I have work for 15 $

Exercise 5: Paragraphs and Lists

The purpose of this exercise is to give you practice in (a) writing short paragraphs that begin with clear topic sentences and (b) spotting when to use a list instead of a traditional paragraph.

Break up paragraphs that cover more than a single topic

The following paragraph covers three topics. Using Track Changes (10 points), break it at each topic change, such that each new paragraph begins with a topic sentence. Using embedded comments, explain why you chose each break (5 points each edit). (Simply tell me what the topic was and what it is shifting to that caused you to break the paragraph.)

Although long, sprawling paragraphs can be the norm for creative writing, technical writing must have a tighter focus. Readers of technical documents are skimming rather than reading, so it is important that each paragraph begin with a clear topic sentence followed by two to three sentences that support the topic. The reader can then quickly scan each topic sentence and decide if it is worthwhile to read the support sentences. Learning to write in this manner—using tightly-focused paragraphs—can be a challenge for some writers. Those who frequently read literary fiction may have become used to long paragraphs and simply accept them as the norm. Those who frequently read journal papers, which are not always good models of effective technical writing, may assume that difficult-to-read writing is good writing. Writers able to adapt their writing to use shorter, tightly-focused paragraphs may not notice that their documents are being accepted more readily. Unlike good fiction, good technical writing rarely warrants praise. However, good technical writers will, eventually, notice that they are dealing with far fewer questions and editing suggestions during peer reviews, leading to greater productivity and moving up the career ladder.

Use a list format when a paragraph presents a list of items

Writers used to writing and reading academic papers are sometimes reluctant to use lists. They worry that such formatting may be seen as a “dumbing-down” of the discussion. However, these writers are overlooking the fact that research tells us that readers read and remember lists better than big blobs of text (Markel 2012 p209). Good technical writers understand that science-based results are worth much more than any single editor’s personal preferences; use what works—not what somebody “feels” is better.

The following paragraphs include five (5) lists that need to be formatted as lists. Edit them accordingly, remembering to do the following:

Make your changes using Track Changes
(20 points)

Punctuate the list introduction as required by the English 202 Style Guide (deductions as per style guide).

Format the list items using the correct styles (deductions as per style guide). Remember to use a bulleted list unless the list items clearly present a sequence or a ranked list.

Don’t assume every sentence after the list introduction is a part of the list. Sometimes, there is a summary statement at the end that needs to be formatted as a body paragraph.

Paragraph 1

According to Paul Simon, there are fifty ways to leave your lover. Here are some examples. You can slip out the back, Jack. You can make a new plan, Stan. You don’t need to be coy, Roy. In summation, Paul says you just got to get free.

Paragraph 2

When writing lists or headings, word the sentences, lists, or headings using parallel structures. If items in a list are primarily nouns, make them all nouns. If items in a list are primarily verbs, make them all verbs and all the same tense. If most headings in a section are mainly commands, make them all commands.

Paragraph 3

The following guidelines address when to spell out a number versus using the numeral and other common questions regarding the use of numbers in text. Use numerals for technical data and measurements, even for numbers less than 10. Use numerals if they are directly connected to a unit of measure to specify assigned or calculated values (for example, 1 cm, 6 hours, 9 miles). Spell out a number that begins a sentence. Use numerals when the number is not a whole number. Use numerals in tables and in parentheses. Use full numerals with an en dash (no space before and after dash) for a range of years or numbers. Hyphenate numbers below one hundred when they consist of two words.

Paragraph 4

Capitalize the first letters of sentences, proper nouns, and most words in a title; most other words do not need capital letters. In general, capitalize the following. Job titles when they immediately precede personal names (Chairman Musk). Civil titles when they are part of the name (Chancellor Merkel attended the conference). Words such as association, department, program, and office when used as part of a title (The Boise Fire Department). Geographic regions commonly accepted as proper nouns (Mountain Time Zone). Symbols for chemical elements (He, C).

Paragraph 5

The following paragraph comes from page 90 of your textbook. I suspect the publisher wanted to present this information as a paragraph to save space, but I would like you to change this paragraph into a list with three items.

To achieve this consistency, identify the different types of information in your document and use the styles function of your word processing program to duplicate the design. First, think about all the types of information you will need to display, such as paragraphs, quotations, lists, examples, equations, formulas, and various levels of headings. Second, plan a design that always shows the same type of information in the same way throughout your document. The design could include the type size, the typeface (or font), the placement of an element on the page or screen, whether the text has a border (also called a “line” or a “rule”) over or under it, whether the text and headings are bold or italic, the amount of space that comes before and after a heading, the style of the text that follows each kind of heading, and so forth. Third, use the style function of your word processing program to label and fix the design of each type of information.

References

Markel, M. 2012. Technical Communication, 10th edition. Bedford-St. Martin’s. Boston.