English

English 202 Style Guide Updated Thursday, August 18, 2016

Contents Format using styles, get rid of blank lines, don’t use text boxes, and use the caption and cross- reference tools ............................................................................................................................................ 2

Use styles for paragraph-level formatting (stylex) (2 point deduction each occurrence) ............................................ 2 Do not add or keep blank lines (blankx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) ........................................................... 3 Do not use text boxes for document layout (document not accepted for grading) ..................................................... 3 Use the captioning tool to add captions (captool) (5 point deduction each instance) ................................................. 3 Add cross-references to illustrations using the cross-reference tool (xreftool) (5 point deduction each instance) ..... 4

Write to meet the needs of the reader ....................................................................................................... 6 Do not use back-to-back headings (backx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) ...................................................... 6 Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence, and keep paragraphs short (topicshort) (2 point deduction each occurrence) ................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Cite sources in the text using an (Author Year) citation (citerules) (2 point deduction each occurrence) .................. 7 List all cited sources in a References section (refrules) (2 point deduction each occurrence) ................................... 7 Choose good writing over bad (introx, nodef, pronounrules, demonx, slashx, oxcomma) (2 point deduction each occurrence) ................................................................................................................................................................ 8

Use standard conventions for grammar, punctuation, and spelling ................................................... 10 Introduce a list with a complete sentence that ends with a colon (listintro) (2 point deduction each occurrence) .... 10 Commas (1 point deduction each occurrence) ........................................................................................................ 10 Semicolons (semicolonx) (1 point deduction each occurrence) ............................................................................... 11 Dashes and hyphens (dashx, hyphenx) (1 point deduction each occurrence) ......................................................... 11 Punctuation placed outside of quotations (puncquote) (1 point deduction each occurrence) .................................. 11 Sentence fragments used as sentences (fragx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) ............................................. 11 Subject-verb disagreement (subjectverb) (1 point deduction each occurrence) ...................................................... 12 Run-on sentences (runonx) (1 point deduction each occurrence) ........................................................................... 12 Comma splices (splicex) (1 point deduction each occurrence) ................................................................................ 12 No comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses (coordx) (1 point deduction each occurrence) ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Noun-pronoun disagreement (nounpronoun) (1 point deduction each occurrence) ................................................... 12 Faulty parallelism (parallelx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) .......................................................................... 13 Misspelling (spellx) (2 point deduction each occurrence)......................................................................................... 13

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This style guide defines standards for all writing done in this course.

Please ignore the cryptic terms seen in parentheses in some headings of this style guide: (stylex), (blankx), (captool), and other such gibberish, are shortcuts I use when grading.

Format using styles, get rid of blank lines, don’t use text boxes, and use the caption and cross-reference tools For all documents, you must apply formatting using styles, use Word’s captioning and cross-referencing tools when the document contains illustrations, and avoid those features that make editing difficult.

Use styles for paragraph-level formatting (stylex) (2 point deduction each occurrence) Apply paragraph formatting using styles rather than by selecting text and then applying some characteristic. Selecting text and applying formatting directly must be limited to such simple actions as applying italics or boldface to a few words.

Learning to use and modify Word styles Many guides and tutorials can teach you Word styles. Here are a few I found:

• Understanding styles

• How to modify styles in Microsoft Word

• Word 2010: Styles and Themes

I know you can find other online resources just as good. I also provide tutorials.

Use only the following styles in this course Unless the assignment specifies otherwise, use only the following paragraph styles:

• Apply Title style to the title.

• Apply Heading 1 to all first-level headings. (Think of chapter titles in a book.)

• Apply Heading 2 style to all second-level headings. (Think sections in a chapter.)

• Keep the structure of your document flat; do NOT use Heading 3 through Heading 9.

• Apply Body Text style to all body paragraphs in a document with the exception of vertical list elements.

• Apply List Bullet style to all unordered1 vertical list elements. If you need to create an indented list—a sub-list within a list—use List Bullet 2.

• Apply List Number to all ordered vertical list elements. Use List Number only for lists that imply a specific sequence. Do not create indented numbered lists.

