{"id":239,"date":"2020-04-26T18:45:22","date_gmt":"2020-04-26T22:45:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/businesswritingessentials\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=239"},"modified":"2020-12-04T20:34:12","modified_gmt":"2020-12-05T01:34:12","slug":"chapter-6-revising-your-work","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/businesswritingessentials\/chapter\/chapter-6-revising-your-work\/","title":{"raw":"Chapter 5: The Revision Process","rendered":"Chapter 5: The Revision Process"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Discuss the revision process<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Identify 4 main elements for revision<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Highlight some specific points to revise<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Explain how to revise for grammar<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Revising<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">You have finished your piece of writing and you feel a sense of relief. However, just when you think the production of your document is done, the revision process begins.\u00a0 Your document is not complete, and in its current state it could, in fact, do more harm than good. Errors, omissions, and unclear phrases may lurk within your document, waiting to reflect poorly on you when it reaches your audience. Now is not time to let your guard down, prematurely celebrate, or to mentally move on to the next assignment. Think of the revision process as one that hardens and strengthens your document, even though it may require the sacrifice of some hard-earned writing.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">General revision requires attention to content, organization, style, and readability. These four main categories should give you a template from which to begin to explore details in depth. This chapter will explore ways to expand your revision efforts to cover the common areas of weakness and error. You may need to take some time away from your document to approach it again with a fresh perspective.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"para editable block\">Evaluate Content<\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s01\" class=\"section\">\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Content is only one aspect of your document. Let\u2019s say you were assigned a report on the sales trends for a specific product in a relatively new market. You could produce a one-page chart comparing last year\u2019s results to current figures and call it a day, but would it clearly and concisely deliver content that is useful and correct? Are you supposed to highlight trends? Are you supposed to spotlight factors that contributed to the increase or decrease? Are you supposed to include projections for next year? Our list of questions could continue, but for now let\u2019s focus on content and its relationship to the directions. Have you included the content that corresponds to the given assignment, left any information out that may be necessary to fulfill the expectations, or have you gone beyond the assignment directions? Content will address the central questions of who, what, where, when, why and how within the range and parameters of the assignment.<\/p>\r\nUse these tips to help with content:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do you need to add information readers need to understand your document?<\/strong>\u00a0Check to see whether certain key information is missing, for example, a critical series of steps from a set of instructions, important background that helps beginners understand the main discussion, or definitions of key terms.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do you need to omit information your readers do not need?<\/strong>\u00a0Unnecessary information can also confuse and frustrate readers. After all, it\u2019s there so they feel obligated to read it.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do you need to add examples to help readers understand?<\/strong>\u00a0Examples are one of the most powerful ways to connect with audiences, particularly in instructions. Even in non-instructional text, for example, when you are trying to explain a technical concept, examples are a major help, analogies in particular.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s02\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Evaluate Organization<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Organization is another key aspect of any document. Standard formats that include an introduction, body, and conclusion may be part of your document, but did you decide on a direct or indirect approach? Can you tell? A direct approach will announce the main point or purpose at the beginning, while an indirect approach will present an introduction before the main point. Your document may use any of a wide variety of organizing principles, such as chronological, spatial, compare\/contrast. Is your organizing principle clear to the reader? Do you have a conclusion? Does your conclusion mirror your introduction and not introduce new material?<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s02_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Use these tips to help with organization:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do you have a strong introduction?<\/strong>\u00a0Make sure you have a strong introduction to the entire document- one that makes clear the topic, purpose, audience, and contents of that document. And for each major section within your document, use mini-introductions that indicate at least the topic of the section and give an overview of the subtopics to be covered in that section.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do you need to change the organization of your information?<\/strong> Sometimes, you can have all the right information but arrange it in the wrong way. For example, there can be too much background information up-front (or too little) such that certain readers get lost. Sometimes, background information needs to be consolidated into the main information. For example, in instructions, it\u2019s sometimes better to feed in chunks of background at the points where they are immediately needed.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do you need to strengthen transitions?<\/strong>\u00a0Readers often have difficulty following a document if the writer makes the common error of failing to make one point relevant to the next, or to illustrate the relationships between the points. Make connections between the main sections of your report, individual paragraphs, and individual sentences much clearer by adding <em>transition words<\/em>\u00a0and by echoing\u00a0<em>keywords<\/em> more accurately. Words like \u201ctherefore,\u201d \u201cfor example,\u201d \u201chowever\u201d are transition words; they indicate the logic connecting the previous thought to the upcoming thought.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s03\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Evaluate Style<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s03_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Style is created through content and organization, but also involves word choice and grammatical structures. Is your document written in an informal or formal tone, or does it present a blend, a mix, or an awkward mismatch? Does it provide a coherent and unifying voice with a professional tone? If you are collaborating on the project with other writers or contributors, pay special attention to unifying the document across the different authors\u2019 styles of writing. Even if they were all to write in a professional, formal style, the document may lack a consistent voice. Read it out loud. Can you tell who is writing what? If so, that is a clear clue that you need to do more revising in terms of style.<\/p>\r\nUse these tips to help with style:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do you need to change your sentence style?<\/strong> Is the sentence style targeted to the audience? In instructions, for example, using the imperative voice and \u201cyou\u201d phrasing is vastly more understandable than the passive voice or third-personal phrasing. Passive, person-less writing is harder to read. Put people and action in your writing! Similarly, go for active verbs as opposed to <em>be<\/em> verb phrasing. All of this makes your writing more direct and immediate; readers don\u2019t have to dig for it.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do you need to break up long sentences? <\/strong>Sentence length matters as well. An average of somewhere between 15 and 25 words per sentence is about right; sentences over 30 words can often be confusing.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Ask yourself the following questions<\/strong>:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><em>Does my document have repetitious words?<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t<li><em>Does my document have old expressions and references?<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t<li><em>Does my document have unnecessary fillers (extra unnecessary words)?<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t<li><em>Does my document have slangs and clich\u00e9s?<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t<li><em>Does my document have parallel construction?<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t<li><em>Does my document have obscured verbs?<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s04\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Evaluate Readability<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s04_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Readability refers to the reader\u2019s ability to read and comprehend the document. As a business writer, your goal is to make your writing clear and concise, not complex and challenging. If your document consists of long paragraphs with no breaks, it can make your document difficult to read. The way your document is organized also gives your audience some insight into the kind of business professional you are. Remember that many times the first chance your audience has to meet you is through your writing, so making a good first impression in your writing is key.<\/p>\r\nUse these tips to help with readability:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Did you use white space? <\/strong>White space is empty space on a paper. Empty space makes the document appear less cluttered and jumbled. White space doesn't only mean adding a blank line now and then. Use heading and lists to increase white space. Search your rough drafts for ways to incorporate headings, for example, look for changes in topic or subtopic. Search your writing for listings of things; these can be made into vertical lists. Look for paired listings such as terms and their definitions; these can be made into two-column lists. Of course, be careful not to force this special formatting. Don\u2019t overdo it.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Did you use effective margins and font styles? <\/strong>Use special typography and work with margins, line length, line spacing, type size, and type style. You can do things like making the lines shorter (bringing in the margins), using larger type sizes, and other such tactics. Certain type styles are believed to be friendlier and more readable than others.