Hello out there!

Hi everyone,
It's me and I'm back in the world of blogging. I'm feeling fresh and ready to write about ways to improve your writing and how proofreading and editing from a professional is critical. Remember that www.wordwriteforsuccess.com.au is the place to come to receive the help you need to make your writing perfect.
I'll be back soon!

Blumin Annoying!

I have just learnt that knowing how to spell can actually be detrimental rather than advantageous. Let me explain...

I have been trying to track down a dress to match a jacket I bought a while ago. Yesterday afternoon, I rang the distributer and she gave me the names of a number of stores to ring around to see if they had the dress in stock. One of the store names she gave me was 'Blooming Gorgeous' (at least that's what it sounded like!). She also told me that it was located in the Niecon Plaza at Broadbeach.

When I finished the phone call, I thought I'd do a google search for the phone numbers of the stores to try to source the much-desired dress. Well, this was where I hit a fairly large stumbling block. I typed 'Blooming Gorgeous' into google and was presented with 'about' 988 000 hits, all to flower related sites (although I must admit to not going further than the first page). Then, I thought I'd get clever and google 'Blooming Gorgeous Broadbeach' and clicked 'pages from Australia' before I hit the 'Search' button. Hey presto! The search narrowed to 809 hits, although was still mostly florists and some maternity sites. I noticed the search was also throwing up results with 'bloomin', so next I did a search for 'Bloomin Gorgeous Broadbeach'. Even though I got 375 hits, lower than both previous searches, the early indications from the first few pages were that I was on a wild goose chase. I was at my wits' end - surely it wasn't meant to be this difficult. A yellow pages search was equally frustrating - all I got were numbers for a florist and an escort.

Finally, after I recollected the phone call with the supplier, I remembered she mentioned that the store was in the Niecon Plaza, so, in desperation, I googled 'Niecon Plaza Broadbeach', which yielded the Niecon Plaza as top hit. With shaking hands (okay, not quite shaking), I clicked on the link and went to the Niecon Plaza home page. From there, I clicked on 'Shopping Directory', went to 'Fashion and Beauty', and there it was, third from the top, 'Blumingorgus'. I laughed out loud when I saw its spelling. It would have taken me years (actually, no it would not have, as I would not have persevered!) to have found the shop with a google search using this mispelling. I have to wonder what possessed someone to choose such an obscure spelling for a business name.

All I can say is that I hope they rely on passing trade, rather than on people guessing at the spelling. Spelling matters! By the way, when I phoned the store, they didn't even have the dress I was looking for. Can you believe it? I'm too exhausted now to even try finding the phone numbers for the other store names I was given!

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Use of the Possessive Apostrophe

Apostrophes are a very useful punctuation mark, when used CORRECTLY! When used incorrectly, however, they are plain annoying. I say, if you don't know where an apostrophe is required, it's worse to guess and place it incorrectly than it is to leave it out altogether.

The biggest error I see 'guessers' making is placing the apostrophe before the 's' rather than after the 's' when a plural occurs.

Here are some examples of incorrect usage of the possessive apostrophe:

1. When we checked the coop, all of our chickens eggs were ready for collecting.
1. When we checked the coop, all of our chicken's eggs were ready for collecting.

2. My brothers wives are both bringing a dish to lunch. (NB: Assume polygamy is not practised.)
2. My brother's wives are both bringing a dish to lunch.

3. The witches broomsticks were lined up against the hut's wall.
3. The witch's broomsticks were lined up against the hut's wall.

CORRECTED, they should read:

1. When we checked the coop, all of our chickens' eggs were ready for collecting.

2. My brothers' wives are both bringing a dish to lunch.

3. The witches' broomsticks were lined up against the hut's wall.

The tricky part is understanding that if the word is already in a plural which doesn't end in 's', adding an apostrophe before the 's' may be required.

eg. the children's hats, the people's wishes

For any clarification, just contact www.wordwriteforsuccess.com.au

What is the difference between a bibliography and a reference list?

Often, students confuse a bibliography as being the same as a reference list. However, there is a key difference between the two and it is easy (once you've heard it) to know how they are different.

Reference List:

A reference list is attached at the end of a document, providing specific details of all works from which in-text references within the document have been made.

Bibliography:

A bibliography also appears at the end of the document, after the reference list, and it lists specific details of all works consulted in the process of the compilation of a document, whether or not the work has been quoted from or referred to specifically within the document. It follows that all works which appeared in the reference list would also appear in the bibliography, but it is very likely that there would also be additional works listed in the bibliography, which may have been consulted in the research process without having been used for specific reference within the document.

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Bookclub 20th Year Celebrations

I know there are many, many bookclubs in existence these days, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that there are not too many bookclubs in the elite category which mine achieved yesterday. We celebrated 20 years of the "BBOTC - (Mothers are the) Backbone of the Community- Bookclub" yesterday with a beautiful day on Tamborine Mountain.

Of the current 12 members, 7 have been members since the bookclub's inaugural meeting 20 years ago. I think this is a pretty amazing effort. It shows a commitment to and passion for books, of course, but it goes far beyond this with the friendship, trust and support shared by members. We reflected a lot yesterday - on our favourite books, our memorable moments and the uniqueness of each member and what she brings to our bookclub. One of our members, Margaret, had gone to the trouble of compiling a folio for each of us which contained a listing of all books which have been read over the 20 years along with who had been discussion leader - a mammoth undertaking! My mother, Judy, gave a lovely report of the 20 years, just as she had done at the 5 and 10 year anniversaries. A tear or two were shed by most at various points of the report as she charted events in our lives which have impacted upon bookclub discussions, as well as remembering one special founding member in particular who passed away just before the 10 year anniversary.

We had a beautiful high tea at 'Tea and Niceties' at Tamborine Mountain, then moved onto Witches' Chase Cheese Factory for some tastings and purchases, followed by a leisurely stroll along Gallery Walk. It was a gorgeous day and one that we will all remember I'm sure. How lucky are we to be part of something so precious and how wonderful it is that books have played such a special role in our lives.

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Scooter Boy

My son is currently obsessed by all things scooter-related. He has my husband trawling the Gold Coast each weekend checking out skateparks and giving them a road-test. The result is that the whole family is becoming familiarised with a whole new world of terminology - half pipes, quarter pipes, sketchy drops, yak wheels and trolley bars - to name a few.

The latest angle to his obsession came in the form of a question he asked me earlier this evening. I was telling the kids about the family pet dog we had growing up. Her name was 'Half-pint' (because she was smaller than a pint of milk). Anyway, my son had to double-check with me that my memory wasn't 'sketchy' and that her name might have been 'Half Pipe' instead!
I think he secretly hoped that the family scooter fascination had kicked in a generation or two ago!

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Adverbs - what are they and how (and why) to use them

Adverbs are best described as a word which provides the reader with more information about the verb or adjective in a sentence. If we agree that a verb is the word in a sentence which describes what action is taking place, then the adverb is the word which can describes how, when, where and why the action is taking place.

Consider the following:

1. Jack talked about his day at school. (verb = talked)

2. Jack talked excitedly about his day at school.

3. Jack talked reluctantly about his day at school.

Sentence 1 provides some information, but it is a straight description of the what, whereas sentences 2 and 3 are much more useful in conveying meaning, all through the addition of an adverb.

Similarly, an adjective will provide a degree of description, but this can be enhanced by the insertion of an adverb.

Consider the following:

1. Grace is a slow runner. (slow = adjective)

2. Grace is a very slow runner.

The second sentence provides further information about Grace's speed as a runner.

Lastly, an adverb can be used in a sentence to add meaning to an existing adverb.

Consider this:

1. She ran too quickly for me to be able to keep up.

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Junky Junk Mail

If we had a set of scales, I would weigh the junk mail we have received since last weekend. Since we don't, I'll have to try to estimate the weight of it at around 5 kgs. Put it this way, I can't lift it all with one hand (then again, I am a bit of a weakling!).

Nevertheless, the point I'm making is that the volume of junk mail we are receiving is out-of-control. We are seeing an environmental disaster occur on a daily basis and before our very eyes. When the amount of paper, ink, printing and distributing is considered, this has a massive environmental impact. Add to this that the normal next stop for the junk mail after it has made its way into the home is the household bin (with perhaps a few detours around the house if a good breeze picks up unexpectedly). I, for one, hate the mess junk mail creates and can't wait to get it out of the house and into the bin. Of course, this then needs to be collected and disposed of by our councils. Fingers crossed that householders put their junk mail into the recycling bin when they are finished with it, at the very least! There's no denying, though, that junk mail is posing a serious environmental issue.

