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English202 Style Guide
Updated Wednesday, December 20, 201
7
Contents
Format using styles, get rid of blank lines, don’t use text boxes, and use the caption and cross-
reference tools …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2
Use styles for paragraph-level formatting (Document not accepted for grading if the required styles are not used) . 2
Do not add or keep blank lines (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………………………………………………
3
Do not manually indent the first sentence of a paragraph (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………….. 3
Do not use text boxes for document layout (document not accepted for grading) ……………………………………………..
4
Use the captioning tool to add captions (5 point deduction each instance)………………………………………………………. 4
Add cross-references to illustrations using the cross-reference tool (5 point deduction each instance) ………………..
5
………………………………………………………………………………………….
6
Do not use back-to-back headings (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………………………………………… 6
Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence, and keep paragraphs short (2 point deduction each occurrence)…… 6
Cite sources in the text using an (Author Year) citation (3 point deduction each occurrence) ……………………………. 7
List all cited sources in a References section (3 point deduction each occurrence) …………………………………………..
8
Choose good writing over bad (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………………………………………………. 8
Use specific adjectives (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………………………………………………………..
10
…………………………………………… 10
Introduce a list with a complete sentence that ends with a colon (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………. 10
Punctuate list elements as you would sentences or sentence fragments (2 point deduction each occurrence) …… 10
Commas (2 point deduction each occurrence) …………………………………………………………………………………………..
11
Semicolons (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
Dashes and hyphens (2 point deduction each occurrence) …………………………………………………………………………. 11
Punctuation placed outside of quotations (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………………………………
12
Sentence fragments used as sentences (2 point deduction each occurrence) ……………………………………………….. 12
Subject-verb disagreement (2 point deduction each occurrence) …………………………………………………………………. 12
Run-on sentences (2 point deduction each occurrence) ……………………………………………………………………………… 12
Comma splices (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………………………………………………………………….
13
No comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses (2 point deduction each
occurrence) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13
Conjunctive adverb used as a conjunction (2 point deduction each occurrence) …………………………………………….. 13
Noun-pronoun disagreement (2 point deduction each occurrence) ………………………………………………………………. 13
Faulty parallelism (2 point deduction each occurrence) ……………………………………………………………………………….
14
Misspelling (2 point deduction each occurrence) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 14
English 202 Style Guide
2
This style guide defines standards for all writing done in this course.
Format using styles, get rid of blank lines, don’t use text boxes, and use the
caption and cross-reference tools
For all documents, you must apply paragraph-level formatting using styles, use Word’s captioning and
cross-referencing tools when the document contains illustrations, and avoid features that make editing
difficult.
Use styles for paragraph-level formatting (Document not accepted for grading if the required
styles are not used)
Apply paragraph formatting using styles rather than by selecting text and then applying some
characteristic. Selecting text and applying formatting directly must be limited to such simple
actions as applying italics or boldface to a few words.
Use only the following styles in this course
Unless the assignment specifies otherwise, use only the following paragraph styles1:
• Apply Title style to the title of a document2.
• Apply Heading 1 to all first-level headings. (Think of chapter titles in a book.)
• Apply Heading 2 style to all second-level headings. (Think of sections in a chapter.)
• Keep the structure of your document simple; do NOT use Heading 3 through Heading 93.
• Apply Body Text style to all body paragraphs in a document with the exception of vertical
list elements.
• Apply List Bullet style to all unordered4 vertical list elements. If you need to create an
indented list—a sub-list within a list—use List Bullet 2.
• Apply List Number to all ordered vertical list elements. Use List Number only for lists
that imply a specific sequence. Do not create indented numbered lists.
Body Text, List Bullet, List Bullet 2, and List Number must share a common typeface,
paragraph spacing, and line spacing.
• Add a References section heading (Heading 1 style) to the end of any document that cites
sources, list your sources, and format each source item using Body Text style.
1 When you collaborate with others, as you do frequently when writing technical documents, you must work
efficiently. Manual formatting, using the click and select method, is not efficient.
2 Because a document only has one title, there should be a single Title style paragraph.
3 Research tells us that readers struggle with documents that have more than four levels of headings.
4 Most lists are unordered. Unless your list is a sequence, or unless the items in the list are presented in a ranked
order, use an unordered list.
English 202 Style Guide
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If you are not seeing all styles in Word, click Options at the bottom of the Styles pane and choose
All styles:
Learn to use and modify Word styles
Many guides and tutorials can teach you Word styles. Here are a few I found:
• Understanding styles
• How to modify styles in Microsoft Word
I know you can find other online resources just as good. I also provide tutorials.
Do not add or keep blank lines (2 point deduction each occurrence)
When styles define the spacing between document elements, blank lines are not needed and
should not be added or retained. Delete them! To more easily see blank lines in a document, click
the pilcrow symbol:
Some blank lines are added by Word and cannot be easily deleted5, but try to do so before
accepting any unnecessary spacing.
Do not manually indent the first sentence of a paragraph (2 point deduction each
occurrence)
The transition from one paragraph to another is indicated by additional spacing specified before
and after Body Text style. Outside of hardcopy books6, indents have given way to inter-paragraph
spacing. Do not add indents.
5 For example, Word adds a space after a table of contents field that usually cannot be deleted without deleting the
entire table of contents.
6 In the book publishing industry, the cost of paper is still important, so indents are still used.
http://shaunakelly.com/word/styles/tipsonstyles.html
http://shaunakelly.com/word/styles/modifyastyle.html
English 202 Style Guide
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Do not use text boxes for document layout (document not accepted for grading)
As implemented in Word, text boxes do not support collaborative editing and commenting tools.