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Revising for Specific Points<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">When revising your document, it can be helpful to focus on specific points. When you consider each point in turn, you will be able to break down the revision process into manageable steps. When you have examined each point, you can be confident that you have avoided many possible areas for errors. Specific revision requires attention to the following:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_l02\" class=\"itemizedlist editable block\">\r\n \t<li>Format<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Facts<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Names<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Spelling<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Punctuation<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Grammar<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s01\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Format<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Format is an important part of the revision process. Format involves the design expectations of the author and audience. If a letter format normally requires a date at the top or the sender\u2019s address on the left side of the page before the salutation, the information should be in the correct location. Formatting that is messy or fails to conform to the company style will reflect poorly on you before the reader even starts to read it. By presenting a document that is properly formatted according to the expectations of your organization and your readers, you will start off making a good impression.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Facts<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Another key part of the revision process is checking your facts. Did you know that news organizations and magazines employ professional fact-checkers? These workers are responsible for examining every article before it gets published and consulting original sources to make sure the information in the article is accurate. This can involve making phone calls to the people who were interviewed for the article\u2014for example, \u201cMr. Diaz, our report states that you are thirty-nine years old. Our article will be published on the fifteenth. Will that be your correct age on that date?\u201d Fact-checking also involves looking facts up in encyclopedias, directories, atlases, and other standard reference works; and, increasingly, in online sources.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">While you can\u2019t be expected to have the skills of a professional fact-checker, you do need to reread your writing with a critical eye to the information in it. Inaccurate content can expose you and your organization to liability and will create far more work than a simple revision of a document. So, when you revise a document, ask yourself the following:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02_l01\" class=\"itemizedlist editable block\">\r\n \t<li>Does my writing contain any statistics or references that need to be verified?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Where can I get reliable information to verify it?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02_p03\" class=\"para editable block\">It is often useful to do independent verification\u2014that is, look up the fact in a different source from the one where you first got it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s03\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Names<\/h3>\r\n<div>\r\n<div class=\"\u201dcaption\">\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s03_f01\" class=\"figure small editable block\">\r\n<p class=\"para\">Always spell a person\u2019s name correctly. <span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">There is no more embarrassing error in business writing than to misspell someone\u2019s name. To the writer, and to some readers, spelling the name \u201cMichelle\u201d instead of \u201cMichele\u201d may seem like a minor matter, but to Michele herself, it will make a big difference. Attribution is one way we often involve a person\u2019s name, and giving credit where credit is due is essential. There are many other reasons for including someone\u2019s name, but regardless of your reasons for choosing to focus on them, you need to make sure the spelling is correct. Incorrect spelling of names is a quick way to undermine your credibility; it can also have a negative impact on your organization\u2019s reputation, and in some cases, it may even have legal ramifications.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s04\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Spelling<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s04_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Correct spelling is another element essential for your credibility, and errors will be glaringly obvious to many readers. The negative impact on your reputation as a writer, and its perception that you lack attention to detail or do not value your work, will be hard to overcome. In addition to the negative personal consequences, spelling errors can become factual errors and destroy the value of content. This may lead you to click the \u201cspell check\u201d button in your word processing program, but computer spell-checking is not enough. Spell checkers have improved in the years since they were first invented, but they are not infallible. They can and do make mistakes.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s04_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Typically, your incorrect word may in fact be a word, and therefore, according to the program, correct. For example, suppose you wrote, \u201cThe major will attend the meeting\u201d when you meant to write \u201cThe mayor will attend the meeting.\u201d The program would miss this error because \u201cmajor\u201d is a word, but your meaning would be twisted beyond recognition.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Punctuation<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Punctuation marks are the traffic signals, signs, and indications that allow us to navigate the written word. They serve to warn us in advance when a transition is coming or the complete thought has come to an end. A period indicates the thought is complete, while a comma signals that additional elements or modifiers are coming. Correct signals will help your reader follow the thoughts through sentences and paragraphs, and enable you to communicate with maximum efficiency while reducing the probability of error (Strunk, 1979).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Figure 5.1 \u201cPunctuation Marks\u201d lists twelve punctuation marks that are commonly used in English in alphabetical order along with an example of each.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_t01\" class=\"\u201dtable\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><\/th>\r\n<th>Symbol<\/th>\r\n<th align=\"center\">Example<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Apostrophe<\/td>\r\n<td>\u2019<\/td>\r\n<td>Michele\u2019s report is due tomorrow.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Colon<\/td>\r\n<td>:<\/td>\r\n<td>This is what I think: you need to revise your paper.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Comma<\/td>\r\n<td>,<\/td>\r\n<td>The report advised us when to sell, what to sell, and where to find buyers.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Dash<\/td>\r\n<td>\u2014<\/td>\r\n<td>This is more difficult than it seems\u2014buyers are scarce when credit is tight.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Ellipsis<\/td>\r\n<td>\u2026<\/td>\r\n<td>Lincoln spoke of \u201ca new nation\u2026dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.\u201d<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Exclamation Point<\/td>\r\n<td>!<\/td>\r\n<td>How exciting!<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Hyphen<\/td>\r\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\r\n<td>The question is a many-faceted one.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Parentheses<\/td>\r\n<td>( )<\/td>\r\n<td>To answer it (or at least to begin addressing it) we will need more information.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Period<\/td>\r\n<td>.<\/td>\r\n<td>The answer is no. Period. Full stop.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Question Mark<\/td>\r\n<td>?<\/td>\r\n<td>Can I talk you into changing your mind?<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Quotation Marks<\/td>\r\n<td>\u201c \u201d<\/td>\r\n<td>The manager told him, \u201cI will make sure Ren\u00e9e is available to help you.\u201d<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Semicolon<\/td>\r\n<td>;<\/td>\r\n<td>Theresa was late to the meeting; her computer had frozen and she was stuck at her desk until a tech rep came to fix it.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><sup><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.1<\/span> | Punctuation Marks<\/sup><\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_p03\" class=\"para editable block\">It may be daunting to realize that the number of possible punctuation errors is as extensive as the number of symbols and constructions available to the author. Software programs may catch many punctuation errors, but again it is the committed writer that makes the difference. Here we will provide details on how to avoid mistakes with three of the most commonly used punctuation marks: the comma, the semicolon, and the apostrophe.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Commas<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">The comma is probably the most versatile of all punctuation marks. This means you as a writer can use your judgment in many cases as to whether you need a comma or not. It also means that the possible errors involving commas are many. Commas are necessary some of the time, but careless writers often place a comma in a sentence where it is simply not needed.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are used to separate two independent clauses joined by a conjunction like \u201cbut,\u201d \u201cand,\u201d and \u201cor.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Example<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The advertising department is effective, but don\u2019t expect miracles in this business climate.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p03\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are not used simply to join two independent clauses. This is known as the <em>comma splice error<\/em>, and the way to correct it is to insert a conjunction after the comma.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The advertising department is effective<span style=\"color: #ff0000\">,<\/span> the sales department needs to produce more results.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The advertising department is effective,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">but<\/em>\u00a0the sales department needs to produce more results.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p04\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are used for introductory phrases and to offset clauses that are not essential to the sentence. If the meaning would remain intact without the phrase, it is considered nonessential.