Secondly, in amongst today's junk mail, I found a particularly large and glossy flyer from a company offering me the opportunity to have my business's flyer produced and distributed by them, so there is a very active and quite convincing campaign to potentially increase the junk mail factor. Well, I'm not interested and I sincerely hope that there are many likeminded others. I have horror visions of households across Australia drowning in their junk mail.

Lastly, since so many are able to enjoy access to the internet and growing numbers are attaching a polite 'Australia Post Mail only' label to their letterboxes without seeming to be too deprived of crucial information to be able to function in their lives, why not let people make a choice to seek the service or good they need via the internet? If we don't like to be bothered by telemarketers or door-to-door salespeople, how is it that we are allowing so much other unsolicited material to make its way into our letterboxes and then into our home? If I want a product or service, I'm going to go looking for it and the first place I'm likely to do that is on the internet. A quick google search usually provides the information I'm seeking. It's saving the environment, it's neat and tidy and I find information I need rather than being besieged by information I have little (and usually no) interest in knowing.

Now that I've had my rant, I had better put my plan into action and get our letterbox its special message to future junk mail deliverers. While it feels like we've received junkmail for every possible service or product known to humankind, from tree lopping to beauty salons to tax return preparation (sound familiar?), I doubt there's ever been a single piece distributed offering 'Polite Letterbox Signage'!

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Planning Your Writing

It's okay to admit that when you have writing to do, you want it finished with as soon as is possible. This is the case for most of us. It's so very tempting to just launch straight into getting words down on the page (or the screen, as the case may be). When it comes to writing a document that you will be happy with though, I really can't stress enough the importance of planning. In fact, planning your writing will actually save you time when it comes to doing the writing.

There are three bonuses you will discover when you plan your writing:

1. Your document will make its point more obviously. If you don't plan, your ideas will stray from your intended purpose.

2. If you're writing to a word limit (which you will be if you are a student), planning ensures that you don't hit walls with your writing.

3. Lastly, planning helps you to organise your ideas into a clear order, which your reader will be able to follow easily.

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Wedding MC Jitters

This Saturday, my little brother is getting married to his lovely fiance. I'm sure they are both feeling a few pre-wedding jitters, which will increase as the day draws nearer. However, I would like everyone to spare a thought for me as we lead up to the wedding, as I've been asked to act as Master of Ceremonies for the reception. Am I nervous? The answer is 'yes'. Am I excited? Once again, 'yes'.

I have spent some time lately contemplating my approach to the MC role. This has included research via the internet, where I have learned the following - use some humour, keep it clean and classy, and don't write everything out word for word to avoid sounding very rehearsed and stilted. Fortunately, I am limited to about a 5 minute time frame for my introduction and, while I have threatened my family with dramatic skits, interpretive dance and a retelling of my own personal love journey, I feel like I have come up with a reasonable approach to the evening. At this stage, I can't divulge what that approach is - it will be a secret until the night - but I'll keep you posted with how it goes.

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It's Time!

It's time to get back into blogging. I've given myself a good talking to and know I need to become serious again. I remember reading a few months ago about Anna and her blog, 'Absolutely Beautiful Things' www.absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com, and how she felt that it was taking too much of her time. Fortunately for all who follow her beautiful blog, she rode through that little patch and continues to provide beautiful visual 'food' for us all. I've been feeling a little bit that way myself. It's not that posting a blog takes a lot of time necessarily, although it can. It's more that I find myself becoming consumed and distracted by what the day's post is going to be about.

There are still endless possibilities of course. Proofreading and editing of documents provides constant 'material' for the blog. My proofreading eagle eye as I'm out and about spots plenty of errors in writing too. I'm wondering about what you, as reader, what like to know more about when it comes to preparing written documents. Let me know, either by posting a comment or direct email to info@wordwriteforsuccess.com.au.

www.wordwriteforsuccess.com.au

Need a Tutor?

Word Write for Success provides 'modern' tuition, particularly in assistance with the preparation and finishing touches of proofreading and editing of assignment work. We can't do the assignment for you, of course, but we can assist just as the old-fashioned tutor would have done, by working alongside you to explain, develop your ideas and refine assignment work.

The only difference (and it's a good one) is that we do it electronically - you email through your request, including your assignment topic or task purpose and we work from there. The beauty of this electronic tuition is that you seek support on a needs basis, rather than at a weekly set time when you might not necessarily have a specific project to complete. Of course, you don't have to leave the comfort of your home either or worry about someone coming into your home. Your precious time and money is therefore optimised. Our rate is $45 per hour which compares very favourably with face-to-face tuition. Lastly, and most importantly, tuition is provided by highly qualified and experienced educators, with many years of secondary teaching experience to offer.

We specialise in support for secondary and tertiary students, however, can also assist with support of primary students in the area of English/Mathematics.

Document types with which we can assist in proofreading, editing and improving are -

* assignments - essays, short stories, media articles
* presentations - speeches, seminars
* powerpoint presentations
* websites
* blog set-up, design and writing
* applications - eg. scholarship applications
* jobs - resumes, letters of application, curriculum vitae
* book chapters
* thesis proofreading (sorry, we can't help you write this one!)

See our website for how we have helped students already - http://www.wordwriteforsuccess.com.au/ and go to 'Testimonials'.

A Secret Place...

First of all, my apologies for my blog black hole of late. I've been away taking a little break. We went camping to a very special place where there is no electricity or mobile phone coverage, hence a place of great relaxation. I can't tell you where though as it's so quiet and unspoiled that I don't want to share it. Sorry for being so selfish.

Here are some clues though:
* we stopped for supplies at Beaudesert
* it was cold
* it took less than 90 mins to reach from our home on the Gold Coast
* we were surrounded by cattle paddocks
* the nearest town was only 8 kms away

If you guess correctly, I'll tell you. If not, it will remain my secret camping spot for a while longer.

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Proofreading Perfection

Time to go back to basics. I've said it before and I'll say it again - proofreading is critical to any written text. As stated on my website for 'Word Write for Success', we provide proofreading and editing for document excellence. Some might ask why a document's excellence is important. Since we're in the throes of considering house renovations, I'll use a parallel.

As we renovate, we could have a bash at doing some of the work ourselves. We've watched a few home renovation shows on television - the Lifestyle Channel makes it all look quite easy. However, in our hearts we know that a room painted by a professional painter or a bathroom finished by a professional tiler is going to have a finish that we could never achieve, despite our best efforts. The assurance a professional offers will save us loads of time, stress, mess and worry. It will also save us from being in the expensive and frustrating situation of doing a botched job of the renos ourselves, only to have to call the professional in at the end of it all to fix the mistakes we've made.

Proofreading is a professional skill. Just as a painter, electrician or plumber possess a specific skill set which they bring to a job, so the proofreader will approach a proofreading job with the ultimate goal of providing an excellent finished product - your perfect document. So, the next time you have a document which you care about getting right, seek a professional's advice.

As an end of financial year special, we are offering all new customers 25% discount on your first document proofread by us. Contact 'Word Write for Success' at info@wordwriteforsuccess.com.au or go to our website - www.wordwriteforsuccess.com.au

Burn the Floor!

This afternoon, my daughter and I went to see the amazing dance show by Jason Gilkerson, 'Burn the Floor', on at the Gold Coast Arts Centre at present. It was awesome, incredible, energetic and captivating. Each couple had been chosen from around the world, with countries represented including Russia, New Zealand and England, to name a few. A special surprise was seeing Henry from 'So You Think You Can Dance - Season 1' representing Australia. He is something else! Not only were the dancers fabulous, but they were accompanied by the two most skilled drummers I have ever seen - I can still feel the beat pumping! Then, there were the two singers, who were, once again, just wonderful.

I think you can gather that we were both blown away and so glad we were able to see the show. The only disappointment of the afternoon was that the theatre was not booked out. The performers deserved a full audience and testament to this was the resounding standing ovation they received at the finale. Talk about passion! The floor was on fire!

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Mean Girls Quiz Answers

Here are the answers to the quiz from yesterday's post:

1. How old is the main character, Cady? 16 years old
2. What colour t-shirt is she wearing on her first day at school? red
3. What is the date on the day that Aaron asks her to tell him the date? October 3rd
4. What will occur if Cady joins the Mathletes? Social suicide
5. Name three of the groups identified during the film. Plastics, Hot Asians, Asian Nerds, Preps, JV Jocks, Sexually Active Band Geeks, Burnouts
6. What colour is Damien's suit at the Christmas concert? white
7. Complete the phrase, 'Seeing a teacher outside school is like'..... 'seeing a dog walk on its hind legs
8. How has Gretchen's father made his fortune? Toaster Strudel
9. What is the name of the book Regina has compiled? The Burn Book
10.What is the answer to the sudden death question at the Mathletes championship? The limit does not exist

How did you go?

