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html
• http//www.apastyle.org/pubmanual.html (APA
  website)

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Featured Site

• CW Post University
• http//www.liu.edu/CWIS/CWP/library/workshop/citap
  a.htm

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Other Citation Formats

• Chicago Manual of Style
• http//www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html
• Modern Language Association
• http//www.mla.org/store/CID24/PID159 (commercial
  site)
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
  

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• American Medical Association
• http//healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/styleguides/
  ama.html
• http//www.library.kent.edu/resource.php?id960
• American Institute of Physics
• http//www.aip.org/pubservs/style.html (JASA)

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• Multiple formats
• http//www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html
• http//www.liu.edu/CWIS/CWP/library/workshop/citat
  ion.htm

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Featured Site

• CW Post University
• http//www.liu.edu/CWIS/CWP/library/workshop/citat
  ion.htm

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Grammar

• http//www.grammarnow.com/
• (commercial, links)
• http//www.cariboo.bc.ca/disciplines/
• http//englishplus.com/grammar/
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/
• http//www.tcc.edu/students/resources/writcent/HAN
  DOUTS/GRAMMAR/index.htm

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Featured Site

• Tidewater Community College
• http//www.tcc.edu/students/resources/writcent/HAN
  DOUTS/GRAMMAR/index.htm

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Punctuation

• http//www.tcc.edu/students/resources/writcent/HAN
  DOUTS/GRAMMAR/index.htm (TCC)
• http//www.pearsoned.com.au/eLearning/garton/files
  /punctuation.pdf
• http//www.usd253.org/vcutrell/grammarhelp.htm
  (high school)
• http//www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/plainenglis
  h/accuratepunctuation/ (English)

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Featured Site

• Purdue University
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/
• Contains
• Tutorials
• Examples
• Quizzes and Answer Keys

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Spelling

• http//www.uwm.edu/Dept/English/wcenter/WCO4/hando
  uts/setii/SETII36P.html
• http//people.physics.uiuc.edu/celia/Spelling/inde
  x.htm (guidelines)
• Common errors
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_s
  pelhomo.html
• http//wsu.edu/brians/errors/more.html

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• American versus British
• http//www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/us/?viewuk
  
• http//www2.gsu.edu/wwwesl/egw/jones/spelling.htm
  
• http//www.xpdnc.com/moreinfo/orlabour.html
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_
  English_spelling_differences

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• Tests
• http//www.sentex.net/mmcadams/spelling.html
• http//amby.com/tests/clerical/spelling_a.html
• http//www.expertrating.com/english-spelling-test.
  asp
• http//homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SpellingTest
  s/Test1MostDiff.htm

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Featured Site

• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• http//www.uwm.edu/Dept/English/wcenter/WCO4/hando
  uts/setii/SETII36P.html
• Contains
• Strategies
• Guidelines
• Exercises

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IPA

• http//asa.aip.org/ipafonts.pdf
• http//asa.aip.org/phonsymbol.pdf
• http//www.arts.gla.ac.uk/IPA/ipa.html

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• http//scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?site_i
  dnrsiidencore-ipa
• http//www.typotheque.com/site/fonts.php?id9gcli
  dCJrnu5PqsIgCFSVtFQod5HnkiQ (commercial)

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Featured Site

• University College London (J. C. Wells)
• http//www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/wells/fonts.htm

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Comprehensive Sites

• University Sites
• Bates College
• http//abacus.bates.edu/ganderso/biology/resource
  s/writing/HTWtoc.html
• Cleveland State University
• http//www.csuohio.edu/writingcenter/writproc.html

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• Tidewater Community College
• http//www.tcc.edu/students/resources/writcent/HAN
  DOUTS/GRAMMAR/index.htm
• University of Victoria
• http//web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/EssaysToc.html

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• Empire State University
• http//www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscom
  plex.nsf/3cc42a422514347a8525671d0049f395/ddbc866b
  c537f67e85256a460066ab2d?OpenDocumentanalysis
• Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
• http//www.ipfw.edu/casa/WC/default.htm

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• Eastern Oregon University
• http//www3.eou.edu/writelab/index.html
• University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill
• http//www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/
• Purdue University--the Gold Standard
• ? http//owl.english.purdue.edu/

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• University of Minnesota
• http//writing.umn.edu/sws/index.htm
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• http//www.wisc.edu/writing/

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• Professional Associations
• American Research Association
• http//edtech.connect.msu.edu/aera/epubs/howtopub/
  writing.htm
• United States Distance Learning Association
• http//www.usdla.org/html/journal/DEC02_Issue/arti
  cle06.html

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• Other Links
• Harrison Carpenter
• http//spot.colorado.edu/carpenh/links.htm
• Svletla Baykoucheva
• http//pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/ci/31/speci
  al/02sb_inet.html

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• Psych Web by Russell Dewey
• http//www.psychwww.com/resource/apacrib.htm

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Featured Site

• Western Carolina University
• http//www.wcu.edu/writingcenter/index.asp

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Exemplars for Good Writing
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Robert J. Sternberg, 1993
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Wrap-Up Points

• You know good writing when you see it.
• Good writers are often poor speakers.
• Knowledge and experience are a basis for good
  writing.
• Good writing skills are learned.
• Good writers practice a lot.
• Write about what you know and what you enjoy
  most.

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Go Prosper as Good Writers!