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table style=\"width: 698px;height: 56px\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 14px\">\r\n<th style=\"width: 1384px;height: 14px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 14px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 1384px;height: 14px\"><em class=\"emphasis\">After the summary of this year\u2019s sales<\/em>, the sales department had good reason to celebrate.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 14px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 1384px;height: 14px\">The sales department,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">last year\u2019s winner of the most productive award<\/em>, celebrated its stellar sales success this year.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 14px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 1384px;height: 14px\">The sales department celebrated its stellar sales success this year.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p05\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are used to offset words that help create unity across a sentence like \u201chowever\u201d and \u201ctherefore.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The sales department discovered,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">however<\/em>, that the forecast for next year is challenging.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><em class=\"emphasis\">However<\/em>, the sales department discovered that the forecast for next year is challenging.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p06\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are often used to separate more than one adjective modifying a noun.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Example<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The sales department discovered the\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">troublesome, challenging<\/em>\u00a0forecast for next year.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p07\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are used to separate addresses, dates, and titles; they are also used in dialogue sequences.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>John is from Ancud, Chile.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Katy was born on August 2, 2002.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Mackenzie McLean, D. V., is an excellent veterinarian.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Lisa said, \u201cWhen writing, omit needless words.\u201d<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s02\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Semicolons<\/h3>\r\n<p class=\"title editable block\">Semicolons have two uses. First, they indicate relationships among groups of items in a series when the individual items are separated by commas. Second, a semicolon can be used to join two independent clauses; this is another way of avoiding the comma splice error mentioned above. Using a semicolon this way is often effective if the meaning of the two independent clauses is linked in some way, such as a cause-effect relationship.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Merchandise on order includes women\u2019s wear such as sweaters, skirts, and blouses; men\u2019s wear such as shirts, jackets, and slacks; and outwear such as coats, parkas, and hats.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The sales campaign was successful; without its contributions, our bottom line would have been dismal indeed.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s03\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Apostrophes<\/h3>\r\n<p class=\"title editable block\">The apostrophe, like the semicolon, has two uses: it replaces letters omitted in a contraction, and it often indicates the possessive.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s03_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Because contractions are associated with an informal style, they may not be appropriate for some professional writing. The business writer will\u2014as always\u2014evaluate the expectations and audience of the given assignment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Example<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><em class=\"emphasis\">It\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0great news that sales were up.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">It is<\/em>\u00a0also good news that\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">we\u2019ve<\/em>\u00a0managed to reduce our advertising costs.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s03_p03\" class=\"para editable block\">When you indicate possession, pay attention to the placement of the apostrophe. Nouns commonly receive \u201c\u2019s\u201d when they are made possessive. But plurals that end in \u201cs\u201d receive a hanging apostrophe when they are made possessive, and the word \u201cit\u201d forms the possessive (\u201cits\u201d) with no apostrophe at all.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Mackenzie<em class=\"emphasis\">\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0sheep are ready to be sheared.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The parent<em class=\"emphasis\">s<\/em>\u2019 meeting is scheduled for Thursday.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>We are willing to adopt a dog that has already had its shots.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">Grammar<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Learning to use good, correct standard English grammar is more of a practice than an event or even a process. Grammar involves the written construction of meaning from words and involves customs that evolve and adapt to usage over time. Because grammar is always evolving, none of us can sit back and rest assured that we \u201cknow\u201d how to write with proper grammar. Instead, it is important to write and revise with close attention to grammar, keeping in mind that grammatical errors can undermine your credibility, reflect poorly on your employer, and cause misunderstandings.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Jean Wyrick has provided a list of common errors in grammar to watch out for, which we have adapted here for easy reference (Wyrick, 2008). In each case, the error is in\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">italics<\/em>\u00a0and the\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">[correct form]<\/em> is italicized within square brackets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s01\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">1. Subject-verb Agreement<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">The subject and verb should agree on the number under consideration. In faulty writing, a singular subject is sometimes mismatched with a plural verb form or vice versa.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Sales have not been consistent and they\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">doesn\u2019t<\/span> [do not]<\/em>\u00a0reflect your hard work and effort.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The president appreciates your hard work and\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">wish<\/span> [wishes]<\/em>\u00a0to thank you.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s02\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">2. Verb Tense<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\"><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">Verb tense <\/a><\/span>refers to the point in time where action occurs. The most common tenses are past, present, and future. There is nothing wrong with mixing tenses in a sentence if the action is intended to take place at different times. In faulty or careless writing, however, they are often mismatched illogically.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Sharon was under pressure to finish the report, so she\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">uses<\/span> [used]<\/em>\u00a0a shortcut to paste in the sales figures.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The sales department holds a status meeting every week, and last week\u2019s meeting\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">will be<\/span> [was]<\/em>\u00a0at the Garden Inn.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s03\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">3. Split Infinitive<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s03_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">The infinitive form of the verb is one without a reference to time, and in its standard form it includes the auxiliary word \u201cto,\u201d as in \u201cto write is to revise.\u201d It has been customary to keep the \u201cto\u201d next to the verb; to place an adverb between them is known as splitting the infinitive. Some modern writers do this all the time (for example, \u201cto boldly go\u2026\u201d), and since all grammar is essentially a set of customs that govern the written word, you will need to understand what the custom is where you work. If you are working with colleagues trained across the last fifty years, they may find split infinitives annoying. For this reason, it\u2019s often best to avoid splitting an infinitive wherever you can do so without distorting the meaning of the sentence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The Marketing Department needs assistance\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">to accurately understand our readers<\/span> [to understand our readers accurately]<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>David pondered\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">how to best revise<\/span> [how best to revise]<\/em>\u00a0the sentence.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s04\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">4. Double Negative<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s04_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">A double negative\u00a0uses two negatives to communicate a single idea, duplicating the negation. In some languages, such as Spanish, when the main action in the sentence is negative, it is correct to express the other elements in the sentence negatively as well. However, in English, this is incorrect. In addition to sounding wrong (you can often hear the error if you read the sentence out loud), a double negative in English causes an error in logic, because two negatives cancel each other out and yield a positive. In fact, the wording of ballot measures is often criticized for confusing voters with double negatives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>John\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">doesn\u2019t<\/span> need <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">no<\/span> [any]<\/em>\u00a0assistance with his sales presentation. [Or\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">John needs no assistance with his sales presentation<\/em>.]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Jeri\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">could not<\/span> find <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">no<\/span> [any]<\/em>\u00a0reason to approve the request. [Or\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Jeri could find no reason to approve the request<\/em>.]