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Are you a 'mean' girl?

Today I've watched 'Mean Girls' for what must be the fourth or fifth time. It's an excellent film for all teenagers, girls and boys alike. Based on the book, 'Queen Bees and Wannabes', by Rosalind Wiseman, the film explores the adolescent world of cliques, gossip, peer pressure and boyfriends.

If you have already seen it, here are some questions for you to check how closely you were paying attention as you watched (and if you haven't seen it, you should - then trying answering the following):

1. How old is the main character, Cady?
2. What colour t-shirt is she wearing on her first day at school?
3. What is the date on the day that Aaron asks her to tell him the date?
4. What will occur if Cady joins the Mathletes?
5. Name three of the groups identified during the film.
6. What colour is Damien's suit at the Christmas concert?
7. Complete the phrase, 'Seeing a teacher outside school is like.....'
8. How has Gretchen's father made his fortune?
9. What is the name of the book Regina has compiled?
10. What is the answer to the sudden death question at the Mathletes championship?

Check tomorrow's post for the answers to these all-important questions.

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Why plan? Why not?

Today, I was supervising a group of students completing a piece of writing under supervised conditions. There were 28 students in the room. The task was to take 30 minutes - 5 minutes of planning, 20 minutes of writing and 5 minutes of editing.

Once the students began the 5 minute planning stage, I circulated around the room and observed the following: 27 students were busily doing as they had been told, making their plans in the designated space on the test. Then there was the one student who had merrily gone on his way, dispensing with the planning stage and moving straight into the writing phase.

It started me thinking. I wonder whether that particular student plans on travelling in the future, not necessarily on an overseas trip, but even a trip within Australia. Will he make a plan or will he just dive straight in and hope for the best? Will he take each day of the trip as it comes or will he know where he will be staying tomorrow night and how he will get there? Come to think of it, if he's not a planner by nature, he probably hadn't planned where he was meeting his friends for lunch today, let alone some nebulous future trip.

Perhaps the world can be divided into the planners and the doers. The planners step themselves through the process hypothetically. They devise a logical order and they consider what options are available. In this way, they have a 'road map' of sorts, irrespective of the task at hand. The task could be as simple as a piece of writing or it could be as mammoth as a wedding. In setting themselves up with a plan, they ensure greater predictability of the desired outcome.

In contrast, the doers are willing to take a chance, run a risk or leave all in the lap of the gods when it comes to outcomes. They throw caution to the wind and leap in with both eyes shut. I have no statistics to support this assertion, but my gut reaction is that these doers have the potential to be equally as successful in achieving a positive outcome. It might not be THE outcome (as defined by a planner type), but it is an outcome which has been reached by a more passionate, impulsive and, dare I say it, instinctive pathway.

So, which are you? If you answer 'yes' to the following, you are definitely a planner rather than a doer:

* do you have a GPS installed in your car?
* when you go to the supermarket, do you have a list?
* prior to your last road trip, did you consult Google maps?
* do you have a calendar which lists all of your family and friends' birthdays?
* if you had to write a letter of complaint or an essay, would you start by listing dot points?
* before a social occasion, do you mentally prepare possible conversation starters?
* when cooking from a recipe, do you take out all required ingredients prior to beginning?
* do you have a cupboard in your home with gifts on hand for as yet unspecified recipients?
* could you tell me what you will be doing in two weeks' time on Saturday morning?

Okay, which are you? Don't be embarrassed! We can't all be the same and who's to say whether it's better to be a planner or a doer. Maybe the results of the test my students sat today will provide me with further insight. Then again, maybe not...

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Monday Mutter

Here I go -
* leftover washing from the weekend still needs folding (at least my ironing lady doesn't pick up until tomorrow!)
* didn't arrive home until dark (good excuse for takeaway though!)
* still cold (but not as cold as last week)
* lots of paperwork to read, sign, return, rsvp to (but no bills - touch wood!)
* only half a glass of wine left in the bottle (better than none at all)
* tired (but not too tired to keep reading my book)

Who am I kidding? If I categorise this as a bad Monday, I haven't got much to complain about, have I?

I hope you had a good Monday!

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Laugh out loud

I'm reading a really funny book at the moment. In fact, this post is by necessity going to be quite short, so that I can get back to it as quickly as possible.

Writers who can make you laugh out loud as you read their book have a very special talent. British comedian, Peter Kay, has achieved this for me with his appropriately titled book, 'The Sound of Laughter'. His stories are so down-to-earth, often self-deprecating and about everyday life. It reached a point a couple of nights ago where I was laughing so much as I was reading that I started to wheeze. It was at about this point also that my husband stopped enjoying my mirth and threatened to send me into another room to continue reading.

It's been quite a while since I've been so entertained by a book. Another writer who had this effect on me was Nick Earls with '48 Shades of Brown'. I can remember my husband coming to check on me when he heard strange noises coming from our bedroom - it was me trying not to laugh too loudly so as not to wake our sleeping children.

I've said it before, I'm not a book snob, and this post proves it. If you want to read a really clever book, this one isn't it. However, if you feel like a laugh, try to get your hands on a copy of 'The Sound of Laughter'.

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Powerpoint Tips - Use of Font

To maximise the impact of your powerpoint, rather than distract viewers from the messages you wish to convey, be careful with your font choices.

Here are some guidelines when it comes to use of font:

* Restrict the number of the font types you use. Just because your computer offers you a plethora of choice doesn't mean that you should incorporate them all in your presentation. Choose one font and stick with it throughout.

* Be selective in your choice of font type. Fonts which have the best impact are clear and easy to read. A powerpoint presentation which uses Chiller font throughout could convey an unintended creepy mood, while Curlz could convey a lack of seriousness. The best fonts are the standards - Arial, Times New Roman, Bookman Old Style and, my personal favourite, Goudy Old Style.

* Bold your titles and headings. If you bold all of your text, you will defeat the purpose of bolding, which is to make points stand out from the rest.

* Italicise for key points or highlighting.

* Don't capitalise everything. A WHOLE SENTENCE WRITTEN IN CAPITALS IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO READ.

* Stick with white, yellow, blue or orange for your font colour. See my earlier post for more detail about the use of colour in your powerpoint, particularly in relation to use of coloured text contrasting appropriately with your chosen background.

* Font size should be no smaller than 22 (depending on your font type choice). Headings will be somewhat larger. eg. If your text size is 22, make your heading no smaller than 28; if your text size is 24, go for 30 for your heading.

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Word of the Week - CAMARADERIE

Today's word – CAMARADERIE

Pronunciation – kamma-RAH-da-ree

Word type - noun

Definition – friendship or comradeship; goodwill, rapport, loyalty or feeling of warmth between members of a group

Word origin- first used in English in 1840, derived from French, 1840, from 'camarade', and prior to that, Spanish from the Latin word 'camara', with the Late Latin meaning 'chamber' or 'room'.

'Camarada' was derived from this to refer to 'barrack mates', which grew to be generally known as 'companion'. The word 'comrade' was first used in English in the 16th century, and had a political sense. Its association with Communism in the late 19th century was as an alternative term of address to 'mister' for use by socialists and communists. It is therefore not surprising to note the usage of 'camaraderie' originated during the French Revolution.

Sample sentence -
There was a clear camaraderie between the friends when they met for their monthly bookclub meeting.

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Cut your editing time in half!

Introducing....the 'Replace' function. Let me share a little-known but massively useful tip for editing of your documents.

Consider this scenario:

You've written your document draft and spent time proofreading (better still, you've sent it to a professional proofreader such as me at 'Word Write for Success' - http://www.wordwriteforsuccess.com.au/). The feedback is that there are several instances of the same error throughout your document.

You could spend a painstaking amount of time trawling through your document for all of the instances of the error, or, you could save yourself massive amounts of time, simply by use of the 'Replace' function in Microsoft Word.

For example, in a document I recently read, reference was made repeatedly to 'Australian rules' rather than 'Australian Rules' (capital 'R' for 'Rules). The document was over 2000 words in length and the client, a student, was concerned about how long it was going to take him to locate all of the instances of this particular punctuation error.

How the 'Replace' function works:

Using the example of 'rules' needing to be replaced by 'Rules', follow these steps:

1. Go to the 'Editing' tab on your toolbar (found on far right in Microsoft 2007 version).
2. Click on 'Replace'.
3. In the box beside 'Find what', type in word exactly as it appears as an error in your document, in the case of the example, 'rules'.
4. Tab to the box below labelled 'Replace with' and type in the correction you wish to make, in this case, 'Rules'.
5. You have the option to replace it just once, by clicking on 'Replace', however, if it is an error which requires correction throughout the document, click on 'Replace All'.
6. A dialog box will then appear telling you how many times it has made the replacement throughout your document. This is when you sit back and imagine how long it would have taken you to find each instance of the error manually (and thank me for helping you save all that precious time!).