If you use text boxes, I will return your file and have you fix it. (If the returned file is late, the
late penalty applies.)
Use the captioning tool to add captions (5 point deduction each instance)
You must use the Word captioning tool to add captions to illustrations, such as figures, photos,
charts, and tables. (Illustrations are also called graphics.)7
Course rules for captions
For all writing in this course, captions must comply with the following (2 point deduction each):
• Captions go beneath figures and above tables:
• Captions must have a label, a number, and a title. Your word processor will automatically
add the label and number (for example, “Figure 3” or “Table 5”), but you must also add a
descriptive title that describes the graphic.
Learn to use the Word captioning tool
Many guides and tutorials available can show you how to add captions in Word. Here are a few I
found:
• Add captions in Word
• How to Add a Caption to a Graphic in a Word 2010 Document
• Microsoft Word 2010 and 2013 for Dissertations
I also provide a tutorial.
7 The first time you edit a large document that includes many figures and tables, you will be grateful for learning
how to make Word keep track of captions and cross-references.
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Add-captions-in-Word-82fa82a4-f0f3-438f-a422-34bb5cef9c81?CorrelationId=35749ef1-5340-45ac-8211-99a36c52d928&ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-add-a-caption-to-a-graphic-in-a-word-2010-d.html
http://guides.lib.umich.edu/content.php?pid=245394&sid=2027461
English 202 Style Guide
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Add cross-references to illustrations using the cross-reference tool (5 point deduction
each instance)
You must use the Word cross-reference tool to create cross-references to captions. A cross
reference is a link between what is being said in the text and an associated illustration. Examples
include the following:
Figure 1 shows an example of the Thingamajig II in operation. (The cross reference is the subject
of the sentence.)
The Thingamajig II is an attractive machine (Figure 1). (The cross-reference is a parenthetical
element.)
In the following example, the cross-reference (contained in parentheses because it is a
parenthetical element) refers the reader to the caption.
The cross-reference can be either an element of the sentence or a parenthetical element, but it
cannot stand alone because it is a sentence fragment.
Course rules for cross-references
For all writing in this course, cross-references must comply with the following (2 point deduction
each):
• Place the cross-reference somewhere in the text shortly before the illustration is presented.
• Make the cross-reference a part of the sentence8. A cross-reference is often a subject or a
parenthetical element.
• Create cross-references that show only the label and number9:
Figure 6 shows the relationship between pH and disinfection effectiveness.
8 So, the cross-reference must be placed inside the end punctuation of the sentence. It cannot stand alone.
9 Don’t include the caption title in the cross-reference.
English 202 Style Guide
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• Do NOT add position indicators to cross-references. For example, do not add words such
as “below” or “above” when making a cross-reference10.
• Insert the cross-reference as a hyperlink:
Learn to use the Word cross-reference tool
Many guides and tutorials available online can show you how to add cross-references in Word.
Here are a few I found:
• Microsoft Word 2010 and 2013 for Dissertations
• Creating cross-references in Word
I also provide a tutorial.
Write to meet the needs of the reader
Write so that the reader rarely needs to work hard to understand what you are trying to say; adhere to the
following rules.
Do not use back-to-back headings (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Do not use back-to-back headings. Put an advanced organizer between levels of headings to
illustrate how a section is structured. In other words, describe how a section is sub-divided before
jumping into the first sub-division.
Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence, and keep paragraphs short (2 point
deduction each occurrence)
Because you are learning how to write for readers who would prefer to not read, always do the
following:
• Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. Readers who skim documents—by which I
mean all readers of technical documents—are looking at headings and first sentences to get
10 Yes, the cross-reference feature can add such indicators automatically, but, if you place your illustrations where
the reader needs them, such indicators are not necessary.
http://guides.lib.umich.edu/content.php?pid=245394&sid=2027488
http://www.iec.ch/standardsdev/resources/draftingpublications/writing_editing/tips_recommendations_we/cross_references.htm
English 202 Style Guide
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the gist of what you are saying. Don’t try to create suspense by presenting the topic sentence
at the end of the paragraph; you’ll simply annoy the reader.
Structure paragraphs as journalists do, as an inverted pyramid, with the key idea at the
beginning. Avoid writing chronological paragraphs that end with a conclusion:
Avoid this type of paragraph:
I started with the initial prediction of temperature values. Then, I applied the filter to
correct the predictions before comparing to the measured experimental results. The
filtered predictions for temperature matched the experimental results.
Instead, flip the paragraph to put the key point at the beginning:
After filtering, the predicted temperature values matched the measured experimental
values. I started with the initial temperature predictions, and I then applied the filter to
these values. The values matched.
• Keep each paragraph focused and concise. If you cannot present an idea with a topic
sentence and three supporting sentences (four at most), you need to rethink what you are
trying to say:
• If the paragraph addresses more than a single topic, break the paragraph where the
topic shifts.
• If the paragraph presents a list of items, format the paragraph as an introductory
sentence and a vertical list.
Cite sources in the text using an (Author Year) citation (3 point deduction each occurrence)
When you make a statement of fact that is not universal knowledge, you must cite a source by
adding an (Author Year) notation close to where the fact is stated:
SI units were introduced in 1960 (Robinson 2007 p15).
More than half of the people living in the U.S. do so in places where the air is unhealthy (West
2010).