Body Text, List Bullet, List Bullet 2, and List Number must share a common typeface, paragraph spacing, and line spacing.

• Add a References section heading (Heading 1 style) to the end of any document that cites sources, list your sources, and format each source item using Body Text style.

1 Most lists are unordered. Unless your list is a sequence, or unless the items in the list are presented in a ranked order, use an unordered list.

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If you are not seeing all styles in Word, click Options at the bottom of the Styles pane and choose All styles:

Do not add or keep blank lines (blankx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) When styles define the spacing between document elements, blank lines are not needed and should not be added or retained. Delete them! To more easily see blank lines in a document, click the pilcrow symbol:

Some blank lines are added by Word and cannot be easily deleted2, but try to do so before accepting any unnecessary spacing.

Do not use text boxes for document layout (document not accepted for grading) As implemented in Word, text boxes do not support collaborative editing and commenting tools. If you use text boxes, I will return your file and have you fix it. (If the returned file is late, the late penalty applies.)

Use the captioning tool to add captions (captool) (5 point deduction each instance) You must use the Word captioning tool to add captions to illustrations, such as figures, photos, charts, and tables. (Illustrations are also called graphics.)3

Learning to use the Word captioning tool Many guides and tutorials available can show you how to add captions in Word. Here are a few I found:

2 For example, Word adds a space after a table of contents field that usually cannot be deleted without deleting the entire table of contents. 3 The first time you edit a large document that includes many figures and tables, you will be grateful for learning how to make Word keep track of captions and cross-references.

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• Add captions in Word

• How to Add a Caption to a Graphic in a Word 2010 Document

• Microsoft Word 2010 and 2013 for Dissertations

I also provide a tutorial.

Course rules for captions (caprules) For all writing in this course, captions must comply with the following (2 point deduction each):

• Captions go beneath figures and above tables:

• Captions have a label, a number, and a title. Your word processor will automatically add the

label and number (for example, "Figure 3" or "Table 5"), but you must also add a descriptive title that describes the graphic. (See the example in the next requirement.)

Add cross-references to illustrations using the cross-reference tool (xreftool) (5 point deduction each instance) You must use the Word cross-reference tool to create cross-references to captions. A cross reference is a link between what is being said in the text and an associated illustration. Examples include the following:

Figure 1 shows an example of the Thingamajig II in operation. (The cross reference is the subject of the sentence.)

The Thingamajig II is an attractive machine (Figure 1). (The cross-reference is a parenthetical element.)

In the following example, the cross-reference (contained in parentheses because it is a parenthetical element) refers the reader to the caption.

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The cross-reference can be either an element of the sentence or a parenthetical element, but it cannot stand alone because it is a sentence fragment.

Learning to use the Word cross-reference tool Many guides and tutorials available online can show you how to add cross-references in Word. Here are a few I found:

• Microsoft Word 2010 and 2013 for Dissertations

• Creating cross-references in Word

I also provide a tutorial.

Course rules for cross-references (xrefrules) For all writing in this course, cross-references must comply with the following (2 point deduction each):

• Place the cross-reference somewhere in the text shortly before the illustration is presented.

• Create cross-references that show only the label and number4:

Figure 6 shows the relationship between pH and disinfection effectiveness.

• Do NOT add position indicators to cross-references. For example, do not add words such as “below” or “above” when making a cross-reference. As you edit, such positional references are likely to become inaccurate, and finding these inaccuracies in a larger document is difficult.

• Insert the cross-reference as a hyperlink:

4 Don’t include the caption title in the cross-reference.

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Write to meet the needs of the reader Technical writing is all about meeting the needs of the reader. Write so that the reader rarely needs to work hard to understand what you are trying to say.

Do not use back-to-back headings (backx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) Do not use back-to-back headings. Put an advanced organizer between levels of headings to illustrate how a section is structured. In other words, describe how a section is sub-divided before jumping into the first sub-division.

Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence, and keep paragraphs short (topicshort) (2 point deduction each occurrence) Because you are learning how to write for readers who would dearly prefer to not have to read, always do the following:

• Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. Readers who skim documents—by which I mean all readers of technical documents—are looking at headings and first sentences to get the gist of what you are saying. Don’t try to create suspense by presenting the topic sentence at the end of the paragraph; you’ll simply annoy the reader with such tactics.