Happy replacing!

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Powerpoint Tips - Backgrounds

Here are some more helpful tips when it comes to choosing a background for your powerpoint presentation.

* Although I've already said this on an earlier blog post, a dark background with light colour text is best, especially if you are projecting in a darkened room.
* Graduated backgrounds look good - eg. starting at the top as mid-blue and gradually becoming darker blue - but only graduate one colour. Avoid using two contrasting colours for a graduated background.
* Using a photograph as the whole slide background is risky, especially if you also want to place text on the slide. It's better to have a plain colour background and place the photograph side by side or above or below the text.
* Finally, decide upon a background for your presentation and maintain that background for the entire presentation.

Next time, we'll look at font use on powerpoint presentations.

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Getting the Hang of Writing - Cohesion

Writing that 'hangs' together effectively uses cohesion. There are two kinds of cohesion - grammatical and logical. Today's post is focused upon the world of grammatical cohesion.

Grammatical cohesion refers to all of the parts of the sentence being in agreement. This includes noun-pronoun agreement and noun-verb agreement, as well as other 'ties'.

RULES - Noun-verb agreement:

• If the noun is singular, the verb is plural (present tense verb).
• If the noun is plural, the verb is singular (present tense verb).
• Verb does not change from singular to plural (past/future tense verb).

Examples:

My mother like to receive a bunch of flowers for her birthday. WRONG

My mother likes to receive a bunch of flowers for her birthday. RIGHT

The boys like to kick the football. RIGHT

The boys likes to kick the football. WRONG

My mother walked down the street. RIGHT

The boys walked down the street. RIGHT

RULES - Noun-pronoun Agreement

• A singular noun must be combined with a singular pronoun
• A plural noun must be combined with a plural pronoun
• A pronoun must agree with the gender of the noun it replaces

Examples:

Mrs Brewster took her coat off as soon as she walked into her home. RIGHT

Mrs Brewster took his coat off as soon as he walked into his home. WRONG

The girls opened their presents after the speeches. RIGHT

The girls opened her presents after the speeches. WRONG

We'll talk about logical cohesion some other time.

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A Hairy Error!

Most Saturdays, I like to read the real estate liftout of our local paper. I had to have a giggle when my proofreading eye spotted this one advertisement yesterday morning, which read:

Located on the border of Hope Island and Paradise Point, in a close nit community is this spacious, warm and welcoming home....

After I stopped laughing, I also couldn't help but feel an imaginary itching of my scalp. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer a close knit community to one which shares around its headlice! I wonder how many enquiries they received?

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Car Conversations

Last night, a friend recounted to me a conversation she'd had with her son earlier that day. Actually, it was more of a 'deep and meaningful' discussion related to the big ticket items in life - love, family and work - rather than a run-of-the-mill conversation. Her son wanted to talk to her about some really big decisions he had made. I wonder if you are surprised to hear where he chose to begin the conversation? Yes, it was while they were travelling together in their family car.

This made me stop and think about how many conversations I have had with my husband, my children and other car passengers over the years and the nature of these conversations. Because our family lived out west for a number of years, we have spent quite a number of hours travelling together over long distances and we always looked forward to these opportunities to 'be' with one another. Then, there were the times 'pre-children' where my husband and I carpooled each day, which meant a 30 minute trip morning and afternoon together, a chance to debrief and regroup in a way, and a clear delineation between our home and our working lives.

Sometimes the conversation topics have been mundane, even inane, while there have been other times when the matter being discussed has been significant, even life-altering, similar to the conversation between my friend and her son yesterday. Each day, I spend time in the car with my children driving them to and from school, and we talk about all manner of topics, from lunch box contents through to the classroom 'scandals' of the day. They're at an age now where they will also enquire as to how my day has been and I really enjoy my own chance to share stories of special or funny moments with them. I must also admit that it's true that I have deliberately chosen at times to raise topics for discussion while I have a 'captive audience'.

Without the distractions which exist in our modern homes - television, computers, phones and various family members and others coming and going - perhaps the car is today's equivalent of the dinner table? It's a place to be together, for a defined period of time and in familiar surrounds, cocooned from the rest of the world. When you think about it like that, it's really not surprising at all that it's such a perfect place to talk.

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Word of the Week - SLANGUAGE

Today's word – SLANGUAGE

Pronunciation – SLAN-gwij

Word type - noun

Definition – language largely comprised of very informal usage in vocabulary and idiom; speech and writing characterised by the use of vulgar or socially taboo vocabulary; specialised language particular to a group.

Word origin-
The word 'slanguage' appeared early in the 20th century in English, however, it was not until recent years that it has been used in popular culture to describe a distinctive set of language. The word, 'slang', appeared during the 17th century, when slang was first employed by criminals seeking to keep their illegal habits a secret.

Quirky facts -

* Top five teen 'slanguage' terms - man, sad, wicked, mate, bloke
* Prison 'slanguage' terms - 'doing it all' - serving a life sentence; 'sweetheart' - a successful robbery; 'fish' - a newcomer to prison
* Australian 'slanguage' from World War 1 - all referring to death - 'hung on the wire', 'pushing up daisies', 'smudged'.

Check out www.slanguage.com where you can learn how to fit in with the locals by speaking their 'lingo' no matter where in the world you are visiting.

Sample sentence -

While some may perceive slanguage negatively, it is clear that this mode of expression can be most informative about a particular group in society.

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Powerpoint Tips - Simple is Best

Here are some tips to keep your powerpoint presentation simple, yet effective:

* Label each slide with a clear heading which indicates the key focus of the slide
* Under the heading, use bullet points and phrases rather than lengthy sentence
* Include no more than six points per slide
* Consider using progressive disclosure (animation) so that your listeners focus on one point at a time
* Each point should be no more than 8-10 words in length
* Allow 15-20 seconds scan time for each slide
* Time slide changes for approximately every 40-60 seconds to maintain audience interest
* Leave a decent sized top, bottom, left and right margin or you may lose parts of your text

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Powerpoint Tips - Use of Colour

Here are some tips for using colour on your next powerpoint presentation:

* First of all, use colour with discernment, not abandon! Your powerpoint presentation is not the place to display the depth of your knowledge of every gradation of the colour wheel.

* For a guaranteed successful look, use a darker background, such as a deep blue or green, with white, yellow or orange text

* Never use red text, especially on a blue or green background. Seven percent of the male population of the world will thank you - that is, seven males in every 100 of your audience are colourblind, so they won't see anything on your screen at all if you use red text on blue or green.

* Use existing templates - someone else (an expert) has spent a long time already to save you the hassle to make sure the colours work! Trust in their expertise and reduce the time you spend on your colour decisions.

* Black and blue should never be seen in combination - not blue text on a black background, not black text on a blue background, not at all. Your presentation is at risk of looking like a bruise.

Final tip (a little quirky, I admit):

* If you wouldn't wear the colour combination you have chosen for your powerpoint out in public, don't attempt to use it for your powerpoint colour choice.

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My Real Writing

For some time now, I've been writing about writing. Today, I want to show you what my 'real' writing looks like, hence the visual. Let me know what you think.

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Monday Mutter

I know I set this up last Monday and you may be expecting an appropriately brief and miserable post today, but the fact is, I'm feeling really good (for a Monday!). Here are my reasons:

* I had a lovely weekend, including a whole day out on Sunday at the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival
* My work is not swamping me in the same way it was this time last week
* I have had two good walks in the past three days
* I made 'Winter Chicken' soup for dinner and everyone asked for seconds
* My son's headcold is almost better

All in all, there hasn't been too much to mutter about today. If only every Monday could be so bearable!

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How to write a body paragraph in an essay...

Follow this easy-to-remember formula when writing a body paragraph for your essay - TEEC. Each of the letters is code for the type of sentence to be written.

T - topic sentence - this is the key point you wish to make in the paragraph. It should be in support of your hypothesis and ideally it should have been previewed in your introduction.

E - explanation - this sentence elaborates on your topic sentence, providing your reader with further understanding of the key point.

E - evidence - this sentence provides your reader with material which supports your explanation. It may be in the form of facts, statistics, an example or a quotation from your source or research (of course, referencing is required for this).

C - concluding sentence - finalise your paragraph with a rounding statement, linking back to your hypothesis and, wherever possible, including a link point to following paragraph.

Need an example? Okay, here we go:

Hypothesis (statement made in introductory paragraph) -

Australian poet, Kenneth Slessor, has explored a range of rural and urban settings in his work.

