BRESAU

Editing Is A Must

garyha — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:19:50 +0000

The following is a short article written by the English tutors at ITS Tutorial school on some simple questions that can be used to improve your editing ability. Please visit our website to see some more useful resources.

According to H. L. Mencken, an authority on language and a prolific writer himself, only 0.8 per cent of the human race is capable of writing something that is instantly understandable. Unless you’re part of that minuscule minority, editing is a must.

Editing means reviewing what you have written for its effect on the reader, not simply changing a word here, a comma there. Although editing does take time and effort, it will help you produce writing that will show you at your best.

When you edit your work, put yourself in the reader’s place. Ask the questions your reader might ask: ‘What does this word mean? Why didn’t you tell !lie that fact sooner? Why are you boring me with all these details? What do you want? How much will it cost?’ By adopting your reader’s point of view, you may be more objective than you might otherwise be.

Whenever possible , try not to edit your draft soon after you’ve written it. Getting away from it for a time may help you see its strengths and weaknesses. (If you’ve ever come upon something you wrote a year or two ago , you can appreciate how important the passage of time is in changing your perceptions about a piece of writing.)

The following checklist can help you edit your writing methodically. The list is organised into five broad areas. Try to make five quick passes through your draft, focusing on one area at a time, rather than looking for everything in a single pass.

A CHECKLIST FOR EDITING

Content

Keeping the intended reader in mind, is the information complete? Is it accurate?
Should any information be added, deleted, modified?
Are the points adequately, but not excessively, developed?

Organisation and layout

Will the reader know immediately what you are writing about?
Would the information be more effective if it were reorganised?
Is there a logical order in the way the ideas are presented?
Is the layout appealing? Does it highlight important points?

Paragraph structure

Does each paragraph make one major point?
Is each point explicitly stated?
Can long paragraphs be divided or short ones combined?

Style and tone

Is the language specific, natural and appropriate to the reader?
Can unnecessary words and phrases be deleted?
Are sentences varied in structure and in length?
Is the piece direct, clear, easy to read?
Does it flow smoothly?
Will the tone help you achieve your purpose?

Mechanics

Is the grammar correct throughout?
Is the punctuation correct throughout?
Are all words spelled correctly?

Finding An Efficient Writing System

garyha — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:54:24 +0000

The following is an article written to help people develop an efficient writing system. It was developed as part of an overall course that ITS Tutorial School runs on improving business writing skills. To read more articles by ITS’s staff or to review our services and charges please visit one of the following links to our website.

Many writing projects take longer than they should simply because the writer hasn’t thought about ways to do them more efficiently. Because writing is a creative process, it cannot be fully systematized. You cannot expect to turn out one memo after another with the same speed, precision and degree of excellence. But by systematizing the writing process as much as possible, you may be able to produce routine correspondence in a predictable amount of time-an important consideration in most business situations.

Writing systems vary from writer to writer. Even the same writer may vary the system used according ‘to his or her expertise on a subject, the kind of writing being done, its importance, or its reader. If you have a system that works for you, think of ways you can further streamline it. If you do not have a system, try using the one that follows. Going through these steps may help I you be a more efficient writer:

Worrying and procrastinating
Deciding what to say
Organizing
Writing the draft
Getting distance from the draft
Revising the draft

Worrying and procrastinating may come quite naturally to you. Do not scold yourself for delaying a project at its outset, though, because you need some time to warm up to the topic, some time to let your mind wander, some time to let your ideas incubate. Many of your best ideas may, in fact, occur to you at odd moments during the day or night. Like many other writers, you may excel at this phase of the process but lack momentum to proceed to the next phases. Try setting a strict time limit for this step. Then mentally let go of the project. Allow your subconscious to take over-but only for the specified period of time.

Deciding what to say will be easier if you first put down all your ideas about a topic without evaluating or censoring them. Then select those ideas that are essential to your message and to your reader. Do not hesitate to throwaway marginal ideas, for selectivity is important to good writing. If you have trouble coming up with enough ideas, or the right ones, you might need to do further reading. Sometimes talking to someone who is knowledgeable about the topic can help stimulate your thinking.

Organizing requires that you experiment with various approaches until you find one that does justice to the content, is easy to follow, and will keep your readers interested. Be careful that you do not simply replicate in the document the thought process you used in developing your ideas. You may, for example, have generated conclusions and recommendations only at the end of a complex reasoning process. Withholding these key ideas until the end of your document, however, might not serve the readers’ interest. They might well want to know the results of your thinking immediately.