Structure paragraphs as journalists do, as an inverted pyramid, with the key idea at the beginning. Avoid writing chronological paragraphs that end with a conclusion:

Avoid this type of paragraph:

I started with the initial prediction of temperature values. Then, I applied the filter to correct the predictions before comparing to the measured experimental results. The filtered predictions for temperature matched the experimental results.

Instead, flip the paragraph to put the key point at the beginning:

After filtering, the predicted temperature values matched the measured experimental values. I started with the initial temperature predictions, and I then applied the filter to these values. The values matched.

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• Keep each paragraph focused and concise. If you cannot present an idea with a topic sentence and three supporting sentences (four at most), you need to rethink what you are trying to say:

• If the paragraph addresses more than a single topic, break the paragraph where the topic shifts.

• If the paragraph presents a list of items, format the paragraph as an introductory sentence and a vertical list.

Cite sources in the text using an (Author Year) citation (citerules) (2 point deduction each occurrence) When you make a statement of fact that is not universal knowledge, you cite a source by adding an (Author Year) notation close to where the fact is stated:

SI units were introduced in 1960 (Robinson 2007 p15).

More than half of the people living in the U.S. do so in places where the air is unhealthy (West 2010).

In Metal Evolution, Sam Dunn argues that modern metal has its roots in classical music (Fraser 2011).

Pay particular attention to the following requirements for citations:

• Author in the citation should match Author shown in the referenced sources. The reader is looking for Author, so show Author.

• Place the citation inside the sentence end punctuation. A citation outside of the end punctuation is a sentence fragment.

• If you are citing a book, give a page number where the fact can be found.

• If you are citing a source published on the Internet, and no author is named, use the name of the organization as the author:

A style guide provides standards for writing and designing a document (Wikipedia 2016).

• Yes, you may cite Wikipedia as a source5.

List all cited sources in a References section (refrules) (2 point deduction each occurrence) In a References section, placed after the document body, list references, in alphabetical order, for all in-text citations. Use the following pattern for each reference:

Author last name, First initial. Year. Title of cited work. Publisher. Access information (for web-based sources).

I’ve made the item-separators large and red to emphasize that items in the reference are separated by periods rather than commas. Nobody enjoys putting together reference lists, so be sure to format your references exactly as the editor requires.

5 I use Wikipedia myself to quickly find information on many topics. However, I also double-check the information found in Wikipedia before accepting it as truth. I encourage you to do the same.

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Here are a few examples:

Fraser, G. 2011. Metal Evolution Forges a New History of Hard Rock. Toronto.com. Available at http://www.toronto.com/article/705371.

Robinson, A. 2007. The Story of Measurement. Thames and Hudson Ltd., London.

West, L. 2010. More Than Half of U.S. Population Lives in Counties with Unsafe Air. About.com. Available at http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/stateofair.htm.

Pay particular attention to the following:

• Author name must match the in-text citation name (2 point deduction each).

• Do not list any references that you have not cited in the document body (2 point deduction each).

• Year should be the publication year, if shown on the article. If you do not see a publication year, use the year you accessed it.

• If two cited publications have the same author and the same year, distinguish between them by adding a lowercase letter after the year (2 point deduction each):

Smithers, L. 2010a. Citing Your Sources. Smith.com. Available at http://smithers.com/citing.

Smithers, L. 2010b. References in the Same Year. Smith.com. Available at http://smithers.com/references.

• If you are citing a source published on the Internet, and no author is named, use the organization name as the author (2 point deduction each):

Wikipedia. 2016. Style guide. Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_guide.

• Use the exact spelling and capitalization used by the organization you are citing. If you are uncertain, go to the organization’s website and look for the About Us link, which is often located in the web page footer (2 point deduction each).