Body Paragraph 1 -

(T - topic sentence)As a younger man, Slessor explored a rural setting in his poem, 'Country Towns', which was written in 1920. (E - explanation)Within the poem, he successfully manipulates a range of images to describe a non-specific, yet easily visualised, outback Australian town. (E - evidence/examples)The approach used by Slessor to address the town directly, 'Country towns, with your willows and squares', is unconventional, direct and intimate. (C - concluding sentence)As he draws upon these common elements of such towns, he demonstrates a gentle humour and a great affection, an appreciation of place which can also be seen in his later works. (link to next body paragraph which would focus upon 'William Street' and an urban setting)

Remember, TEEC - it's all you need to write the perfect body paragraph!

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Writing (as opposed to word processing)

If 'writing' is literally interpreted as 'handwriting', when it comes to document writing these days, the word,'writing', is a bit of a misnomer, really, isn't it? Today, when a student has an assignment to write or when a business person has a document to prepare, is it literally handwritten with a pen or pencil onto paper? My observations would lead me to believe that it is more likely that the student or the business person 'logs on' to their computer of choice and word-processes the document, from ideas stage through to final copy.

Twenty years ago, writing the same document was a much more time-consuming process. Drafting and redrafting, prior to a finished copy being prepared, all took place by hand. Possibly, the finished copy was typed, but all steps leading to this point were by hand. When I think back on this, I can remember many instances of asking my mother to proofread what I hoped would be the final copy of a school assignment for me with trepidation, knowing that if she found even one or two errors, I would have to start afresh so as to submit a perfect copy. On more than one occasion, this was exactly what happened and I would have to go 'back to the drawing board' and rewrite the entire assignment.

We writers of today are so much more fortunate - all we have to do is hover our cursor at a particular point on the screen, click on the backspace key, and type a correction. The efficiency allowed by the tools we have at our fingertips makes such a difference to our ability to produce writing at the pace and volume at which we do.

Having said all this, I don't think it matters so much whether the document is entirely handwritten, entirely wordprocessed or some combination of the two. As long as the world keeps writing, that's all that matters to me.

http://www.wordwriteforsuccess.com.au/

Word of the Week - MAGNATE

Today's word – MAGNATE

Pronunciation – mag-nate

Word type - noun

Definition – a person of influence or importance in any field of activity, especially in business or industry.

Word origin-

The word 'magnate' is derived from the Late Latin 'magnas', meaning a great man, which comes from Latin 'magnus' meaning 'great', and identifies a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth or wealth.

Quirky facts -

* Beer magnate, Peter Coors, of the Coors Brewing Company was arrested for drink driving on May 28 2006.

* Also in 2006, Las Vegas casino magnate, Steve Wynn, poked a hole the size of a silver dollar in Picasso's famous "Dream" painting, when he accidentally elbowed the $139 million dollar canvas. He had just sold the painting to another collector!

Sample sentence -

The media magnate made a takeover bid to achieve one hundred percent nationwide ownership.

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Solution to Proofreading Challenge

Here is the proofread copy -

He was known by many as one of the greatest businessmen of Australian history, thanks to a cunning and decisive ability to predict successful investments and interests of the business. He suffered an amazing total of eight heart attacks, and was once declared clinically dead.

How did you do?

Of course, if this was the first sentence of an essay or article, it would be more appropriate to begin the sentence with the name of the subject rather than 'He'. Incidentally, the subject of this proofreading exercise is Kerry Packer.

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Proofreading Challenge

Here's another proofreading challenge for you -

He was known by many as won of the greatest businesmen of australian history, thanks to cunning and desisive ability to predict succesfull investments and intrests of the buisiness, he suffered an amazing total of eihgt heart attaks, and was once declared clinicly dead.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog for the correct version to see what a good 'spotter' you are!

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How to incorporate quotations in an essay...

First things first - the body of your essay is the place for a quotation, whereas you should not quote in the introduction or the conclusion.

A quotation can be incorporated in the following ways:

* Within a sentence -

eg. Dawe represents the plight of the wife in the line, 'One day soon he'll tell her it's time to start packing', reinforcing the power the husband wields over his family. Note - quote appears in quotation marks, preceded by a comma and followed by a comma.

* As the conclusion to the sentence -

eg. Dawe represents the plight of the wife and the power wielded by the husband in the line, 'One day soon he'll tell her it's time to start packing'. Note - quote appears in quotation marks, preceded by a comma and followed by a full stop.

* For a quotation of longer than two lines, the quotation must begin on a new line and should appear as the poem itself represents the lines -

eg. Dawe introduces the circumstances of the family in the first lines of the poem.

One day soon he'll tell her it's time to start packing
and the kids will yell 'Truly?' and get wildly excited for no reason
and the brown kelpie pup will start dashing about, tripping everyone up...

These lines convey the reactions of the family to the news of another impending move, from the excitement of the children to the craziness of the pet dog.
Note - quote does not require quotation marks as it is already clearly defined by one line space before and after.

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Forget About Twitter - How About "Mutter"?

I've just had an idea! Now that Monday is almost over and my brain is warming up to the demands of the week, take a moment to consider this. For all those out there in cyberworld addicted to Twitter, how about a version especially for Mondays - 'Mutter'? I think this could be the perfect reflection for how many of us operate on a Monday. We're not exactly chirping about the place like happy little birds on the first day back of the traditional working week...or...is that just me? 'Mutter' could be a more introspective process - perhaps in response to the question - 'what are you thinking?', rather than the Twitter question, 'what are you doing?'. In this way, 'Mutter' would encompass much more fittingly the types of utterances with which workers greet the first day of the week.

While this writer is far too delicate to repeat many of the 'mutters' I have heard over the years from colleagues and friends as symptomatic of their Mondayitis, here are a few more sanitised mutters:

* Must remember to put Lotto in this week...
* If I can just get some coffee on the way to work...
* Why does it have to be sunny today?
* Is that a tickly throat I can feel?
* Why is that person looking so happy?
* Where did I save that file I was working on last Friday?
* I'm sure the bus was running ahead of schedule this morning...
* I bet there are no parking spaces left.
* I knew I should have caught up over the weekend.

You get the idea. Nothing too doom and gloom. More than anything, just the low level negativity of grizzling and whining, the kind of comments you really don't need to hear as you try to begin your own week. Actually, 'Mutter' could have a further benefit too. Instead of people moping around making comments like the above and dragging everyone else around them down into misery, they could 'Mutter' online and get it off their chest virtually!

Okay, I better go and make contact with the big guys of the cyberworld before I go to bed. If I leave it for tomorrow, it'll be Tuesday and the opportunity to 'Mutter' will be lost - that is, until next Monday rolls around!

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The Craft of Writing

Today, my daughter competed in a musical composition competition and, for the first time, I was able to appreciate the great similarities between writing a piece of music and writing any other text.

Entrants were required to compose an original musical score for an instrument or instruments of their choice. Younger entrants, like my daughter, wrote a piece for the piano, while older and more experienced entrants wrote much more complicated scores which included various combinations of flute, violin, trumpet, guitar, piano, and vocals.

At one point, the adjudicator spoke to us about the composing process, using the examples of Mozart and Beethoven to explain the very different approaches writers use to compose their music. While Mozart was able to visualise the music score in his mind and transcribe it precisely onto paper, Beethoven's method was very different. His process was much more organic, as he wrote and discarded, wrote and discarded, until he had written something with which he was finally happy. Patently, though, each of these approaches to writing worked! Imagine a world without the opportunity to have enjoyed their music.

The adjudicator's point was that each person writes a piece of music differently, which is exactly the same for writers of other texts. I know people who are able to write an essay from start to finish in a single sitting (often under a tight timeline!), others who brainstorm, plan meticulously, draft, edit, redraft and refine before completing a final polished copy, and then there are those who write the conclusion first, the body next and the introduction last! If the finished product is of great quality, who am I to judge which process is best? Some are able to envisage their finished piece of writing before a word has been committed to paper or computer, just like Mozart. Others prefer to cull and refine as part of the writing process, with a scrapheap of ideas and writing to show for their trouble, similar to Beethoven.

I don't know why I've never made the connection between writing music and writing words before today, but now that it's happened, it's added another dimension to my ideas about writing. Writers of prose and poetry draw inspiration from nature, life, society and beauty, as do composers of music. Today's composers of the future used names for their pieces including 'Fusion', 'Multiculturalism', 'Velvet Rose', 'The Circus' and 'Cleopatra's Gig', testament to our world and its many facets.