Writing the draft should be a quick, continuous process. Try to complete the draft in one sitting. Expect it to be rough. Many writers tend to overwork their writing at this stage. As a result, they get stuck or discouraged and toss the draft aside. If you find yourself getting bogged down, push on. Coming back to an imperfect draft is far better than coming back to an incomplete one.

Getting distance from the draft will allow you to see your work more objectively. Horace, the early Roman poet, is said to have suggested that no document be published for eight years after being written. This cooling-off period would allow the author to decide if a piece of writing were still worth publishing. Although Horace’s timetable is poorly adapted to today’s fast-paced world, his basic point is sound. If you can get away from your draft for eight days, eight hours, or even eight minutes , when you come back to it, you will readily notice ideas that should be added, omitted or clarified.

Revising the draft may take as much as half your total writing time. In this phase , you’ll test the ideas and structure of the document, rearrange sentences within paragraphs, rewrite awkward passages, choose words for precision and proper tone, and check the grammar, .spelling and punctuation. This polishing stage will ensure that your writing is as professional as you are. This system works for many writers, but you need not follow it slavishly. For example, you may be drafting a letter and choose to revise a poorly phrased sentence immediately, or you may be ‘ revising the draft and only then realize that you have omitted important facts. Every creative process requires flexibility. Do not let good ideas get away from you. Clear writing demands clear thinking, which is itself a time consuming process. You’ll be more efficient once you have found a system that works for you. You’ll fall into the rhythm of work, and your mood and the product will benefit.

Hope that helps. Best of luck with your business writing tasks.

Are Cell Phones Hazardous to Your Health?

Jlewis — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:26:50 +0000

There have been many reports in the past supposedly linking cell phone usage with brain cancer. One of the latest rounds of press chasing this topic is due to a “report” from a doctor, which in reality has no original research, but is a collection of previously reported studies. It is interesting to note that many of the cited studies point to no demonstrated correlation between brain cancer and cell phone usage. Many of the studies just hypothesize potential risk mechanisms and in general, suggest ways cell phone radiation could cause health problems, but have no concrete statistics to support the hypothesis.

But, rather than drudge through all the data on Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) and microwave heating of the brain by cell phones, the attention grabbing headline that states “It is anticipated that this danger has far broader public health ramifications than asbestos and smoking…” is what individuals may focus on. Of course, this headline is purely for effect. The focus of the press is put on the risk of brain cancer. That’s most likely because cancer is a disease that frightens many people, often for good reason, and few cancers sound more invasive and deadly than brain cancer. We are aware of how serious brain cancer is. But how is cell phone usage affecting the occurrence of brain cancer?

The previously mentioned doctor suggests: “The incubation time or latency (i.e., the time from commencement of regular mobile phone usage to the diagnosis of a malignant solid brain tumor in a susceptible individual) may be in the order of 10-20 years. In the years 2008-2012, we will have reached the appropriate length of follow-up time to begin to definitively observe the impact of this global technology on brain tumor incidence rates.” And the worst case scenario (according to the restated older studies) is that after the “latency” period is over, we may see a 39% increase in brain cancers for those who have been using cell phones “heavily” for 10-20 years. If we make this generous assumption that includes 100% of the population of the US, we could expect, at most, 3900 new cases each year. That’s an increase in the total cancer rate of 0.27%.

To put the entire situation in perspective, compare those hypothetical 3900 new cases to the 213,000 new cases of lung cancer in 2007, where there is a well documented link between smoking and lung cancer. That’s not to mention the impact smoking has on other cancer rates like pancreatic cancer, along with heart disease, incidence of stroke and emphysema. How do you come up with the conclusion that cell phone usage “has far broader public health ramifications than asbestos and smoking…?” That is a very long leap from the reality of the situation.

Realistically though, anyone who has seen other drivers weave through traffic while texting or talking on the phone knows that using cell phones while driving poses a much greater danger to everyone; much more hazardous than the far-fetched risk of brain cancer caused by cell phones.

Everything You Need to Know About FTA to Decide if You Need It

Jlewis — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:51:56 +0000

FTA (Free to Air) is a whole new revolution in TV viewing. It is a novel concept; free TV! Seriously, FTA is free TV programming whose only cost is in obtaining the right equipment to make use of the free signals transmitted over North America. If this sounds like a gimmick, relax. A little online research will quickly assure you that FTA is not only real, but it is 100% legal.