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s05\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">5. Irregular Verbs<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s05_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Most verbs represent the past with the addition of the suffix \u201ced,\u201d as in \u201cask\u201d becomes \u201casked.\u201d Irregular verbs\u00a0change a vowel or convert to another word when representing the past tense. Consider the irregular verb \u201cto go\u201d; the past tense is \u201cwent,\u201d not \u201cgoed.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The need\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">arised<\/span> [arose]<\/em>\u00a0to seek additional funding.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Katy\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">leaped<\/span> [leapt]<\/em>\u00a0onto the stage to introduce the presentation.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s06\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">6. Commas in a Series<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s06_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">A comma is used to separate the items in a series, but in some writing styles, the comma is omitted between the final two items of the series, where the conjunction joins the last and next-to-last items. The comma in this position is known as the \u201cserial comma.\u201d The serial comma is typically required in academic writing and typically omitted in journalism. Other writers omit the serial comma if the final two items in the series have a closer logical connection than the other items. In business writing, you may use it or omit it according to the prevailing style in your organization or industry. Know your audience and be aware of the rule.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Lisa is an amazing wife, mother, teacher,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">gardener, and editor<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Lisa is an amazing wife, mother teacher,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">gardener and editor<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Lisa is an amazing teacher, editor, gardener,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">wife and mother<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s07\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">7. Faulty Comparisons<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s07_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">When comparing two objects by degree, there should be no mention of \u201cest,\u201d as in \u201cbiggest\u201d as all you can really say is that one is bigger than the other. If you are comparing three or more objects, then \u201cest\u201d will accurately communicate which is the \u201cbiggest\u201d of them all.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Between the twins, Mackenzie is the\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">fastest<\/span> [faster]<\/em>\u00a0of the two.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Among our three children, Mackenzie is the\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">tallest<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s08\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">8. Dangling Modifiers<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s08_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Modifiers describe a subject in a sentence or indicate how or when the subject carried out the action. If the subject is omitted, the modifier intended for the subject is left dangling or hanging out on its own without a clear relationship to the sentence. Who is doing the seeing in the first sentence?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, celebrations were in order.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">we decided<\/em>\u00a0that celebrations were in order.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s09\" class=\"section\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">9. Misplaced Modifiers<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s09_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Modifiers that are misplaced are not lost, they are simply in the wrong place. Their unfortunate location is often far from the word or words they describe, making it easy for readers to misinterpret the sentence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\r\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Trying to avoid the deer,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">the tree hit my car<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><em class=\"emphasis\">My car hit the tree<\/em>\u00a0when I tried to avoid a deer in the road.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">The \u201cIs It Professional?\u201d Test<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s03_s12_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Finally, when revising your document with an attention to detail, you simply need to ask the question: is it professional? If a document is too emphatic, it may seem like an attempt at cheerleading. If it uses too much jargon, it may be appropriate for people with a technical background but may limit access to the information by a non-technical audience. If the document appears too simplistic, it may seem to be \u201ctalking down\u201d to the audience, treating the readers more like children than adults. Does your document represent you and your organization in a professional manner? Will you be proud of the work a year from now? Does it accomplish its mission, stated objectives, and the audience\u2019s expectations? Business writing is not expository, wordy, or decorative, and the presence of these traits may obscure meaning. Business writing is professional, respectful, and clearly communicates a message with minimal breakdown.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThe four main categories\u2014content, organization, style, and readability\u2014provide a template for general revision. By revising for format, facts, names, spelling, punctuation, and grammar, you can increase your chances of correcting many common errors in your writing.\r\n<h2><strong>End of Chapter Activities<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333333\">5a. Thinking About the Content<\/span><\/h3>\r\nWhat are your key takeaways from this chapter? What is something you have learned or something you would like to add from your experience?\r\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333333\">5b. Discussion Questions<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Discussion Questions<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ol id=\"mclean-ch06_s02_s06_l02\" class=\"orderedlist\">\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"para\">Select a news article from a news Web site, newspaper, or magazine. Find as many facts in the article as you can that could require fact-checking. Then check as many of these facts as you can, using sources available to you on the Internet. Did you find any errors in the article?<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"para\">Which of the following sentences are examples of good business writing in standard English? For the sentences needing improvement, make revisions as you see fit and explain what was wrong with the original sentence. Discuss your results with your classmates.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"mclean-ch07_s03_s12_l02\" class=\"orderedlist\">\r\n \t<li>Caitlin likes gardening, golfing, hiking, and to swim.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>At any given point in time, well, there is a possibility that we could, like, be called upon for help.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The evaluation of writing can be done through the examination and modification of each sentence.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>While in the meeting, the fire alarm rang.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Children benefit from getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and outdoor playtime.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Yee has asked us to maximize the department\u2019s ka-ching by enhancing the bling-bling of our merchandise; if we fail to do this the darn president may put the kibosh on our project.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ortega\u2019s memo stated in no uncertain terms that all employees need to arrive for work on time every day.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Although there are many challenges in today\u2019s market and stock values have dropped considerably since last year, but we can hope to benefit from strategic thinking and careful decision making.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>If you are unable to attend the meeting, please let Steve or I know as soon as possible.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>One of the shipping containers are open.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Find an example of a good example of effective business writing, review it, and share it with your classmates.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Find an example of a bad example of effective business writing, review it, and share it with your classmates.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333333\">5c. Applying chapter concepts to a situation<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Submit or revise?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nThe University of Vancouver posted a job for a Communications Associate in its Marketing and Communications Department. Mohammed, a final year student, pursuing a BA in Professional Communications, applied for the job. He is excited as he is permitted to work full-time on campus as an international student, and he needs the extra money. He was successful in the interview, which was stage one of the recruitment process and advanced to stage two.\r\n\r\nStage two included writing a blurb for an event that would be posted on the university\u2019s Facebook page. The Human Resources Manager emailed the details of the assignment to Mohammed, but he did not see the email until an hour before the deadline. He quickly completes the task but is not pleased as he has no time left to proofread and edit the finished product carefully.\r\n\r\nFrom the interview, Mohammed felt the Human Resources Manager and Director of Communications were both very approachable. Additionally, the salary and benefits are more than Mohammed expected. Mohammed fears that he will miss a great opportunity if he does not submit his best work.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>Should Mohammed ask for an extra day to revise his work or submit it as is before the deadline?<\/em><\/strong>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333333\">5d. Writing Activity<\/span><\/h3>\r\nWatch this video from TEDxIdahoFalls\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xqK6-ePxPa8\">The Magic Of Revision<\/a>. Summarize the video. What are some ideas can you apply to revising your business writing?\r\n<h2 id=\"mclean-ch09_s03_s02_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\"><strong>Attribution<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThis chapter contains information from<em> Business Communication for Success<\/em>\u00a0which is adapted from a work produced and distributed under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA) in 2010 by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution. This adapted edition is produced by the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lib.umn.edu\/publishing\">University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing<\/a>\u00a0through the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.umn.edu\/elearning\">eLearning Support Initiative<\/a>.