Writing is a craft, it is a creative process, it is a journey and it is a gift. Treasuring the ability to write and the opportunity to appreciate the writing of others is a privilege, one for which I am very grateful. To all of the composers whose musical writing I enjoyed today, your efforts have caused me to stop and appreciate the craft of writing on a wider scale, and for that, I say thank you.

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Word of the Week - ELEGANT

Today's word – ELEGANT

Pronunciation – e-li-gent

Word type - adjective

Definition – of a high grade or quality; refined and dignified in tastes, habits, or style

Word origin-
The word 'elegant' come from the 15th century. It is from Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ēlegāns, which is a variant of ēligere, to select. 'Elegans' was originally used in a more disdainful manner, as a term of reproach, to mean 'fastidious' or 'fussy'. Modern English use of the word 'elegant' has far more favourable connotations.

Quirky facts -

* There is an insect known as the Elegant Mantis, part of the Praying Mantis family of insects. If you want to combine a love of elegant insects with elegant jewellery, go to the online store, 'Elegant Insects' http://www.elegantinsects.com/

* Take a moment to view this vintage 1940s film, 'The Elegant Male', which takes an amusing look at men who take real care and pride in their personal appearance. It would appear the metrosexual has been in existence for far longer than we may have previously thought! http://www.diagonal-view.com/v/93/the-elegant-male.html/

Sample sentence -

An elegant sentence which states your hypothesis is critical to the success of your introductory paragraph.

I chose an elegant skarf to add to my fashion ensemble.

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Cowardly Racially-based Attacks

Today, I heard a really concerning report on the ABC news about a number of attacks upon international students which have occurred recently at the University of New South Wales. It's unclear whether the attackers are motivated by intent to commit robbery or to commit assault, but the fact is that the victims are being chosen solely based on their race. Only international students have been attacked. Most of the attacks have happened at night, while the international student has been leaving the university and on his or her own. Imagine - these students have come to Australia, a supposedly safe and welcoming country, to further their education through tertiary study and instead they have to fear for their personal safety and their possessions. How appalling and terrifying!

At first, I was puzzled by the police officer's description of the victims as 'soft' targets, but he went on to explain his meaning - that the attack victims are selected specifically based on the unlikelihood of them retaliating. The attacker's job is therefore much easier and the assault or robbery (or both) proceeds quite predictably, from the attacker's point of view, at least.

After thinking this through, I have to say that the only 'soft' individuals in these situations are the attackers themselves. They are soft, in that they are weak, amoral and, quite clearly, racist. Further to this, since most of the attacks have been carried out by a group of perpetrators rather than an individual acting alone, they are completely cowardly.

It makes me very sad to think that such a mentality still exists in our country. Who are these perpetrators and how dare they position themselves as more powerful than other human beings, based on race alone? How awful that these students have had to experience such an ordeal. While so many individuals have dedicated their life's work to promoting principles of inclusivity, valuing diversity and multiculturalism, there is clearly a long way to go when such terrible racially-based incidents continue to occur in our country.

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Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging

Today, I've watched the film 'Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging', chosen as a possible companion film to the novel my classes have recently studied, 'Looking for Alibrandi'. The film is a lot of fun and definitely has many similarities to the novel.

The opening scene, where the main character, Georgia, is dressed as a massive stuffed olive for a fancy dress party, sets the scene for the key themes of the film - the search for self-identity, parent/teen tension and the importance of loyal friends. The film moves onto a fascination with snogging (ie. kissing) and the 10 stage list devised by Georgia and her friend. Question - can anyone help? Did they ever actually say what the 8th, 9th and 10th stages were? Of course, the plot moves onto real life opportunities to practise the art of 'snogging', but I won't spoil it for you.

The 'Angus' in the film title refers to the family cat and that cat is something else! It is the most long-suffering animal I have ever seen and it plays a pivotal, although not hugely willing, role in the development of the plot.

Which brings me to the 'thongs' - without going into any further detail, suffice to say that they are not the kind worn on one's feet!

This is a terrific film and with a PG rating, a rare beast. While there are many teen films around today, most cross into the territory which attracts an M or even MA rating, whereas 'Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging' deals with serious teen issues in a less 'in your face' manner, making me perfectly comfortable for my 12-year-old daughter to view it.

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What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is defined as a collection of sentences which focus on one key idea. That key idea is introduced and expanded upon in the series of sentences. One of these sentences is known as the topic sentence. In most cases, the topic sentence is easy to identify as it appears as the first sentence of the paragraph, however, it is possible for a topic sentence to appear midway through or even as the final sentence of a paragraph.

A good guide to optimal length of a paragraph is four sentences, but there is no definitive length. The four sentence paragraph allows for - topic sentence, expanding sentence, evidence sentence and concluding sentence. One sentence is certainly not sufficient to fulfil the purpose of the paragraph. Conversely, a ten sentence paragraph may cause the the reader to become confused as to the key point the writer intended to convey.

To check whether you have written an effective paragraph, ask five people to read it and have each of them tell you in five words the paragraph's key idea. If their responses are similar (and close to what you hoped to convey), you'll know your paragraph works. If their answers are all quite different, vague or much longer than a five word summary, that's a sign the paragraph needs revision.

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How to use brackets in writing

Additional information not critical to the sense or basic point of the sentence may be included by placing in brackets ( ), although, in formal writing, brackets are rarely employed, except for the purposes of in-text referencing.

Instances where brackets may be used include a comment, an example or further explanation:

* Comment - Raspberry was a very excitable dog (sometimes a little too excitable!), especially when visitors arrived at the front door.

* Explanation - On the night we arrived in Greece (back at the beginning of our trip), the sky was laden with stars.

* Examples - Our new neighbour's fear of all small insects (spiders, beetles, mosquitoes and cockroaches) became loudly obvious to us within just a few days.

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Ten Top Tips for Resume Writing

1. Use a template - Microsoft Office has very user-friendly templates.

2. Ask around for samples - don't be afraid to ask family and friends for copies of their most recent resumes. Just make sure you're not all applying for the same job!

3. Don't experiment - now is NOT the time to try out that fun font you discovered recently. Stick with standard fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial. My personal favourites are Goudy Old Style and Bookman Old Style, which are classic and simple. Go for nothing smaller than size 10 font, ideally 12. The same goes for font colour - nothing too 'out there' is my strong advice.

4. Stick to the facts - there is nothing to be gained (at least, in the long term) by dishonesty. Ask yourself why you are applying for the job in the first place if you find yourself tempted to embellish the information on your resume.

5. Use the header function - state your name clearly and in a larger font as a header for the document, in addition to listing it in a 'Personal Particulars' section. Consider including the title of the job for which you are applying in your header also. It causes the employer to make an immediate subconscious link of your name to the job itself.

6. Consider the addition of a passport-sized photograph and locate it to the right of the 'Personal Particulars' section. Be sure to use a photograph which presents you looking professional, rather than in your beachwear.

7. Use bullet points under each of your headings to list the key information. This will assist you to stay focused and succinct. Headings may include, Work History, Industry Achievements, Academic History, Skills and Referees, but be sure to list from most current to least. eg. Under 'Academic History', your first bullet point would be the most recent study you have completed, followed by next recent, and the last point would be your oldest academic achievement. A tip - certificates gained in primary school are generally not valued by a potential employer in the same way you (and your mother and father) may have valued them, so best not to mention them. Similarly, under your 'Skills' heading, it is probably best not to include the rare, but quirky types, such as nostril-flaring and yodelling (unless of course the job advertisement specifically states these skills are sought!).

8. If you are not already familiar with the 'Tab' key on your keyboard, acquaint yourself with this crucial key. Use it, rather than the space bar, to tab across the page after each heading, so that your resume looks streamlined and your presentation of information doesn't distract from the information itself.

9. Don't try to fit all of your information onto one A4 page. Ideally, your resume will fit nicely into 2 x A4 pages. Remember, though, that your resume should not replace any requirement of an employment advertisement to write to selection criteria. This is an entirely separate part of your job application.

10. You know I can't resist this one - have a professional proofread your resume. An error in spelling or even a typographical error could be all it takes for a potential employer to push your resume aside. May I suggest - 'Word Write for Success'.

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A Moot, Not Mute, Point

Yesterday, I was at a conference and was puzzled when one of the presenters referred not once, but twice, to a 'mute point'. At the time, he was referring to an aspect of our new syllabus which required no further discussion as a resolution to concerns around this area had already been achieved. His use of the term 'mute' rather than 'moot' did have me squirming in my seat although I was keen to check my facts before I became too confident that I was correct in my feeling that the term should have been 'moot point' instead.

My suspicions that the term was misused yesterday have been confirmed, after a little research, although it appears that it is a common error. In the process I learnt a little more too, for which I'm always grateful.

