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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
Información General
Programa Virtualization
Tema: Propuesta de Negocio
Duración estimada de
estudio (horas):
10 hrs.
Desarrollador de contenido Alba Nury Cardona Yepes
Fecha de entrega Abril 26 de 2013
Versión
GOOD WRITING IS AN ART
Introduction
Chapter 1 Abstract´s generalities
1.1. General questions to be addressed in the
Abstract section
1.2. Conclusions
Chapter 2 Cohesion in writing
2.1. Five Ways to improve the Cohesiveness
On your Writing
2.2. Examples of abstract
2.3. The four C´s in writing
2.4. Formality and Informality
Chapter 3 Essay´s keys for writing
3.1. Advantages and Disadvantages
3.2. To agree with someone or something.
3.3. To partly agree with someone or something
3.4. Ways of saying what the aim or purpose
Of something is
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
3.5. Words meaning aim or purpose
3.6. Words meaning approximately
3.7. Ways to say that you are certain
about something
3.8. What you say when comparing things
or people
3.9. What you say when concluding your
essay or argument
3.10. Saying again what your aims were
at the conclusion of an essay
3.11. What you say when emphasizing that
something is important
3.12. What you say when giving your opinion
Mind Map
Reinforcement Activities
Glossary
References
Credits
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
Introduction
To write is easy and simple. It implies a series of skills that can be developed
following, of course, some grammar rules, spelling, punctuation as well as
common sense.
When you develop a project, the searching must be registered using different
tools like questionnaires, reports, interviews, in which it can be typed different
details of that investigation. The Abstract presents only the most important and
general ideas of the result got from those findings.
There are important factors to be considered to write the ideas with coherence
in such a way that the final decision of your client would be to hire you as
professional, to buy your product or getting your service.
The good writing should include an introduction, main body and conclusion.
This guide will be of help to understand and learn more about the production of
an excellent written document with all the requirements to be successful in your
searchings´ findings.
1. Abstract Generalities
In the written reports, it is the first part of it, directly following the title page and
preceding the introduction.
The abstract, although it comes first logistically, always should be written last. It
needs to be written last because it is the essence of your report, drawing
information from all of the other sections of the report. It explains why the
experiment was performed and what conclusions were drawn from the results
obtained. A general guideline for an abstract has five sections or areas of focus:
why the experiment was conducted; the problem being addressed; what
methods were used to solve the problem; the major results obtained; and the
overall conclusions from the experiment as a whole. Do not be misled, however,
from this list into thinking that the abstract is a long section. In fact, it should be
significantly shorter than all of the others. All of this information should be
summarized in a clear but succinct manner if the abstract is going to be
successful. An estimated average length for all of this information is only a
single paragraph. Although this may seem as though it is a short length to
contain all of the required information, it is necessary because it forces you to
be accurate and yet compact, two essential qualities.
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
The best way to attempt to go about writing an abstract is to divide it into the
sections mentioned above. The first two sections are very similar and can be
grouped together, but do not have to be. If you decide to address them
separately, make sure that you do not repeat anything. Often a section can be
mentioned in only one sentence. Remember, brevity is the key to a successful
abstract. Each section is addressed below to help clarify what needs to be
included and what can be omitted.
The most important thing to remember when writing the abstract is to be brief
and state only what is pertinent. No extraneous information should be included.
A successful abstract is compact, accurate and self-contained. It also must be
clear enough so someone who is unfamiliar with your experiment could
understand why you did what you did, and what the experiment indicated in the
end. An additional note is that abstracts typically are written in the passive
voice, but it is acceptable to use personal pronouns such as I or we.
1.1. General questions to be addressed in the abstract section
i. Why it was done and what is the problem being addressed?
These two sections can be grouped together into one brief statement
summarizing why the experiment was performed in the first place? What
was the question trying to be answered? Science is an exploration for
truth. It is all about curiosity and answering questions to find out why and
how things work. The scientific method is a clear example of this; first
state a problem or question and then try to determine the answer. This
section is the statement of the original problem. It is the reason behind
why an experiment is being done. This should not include many details;
rather it should be a simple statement. It can even be stated in one or
two sentences at the most.
ii. What did you do?
This part of the abstract states what was done to try to answer the
question proposed. It should in no way be very detailed. It contains a
brief outline of what were done, highlighting only crucial steps. It is the
materials and methods section of your abstract, but it is only one or two
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
sentences in length. It is a description of how you decided to approach
the problem.
iii. What did you find out?