Choose good writing over bad (introx, nodef, pronounrules, demonx, slashx, oxcomma) (2 point deduction each occurrence) As I read your writing, I will look for the following:

• Clearly indicated main clauses (introx). Long sentences that take forever to get to the point make for slow reading. Often, such sentences begin with long introductory phrases that are not set off from the main clause with a comma. In this course, I want you to always add a comma after an introductory word or phrase that precedes the main clause.

• Sentences easy to follow on the first reading. Having to continuously backtrack is a major frustration. When I find myself backing up to re-read a sentence, the problem (and the corresponding solution) is usually one of the following:

What I thought was the main clause is an introductory phrase:

In troubling times such as these times we need a new copier.

Put a comma after an introductory phrase to signal where the main clause begins!

In troubling times such as these times, we need a new copier.

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I encounter an abbreviation or term that has not yet been defined.

Define all abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms on first use! Present the full term first, and then, in parentheses, present the shortened form you intend to use:

• The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of the computer.

• The preferred option will weigh less than three pounds (lb).

• The software application (app) runs on most smartphones.

• I own a bought a new personal computer (pc).

I encounter a pronoun, and I’ve forgotten what it refers to.

Don’t continue using a pronoun more than a sentence away from its referent.

If the pronoun is a demonstrative pronoun (this, that, these, those), always convert the pronoun to an adjective by adding a noun:

The pipe had a longitudinal crack that opened under pressures above 50 psi. This crack accounted for the unexpected loss in fluid.

I encounter a slash used as a conjunction, and I have to figure out what it means.

Never use a slash (/) as a conjunction; specify what you mean. Do you mean “and,” or do you mean “or?” The conjunction and/or has no clear meaning and should never be used in a technical document.

Yes, I know the textbook uses slashes as conjunctions, but it should not. Technical writing should be precise.

I encounter a list of items, and I am uncertain if the last two are separate or grouped together into a single item.

Use the Oxford comma! In technical writing, we always place a comma (known as the Oxford comma) after the next-to-last item in a series of more than two items:

• My heroes are my parents, Superman and Wonder Woman. (Incorrect, unless your parents are Superman and Wonder Woman)

• My heroes are my parents, Superman, and Wonder Woman. (Correct)

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Use standard conventions for grammar, punctuation, and spelling If you are a native English speaker, you spent the first eight years of your education learning the rules of English grammar and punctuation. Then, in high school, you forgot those rules. Here is a refresher of what you should know.

Introduce a list with a complete sentence that ends with a colon6 (listintro) (2 point deduction each occurrence) So that your writing is consistent with the other writers in this collaborative setting, always introduce a list with a complete sentence that ends with a colon:

To complete the project, (Incorrect) • Draft the report

• Review the draft with a approving committee

To complete the project, we need to do the following: (Correct) • Draft the report

• Review the draft with a approving committee

By rule, the words to the left of a colon should form a complete sentence, except for a colon following a salutation (Dear Ms. Doe:).

Commas (1 point deduction each occurrence) The following comma errors are likely to catch my eye:

• No commas separating nonrestrictive modifiers from the main clause:

The iPhone one of the original smart phones is still popular. (Incorrect)

The iPhone, one of the original smart phones, is still popular. (Correct) The phrase between commas can be deleted, and the sentence would still make sense.

• A comma is placed between a subject and its verb:

A long document, is ten pages. (Incorrect)

A long document is ten pages. (Correct)

• A comma splits verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate:

The plans meet state rules, and are approved. (Incorrect)

The plans meet state rules and are approved. (Correct)

The plans meet state rules, and they are approved. (Correct)

• Other comma gaffes listed by the Purdue OWL.

6 Technically, the introduction to a list can end with a period, but in the collaborative environment of this course, I want to be sure we all follow the same convention. Use a colon.

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Semicolons (semicolonx) (1 point deduction each occurrence) A semicolon cannot be used to introduce a list or end a salutation:

The following rules apply; (Incorrect)

Dear Mr. Curmudgeonly; (Incorrect)

A semicolon (;) is used to join two closely related independent clauses or to separate items in a list when those items already contain commas:

Some people are fastidious; he was not such a person. (Correct) State capitols represented at the conference included the following: Austin, Texas; Sacramento, California; and Boise, Idaho. (Correct)

Dashes and hyphens (dashx, hyphenx) (1 point deduction each occurrence) Dashes and hyphens are not the same thing with different widths:

• A dash is used to set off information, in much the same way that parentheses do:

He drank too many cups of punch—a concoction consisting of fruit juice and some unknown liquor—for his stomach to handle.