An explanation from Washington State University's website was simple and clear:

“Moot” is a very old word related to “meeting,” specifically a meeting where serious matters are discussed. Oddly enough, a moot point can be a point worth discussing at a meeting (or in court)—an unresolved question—or it can be the opposite: a point already settled and not worth discussing further. At any rate, “mute point” is simply wrong, as is the less common “mood point.” (accessed at 9:15pm 16/05/09, http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/mute.html)

The misuse of a very similar word in place of the correct word is known as a malaproprism, but more on that some other time...

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Word of the Week - HALBERD

Today's word – HALBERD

Pronunciation – HAL-bird

Word type - noun

Definition – a medieval spear with an axe-like blade

Word origin-
The word 'halberd' is derived from the German words, halm (staff) and barte (axe). From the word family, halberdier (noun), which is a soldier armed with a halberd. This was a lethal weapon used during the Middle Ages. It had a hook or thorn on the back side of the axe blade for grappling enemy knights on horseback.

Quirky facts -

* The halberd is still the ceremonial weapon of the Swiss Guard in the Vatican.

Sample sentence - The knight used his halberd to unseat the enemy soldier from his horse.

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Proofreading Perfection

To proofread or not to proofread, that is the question.

Consider this scenario:

You have been working hard on the set assignment topic - listened carefully in class or lectures, identified key words and purpose of the task, conducted research, collected notes and collated these into a useable state. Now is the time to write. The words go slowly onto the page at first, but gradually, you become more and more immersed in what you are writing. Your fingers glide across the keyboard and you discover the words are flowing onto your laptop screen with ease. Without realising, you complete your final statement just within the designated word limit. You collapse in a euphoric state, satisfied that you have done everything humanly possible to address the task requirements and ensure the document you have written is the best possible response anyone could compose. Finally finished, you decide...

And then you wake up!

To enjoy such a dream run on an assignment is every student's wish. Unfortunately, it is usually far from reality. If only the process could run so smoothly!

Then, there is the delicate issue of proofreading your work. It's the last thing you feel like doing, and, it's next to impossible to proofread your own work effectively straight after it's been written. You really need at least overnight, if not two or three days, to regroup and be in a position to properly assess your own writing. That's all very well if you have the time!

Of course, you may be in the very fortunate position of having a dedicated family member or long-suffering friend who is willing to do this proofreading for you. In the dream run, that person is feeling well-rested and fresh as they cast their eye over your work. Of course, in this fantasy world, their expertise in the subject matter of the assignment is second-to-none. Back to reality, though, and you realise that your mother/father/sister/brother/friend just doesn't have the time or the energy to devote to your document.

Here's the question then - after all of the time and effort you have invested in your document, why would you jeopardise your investment by not proofreading it carefully? Word Write for Success is a professional proofreading service, which exists for this specific purpose. By simply emailing the document through to us, you guarantee yourself the very best result possible. We proofread and edit for spelling, punctuation and grammar, structure and sequencing, vocabulary, paragraphing and layout, as well as referencing systems.

Don't risk all the hard work you've done to this point by not completing this crucial final step of the assignment writing process.

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Proofreading Solution

Here is the corrected version of yesterday's blog post proofreading challenge.

After five years’ study, it’s possible to hypothesise that technology has overtaken the human mind. The age group most affected is 17-24 year olds.

How did you go?

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Like a challenge? Then, proofread this...

After 5 year’s study, its possible to hypothesize that technology has overtaken the human mind. The age group most effected in 17-24 year olds.

See how you went - check tomorrow's blog.

PS. There are six errors in total.

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Want to read a REALLY good book?

Yesterday, my husband gave me a book as a gift for Mother's Day, as well as a can opener I had specially requested and a pair of shoes I chose for myself, but it's the book I want to tell you about.

The book's title is The Word Spy and its author is Ursula Dubosarsky. I haven't finished reading it yet, but I know it's not going to take me long. It is fascinating me. The title appears on the front cover in collage fashion, each letter written or represented in an original manner. Tohby Riddle, the illustrator, adds sweet little silhouettes and animals into the mix. The statement below this title, 'Come and discover the secrets of the English language...', is an invitation to embark upon an adventure, and from cover to cover, that is what this book is. The reader is directly addressed and challenged to participate in unravelling a secret message, clues to each part of the message appearing at the end of each chapter.

With chapter titles such as 'Why is English so strange?' and 'Dots and dashes, interrobangs and cat's claws', it would be easy to assume that the book is a light-hearted look at the English language although lacking in substance. You couldn't be more wrong. It is fun and it is nothing like any English textbook I've ever seen, but it's also very clever, informative and extremely well-researched. As I read, I can't help feeling I've joined a special and very exclusive little club.

I've already learnt a lot, such as being glad I work from the 26 letter English alphabet rather than the 70 letter Khmer alphabet of Cambodia, and I am looking forward to discovering much more about the English language, as well as deciphering the book's secret message along the way.

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Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers reading this blog. I know Mother's Day happened in England back in March, but for us in Australia, today is our special day. I hope it has been special for you and that you have been spoilt. My beautiful daughter brought me breakfast in bed, then my family took me to lunch. Tonight, we're having a bbq dinner, so I won't have had to go into the kitchen all day! Lucky me!

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How gr8 is txt'n?

The slow creep of text talk into formal writing is speeding up. Where once a student might accidentally have replaced 'and' with '&' in an essay, today more and more of the sms language teens use to communicate with one another is appearing in formal writing, such as essays, letters or stories, to replace another word. In addition, rather than describing an emotion or effect in any detail by using words, a text code or symbol is used.

Top 10 sms language replacements in writing:

* 'r' for 'are'
* 'gr8' for 'great'
* 'wot' for 'what'
* 'lol' for 'laugh out loud' - meaning amusement or hilarity
* 'rite' for 'write' or 'right'
* 'wtf' for 'what the ****' - meaning amazement or confusion
* 'u' for 'you'
* '2' for 'to', 'two', or 'too' (take your pick!)
* ':)' for 'smiling' or 'happiness'
* :( for 'frowning' or 'sadness'

The article, 'Is txt mightier than the word?', describes instances of txt slang infiltrating student work. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2814235.stm Note that this article was written over six years ago - back then it made the news, whereas today it has become almost acceptable. For me, that's just too scary for words!

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Word of the Week - BRAINWASH

Today's word – BRAINWASH

Pronunciation – brain-wash

Word type - verb

Definition – to systematically indoctrinate to change a person's beliefs or attitudes

Word origin-
The term brainwash first appeared in English language as a military term in the 1950s, during the Korean War, when some captured US soldiers were indoctrinated into espousing Communist policy. Literally, the word is translated from the Chinese phrase HSI NAO, 'to wash the brain'. This use of native word forms combined to provide a borrowed meaning as known as a 'loan translation'.

Quirky facts -

* Films which feature brainwashing include 1962's, "The Manchurian Candidate", in which a soldier was turned into an assassin through brainwashing, as well as the more recent comedy, "Zoolander", in which male model, Eric Zoolander (played by Ben Stiller), is brainwashed into an assassination attempt on the fictional Prime Minister of Malaysia.

* In "The Muppet Movie", Doc Hopper tries a variety of schemes to brainwash Kermit into accepting the spokesman position of his chain of frog legs restaurants, including kidnapping Miss Piggy, teaming up with a mad scientist and even hiring an assassin named Snake.

Sample sentence - The victim was slowly brainwashed into believing that her captor was her friend.

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How to write an essay introduction...

Following on from my post of April 28, where the focus was writing an hypothesis for an essay, this post is about the essay introduction as a whole. Your essay introduction need only be three sentences in length and should do exactly as it says, introduce.

Keep it straightforward and use this simple formula to write the introductory paragraph to the essay -

* Sentence 1 - insightful general statement on essay topic
* Sentence 2 - hypothesis statement - your one sentence response to the essay topic
* Sentence 3 - outline of the essay's key points - subpoints of the hypothesis

For instance, using the essay topic and hypothesis statement from April 28's blog post, here is a sample introduction:

Essay topic - Explore the parallels to The Great Gatsby which exist in today's society.

Sample introduction -

(Sentence 1 - insightful general statement on essay topic) Although F Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby almost 80 years ago, many similarities exist between the 1920s society depicted in the novel and the society in which we live today. (Sentence 2 - hypothesis statement) The Great Gatsby provides a mirror for today's society through its representation of the need for instant gratification, a worship of material possessions and the superficial relationships between people. (Sentence 3 - essay outline - subpoints of hypothesis) Today's society requires immediate action or results, material possessions are accumulated driven by want not need and individuals live in greater isolation than ever before, as they interact 'virtually' rather than in real life.

The essay introduction is NOT the place for supporting evidence, such as quotations or facts. The body of your essay is where your evidence is required. More on the body of your essay another time...