Are you interested now? Before going further, it might help to assuage any worries by understanding just what makes FTA possible. It is very simple actually. All around the planet there are TV and radio stations transmitting programming in unencrypted format. They broadcast with unencrypted code knowingly so that their programming is freely accessible. Satellites bopping around in outer space pick up these unencrypted signals and rebroadcast them over North America where they can be received at no charge by anyone with the right equipment. The only thing required to take advantage of free unencrypted signals is an FTA satellite system, which is designed to pick up these signals for your viewing pleasure.

As anyone with Direct or Dish TV knows, subscription TV can be rather expensive. The more channels you want to watch, the more your subscription costs each month. A few new companies have entered the competition but prices show no sign of decreasing soon. No matter which pay-to-view company you choose, you are paying to watch TV programming. These companies have had control of the satellite TV market for years. The way that they keep customers dependent on them is with their use of encrypted codes. The bottom line is that customers pay a service to decode signals into a useable format for viewing. Most of us would welcome the opportunity to cancel our subscriptions and take advantage of free TV. Well, quit dreaming and make it a reality!

If you currently have satellite TV, you are already familiar with what sort of equipment you need for FTA TV viewing. Basically you need the exact same set up as regular satellite TV with the only difference being that your new FTA system will be picking up unencrypted signals rather than encrypted codes. You will need a receiver, a motorized dish for multiple satellite viewing, a stationary dish if you prefer single satellite viewing and all the hardware to mount and join all the components. Oh, and you’ll also a TV of course! If you have an HD TV, FTA offers numerous HD worldwide channels.

FTA equipment pricing is comparable to regular satellite equipment prices. Name brand FTA receivers are available online at very affordable prices, ranging from $59.99 for a simple yet high quality receiver that will bring you 5000 channels, to the $529 German made Dreambox 800 HD PVR that runs off a Linux operating system.

If you are sick of the high price of satellite TV programming subscriptions, FTA is a great choice for you. Buy an FTA satellite system and you will be able to watch TV for free and never pay a subscription fee again.

Luggage for the Experienced Traveler

Frank Stevens — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:29:17 +0000

The seasoned business traveler is one who has learned the tricks of traveling light. Traveling light means less time spent at the airport, less time spent packing, less time spent unpacking, and fewer items to carry around town on the way to the meeting or the hotel.

For an overnight trip, one good bag is all that is needed. Furthermore, it should be a carry-on bag. Everything needed for a business trip should fit in one good small bag. That way there is no need to check in luggage or go to the ticket window at the airport. An automated check-in kiosk saves time. From there, you can go straight on to the plane. The bag can be stowed underneath the seat in front of you, to avoid trying to find an open spot in the overhead compartment, and to avoid the delay of struggling to remove it from the overhead compartment before exiting the plane. Then, straight to the taxi stand instead of waiting for the luggage carousel to start up and fighting through crowd to find your luggage from bag after identical bag.

In order to make this work, however, you have to choose the right luggage bag. It should have room for your laptop, preferably in a separate compartment of pouch so that it can be removed quickly without spilling any other contents from the bag as you pass through airport security. Along with the laptop, remember that you’ll need room for the power cord. If you’re using it for your presentation during the business meeting you may also need a remote control and a compact projector. The newest projectors are small enough to fit in the bag, although if you only have access to a projector that’s a few years old, the one bag plan may be sunk.

A good piece of carry-on luggage will have a couple of exterior pockets into which you’ll put things that you may want to access during the plane ride. This might include a set of headphones, a paperback book, or an iPod or other portable media device. It’s a good idea to drop a bottle of water or a soda into one of these accessible pockets as well.

Inside the luggage, you’ll need a pouch or compartment for clothing. You’ll need business attire for the meeting. Don’t over pack. If you think you need to bring along a jacket because you’re traveling to somewhere where the weather is expected to be colder or where the forecast says rain, then just toss the coat over your shoulder to save the need for a bigger bag. Include basic toiletries in the bag.

That’s it, don’t be tempted to start adding extra items for your down time, or extra clothes to give yourself some options. Keep it simple, keep it light. Make sure the piece of luggage you bring is of good quality. The last thing you need is for a shoulder strap or handle to break as you exit the cab. A good piece of quality leather luggage that is small enough to be allowed on the plane as a carry-on bag is all the experienced traveler needs.