In Metal Evolution, Sam Dunn argues that modern metal has its roots in classical music (Fraser
2011).
Pay particular attention to the following requirements for citations:
• Author in the citation should closely resemble Author shown in the referenced sources.
The reader is looking for Author in the reference list, so show the same Author in the citation.
• Place the citation inside the sentence end punctuation. A citation outside of the end
punctuation is a sentence fragment.
• If you are citing a book, give a page number where the fact can be found.
• If you are citing a source published on the Internet, and no author is named, use the
name of the organization11 as the author:
A style guide provides standards for writing and designing a document (Wikipedia 2016).
• Yes, you may cite Wikipedia as a source12.
11 Do not use the N.A. and N.D. elements in references. These elements tell the reader nothing useful.
English 202 Style Guide
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List all cited sources in a References section (3 point deduction each occurrence)
In a References section, placed after the document body, list references, in alphabetical order
by author. Use the following pattern for each reference:
Author last name, First initial. Year. Title of cited work. Publisher. Access information
(for web-based sources).
I’ve made the item-separators large and red to emphasize that items in the reference are separated
by periods rather than commas.
Here are a few examples:
Fraser, G. 2011. Metal Evolution Forges a New History of Hard Rock. Toronto.com.
Available at http://www.toronto.com/article/705371.
Robinson, A. 2007. The Story of Measurement. Thames and Hudson Ltd., London.
West, L. 2010. More Than Half of U.S. Population Lives in Counties with Unsafe Air.
About.com. Available at
http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/stateofair.htm.
Pay particular attention to the following:
• Author name must resemble the in-text citation name (3 point deduction each).
• Do not list any references that you have not cited in the document body (3 point deduction each).
• Year should be the publication year, if shown on the article. If you do not see a publication
year, use the year you accessed it. Do not use N.D. (3 point deduction each).
• If two cited publications have the same author and the same year, distinguish between
them by adding a lowercase letter after the year (2 point deduction each):
Smithers, L. 2010a. Citing Your Sources. Smith.com. Available at http://smithers.com/citing.
Smithers, L. 2010b. References in the Same Year. Smith.com. Available at
http://smithers.com/references.
• If you are citing a source published on the Internet, and no author is named, use the
organization name as the author (3 point deduction each):
Wikipedia. 2016. Style guide. Wikipedia. Available at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_guide.
• Use the exact spelling and capitalization used by the organization you are citing. If you
are uncertain, go to the organization’s website and look for the About Us link, which is often
located in the web page footer (3 point deduction each).
Choose good writing over bad (2 point deduction each occurrence)
As I read your writing, I will look for the following:
• Clearly indicated main clauses. Long sentences that take forever to get to the point make
for slow reading. Often, such sentences begin with long introductory phrases that are not set
off from the main clause with a comma. In this course, I want you to always add a comma
after an introductory word or phrase that precedes the main clause.
12 I use Wikipedia myself to quickly find information on many topics. However, I also double-check the information
found in Wikipedia before accepting it as truth. I encourage you to do the same.
English 202 Style Guide
9
• Sentences easy to follow on the first reading. Having to continuously backtrack is a major
frustration. When I find myself backing up to re-read a sentence, the problem (and the
corresponding solution) is usually one of the following:
What I thought was the main
clause is an introductory phrase:
In troubling times such as these
times we need a new copier.
Put a comma after an introductory phrase to signal
where the main clause begins.
In troubling times such as these times, we need a new
copier.
I encounter an abbreviation or
term that has not yet been
defined.
Define all abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms on
first use. Present the full term first, and then, in
parentheses, present the shortened form you intend to
use:
• The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of
the computer.
• The preferred option will weigh less than three
pounds (lb).
• The software application (app) runs on most
smartphones.
• I bought a new personal computer (pc).
I encounter a pronoun, and I’ve
forgotten what it refers to.
Don’t continue using a pronoun more than a sentence
away from its referent.
If the pronoun is a demonstrative pronoun (this,
that, these, those), always convert the pronoun to an
adjective by adding a noun:
The pipe had a longitudinal crack that opened under
pressures above 50 psi. This crack accounted for the
unexpected loss in fluid.
I encounter a slash used as a
conjunction, and I have to figure
out what it means.
Never use a slash (/) as a conjunction; specify what
you mean. Do you mean “and,” or do you mean “or?”
The conjunction and/or has no clear meaning and
should never be used in a technical document.
Yes, I know the textbook uses slashes as
conjunctions, but it should not. Technical writing
should be precise.
English 202 Style Guide
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I encounter a list of items, and I
am uncertain if the last two are
separate or grouped together
into a single item. Use the
Oxford comma!
In technical writing, we always place a comma
(known as the Oxford comma) after the next-to-last
item in a series of more than two items:
• My heroes are my parents, Superman and Wonder
Woman. (Incorrect, unless your parents are
Superman and Wonder Woman)
• My heroes are my parents, Superman, and
Wonder Woman. (Correct)
Use specific adjectives (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Because many adjectives have no specific meaning without context, make sure you provide that
context for the reader—or use a specific adjective:
High resolution images of the equipment were provided. (What is the definition of high resolution
in this context?)
300 dots per inch (dpi) images of the equipment were provided.
Use standard conventions for grammar, punctuation, and spelling
If you are a native English speaker, you spent the first eight years of your education learning the
rules of English grammar and punctuation. Then, in high school, you forgot those rules. Here is a
refresher of what you should know.