\r\n<h3>References<\/h3>\r\nStrunk, W., Jr., &amp; White, E. B. (1979).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">The elements of style<\/em>\u00a0(3rd ed.). New York, NY: Macmillian.\r\n\r\nWyrick, J. (2008).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Steps to writing well<\/em>\u00a0(10th ed.). Boston, MA: Thomson Wadsworth.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>Discuss the revision process<\/li>\n<li>Identify 4 main elements for revision<\/li>\n<li>Highlight some specific points to revise<\/li>\n<li>Explain how to revise for grammar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Revising<\/h2>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">You have finished your piece of writing and you feel a sense of relief. However, just when you think the production of your document is done, the revision process begins.\u00a0 Your document is not complete, and in its current state it could, in fact, do more harm than good. Errors, omissions, and unclear phrases may lurk within your document, waiting to reflect poorly on you when it reaches your audience. Now is not time to let your guard down, prematurely celebrate, or to mentally move on to the next assignment. Think of the revision process as one that hardens and strengthens your document, even though it may require the sacrifice of some hard-earned writing.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">General revision requires attention to content, organization, style, and readability. These four main categories should give you a template from which to begin to explore details in depth. This chapter will explore ways to expand your revision efforts to cover the common areas of weakness and error. You may need to take some time away from your document to approach it again with a fresh perspective.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"para editable block\">Evaluate Content<\/h3>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s01\" class=\"section\">\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Content is only one aspect of your document. Let\u2019s say you were assigned a report on the sales trends for a specific product in a relatively new market. You could produce a one-page chart comparing last year\u2019s results to current figures and call it a day, but would it clearly and concisely deliver content that is useful and correct? Are you supposed to highlight trends? Are you supposed to spotlight factors that contributed to the increase or decrease? Are you supposed to include projections for next year? Our list of questions could continue, but for now let\u2019s focus on content and its relationship to the directions. Have you included the content that corresponds to the given assignment, left any information out that may be necessary to fulfill the expectations, or have you gone beyond the assignment directions? Content will address the central questions of who, what, where, when, why and how within the range and parameters of the assignment.<\/p>\n<p>Use these tips to help with content:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Do you need to add information readers need to understand your document?<\/strong>\u00a0Check to see whether certain key information is missing, for example, a critical series of steps from a set of instructions, important background that helps beginners understand the main discussion, or definitions of key terms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do you need to omit information your readers do not need?<\/strong>\u00a0Unnecessary information can also confuse and frustrate readers. After all, it\u2019s there so they feel obligated to read it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do you need to add examples to help readers understand?<\/strong>\u00a0Examples are one of the most powerful ways to connect with audiences, particularly in instructions. Even in non-instructional text, for example, when you are trying to explain a technical concept, examples are a major help, analogies in particular.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s02\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Evaluate Organization<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Organization is another key aspect of any document. Standard formats that include an introduction, body, and conclusion may be part of your document, but did you decide on a direct or indirect approach? Can you tell? A direct approach will announce the main point or purpose at the beginning, while an indirect approach will present an introduction before the main point. Your document may use any of a wide variety of organizing principles, such as chronological, spatial, compare\/contrast. Is your organizing principle clear to the reader? Do you have a conclusion? Does your conclusion mirror your introduction and not introduce new material?<\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s02_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Use these tips to help with organization:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Do you have a strong introduction?<\/strong>\u00a0Make sure you have a strong introduction to the entire document- one that makes clear the topic, purpose, audience, and contents of that document. And for each major section within your document, use mini-introductions that indicate at least the topic of the section and give an overview of the subtopics to be covered in that section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do you need to change the organization of your information?<\/strong> Sometimes, you can have all the right information but arrange it in the wrong way. For example, there can be too much background information up-front (or too little) such that certain readers get lost. Sometimes, background information needs to be consolidated into the main information. For example, in instructions, it\u2019s sometimes better to feed in chunks of background at the points where they are immediately needed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do you need to strengthen transitions?<\/strong>\u00a0Readers often have difficulty following a document if the writer makes the common error of failing to make one point relevant to the next, or to illustrate the relationships between the points. Make connections between the main sections of your report, individual paragraphs, and individual sentences much clearer by adding <em>transition words<\/em>\u00a0and by echoing\u00a0<em>keywords<\/em> more accurately. Words like \u201ctherefore,\u201d \u201cfor example,\u201d \u201chowever\u201d are transition words; they indicate the logic connecting the previous thought to the upcoming thought.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s03\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Evaluate Style<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s03_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Style is created through content and organization, but also involves word choice and grammatical structures. Is your document written in an informal or formal tone, or does it present a blend, a mix, or an awkward mismatch? Does it provide a coherent and unifying voice with a professional tone? If you are collaborating on the project with other writers or contributors, pay special attention to unifying the document across the different authors\u2019 styles of writing. Even if they were all to write in a professional, formal style, the document may lack a consistent voice. Read it out loud. Can you tell who is writing what? If so, that is a clear clue that you need to do more revising in terms of style.<\/p>\n<p>Use these tips to help with style:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Do you need to change your sentence style?<\/strong> Is the sentence style targeted to the audience? In instructions, for example, using the imperative voice and \u201cyou\u201d phrasing is vastly more understandable than the passive voice or third-personal phrasing. Passive, person-less writing is harder to read. Put people and action in your writing! Similarly, go for active verbs as opposed to <em>be<\/em> verb phrasing. All of this makes your writing more direct and immediate; readers don\u2019t have to dig for it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do you need to break up long sentences? <\/strong>Sentence length matters as well. An average of somewhere between 15 and 25 words per sentence is about right; sentences over 30 words can often be confusing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ask yourself the following questions<\/strong>:\n<ul>\n<li><em>Does my document have repetitious words?<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Does my document have old expressions and references?<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Does my document have unnecessary fillers (extra unnecessary words)?<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Does my document have slangs and clich\u00e9s?<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Does my document have parallel construction?<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Does my document have obscured verbs?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s04\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Evaluate Readability<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s01_s04_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Readability refers to the reader\u2019s ability to read and comprehend the document. As a business writer, your goal is to make your writing clear and concise, not complex and challenging. If your document consists of long paragraphs with no breaks, it can make your document difficult to read. The way your document is organized also gives your audience some insight into the kind of business professional you are. Remember that many times the first chance your audience has to meet you is through your writing, so making a good first impression in your writing is key.