Online Bingo in the UK

Jlewis — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:28:04 +0000

Online bingo players in the UK can legally play for cash rewards, which accounts for some of the incredible popularity of these games, but not for all of it. There are many players that play online bingo simply for its sheer entertainment value; others play for the social aspect of meeting new friends with similar interests. No matter why people are playing online bingo, it is hot with all ages and social strata.

When a player goes online and looks for a game to join, performing a general search for online bingo games results in a list that is mindboggling in its size. There are a multitude of bingo websites available today with new ones constantly being added to the list. Competition for players is fierce, much to the advantage of the players.

How can a player use bingo website competition to their advantage? How can a player find the best bingo site to play? How does a player optimize their chances of winning? The answer to all three of these questions is simple, research bingo sites using an online bingo review website. The information provided on review websites helps players to find the most fun, generous, exciting and trustworthy sites to play online bingo with. With pointers and tips offered by review sites, players can learn about which websites offer the best bonuses so that they can make their money go further towards increasing their chances of winning. Hints are also very beneficial in helping players to improve their level of play.

Many review websites feature in-depth write ups detailing specific information about what each site has to offer such as first time deposit bonuses, additional deposit bonuses, sign up bonuses, game schedules and what size jackpots to expect. Review sites frequently feature a news section to keep players informed of news within the online bingo community. News sections keep players up to date about policy changes and other happenings that pertain to online bingo gaming.

A good online bingo review site features blogs written by real live players detailing actual experiences they have encountered (both positive and negative) on particular bingo sites. A bit of time spent reading blogs can definitely help a player direct his attention towards or away from specific websites. The more blogs a player reads regarding a particular site, the better the reliability of the overall information they will glean.

Playing online bingo in the UK is a ton of fun with super sassy, fast moving games readily available for play 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Online bingo play also has a social aspect to it. Social networking and chats make it easy to meet others with at least one obvious similarity, they like to play online bingo. Some claim to have met the love of their life playing online bingo, giving it a romantic aspect as well.

Online bingo in the UK is a hugely popular way for persons of every age and walk of life to spend hours having a load of fun and maybe even making a little money.

Minibus Maintenance and Record Keeping

Jlewis — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:13:01 +0000

Keeping good records for maintenance and other items involving a minibus has many benefits. A good record of maintenance will no doubt increase the resale value of the minibus. It can also result in lower minibus insurance premiums. There are tests and inspections that the minibus needs to pass every year and certain records in particular that should always be kept on hand.

The Ministry of Transport test, for example, is required for minibuses on an annual basis on the anniversary of the minibus’ registration. The test that is taken depends on the seating capacity of the minibus, with minibuses that seat more than 13 passengers requiring testing at specially designated testing stations.

A detailed record of the steps taken to ensure the minibus’ safety is also another good item to have on hand. These records can be very beneficial in case of an incident in settling the claim with the minibus insurance provider. This record provides written proof that the minibus was being serviced and operated within the range of a normal passenger vehicle. If a problem arises with the minibus that results in conditions that could affect the safe operation of the minibus, it is important that the vehicle not be used. To use a vehicle in this condition would result in the minibus insurance provider not being liable in the case of any incidents that occur.

Minibus documentation that should be kept on hand at all times includes the documentation relating to the functions of the minibus, the operating log of the minibus’ drivers, as well as an accident/incident book so that any such matters can be recorded and the details of the event be at ready access. A list of the authorized drivers of the minibus, along with each driver’s training information are also excellent pieces of information to have on hand in case of inspection. Finally, an up-to-date record of the maintenance checks on the minibus should be kept on the minibus at all times, along with the rest of the pertinent data.

Among the information regarding the authorized drivers of the minibus should be the proof that each authorized driver has a valid driver’s license, ideally with no points, and with any additional certifications necessary depending on the purpose the minibus will be used for. Slightly different regulations apply for “volunteer drivers” who are not required to have the same certifications as commercial minibus drivers, granted that the minibus is only used for non-commercial purposes, carries less than 15 passengers and the minibus insurance covers said driver. Even though all the certifications are not required for drivers driving for a non-profit, it is still an excellent idea to have minibus drivers go through training in order to ensure the safest operational conditions possible.

Minibuses are unique vehicles and the proper and safe operation of them requires some diligence on the part of those responsible for the operation of the minibus. By keeping the necessary records on hand and making sure that all of them are up-to-date and accurate, minibus operators can insure the safe operation of their vehicle.