Introduce a list with a complete sentence that ends with a colon13 (2 point deduction each
occurrence)
So that your writing is consistent with other writers in this collaborative setting, always introduce
a list with a complete sentence that ends with a colon:
To complete the project, (Incorrect)
• Draft the report
• Review the draft with a approving committee
To complete the project, we need to do the following: (Correct)
• Draft the report
• Review the draft with a approving committee
By rule, the words to the left of a colon should form a complete sentence, except for a colon
following a salutation (Dear Ms. Doe:).
Punctuate list elements as you would sentences or sentence fragments (2 point
deduction each occurrence)
If all elements of a vertical list appear as sentence fragments, do not add any punctuation. (See
the list example in the previous section.)
13 Technically, the introduction to a list can end with a period, but in the collaborative environment of this course, I
want to be sure we all follow the same convention. Use a colon.
English 202 Style Guide
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If any element of a vertical list is a complete sentence, punctuate all elements as if they were
sentences:
To complete the project, we need to do the following:
• We must create the draft report.
• We must review the draft with the approving committee.
Commas (2 point deduction each occurrence)
The following comma errors are likely to catch my eye:
• No commas separating nonrestrictive modifiers from the main clause:
The iPhone one of the original smart phones is still popular. (Incorrect)
The iPhone, one of the original smart phones, is still popular. (Correct)
The phrase between commas can be deleted, and the sentence would still make sense.
• A comma is placed between a subject and its verb:
A long document, is ten pages. (Incorrect)
A long document is ten pages. (Correct)
• A comma splits verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate:
The plans meet state rules, and are approved. (Incorrect)
The plans meet state rules and are approved. (Correct)
The plans meet state rules, and they are approved. (Correct)
• Other comma gaffes listed by the Purdue OWL.
Semicolons (2 point deduction each occurrence)
A semicolon cannot be used to introduce a list or end a salutation:
The following rules apply; (Incorrect)
Dear Mr. Curmudgeonly; (Incorrect)
A semicolon (;) is used to join two closely related independent clauses or to separate items in a
list when those items already contain commas:
Some people are fastidious; he was not such a person. (Correct)
State capitols represented at the conference included the following: Austin, Texas;
Sacramento, California; and Boise, Idaho. (Correct)
Dashes and hyphens (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Dashes and hyphens are not the same thing with different widths:
• A dash is used to set off information, in much the same way that parentheses do:
He drank too many cups of punch—a concoction consisting of fruit juice and some
unknown liquor—for his stomach to handle.
• A hyphen is used to create compound adjectives or to express a range:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/
English 202 Style Guide
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Her ex-husband turned out to be a small-time crook.
He spent time in the prison from 1999-2005.
Writers frequently add spaces before and after dashes and hyphens, but there should be no
such spaces14.
To create a dash in Word, type two hyphens immediately after a word, and continue typing.
When you complete the word following the hyphens, Word replaces them with an em-dash15.
You can also use the Insert > Symbol function to add a dash. Select More Symbols, go to the
Special Characters tab, select Em Dash, and click Insert.
Punctuation placed outside of quotations (2 point deduction each occurrence)
In American English, punctuation is placed inside of quotations:
According to Markel (2012), “a topic sentence states, summarizes, or forecasts the main
point of the paragraph”. (Incorrect)
According to Markel (2012), “a topic sentence states, summarizes, or forecasts the main
point of the paragraph.” (Correct)
Sentence fragments used as sentences (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Oxford Dictionaries defines a sentence as follows:
A set of words that is complete in itself, typically containing a subject and predicate,
conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and consisting of a main
clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses.
Although sentence fragments are frequently used by professional writers, in this course, only a
sentence can pose as a sentence.
Subject-verb disagreement (2 point deduction each occurrence)
A subject and its verb must agree in number:
June and Edward is coming to dinner.
June and Edward are coming to dinner.
Run-on sentences (2 point deduction each occurrence)
A writer strings two complete thoughts together without connective punctuation, creating a run-
on sentence:
He kicked the ball the ball bounced back. (Incorrect)
He kicked the ball, and the ball bounced back. (Correct)
He kicked the ball. The ball bounced back. (Correct)
He kicked the ball; the ball bounced back. (Correct)
14 Some Word templates, such as resume templates, show spaces before and after dashes. If you use such a template,
you will need to remove these spaces.
15 The em-dash is the width of the letter “m.” Can you guess how wide an en-dash is?
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/sentence
English 202 Style Guide
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Comma splices (2 point deduction each occurrence)
A writer uses a comma to join two independent clauses, creating a comma splice. The fix is to add
a coordinating conjunction (and, or, so, but):
The sun came up, it was a new day! (Incorrect)
The sun came up, and it was a new day! (Correct)
No comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses (2
point deduction each occurrence)
She hit the ball and she ran to first base. (Incorrect)
She hit the ball, and she ran to first base. (Correct)
Conjunctive adverb used as a conjunction (2 point deduction each occurrence)
A conjunctive adverb (accordingly, also, additionally, however, moreover, and so forth) cannot
connect two clauses in the same manner as a conjunction. Place a semicolon or period before the
adverb, and a comma after:
You must do all the assignments, otherwise you will not score well. (Incorrect)
You must do all the assignments; otherwise, you will not score well. (Correct)
The assignment was due on Monday, however James did not turn it in. (Incorrect)
The assignment was due on Monday; however, James did not turn it in. (Correct)
Noun-pronoun disagreement (2 point deduction each occurrence)
A pronoun and the noun to which it refers should agree in number, person, and gender. When this
agreement is not achieved, the results look funny:
Every student should work hard if they want a good grade. (Incorrect)16
Every student should work hard if he or she wants a good grade. (Correct)
16 If you routinely use non-binary pronouns, I will accept this usage, provided you add an embedded comment
explaining your intentional usage for the first non-binary pronoun in each document. I need to know that your usage
is intentional and not a mistake.
