Posts Tagged ‘grammar’

02
Jan

Online Writing and Editing Tips

In the online world, success is all about generating traffic. Traffic is measured in terms of “hits” (the number of times your page is accessed by someone on the Internet). Your hit count is a measure of how many potential customers or readers you are reaching and is also used by advertisers to determine where they choose to buy ad space. The better written your content, the more likely readers are to return to your site again and again, thereby improving your hit count. But beware; writing for an online audience is very different than writing for a print audience.

Writing Advice

Online visitors don’t actually read, they scan. Online articles must be brief, informative and attention-grabbing to be effective. Headlines should be short and should clearly inform the reader of the article’s topic. Avoid exclamation points, jokes and puns in your headline unless you are writing a humor column. Use a conversational tone, but don’t be sloppy. Avoid slang, jargon or undefined abbreviations if you are writing for a professional site. Personal bloggers have more latitude in terms of language and tone, but the most respected bloggers adhere to professional rules. Remember that new readers will likely find you by entering one or more keywords into their search engine. Scatter the keywords a searcher is most likely to use throughout your text.

Editing Advice

Grammar, spelling and punctuation still count. So does accuracy. Check your writer’s facts, particularly in scholarly settings. Online researchers typically consult more resources than print researchers. Literate and correct content implies professionalism and expertise—two things that will keep researchers coming back to your site in the future. Rein in flowery writers and those fond of dependant clauses. Two short sentences make for better online reading than one long one. Base your stylistic corrections on the approved source guide for your site (Chicago, MLS, SLS, AP, etc.) Monitor keyword saturation. Gratuitous use of keywords can actually cause your search engine rating to drop.

General Advice

The rules for online content are different than those for print content. Keep sentences and paragraphs short. Never underline a word or phrase unless it is an online link to another site. Always write in the active tense and use the fewest words possible to get your meaning across. “Experts consider blueberries a healthful fruit” is preferable to “blueberries are considered to be a healthful fruit by most experts.” Assume your audience can read at a ninth-grade level unless your site is directed at highly educated or technical audiences.

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09
Aug

How to Pass Aptitude Tests

Potential employers, educators and other organizations provide aptitude tests for potential candidates. These tests gauge the intelligence and skills of the taker during a specific amount of time. Most aptitude tests are not completed in the allotted amount of time, but participants are expected to complete as much of them as possible. The tests are on general or employment-related topics and include multiple-choice answers. Participants take these tests on a computer most of the time, but some take it on paper using a pencil.

Discover what will be included on the aptitude test you will be taking. You can do so by simply asking the administrator what is on the aptitude test. Do research to determine sample questions for the type of industry you are taking the test for. You can also find sample aptitude tests that you can take to determine your strong and weak points. Do this daily until it is time to take the aptitude test.

Study sentence structure and basic English writing formatting for paragraphs, essays and speaking. Pay attention to how each sentence flows and the correct way of speaking without using slang or uncommon words. Verbal ability questions determine the participant’s grammar, understanding of analogies and ability to follow instructions. These tests help employers determine how proficient you are in communication. Data checking tests require participants to search for errors specifically for clerical-type jobs, and this study method is common for this section.

Practice basic and advanced math that includes charts for the numeric ability tests. These tests are generally basic, but they may include some advanced math and charts. Brush up on things you learned in high school and take time to learn new things that may have been confusing to you in the past.

Read instruction manuals for basic appliances around your home and search online for manuals for products you do not own. Following recipe instructions can also be beneficial to studying for this test. Abstract reasoning portions of the test have questions to determine your logic and solutions to questions. These questions determine your intelligence and ability to learn new things.

Reassess your personal knowledge concerning physics for the mechanical reasoning test. These tests assess your mechanical knowledge concerning topics including inertia, force, energy and friction. Study books about the movement of the human body and books about how magnets work. Utilize the time until your test to study and understand physics terms and how they apply to everyday life.

Study electronic diagrams concerning your chosen field of work if you plan to become an electrician or enter a mechanical field. Fault diagnosis questions determine how participants find issues and fix problems concerning electronics or mechanics.

Research the field you plan to enter and the company you wish to work for. Break the job title down and determine your expected duties. Work sample tests include scenarios of work situations and conflicts and how well the user can handle it. Knowing and understanding your potential job responsibilities will prepare you for this portion of the test.

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26
Jul

Weaknesses of Writing an Essay

An essay is a short composition about a particular topic that is usually written from a personal perspective. Many students balk at essay writing; the mere thought of starting the assignment brings stress and anxiety. Students and instructors have identified common pitfalls experienced or encountered in the writing process. A frequently cited difficulty is writer’s block, a generic category which springs from various causes. Other weaknesses involve content, organization and grammar issues.

Treatment of Topic

Students may claim that the assigned topic is boring, vague or tough. The rebuttal is to be resourceful and creative. Look for an interesting angle. Scale the subject down to a manageable chunk or tweak it to a comprehensible level. On the other hand, if they’re given a choice of topic, students may be undecided, or keep changing their minds and take too long to make a final decision. The practical solution is to pick a topic with which they are familiar, or about which they are passionate or curious to learn more.

Planning and Preparation

Another deficiency lies in inadequate time and effort spent in organizing the outline, conducting research and writing the draft. Too often students dash off the writing assignment at the last minute just to meet the submission deadline. Some students go the other extreme by being perfectionists. They get overwhelmed with too much research and information overload, bogged down with unnecessary detail, or stuck with revising their work over and over. With proper guidance and mentoring, students can strike the right balance to devote just enough attention and energy to the essay.

Content and Value

The substance and quality of the essay can suffer for various reasons. For example, an essay in an argumentative genre requires supportive evidence to prove the writer’s point. The lack of authoritative sources, factual data or concrete examples weakens his position. He fails to convince the readers of the truth of his assertion or persuade them to his point of view. Poor choice of words can also affect the overall impression that the written work makes. Bland, safe words such as “nice” or “good” lack the rich nuances of meanings that imaginative rephrasing can improve. Cliches that have outlived their punch rob the essay of originality. The trick is to research and rewrite.

Organization and Structure

In a coherent essay, the central theme is clearly established in the introduction, developed in the body and synthesized in the conclusion. Without a smooth transition and logical progression of thought from one section to the other, the essay becomes a rambling work, lacking clarity of purpose and focus. Another danger is a lame ending that falls short of nailing down the concepts. These concerns can be resolved by reviewing and revising to achieve the essay’s objective and create a strong impact.

Grammatical Lapses

Grammar, which encompasses language rules from syntax to spelling, presents a host of problems. Sometimes the fault lies in simple carelessness. Neglecting to proofread or to pay attention to detail deducts points from an otherwise articulate work. The rubrics of subject-verb agreements and spotting dangling modifiers may not be a student’s strong suit, but with patience and practice he can master these intricacies.

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