In other words, what did all of your hard work and preparation tell you
about the question you set out to answer. This contains only the crucial
results obtained. The crucial results are those that are necessary to
answer your original question posed. Without these results, the
experiment would have been useless. The results should be stated
briefly and should not be explained; they should only be mentioned. It is
very similar to the results section of your paper, but it highlights only
pertinent results used to draw conclusions. An average length for this
section is two or three sentences at the most. This number can vary
however, depending on the complexity of the experiment, and so these
length guides are just that, guides, not rules.
1.2. Conclusions
This is the end of your abstract, directly hinging on the results obtained. This is
the "so what" part of your experiment. "So what" refers to what the results mean
in the long run? You need not include how you drew your conclusions, only the
final conclusion. This should directly follow the results so the reader knows what
results led to what conclusions. This is the equivalent to the discussion part of
the paper, but again, like the rest of the abstract, it needs to be stated briefly
and succinctly. You do not need to explain how you deduced the conclusion
from the results obtained, only the end conclusions. After you have stated this,
the abstract is complete.
2. Cohesion in Writing
Cohesion is revising to make sure that your words, ideas, and paragraphs fit
together. Without cohesive sentences, readers feel like they are reading a long
list of unrelated ideas. They often have trouble remembering what you said.
They also have trouble understanding how these ideas connect to one another,
which may mean that they don’t understand the main point in your essay. When
writing is not cohesive, it’s very difficult to be an effective communicator.
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
Cohesive Papers:
1. Group similar ideas together
2. Constantly refer back to the thesis or main idea
3. Use a well-defined structure that is easy for the reader to follow
Incorporating these connecting words and phrases into your essays will help the
reader understand how your sentences and ideas relate to one another:
also
anyway
consequently
finally
furthermore
however
incidentally
indeed
therefore
thus
instead
likewise
meanwhile
nevertheless
next
nonetheless
otherwise
still
then
after all
as a result
at any rate
at the same time
by the way
even so
for example
in addition
in fact
in other words
on the contrary
on the other
hand
Using this phrases and coordinating conjunctions (and, so, yet, but, or, for) will
ensure that your reader can follow your meaning, and trust your voice as a
writer.
2.1. Five ways to improve the cohesiveness of your Writing
i. Check the first sentence in each paragraph. Ask yourself: does this
sentence explain the connection between the ideas in the previous
paragraph and the ideas that I’m about to discuss?
Example: Let’s say that I’m writing a paper about the personalities of
different household pets. If my first paragraph is about cats and my
second paragraph is about dogs, I can make my writing more cohesive
by beginning the 2nd paragraph with the following statement: “While cats
tend to be moody and self-centered, dogs are usually cheerful and aim to
please their owners.”
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
ii. Check the first few words in each sentence. Ask yourself: Have I
made it clear exactly how this idea relates to the previous one? Will
readers be able to move smoothly from one idea to the next?
Example: Instead of using two disjointed, short sentences like “She ran
outside. Her shoe fell off,” I might make the sentences more cohesive by
emphasizing a connection. I’d change it to: She ran outside so quickly
that her shoe fell off.
iii. Use topic sentences. Read each paragraph and ask yourself 2
questions: What is the main point in this paragraph? How does this point
support my thesis statement or main purpose in this essay? Make sure
that your topic sentences answer BOTH questions.
Example: If the purpose of my essay is to argue that the death
penalty should not be used in the U.S., I’ll want to make sure that
each of my paragraphs helps defend my opinion. Rather than
beginning a paragraph about innocent people being mistakenly
executed using this system with the vague words “Innocent people in
the U.S. are dying every day” I’d make my writing more cohesive and
remind the reader of my main purpose by saying “The death penalty
system allows our country to take away innocent lives, therefore it
should not be used as a form of punishment.”
iv. Underline the subject in longer sentences. Check to make sure that
you’ve placed the subject as close to the beginning of the sentence as
possible, rather than hiding it in the middle or towards the end.
Example: If my paper is about the effects of global warming, I’ll want to
avoid sentences like this: “There are several harmful effects on our
environment like global warming and people not cleaning up their
garbage.” That sentence is confusing because it drags on too long and
does not emphasize any particular main point; it also mentions garbage,
which doesn’t really relate to what I’m talking about at all. It would be
better to change the sentence to: “Global warming is the most dangerous
environmental problem that we must face.”
v. Don’t be afraid to re-state your thesis or main idea several times
throughout your essay. Just make sure that you do so in slightly
different words!
