Writing Style

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Writing Style
MAP

• Mapping for the reader Paragraphs

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The 3 keys to reader-centered writing MAP

• Maintain focus and flow
• Craft topic sentences
• Use transitions
• Provide trail markers
• Maintain parallelism
• Avoid abstraction
• Use passive voice with caution
• No empty pronouns!
• Prune your sentences!

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Maintain flow by using verbal links and
transitions
MAP
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Whats missing in this paragraph?

• The evaluation of diamond film based on the final
  criterion will be completed when the analysis of
  the qualities is received from the Institute for
  Advanced Technology (IAT). A request for the
  resource files on diamond film will be submitted
  to Norton Manufacturing. An additional
  comparison of the results received from IAT will
  be compared with information provided by Norton.
  The evaluation of diamond dust will be used for
  the comparison of the other nanocrystalline
  coatings.

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Transitions maintain flow.

• Transitions establish connections between parts
  of a sentence, whole sentences, and paragraphs.
• The right transitions guide the reader down the
  right path
• comparison contrast
• sequence cause and effect
• addition example

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Transitions between Sentences

• The project manager will leave for the conference
  on Friday. , the project engineers will remain
  in the office.

7
Create a recognizable pattern.

• In well-developed paragraphs, a pattern of
  organization usually emerges
• spatial
• chronological
• cause and effect
• comparison/contrast
• See next slide for how to create a particular
  pattern.

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Transitions create organization what patterns do
the transitions here make clear?
As an air mass passes over an urban area, its
ozone concentration is first reduced and then
increased as the citys hydrocarbon emissions
react to form more ozone. Initially, the
concentration of ozone upwind of the city may be
quite high on hot summer days. Then, as the air
mass moves over an urban area, it reacts with
locally emitted chemicals, reducing the ozone
concentration. This reaction produces various
toxic substances. Finally, the air mass moves
out of the city, downwind, and the hydrocarbons
released from various urban sources react with
the oxides of nitrogen to form more ozone.
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Transitions Exercise

• Can you see a pattern of organization in the
  paragraph on the next slide?
• most important idea to least important?
• chronology?
• something???

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Please develop a pattern of organization create
better connections between sentences.

• The evaluation of diamond film based on the final
  criterion will be completed when the analysis of
  the qualities is received from the Institute for
  Advanced Technology (IAT). A request for the
  resource files on diamond film will be submitted
  to Norton Manufacturing. An additional
  comparison of the results received from IAT will
  be compared with information provided by Norton.
  The evaluation of diamond dust will be used for
  the comparison of the other nanocrystalline
  coatings.

11
Better?
The evaluation of diamond film based on the final
criterion will be completed when the analysis of
its qualities is received from the Institute for
Advanced Technology (IAT). In addition, a
request for the resource files on diamond film
will be submitted to Bolton Manufacturing, in
order that the results received from IAT may be
compared with information provided by Bolton.
Once our evaluation of diamond film is completed,
diamond film can be compared with the other
nanocrystalline coatings.
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Remember, organization is more important than
grammar!

• As you draft your proposal, what patterns of
  organization will you use for each paragraph?

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Provide Trail MarkersWhat is most important
word in both sentences?

• The proposal does not conform to our research
  goals as outlined in the five-year strategic
  plan. For instance, the potential for
  discovering new laser techniques is discussed
  only briefly and does not form a major part of
  the proposal.

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Focus should stay on the proposal.
The proposal does not conform to our research
goals as outlined in the five-year strategic
plan. For instance, the proposal fails to
emphasize our potential for discovering new laser
techniques these techniques are discussed only
briefly.
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To help maintain focus

• Tie new information to old
• Place repeated info. in subject position
• The proposal does not conform to our research
  goals as outlined in the five-year strategic
  plan. For instance, the proposal fails to
  emphasize our potential for discovering new laser
  techniques these techniques are discussed only
  briefly.