<\/p>\n<p>Use these tips to help with readability:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Did you use white space? <\/strong>White space is empty space on a paper. Empty space makes the document appear less cluttered and jumbled. White space doesn&#8217;t only mean adding a blank line now and then. Use heading and lists to increase white space. Search your rough drafts for ways to incorporate headings, for example, look for changes in topic or subtopic. Search your writing for listings of things; these can be made into vertical lists. Look for paired listings such as terms and their definitions; these can be made into two-column lists. Of course, be careful not to force this special formatting. Don\u2019t overdo it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Did you use effective margins and font styles? <\/strong>Use special typography and work with margins, line length, line spacing, type size, and type style. You can do things like making the lines shorter (bringing in the margins), using larger type sizes, and other such tactics. Certain type styles are believed to be friendlier and more readable than others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Revising for Specific Points<\/h2>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">When revising your document, it can be helpful to focus on specific points. When you consider each point in turn, you will be able to break down the revision process into manageable steps. When you have examined each point, you can be confident that you have avoided many possible areas for errors. Specific revision requires attention to the following:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_l02\" class=\"itemizedlist editable block\">\n<li>Format<\/li>\n<li>Facts<\/li>\n<li>Names<\/li>\n<li>Spelling<\/li>\n<li>Punctuation<\/li>\n<li>Grammar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s01\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Format<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Format is an important part of the revision process. Format involves the design expectations of the author and audience. If a letter format normally requires a date at the top or the sender\u2019s address on the left side of the page before the salutation, the information should be in the correct location. Formatting that is messy or fails to conform to the company style will reflect poorly on you before the reader even starts to read it. By presenting a document that is properly formatted according to the expectations of your organization and your readers, you will start off making a good impression.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Facts<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Another key part of the revision process is checking your facts. Did you know that news organizations and magazines employ professional fact-checkers? These workers are responsible for examining every article before it gets published and consulting original sources to make sure the information in the article is accurate. This can involve making phone calls to the people who were interviewed for the article\u2014for example, \u201cMr. Diaz, our report states that you are thirty-nine years old. Our article will be published on the fifteenth. Will that be your correct age on that date?\u201d Fact-checking also involves looking facts up in encyclopedias, directories, atlases, and other standard reference works; and, increasingly, in online sources.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">While you can\u2019t be expected to have the skills of a professional fact-checker, you do need to reread your writing with a critical eye to the information in it. Inaccurate content can expose you and your organization to liability and will create far more work than a simple revision of a document. So, when you revise a document, ask yourself the following:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02_l01\" class=\"itemizedlist editable block\">\n<li>Does my writing contain any statistics or references that need to be verified?<\/li>\n<li>Where can I get reliable information to verify it?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s02_p03\" class=\"para editable block\">It is often useful to do independent verification\u2014that is, look up the fact in a different source from the one where you first got it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s03\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Names<\/h3>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\u201dcaption\">\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s03_f01\" class=\"figure small editable block\">\n<p class=\"para\">Always spell a person\u2019s name correctly. <span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">There is no more embarrassing error in business writing than to misspell someone\u2019s name. To the writer, and to some readers, spelling the name \u201cMichelle\u201d instead of \u201cMichele\u201d may seem like a minor matter, but to Michele herself, it will make a big difference. Attribution is one way we often involve a person\u2019s name, and giving credit where credit is due is essential. There are many other reasons for including someone\u2019s name, but regardless of your reasons for choosing to focus on them, you need to make sure the spelling is correct. Incorrect spelling of names is a quick way to undermine your credibility; it can also have a negative impact on your organization\u2019s reputation, and in some cases, it may even have legal ramifications.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s04\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Spelling<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s04_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Correct spelling is another element essential for your credibility, and errors will be glaringly obvious to many readers. The negative impact on your reputation as a writer, and its perception that you lack attention to detail or do not value your work, will be hard to overcome. In addition to the negative personal consequences, spelling errors can become factual errors and destroy the value of content. This may lead you to click the \u201cspell check\u201d button in your word processing program, but computer spell-checking is not enough. Spell checkers have improved in the years since they were first invented, but they are not infallible. They can and do make mistakes.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s04_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Typically, your incorrect word may in fact be a word, and therefore, according to the program, correct. For example, suppose you wrote, \u201cThe major will attend the meeting\u201d when you meant to write \u201cThe mayor will attend the meeting.\u201d The program would miss this error because \u201cmajor\u201d is a word, but your meaning would be twisted beyond recognition.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Punctuation<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Punctuation marks are the traffic signals, signs, and indications that allow us to navigate the written word. They serve to warn us in advance when a transition is coming or the complete thought has come to an end. A period indicates the thought is complete, while a comma signals that additional elements or modifiers are coming. Correct signals will help your reader follow the thoughts through sentences and paragraphs, and enable you to communicate with maximum efficiency while reducing the probability of error (Strunk, 1979).<\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Figure 5.1 \u201cPunctuation Marks\u201d lists twelve punctuation marks that are commonly used in English in alphabetical order along with an example of each.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_t01\" class=\"\u201dtable\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><\/th>\n<th>Symbol<\/th>\n<th align=\"center\">Example<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Apostrophe<\/td>\n<td>\u2019<\/td>\n<td>Michele\u2019s report is due tomorrow.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Colon<\/td>\n<td>:<\/td>\n<td>This is what I think: you need to revise your paper.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Comma<\/td>\n<td>,<\/td>\n<td>The report advised us when to sell, what to sell, and where to find buyers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dash<\/td>\n<td>\u2014<\/td>\n<td>This is more difficult than it seems\u2014buyers are scarce when credit is tight.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ellipsis<\/td>\n<td>\u2026<\/td>\n<td>Lincoln spoke of \u201ca new nation\u2026dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Exclamation Point<\/td>\n<td>!<\/td>\n<td>How exciting!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hyphen<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<td>The question is a many-faceted one.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Parentheses<\/td>\n<td>( )<\/td>\n<td>To answer it (or at least to begin addressing it) we will need more information.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Period<\/td>\n<td>.<\/td>\n<td>The answer is no. Period. Full stop.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Question Mark<\/td>\n<td>?<\/td>\n<td>Can I talk you into changing your mind?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Quotation Marks<\/td>\n<td>\u201c \u201d<\/td>\n<td>The manager told him, \u201cI will make sure Ren\u00e9e is available to help you.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Semicolon<\/td>\n<td>;<\/td>\n<td>Theresa was late to the meeting; her computer had frozen and she was stuck at her desk until a tech rep came to fix it.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><sup><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.1<\/span> | Punctuation Marks<\/sup><\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_p03\" class=\"para editable block\">It may be daunting to realize that the number of possible punctuation errors is as extensive as the number of symbols and constructions available to the author. Software programs may catch many punctuation errors, but again it is the committed writer that makes the difference. Here we will provide details on how to avoid mistakes with three of the most commonly used punctuation marks: the comma, the semicolon, and the apostrophe.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Commas<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">The comma is probably the most versatile of all punctuation marks. This means you as a writer can use your judgment in many cases as to whether you need a comma or not. It also means that the possible errors involving commas are many. Commas are necessary some of the time, but careless writers often place a comma in a sentence where it is simply not needed.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are used to separate two independent clauses joined by a conjunction like \u201cbut,\u201d \u201cand,\u201d and \u201cor.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Example<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The advertising department is effective, but don\u2019t expect miracles in this business climate.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p03\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are not used simply to join two independent clauses. This is known as the <em>comma splice error<\/em>, and the way to correct it is to insert a conjunction after the comma.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The advertising department is effective<span style=\"color: #ff0000\">,<\/span> the sales department needs to produce more results.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The advertising department is effective,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">but<\/em>\u00a0the sales department needs to produce more results.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p04\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are used for introductory phrases and to offset clauses that are not essential to the sentence. If the meaning would remain intact without the phrase, it is considered nonessential.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table style=\"width: 698px;height: 56px\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr style=\"height: 14px\">\n<th style=\"width: 1384px;height: 14px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 14px\">\n<td style=\"width: 1384px;height: 14px\"><em class=\"emphasis\">After the summary of this year\u2019s sales<\/em>, the sales department had good reason to celebrate.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 14px\">\n<td style=\"width: 1384px;height: 14px\">The sales department,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">last year\u2019s winner of the most productive award<\/em>, celebrated its stellar sales success this year.