English 202 Style Guide
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Faulty parallelism (2 point deduction each occurrence)
A consistent (parallel) grammatical form should be used throughout coordinated elements. I most
often see a break in parallelism in vertical lists in which the writer begins list elements
differently:
Non-parallel (most items
begin with verbs)
Parallel (all items begin with
verbs)
The following are essential: The following are essential:
Reset the gizmo. Reset the gizmo.
Consistent pressure is
important. Prime the
pressurizer.
Prime the pressurizer.
Consistent pressure is
important.
Activate the startup sequence. Activate the startup sequence.
Misspelling (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Check your spelling. Poor spelling shouts, “This writer doesn’t care!” In the era of spell-checkers
and Internet access, it adds, in a whispered aside, “This writer is also incredibly lazy.” Don’t be
that writer.
Make sure your word processor is set up to automatically check spelling as you type. A red
squiggly line beneath a word tells you to check the spelling.
- Format using styles, get rid of blank lines, don’t use text boxes, and use the caption and cross-reference tools
Use styles for paragraph-level formatting (Document not accepted for grading if the required styles are not used)
Use only the following styles in this course
Learn to use and modify Word styles
Do not add or keep blank lines (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Do not manually indent the first sentence of a paragraph (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Do not use text boxes for document layout (document not accepted for grading)
Use the captioning tool to add captions (5 point deduction each instance)
Course rules for captions
Learn to use the Word captioning tool
Add cross-references to illustrations using the cross-reference tool (5 point deduction each instance)
Course rules for cross-references
Learn to use the Word cross-reference tool
Write to meet the needs of the reader
Do not use back-to-back headings (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence, and keep paragraphs short (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Cite sources in the text using an (Author Year) citation (3 point deduction each occurrence)
List all cited sources in a References section (3 point deduction each occurrence)
Choose good writing over bad (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Use specific adjectives (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Use standard conventions for grammar, punctuation, and spelling
Introduce a list with a complete sentence that ends with a colon12F (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Punctuate list elements as you would sentences or sentence fragments (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Commas (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Semicolons (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Dashes and hyphens (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Punctuation placed outside of quotations (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Sentence fragments used as sentences (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Subject-verb disagreement (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Run-on sentences (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Comma splices (2 point deduction each occurrence)
No comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Conjunctive adverb used as a conjunction (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Noun-pronoun disagreement (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Faulty parallelism (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Misspelling (2 point deduction each occurrence)
Exercise 4: Citing Sources of Information
December 20, 2017
Exercise 4: Citing Sources of Information
As professionals, it is vital that we always provide sources for the information we present:
· Citing sources is an ethical obligation to fellow authors. Nobody “just knows” stuff; we all learn from others, and we are acting unethically if we do not give fair credit to those from whom we learned.
· Citing sources establishes credibility and allows readers to check our work. Savvy technical readers do not just accept statements of fact without checking those facts.
To give you practice in citing sources, answer the following questions using complete sentences. You can simply type your answer in the space below each question. (I have answered the first question for you to provide an example of what I expect. Each response is formatted using the style Body Text Indent and a list style. Do not change the formatting—just type.)
Cite sources using an (Author Year) citation in the response, and add a complete reference listing for each source in the References list at the end of the document. (For examples of correct citations and reference listings, see the English 202 Style Guide.)
1. According to Tebeaux and Dragga, how does inadvertent plagiarism differ from intentional plagiarism?
Intent makes no difference. Tebeaux and Dragga (2015 p45) state that “intentions are immaterial.” Using the words of another without providing credit is still plagiarism, even if done unintentionally.
Notice how the citation in the sentence above is simplified to (Year) rather than (Author Year). When the author has just been mentioned in the sentence, just cite the year of publication or access.
Notice also that a page number was given in the citation because the source is a lengthy document.
2. When borrowing a substantial portion from an original source, what, according to Tebeaux and Dragga, are your ethical and legal duties?
3. According to Tebeaux and Dragga, what permission do you need to use material in the public domain?
For the remaining questions, you will need to do some research on the Internet. (You must cite a source for each answer.)
4. How does a proportional typeface differ from a monospaced typeface?
5. According to the Oxford Dictionaries, how many spaces should you add before and after an em dash?
6. How does a hyphen differ from a dash?
7. According to the Chicago Manual of Style, how many spaces do you need between two consecutive sentences in the same paragraph? (In other words, after you add end punctuation to the first sentence, how many times do you press the Space bar before you start typing the next sentence?)
8. What are the four principles of minimalist instructional design as defined by John Carroll?
Write an introductory sentence that cites a source, and then list the four principles by simply typing these principles in the formatted paragraphs I have provided.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
9. What is Per Capita Gross Domestic Product?
10. What is the
given-new
principle of writing?
References (remember to alphabetize by author!)
Tebeaux E and Dragga S. 2015. The Essentials of Technical Communication, Third Edition. Oxford University Press. New York.
PAGE 2
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Syllabus for English 202, Spring 2018
Updated Thursday, November 30, 2017
The following presents the syllabus for English 202. What this syllabus says takes precedence over any
other document related to this course.