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Improve your writing with adjectives

It is sometimes difficult to find a word different from the same word you have used already, or you may be unable to think of the right adjective for descriptive purposes.

One of the most commonly used (and repeated!)adjectives in the English language is 'good'. It is a particular favourite of school children, in response to the age-old question from parents, "How was school today?" The child's response is, "Good."

Alternatives to 'good' include -

* amazing, excellent, exquisite, fine, fulfilling, incomparable, invaluable, lovely, fine, valuable, superior, unforgettable, classic.

'GOOD' OVERKILL:
When I looked through the window, it was a good day. That was good because we had planned to go to Currumbin Beach, where the waves were really good. It was good to be up early and making a good start. We made good time reaching our destination. When we got in the water, it was a good temperature and we spent almost an hour enjoying the waves. After a good relax on the beach, we packed up and headed home. I had a good shower and thought to myself about what a good day it had been.

BETTER:
When I looked through the window, it was a glorious day. That was perfect because we had planned to go to Currumbin Beach, where the waves were really pumping. It was exciting to be up early and making an energetic start. We made excellent time reaching our destination. When we got in the water, it was a bearable temperature and we spent almost an hour enjoying the waves. After a blissful relax on the beach, we packed up and headed home. I had a refreshing shower and thought to myself about what a wonderful day it had been.

NOTE: School-aged readers of this blog are advised to 'wow' your parents with a really interesting response when next you are asked about your day. You could start with something like, "My day was mind-blowingly awesome", which will certainly gain your parents' attention, but may also require further elaboration to support (which may be why you used 'good' in the first place!).

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Harvard-style referencing - Part 1 - Answer

THE CORRECT ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S BLOG QUIZ -

Which of the following uses Harvard-style in-text referencing correctly for the book, Twilight, by Stefanie Meyer?

(b) Vampires are representated most sympathetically, for example, as Carlisle only turns those into vampires who are otherwise destined to die. (Meyer: 2005, p298)

The in-text reference has the author's surname first, followed by year of publication, followed by page number of reference.

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Harvard-style referencing - Part 1 - Quiz

Which of the following uses Harvard-style in-text referencing correctly for the book, Twilight, by Stefanie Meyer?

(a) Vampires are representated most sympathetically, for example, as Carlisle only turns those into vampires who are otherwise destined to die. (Atom, p298: 2005)

(b) Vampires are representated most sympathetically, for example, as Carlisle only turns those into vampires who are otherwise destined to die. (Meyer: 2005, p298)

(c) Vampires are representated most sympathetically, for example, as Carlisle only turns those into vampires who are otherwise destined to die. (2005, Atom: p298)

(d) Vampires are representated most sympathetically, for example, as Carlisle only turns those into vampires who are otherwise destined to die. (Meyer, p298, Atom)

For the correct response, check tomorrow's blog...

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Commonly misspelled words - "B"

* bail, bale

- bail (noun) - the sum of money given to a court as a guarantee that the accused will return to court for trial
- bail (noun) - the small cylindrical piece of wood which sits across the stumps in cricket
- bale (verb) - to remove water from the bottom of a boat
- bale (noun)- a large, compact package or bundle held together by wire or cord

* bait, bate

- bait (noun) - a form of lure to attract prey
- bait (verb) - to anger or torment deliberately
- bate (verb) - to lessen

* ballet, ballot

- ballet (noun) - an artistic dance form
- ballot (noun) - a method of voting in secret
- ballot (verb) - to vote using ballot

*bare, bear

- bare (adjective) - plain, empty
- bear (verb) - to support, to suffer
- bear (noun) - a kind of animal
- bear (noun) - a person who expects share prices to fall and acts on that belief

* baron, barren

- baron (noun)- a nobleman or a powerful person in business or industry
- barren (adjective) - unfruitful, sterile

* beech, beach

- beech (noun) - a type of deciduous tree
- beach (noun) - the seashore formed by waves

* breath, breathe

- breath (noun) - the air that is inhaled and exhaled during respiration
- breathe (verb) - to inhale and exhale

* bought, brought

- bought (verb) - the past tense of the verb, to buy
- brought (verb) - the past tense of the verb, to bring

* berry, bury

- berry (noun) - a form of small stoneless fruit
- bury (verb) - to cover or put underground

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The Gift of Sight

Today, I had a moment which made me stop and really appreciate the gift of sight.

As I was racing through the supermarket to grab a couple of quick items from the dairy aisle, I passed an elderly man, hunched in concentration. I realised he was holding a six pack of small yoghurts in one hand and a magnification device in the other, examining the yoghurt label very closely. After I had the items I needed, I came back past him and saw he was still in the same place intently concentrating. I paused and asked him if he needed some help to see something, and he asked me to tell him what amount was in each of the yoghurts in the pack. I was easily able to see the labelling as 200ml, and advised him of the size. He thanked me and we each moved on.

As I walked away, however, I paused, not only the wonder at the challenge that man must face every time he goes to the supermarket and to be glad of my tiny part in helping him, but also to appreciate the precious gift of sight. To me, the text on the label was distinct and sufficiently large, and as I try to imagine how differently the man and others like him must see the world, I am so grateful for this valuable sense.

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Word of the Week - AESTHETIC

Today's word – AESTHETIC

Pronunciation – es-thet-ik

Word type - adjective

Definition – pertaining to a sense of beauty; concerned with emotion rather than intellect

Word type - noun

Definition - the philosophical idea or theory of what is beautiful at a specific time and place, especially in art

Alternative spelling - esthetic

Word origin-
The word is derived from the Greek, aisthetikos, the adjective derived from the noun, aisthanesthai, meaning perception. It came to Europe as modern Latin and was first used by German philosopher, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), in a discussion of the perceptual. In 1750, Baumgarten used the term in a discussion of beauty.

Quirky facts -

"Anaesthetic" is derived by a combination of "an" - without + "aisthesis" - perception/sensation

"Synesthesia" is derived by a combination of "syn" - together + "aisthesis" - perception to describe the sensation of one sense organ performing the function of another sense organ. eg. the ability to see sound as a colour or hear sounds in response to smell

Sample sentence - The painting had an aesthetic appeal beyond all other paintings I viewed that evening. (used as an adjective)

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I or me?

While I was teaching a group of students this afternoon, we discovered an error in the answer key for a grammar activity. The sentence said:

My husband and I are very pleased with the progress that our daughter has made.

The answer key incorrectly stated that the "I" should have been replaced by "me". As I went on to explain to my students, had the sentence finished with the personal pronoun, eg, "The progress made by our daughter has been very pleasing for my husband and me", then, and only then, would "me" have been appropriately used.

Basically, if the sentence continues after a listing including the personal pronoun, "I" must be used, whereas, if the sentence ends on the personal pronoun, "me" is correct.

Examples to illustrate:

"I"

Michelle and I decided to spend the morning at the beach.

After the movie, my mother, my daughter and I went for a stroll along the boardwalk.

"me"

Spending the morning at the beach was relaxing for Michelle and me.

After the movie, a stroll along the boardwalk was taken by my mother, my daughter and me.

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Are you a snob?

When it comes to reading, are you a snob? Do you judge a book by its cover? Will you only read books of "quality"? Do you have an unspoken standard of reading material below which you will not stoop? Or, do you have a more "open door" policy when it comes to reading?

Where I live, on the Gold Coast, there are several newspapers on offer daily at my local newsagent. There is the local paper, The Gold Coast Bulletin, the state paper, The Courier Mail, and the national options, The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald. Some say that the quality of news reporting increases as the readership's geographical area grows. That is, the quality of the local newspaper is questionable, while the reporting in the papers which enjoy nationwide distribution is of much higher quality. I know of people who would be horrified at the thought of reading the local paper, where there are others who take their news only from such a source.

Similarly, magazines and journals can be categorised in various ways, including according to their supposed quality. I must admit to being a little bit of a snob when it comes to this type of reading material. I do look down my nose at some of the magazines on offer as I wait at the supermarket checkout and would not want to be seen purchasing one of them. However, I am just as likely to pick the same magazine up if I'm in the doctor's waiting room and, secretly, don't mind if she is running a little behind schedule with appointments, as it provides me with a stolen moment to catch up on the latest gossip!

There is the school of thought that says information can be found in the unlikeliest of places and this is certainly true when it comes to reading material of dubious quality. I guess the real question is, what are you seeking from what you read? You could have any number of reasons for reading - from expanding your intellect to gleaning gossip on your favourite actor to simply enjoying a moment in time to escape the realities of your daily routine. I say, read what you want, not what you think others think you should be reading. As long as you are reading, that's all that matters.

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