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 14px\">\n<td style=\"width: 1384px;height: 14px\">The sales department celebrated its stellar sales success this year.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p05\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are used to offset words that help create unity across a sentence like \u201chowever\u201d and \u201ctherefore.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The sales department discovered,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">however<\/em>, that the forecast for next year is challenging.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><em class=\"emphasis\">However<\/em>, the sales department discovered that the forecast for next year is challenging.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p06\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are often used to separate more than one adjective modifying a noun.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Example<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The sales department discovered the\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">troublesome, challenging<\/em>\u00a0forecast for next year.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s01_p07\" class=\"para editable block\">Commas are used to separate addresses, dates, and titles; they are also used in dialogue sequences.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>John is from Ancud, Chile.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Katy was born on August 2, 2002.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mackenzie McLean, D. V., is an excellent veterinarian.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lisa said, \u201cWhen writing, omit needless words.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s02\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Semicolons<\/h3>\n<p class=\"title editable block\">Semicolons have two uses. First, they indicate relationships among groups of items in a series when the individual items are separated by commas. Second, a semicolon can be used to join two independent clauses; this is another way of avoiding the comma splice error mentioned above. Using a semicolon this way is often effective if the meaning of the two independent clauses is linked in some way, such as a cause-effect relationship.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Merchandise on order includes women\u2019s wear such as sweaters, skirts, and blouses; men\u2019s wear such as shirts, jackets, and slacks; and outwear such as coats, parkas, and hats.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The sales campaign was successful; without its contributions, our bottom line would have been dismal indeed.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s03\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">Apostrophes<\/h3>\n<p class=\"title editable block\">The apostrophe, like the semicolon, has two uses: it replaces letters omitted in a contraction, and it often indicates the possessive.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s03_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Because contractions are associated with an informal style, they may not be appropriate for some professional writing. The business writer will\u2014as always\u2014evaluate the expectations and audience of the given assignment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Example<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><em class=\"emphasis\">It\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0great news that sales were up.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">It is<\/em>\u00a0also good news that\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">we\u2019ve<\/em>\u00a0managed to reduce our advertising costs.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s05_s03_p03\" class=\"para editable block\">When you indicate possession, pay attention to the placement of the apostrophe. Nouns commonly receive \u201c\u2019s\u201d when they are made possessive. But plurals that end in \u201cs\u201d receive a hanging apostrophe when they are made possessive, and the word \u201cit\u201d forms the possessive (\u201cits\u201d) with no apostrophe at all.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Mackenzie<em class=\"emphasis\">\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0sheep are ready to be sheared.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The parent<em class=\"emphasis\">s<\/em>\u2019 meeting is scheduled for Thursday.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>We are willing to adopt a dog that has already had its shots.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06\" class=\"section\">\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">Grammar<\/h2>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Learning to use good, correct standard English grammar is more of a practice than an event or even a process. Grammar involves the written construction of meaning from words and involves customs that evolve and adapt to usage over time. Because grammar is always evolving, none of us can sit back and rest assured that we \u201cknow\u201d how to write with proper grammar. Instead, it is important to write and revise with close attention to grammar, keeping in mind that grammatical errors can undermine your credibility, reflect poorly on your employer, and cause misunderstandings.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_p02\" class=\"para editable block\">Jean Wyrick has provided a list of common errors in grammar to watch out for, which we have adapted here for easy reference (Wyrick, 2008). In each case, the error is in\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">italics<\/em>\u00a0and the\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">[correct form]<\/em> is italicized within square brackets.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s01\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">1. Subject-verb Agreement<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s01_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">The subject and verb should agree on the number under consideration. In faulty writing, a singular subject is sometimes mismatched with a plural verb form or vice versa.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Sales have not been consistent and they\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">doesn\u2019t<\/span> [do not]<\/em>\u00a0reflect your hard work and effort.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The president appreciates your hard work and\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">wish<\/span> [wishes]<\/em>\u00a0to thank you.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s02\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">2. Verb Tense<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\"><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">Verb tense <\/a><\/span>refers to the point in time where action occurs. The most common tenses are past, present, and future. There is nothing wrong with mixing tenses in a sentence if the action is intended to take place at different times. In faulty or careless writing, however, they are often mismatched illogically.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Sharon was under pressure to finish the report, so she\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">uses<\/span> [used]<\/em>\u00a0a shortcut to paste in the sales figures.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The sales department holds a status meeting every week, and last week\u2019s meeting\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">will be<\/span> [was]<\/em>\u00a0at the Garden Inn.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s03\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">3. Split Infinitive<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s03_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">The infinitive form of the verb is one without a reference to time, and in its standard form it includes the auxiliary word \u201cto,\u201d as in \u201cto write is to revise.\u201d It has been customary to keep the \u201cto\u201d next to the verb; to place an adverb between them is known as splitting the infinitive. Some modern writers do this all the time (for example, \u201cto boldly go\u2026\u201d), and since all grammar is essentially a set of customs that govern the written word, you will need to understand what the custom is where you work. If you are working with colleagues trained across the last fifty years, they may find split infinitives annoying. For this reason, it\u2019s often best to avoid splitting an infinitive wherever you can do so without distorting the meaning of the sentence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The Marketing Department needs assistance\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">to accurately understand our readers<\/span> [to understand our readers accurately]<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>David pondered\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">how to best revise<\/span> [how best to revise]<\/em>\u00a0the sentence.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s04\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">4. Double Negative<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s04_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">A double negative\u00a0uses two negatives to communicate a single idea, duplicating the negation. In some languages, such as Spanish, when the main action in the sentence is negative, it is correct to express the other elements in the sentence negatively as well. However, in English, this is incorrect. In addition to sounding wrong (you can often hear the error if you read the sentence out loud), a double negative in English causes an error in logic, because two negatives cancel each other out and yield a positive. In fact, the wording of ballot measures is often criticized for confusing voters with double negatives.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>John\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">doesn\u2019t<\/span> need <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">no<\/span> [any]<\/em>\u00a0assistance with his sales presentation. [Or\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">John needs no assistance with his sales presentation<\/em>.]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jeri\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">could not<\/span> find <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">no<\/span> [any]<\/em>\u00a0reason to approve the request. [Or\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Jeri could find no reason to approve the request<\/em>.]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s05\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">5. Irregular Verbs<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s05_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Most verbs represent the past with the addition of the suffix \u201ced,\u201d as in \u201cask\u201d becomes \u201casked.\u201d Irregular verbs\u00a0change a vowel or convert to another word when representing the past tense. Consider the irregular verb \u201cto go\u201d; the past tense is \u201cwent,\u201d not \u201cgoed.