I reserve the right to modify this syllabus, but I will tell you, using a course announcement, when I make
a modification. I will show any changes in the syllabus using red-line markup, such as shown here.
Technical communication includes the many forms of writing and speaking used in the work world:
letters, manuals, memos, instructions, proposals, reports, presentations, and Web pages. As a technical
professional, you will spend a lot of time creating technical communications; you will spend even more
time reading and listening to the technical communications of others.
The required textbook for this course is The Essentials of Technical Communication, Third Edition,
written by Elizabeth Tebeaux and Sam Dragga. The book is published by Oxford University Press.
You may notice that the writing in the book does not always comply with the requirements I place on
you, via the associated English 202 Style Guide. Read the book to get a better understanding of the
general principles of effective technical communication, but, when you are looking for examples of the
right way to write for this course, consult the English 202 Style Guide.
You need the following software for this course:
• A Web browser compatible with Blackboard. See the links on the Blackboard login page for a
list of browsers that have been certified.
• Microsoft Word 2010 or later version1. If you use any other word processor2, you must ensure
that the files you turn in are compatible with Word in all aspects.
• Microsoft Excel, 2010 or later version.
1 I use Windows Office 2010 and Office 365 for my grading, but I tested the features I require on Macintosh, so I
know there are not any incompatibilities between the two platform versions. If you believe that running Word on
Macintosh prevents you from completing assignments correctly, you may need to find a Windows computer to use
for the assignments.
2 Limited feature word processors, such as Microsoft Works and Macintosh Pages, do not support the styles
feature crucial to this course. If you use either, you will lose points when we get into the major assignments. Some
students try to use OpenOffice or LibreOffice, but the styles do not convert correctly when saving to docx format.
Use these alternatives only if you understand that your grade will suffer.
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English 202 is a Component of the Foundational Studies Program Social Science
Disciplinary Lens
Boise State’s Foundational Studies Program provides undergraduates with a broad-based education that
spans the entire university experience. ENGL 202, Introduction to Technical Communication, satisfies 3
credits of the Foundational Studies Program’s Disciplinary Lens—Social Science (DL-S) requirements. It
supports University Learning Outcome 11 (“Apply knowledge and the methods of inquiry characteristic
of the social sciences to explain and evaluate human behavior and institutions”) along with a variety of
other course-specific goals.
After successful completion of this course, you will be able to do the following:
• Understand that successful communication effectively responds to the needs and interests of
people with different backgrounds, frames of reference, needs, and interests; and understand how
to examine and articulate your own place within your own culture
• Understand that documents reflect the ways in which powerful cultural forces affect writers and
readers; understand how to analyze the world views and philosophical assumptions inherent in
source material; and draw connections between diverse perspectives
• Write a recommendation report that effectively documents a research project calling for
secondary3 research, problem-solving, and effective writing that adheres to the conventions and
expectations of a professional discipline; analyze and evaluate your own and others’ assumptions
about the importance of context; and isolate and emphasize the critical element of a discussion
The goal of this course is to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to communicate
effectively in a professional environment. For many of you, the topics you communicate as a professional
will be technical in nature, but whether the topic is an engineering report that describes the requirements
for a wastewater treatment plant or a memo to your boss, the communication must be of professional
quality to be well-received.
that are incomplete, incorrect, inaccurate, or simply unclear
reflect poorly on you and your employer.
The course goal is achieved through the following:
• Textbook Readings and Quizzes. Most weeks, you will have assigned readings and quizzes about
those readings. Most quiz questions come from the textbook, but there are also questions from the
English 202 Style Guide, which you are expected to reference throughout the course.
• Exercises. Through exercises, you will apply what you learn from your readings, and you will
also learn features of office software essential to creating professional documents in a
collaborative environment. What you learn from doing the exercises you will apply when writing
the proposal, recommendation report, and instructions later in the course.
• Writing Assignments. You will apply all you have learned from your readings and the exercises as
you write a proposal, a recommendation report, and a set of instructions.
Effective communication comes from study and practice. Nobody becomes an effective communicator
through study alone.
3 This course does not allow sufficient time to do primary research effectively, so only secondary research is
allowed.
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When you write technical communications, you must be aware of the following:
• Correctness. You are writing to people who have advanced technical training and expertise and
whose jobs require them to read often. Experienced readers will quickly spot easily-corrected
errors and are likely to form a negative impression of writers who do not correct such errors.
From the very first writing assignment until the last, I will expect your writing to be correct in all
aspects of grammar and punctuation.
• Style requirements. Technical writing is frequently done as a part of a collaborative effort. To
keep the writing consistent, writers need to comply with a style guide that defines required
formatting, grammar, punctuation, and word usage. For all assignments, you must comply with
the requirements of the English 202 Style Guide.
• Needs of the reader. Technical writing is not a forum for personal expression; its goal is to help
the reader understand and act—not to satisfy the needs of the writer. You are not entertaining;
you are communicating.
The course work is weighted as shown in Table 1. About half of your grade will be determined by your
scores on the reading quizzes and the exercises; the other half will be determined by your scores on the
proposal, recommendation report, and instructions assignments.
Table 1. Weighting of course work.