• A hyphen is used to create compound adjectives or to express a range:

Her ex-husband turned out to be a small-time crook.

He spent time in the prison from 1999-2005.

Writers frequently add spaces before and after dashes and hyphens, but there should be no such spaces7.

To create a dash in Word, type two hyphens immediately after a word, and continue typing. When you complete the word following the hyphens, Word replaces them with an em-dash8.

You can also use the Insert > Symbol function to add a dash. Select More Symbols, go to the Special Characters tab, select Em Dash, and click Insert.

Punctuation placed outside of quotations (puncquote) (1 point deduction each occurrence) In American English, punctuation is placed inside of quotations:

According to Markel (2012), “a topic sentence states, summarizes, or forecasts the main point of the paragraph”. (Incorrect)

According to Markel (2012), “a topic sentence states, summarizes, or forecasts the main point of the paragraph.” (Correct)

Sentence fragments used as sentences (fragx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) Oxford Dictionaries defines a sentence as follows:

7 Some Word templates, such as resume templates, show spaces before and after dashes. If you use such a template, you will need to remove these spaces. 8 The em-dash is the width of the letter “m.” Can you guess how wide an en-dash is?

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A set of words that is complete in itself, typically containing a subject and predicate, conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses.

Although sentence fragments are frequently used by professional writers, in this course, only a sentence can pose as a sentence.

Subject-verb disagreement (subjectverb) (1 point deduction each occurrence) A subject and its verb must agree in number:

June and Edward is coming to dinner.

June and Edward are coming to dinner.

Run-on sentences (runonx) (1 point deduction each occurrence) A writer strings two complete thoughts together without connective punctuation, creating a run- on sentence:

He kicked the ball the ball bounced back. (Incorrect)

He kicked the ball, and the ball bounced back. (Correct)

He kicked the ball. The ball bounced back. (Correct)

He kicked the ball; the ball bounced back. (Correct)

Comma splices (splicex) (1 point deduction each occurrence) A writer uses a comma to join two independent clauses, creating a comma splice. The fix is to add a coordinating conjunction (and, or, so, but):

The sun came up, it was a new day! (Incorrect)

The sun came up, and it was a new day! (Correct)

No comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses (coordx) (1 point deduction each occurrence)

She hit the ball and she ran to first base. (Incorrect)

She hit the ball, and she ran to first base. (Correct)

Noun-pronoun disagreement (nounpronoun) (1 point deduction each occurrence) A pronoun and the noun to which it refers should agree in number, person, and gender. When this agreement is not achieved, the results look funny:

Every student should work hard if they want a good grade. (Incorrect)9

Every student should work hard if he or she wants a good grade. (Correct)

9 If you routinely use non-binary pronouns, I will accept this usage, provided you add an embedded comment explaining your intentional usage for the first non-binary pronoun in each document. I need to know that your usage is intentional and not a mistake.

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Faulty parallelism (parallelx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) A consistent (parallel) grammatical form should be used throughout coordinated elements. I most often see a break in parallelism in vertical lists in which the writer begins list elements differently:

Non-parallel (most items begin with verbs)

Parallel (all items begin with verbs)

The following are essential: The following are essential: Reset the gizmo. Reset the gizmo. Consistent pressure is important. Prime the pressurizer.

Prime the pressurizer. Consistent pressure is important.

Activate the startup sequence. Activate the startup sequence.

Misspelling (spellx) (2 point deduction each occurrence) Check your spelling! Poor spelling shouts, “This writer doesn’t care!” In the era of spell-checkers and Internet access, it adds, in a whispered aside, “This writer is also incredibly lazy.” Don’t be that writer.

Make sure your word processor is set up to automatically check spelling as you type. A red squiggly line beneath a word tells you to check the spelling.