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The need\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">arised<\/span> [arose]<\/em>\u00a0to seek additional funding.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Katy\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">leaped<\/span> [leapt]<\/em>\u00a0onto the stage to introduce the presentation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s06\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">6. Commas in a Series<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s06_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">A comma is used to separate the items in a series, but in some writing styles, the comma is omitted between the final two items of the series, where the conjunction joins the last and next-to-last items. The comma in this position is known as the \u201cserial comma.\u201d The serial comma is typically required in academic writing and typically omitted in journalism. Other writers omit the serial comma if the final two items in the series have a closer logical connection than the other items. In business writing, you may use it or omit it according to the prevailing style in your organization or industry. Know your audience and be aware of the rule.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Lisa is an amazing wife, mother, teacher,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">gardener, and editor<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lisa is an amazing wife, mother teacher,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">gardener and editor<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lisa is an amazing teacher, editor, gardener,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">wife and mother<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s07\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">7. Faulty Comparisons<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s07_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">When comparing two objects by degree, there should be no mention of \u201cest,\u201d as in \u201cbiggest\u201d as all you can really say is that one is bigger than the other. If you are comparing three or more objects, then \u201cest\u201d will accurately communicate which is the \u201cbiggest\u201d of them all.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Between the twins, Mackenzie is the\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">fastest<\/span> [faster]<\/em>\u00a0of the two.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Among our three children, Mackenzie is the\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">tallest<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s08\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">8. Dangling Modifiers<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s08_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Modifiers describe a subject in a sentence or indicate how or when the subject carried out the action. If the subject is omitted, the modifier intended for the subject is left dangling or hanging out on its own without a clear relationship to the sentence. Who is doing the seeing in the first sentence?<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, celebrations were in order.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">we decided<\/em>\u00a0that celebrations were in order.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s09\" class=\"section\">\n<h3 class=\"title editable block\">9. Misplaced Modifiers<\/h3>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s02_s06_s09_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Modifiers that are misplaced are not lost, they are simply in the wrong place. Their unfortunate location is often far from the word or words they describe, making it easy for readers to misinterpret the sentence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"informaltable block\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><span style=\"color: #993300\">Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Trying to avoid the deer,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">the tree hit my car<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><em class=\"emphasis\">My car hit the tree<\/em>\u00a0when I tried to avoid a deer in the road.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">The \u201cIs It Professional?\u201d Test<\/h2>\n<p id=\"mclean-ch07_s03_s12_p01\" class=\"para editable block\">Finally, when revising your document with an attention to detail, you simply need to ask the question: is it professional? If a document is too emphatic, it may seem like an attempt at cheerleading. If it uses too much jargon, it may be appropriate for people with a technical background but may limit access to the information by a non-technical audience. If the document appears too simplistic, it may seem to be \u201ctalking down\u201d to the audience, treating the readers more like children than adults. Does your document represent you and your organization in a professional manner? Will you be proud of the work a year from now? Does it accomplish its mission, stated objectives, and the audience\u2019s expectations? Business writing is not expository, wordy, or decorative, and the presence of these traits may obscure meaning. Business writing is professional, respectful, and clearly communicates a message with minimal breakdown.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The four main categories\u2014content, organization, style, and readability\u2014provide a template for general revision. By revising for format, facts, names, spelling, punctuation, and grammar, you can increase your chances of correcting many common errors in your writing.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>End of Chapter Activities<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333333\">5a. Thinking About the Content<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>What are your key takeaways from this chapter? What is something you have learned or something you would like to add from your experience?<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333333\">5b. Discussion Questions<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Discussion Questions<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ol id=\"mclean-ch06_s02_s06_l02\" class=\"orderedlist\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"para\">Select a news article from a news Web site, newspaper, or magazine. Find as many facts in the article as you can that could require fact-checking. Then check as many of these facts as you can, using sources available to you on the Internet. Did you find any errors in the article?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"para\">Which of the following sentences are examples of good business writing in standard English? For the sentences needing improvement, make revisions as you see fit and explain what was wrong with the original sentence. Discuss your results with your classmates.<\/p>\n<ol id=\"mclean-ch07_s03_s12_l02\" class=\"orderedlist\">\n<li>Caitlin likes gardening, golfing, hiking, and to swim.<\/li>\n<li>At any given point in time, well, there is a possibility that we could, like, be called upon for help.<\/li>\n<li>The evaluation of writing can be done through the examination and modification of each sentence.<\/li>\n<li>While in the meeting, the fire alarm rang.<\/li>\n<li>Children benefit from getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and outdoor playtime.<\/li>\n<li>Yee has asked us to maximize the department\u2019s ka-ching by enhancing the bling-bling of our merchandise; if we fail to do this the darn president may put the kibosh on our project.<\/li>\n<li>Ortega\u2019s memo stated in no uncertain terms that all employees need to arrive for work on time every day.<\/li>\n<li>Although there are many challenges in today\u2019s market and stock values have dropped considerably since last year, but we can hope to benefit from strategic thinking and careful decision making.<\/li>\n<li>If you are unable to attend the meeting, please let Steve or I know as soon as possible.<\/li>\n<li>One of the shipping containers are open.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Find an example of a good example of effective business writing, review it, and share it with your classmates.<\/li>\n<li>Find an example of a bad example of effective business writing, review it, and share it with your classmates.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333333\">5c. Applying chapter concepts to a situation<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Submit or revise?<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>The University of Vancouver posted a job for a Communications Associate in its Marketing and Communications Department. Mohammed, a final year student, pursuing a BA in Professional Communications, applied for the job. He is excited as he is permitted to work full-time on campus as an international student, and he needs the extra money. He was successful in the interview, which was stage one of the recruitment process and advanced to stage two.<\/p>\n<p>Stage two included writing a blurb for an event that would be posted on the university\u2019s Facebook page. The Human Resources Manager emailed the details of the assignment to Mohammed, but he did not see the email until an hour before the deadline. He quickly completes the task but is not pleased as he has no time left to proofread and edit the finished product carefully.<\/p>\n<p>From the interview, Mohammed felt the Human Resources Manager and Director of Communications were both very approachable. Additionally, the salary and benefits are more than Mohammed expected. Mohammed fears that he will miss a great opportunity if he does not submit his best work.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Should Mohammed ask for an extra day to revise his work or submit it as is before the deadline?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333333\">5d. Writing Activity<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Watch this video from TEDxIdahoFalls\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xqK6-ePxPa8\">The Magic Of Revision<\/a>. Summarize the video. What are some ideas can you apply to revising your business writing?<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"mclean-ch09_s03_s02_s02_p01\" class=\"para editable block\"><strong>Attribution<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This chapter contains information from<em> Business Communication for Success<\/em>\u00a0which is adapted from a work produced and distributed under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA) in 2010 by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution. This adapted edition is produced by the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lib.umn.edu\/publishing\">University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing<\/a>\u00a0through the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.umn.edu\/elearning\">eLearning Support Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>References<\/h3>\n<p>Strunk, W., Jr., &amp; White, E. B. (1979).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">The elements of style<\/em>\u00a0(3rd ed.). New York, NY: Macmillian.<\/p>\n<p>Wyrick, J. (2008).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Steps to writing well<\/em>\u00a0(10th ed.). 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