Course Work Element Weight (percent of
grade)
(2 points each, 12 quizzes) 24
Nine Exercises (3 points each) 27
Proposal, Part 1 5
Proposal, Part 2 10
Recommendation Report, Part 1 5
Recommendation Report, Part 2 20
Instructions Writing Assignment 9
Total 100
You can calculate your grade—or make projections about your grade—using the following formula:
Your grade = 0.02 * (sum of 12 reading quiz scores)
+ 0.03 * (sum of 9 exercise scores)
+ 0.05 * (proposal part 1 score + recommendation part 1 score)
+ 0.10 * (proposal part 2 score)
+ 0.2- * recommendation report part 2 score
+ 0.09 * instructions score
I also provide a spreadsheet to help you calculate your grade throughout the course. You can find the link
to the spreadsheet on the left side of the Blackboard menu:
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Download the spreadsheet, enter your grades, and make guesses about future grades to see how you might
do in the course.
Grades will be given based on the score ranges shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Score ranges and grades.
A- (≥90 but <92.5) A (≥ 92.5 but < 97.5) A+ (≥ 97.5 )
B- (≥80 but <82.5) B (≥ 82.5 but < 87.5) B+ (≥ 87.5 but < 90)
C- (≥70 but <72.5) C (≥ 72.5 but < 77.5) C+ (≥ 77.5 but < 80)
D- (≥60 but <62.5) D (≥ 62.5 but < 67.5) D+ (≥ 67.5 but < 70)
F (<60)
For all writing in this course, you should imagine that you are a member of a team of writers, each of
whom is preparing one piece of a larger document. You are submitting your contribution to an editor (me)
who must then assemble the separate pieces into a cohesive whole having a consistent style and format.
Accordingly, I expect you to comply with all requirements of the English 202 Style Guide and the more
specific requirements of each writing assignment. When you do not comply with those requirements, I
will either reject your submission, returning it to you for correction, or make the corrections with
corresponding deductions in your grade:
• If you do not apply styles as required by the English 202 Style Guide, I will deduct up to
forty (40) points per assignment. You must use the required styles if you want an exceptional
grade in this course. Fortunately, styles are incredibly simple to use, and they add professional-
level format consistency to your document. Use styles!
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• If the document requires captions and cross-references, you must use the captioning and cross-
reference tools to create these captions and cross-references. Large technical documents are
frequently revised, and manually-created captions and cross-references are tedious to update.
• Other deductions will be made as described in the English 202 Style Guide, so refer frequently to
the style guide as you review and edit your documents. Sometimes, students complain that my
deductions for repeated “small” errors ignores how much work went into the creating the content,
but I am simply reacting to your document in the same way your boss or your customer would. If
your writing is full of small errors, I can’t see anything else until those errors are corrected4.
The best way to achieve a desired grade in the course is by making each exercise, assignment, and exam a
high priority, meeting the due dates, and meeting the requirements for each exercise and writing
assignment.
If English is a second language for you, I encourage you to do the following:
• Take advantage of the BSU Intensive English Program (http://english.boisestate.edu/iep/) if you have
concerns about your ability to write English at a professional level.
• Study the course style guide and Appendix A of the textbook frequently as you review and edit your
writing.
• Use the services of the Boise State Writing Center (http://writingcenter.boisestate.edu/).
• Use any of the many excellent online English writing guides available to you across the Internet, such
as the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/).
• Ask native English speakers to review your writing before you submit assignments. Native speakers
can help you fix such common problems as missing articles and incorrect verb forms.
Use the Assignments function to submit all assignments. I do not accept files sent as e-mail attachments
unless you are looking for a preliminary review.
Exercises and writing assignments submitted to Blackboard after the due date and times listed in
the syllabus calendar receive a mandatory deduction, even if only a fraction of a second late5.
Deductions will be made as follows:
• 10 point deduction for anything turned in less than five minutes late.
• 25 point deduction for anything turned in between five minutes and one day late.
4 If you want me to look at a draft assignment before you submit, send me your draft via e-mail, tell me what you
want me to look at as I review your draft, and I will flag a representative sample of the errors I find, leaving the rest
for you to correct as a part of your learning experience. Just be sure to send me the draft well before the assignment
is due; if you wait until the day the assignment is due, I may not have time to look at it.
5 To be objective, I use the date and time stamp provided by Blackboard to assess if an assignment is late.
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• 50 point deduction for anything turned in more than one day late.
• 75 point deduction for anything turned in more than two days late.
• Rejection of anything turned in more than three days late.
I will make allowances for illness and family emergencies if you will please contact me beforehand.
However, any leeway granted applies only to the assignment for which you expect to be late; all other
assignments must be submitted according to the schedule defined in this syllabus.
If you believe you have correctly submitted assignments that I have not received on time, please contact
Blackboard Assistance. If Blackboard Assistance tells me that an assignment was submitted to me by the
due date and time, I will grade that assignment as though it had been submitted on time.
Reading Quizzes
Questions for the reading quizzes come from the textbook and the English 202 Style Guide. Be sure to
study both.
The quizzes are open-book, but a time limit applies—20 minutes for most quizzes. It is difficult to get
an excellent score unless you have studied the material beforehand.
When the deadline for taking and submitting an exam passes, the exam remains open, but the time
limit is cut by three-fourths.
Very infrequently, students report encountering problems when taking exams on Blackboard. Blackboard
appears to lock up before they can complete and submit the exam. Please report the details of such
problems to Blackboard Assistance immediately, and send me a brief message letting me know that you
need to have the exam reset. However, if the deadline for the exam expires before I can reset the
exam, the time available will still be reduced. (Moral: Do not wait until the last minute to begin the
exam!)
To achieve a high grade in this course, you need to do well on the exercises, the writing assignments, and
the quizzes. Some students are better writers than test-takers, and other students are better test-takers than
writers. In this course, you must do well at both, and you must incorporate what you learn into your
writing.
You must also learn to write according to the course style guide. In a business environment, you will not
be free to write as you choose, so learning to review and edit your writing against the requirements of a
style guide is an essential part of this course.
If you have become used to writing instructors who only mark representative mistakes6, my method of
grading may be a shock: I mark all mistakes that I see7, and I deduct for all mistakes I mark. I want
you to develop the habit of carefully reviewing your own writing. In the business world, nobody will
willingly fix your mistakes; the quality of what you write is largely in your hands.
6 I’ve never quite understood this method of grading; it is a bit like only grading representative math problems
instead of all of the problems.
7 With the exception of the Proposal Part 1 and the Recommendation Report Part 1; for these two assignments, I will
show you a selection of the errors I am seeing so that you know what to look for when preparing the final versions
(Part 2) of these major writing projects.
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Plagiarism, which occurs when a writer, knowingly or not, uses another writer’s words without
appropriate attribution, is a serious offense that can result in major deductions, the complete rejection of
an assignment, or even dismissal from the course. The minimum deduction for plagiarism is 20 points,
but greater deductions will be used when the plagiarized material constitutes a large proportion of the
submitted paper.
Communications
The best way to communicate with me is by sending an e-mail message to dmeier@boisestate.edu.
Occasionally, students ask to meet with me, but I don’t have an office at Boise State, and I am unlikely to
be persuaded to meet when it is so much easier and more efficient to communicate asynchronously. If you
are taking an online course, we probably agree on this point.
If I need to communicate directly with you, I will send a message to your BroncoMail account, so make
sure the e-mail address defined in BroncoMail is an e-mail address you check frequently.
Table 3 presents the course calendar, showing due dates for assignments and quizzes. The due dates can
also be found in Blackboard by going to Tools and selecting Calendar.
We are all adults, so I do not always send reminders about these due dates. The dates are published,
and they are easy to find. If you find it necessary to be reminded when something is due, create reminders
in Google Calendar or by using some similar tool.
Because some students want to assume a consistent pattern of course activities, I have highlighted
variations in the pattern of chapter readings. However, I make no claim that what I have highlighted
represents all variations in whatever pattern you choose to see. If I were you, I would check the
calendar rather than assume a pattern.
Table 3. Course calendar.
Week Week Start Reading and Course Work Due (All times Mountain Time Zone, U.S.)
1 January 7 Read the course syllabus and style guide.
Exercise 1 (Getting to know the course requirements) due by 4:50 PM January 11
2 January 14 Read Chapter 1, Characteristics of Writing at Work, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 1 due by 4:50 PM January 16
Exercise 2 (Learning to use styles, electronic edits, and comments) due by 4:50 PM
January 18
3 January 21 Read Chapter 2, Writing for Your Reader, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 2 due by 4:50 PM January 23
Exercise 3 (Analyzing the audience) due by 4:50 PM January 25
4 January 29 Read Chapter 3, Writing Ethically, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 3 due by 4:50 PM January 30
Exercise 4 (Citing sources) due by 4:50 PM February 1
mailto:dmeier@boisestate.edu
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5 February 4 Read Chapter 4, Achieving a Readable Style, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 4 due by 4:50 PM February 6
Exercise 5 (Paragraphs and lists) due by 4:50 PM February 8
6 February 11 Read Chapter 5, Designing Documents, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 5 due by 4:50 PM February 13
Exercise 6 (Document design) due by 4:50 PM February 15
7 February 18 Read Chapter 6, Designing Illustrations, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 6 due by 4:50 PM February 20
Exercise 7 (Illustrations, captions, and cross-references) due by 4:50 PM February
22
8 February 25 Read Chapter 7, E-mails, Texts, Memos, and Letters; and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 7 due by 4:50 PM February 27
Exercise 8 (Messages, memos, letters) due by 4:50 PM March 1
9 March 4 Read Chapter 12, Resumes and Job Applications, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 12 due by 4:50 PM March 6
Exercise 9 (Creating job application documents) due by 4:50 PM March 8
10 March 11 Read Chapter 9, Proposals and Progress Reports, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 9 due by 4:50 PM March 13
Proposal, Part 1, due by 4:50 PM March 15
11 March 18 Read Chapter 8, Technical Reports, and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 8 due by 4:50 PM March 20
Proposal, Part 2, due by 4:50 PM March 22
12 March 25 Spring Break
13 April 1 Read Chapter 10, Instructions, Procedures, and Policies; and review the style guide.
Reading Quiz 10 due by 4:50 PM April 3
Recommendation Report, Part 1, due by 4:50 PM April 5
14 April 8 Read Chapter 11: Oral Reports
Reading Quiz 11 due by 4:50 PM April 10
15 November 27 Recommendation Report, Part 2, due by 4:50 PM April 19
16 December 4 Instructions due by 4:50 PM April 26
End of course.
- Modification of This Syllabus
- English 202 is a Component of the Foundational Studies Program Social Science Disciplinary Lens
What is Technical Communication?
Textbook
Software
Goal of the Course
How Does Writing for Technical Communication Differ from Other Writing?
Weighting of the Course Work
Grade Scale
See Yourself as a Writing Collaborator
Extra Credit
ESL Student Suggestions
Submission of Course Work
Reading Quizzes
How to Do Well In This Course
Academic Honesty
Communications
Calendar