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
Example: If my thesis statement reads, “The best way to learn to
drive is to practice in a vacant parking lot,” hen throughout my essay
I might use statements like: “Practicing in a large, open space is also
helpful because…” or “Learning to drive on the road will cause a lot
more anxiety than practicing in a less cluttered space because…”
2.2 Examples of Abstract
Journal of the American Statistical Association © 1967 American Statistical
Association
Abstract
Returns and findings from three strategies of data collection are compared.
Each strategy contains personal interviews, telephone interviews, and mail
questionnaires in different combinations-one mainly personal, one mainly
telephone, and one mainly mail. All three strategies are based on area
probability samples of households in Alameda County, California. The test was
made on two separate studies, with identical questionnaires used in all
strategies within each study. The responses from the three strategies were
found to be highly comparable. Rate of return and rate of completeness of
questionnaires were high for all three; substantive findings were virtually
interchangeable; and there was little difference in validity. The only important
difference was cost per interview which varied considerably by strategy.
The Academy of Management Review © 1999 Academy of Management
Abstract:
In this article I describe and compare a number of alternative generic strategies
for the analysis of process data, looking at the consequences of these
strategies for emerging theories. I evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of
the strategies in terms of their capacity to generate theory that is accurate,
parsimonious, general, and useful and suggest that method and theory are
applied to that multiple strategies are often advisable, and that no analysis
strategy will produce theory without a creative leap, however small. Finally, I
argue that there is room in the organizational research literature for more
openness within the academic community toward a variety of forms of coupling
between theory and data.
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
2.3. The Four C´s in writing
i. The correctness refers to accurate spelling, punctuation, and
grammar and sentence structure.
ii. The conciseness refers to length of the text. It should be as
short as possible. It must be direct, readable and logical.
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
iii. The clarity: the writer must be clear, and to the point. It
depends on three main things: Sticking to your basic purpose,
arranging your material logically and using specific, concrete
language.
iv. The courtesy: the writer must be polite and avoid informal
words, or expressions that might confuse the meaning.
HELP!!!!
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
2.4. Formality and Informality
To develop a good writing is of great value when the final decisions will be
taken. Therefore, the information given might be fundamental to take an action.
Formality is used in business writings, like: CV´s and letters of application, End
of term papers, discursive essays, Factual descriptions, Reports, Formal letters.
Informality is common in emails and informal letters.
Following the next tips, will assure a positive answer by the reader of the
message, creating a positive action: To get the services, to hire an employee, to
buy a product, and so forth:
i. Never use contractions in formal writings.
The researching can´t be done. (X)
The researching cannot be done.
ii. Do not use slaggy expressions.
Example: This is a terrible report. (X)
The report is not good enough.
iii. Avoid incomplete sentences.
Example: be appropriate to solve the problem. (X)
The solution will be appropriate to solve the problem.
iv. Do not include personal details.
Example: I liked very much the topic investigated because it remembers
me the childhood (X)
The topic of the investigation created many expectations in
the team.
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
Chapter 3 Essay´s keys for writing
Below you will find different ways to develop and connect ideas in a
formal writing like reports, summaries, essays and abstracts. The
bold words could be replaced to write your own concepts.
3.1. Advantages and Disadvantages
i. The great advantage of digital camera is that there is no
process.
ii. The main disadvantage of this book is its price.
3.2. To agree with someone or something.
i. Many people agreed with his views about the war.
ii. Professor Dawkins is of the same opinion as Dr. Jones.
3.3. To partly agree with someone or something.
i. I agree with him up to a point,
ii. I broadly agree with the proposals.
iii. There is some truth in the argument that…
3.4. Ways of saying what the aim or purpose of something is
i. This paper aims to show how science and technology have
Influenced the work of artists.
ii. Tests were carried out in order to find out if the drug have
any side effects.
iii. The film is supposed to be a serious drama.
3.5. Words meaning aim or purpose
i. The main aims of the project are as follows…
ii. The main aim of the study is..
iii. My aim in this article is…
iv. He did not tell them about the purpose of his visit.
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
v. The company´s long term goal is to be the market leader.
vi. He set himself the target of raising .over $1 million for
cancer research.
vii. The terrorists will do almost anything to acie from ithieve
their ends.
3.6. Words meaning approximately
i. Approximately 30% of adults who have the disease will die
from it.
ii. There were about 50 people at the meeting.
iii. The amount of caffeine in one can of cola is roughly
equivalent to four cups of coffee.
3.7. Ways to say that you are certain about something
i. I am sure that many other writers share this view.
ii. She was convinced that her husband was innocent.
iii. The researchers were confident of success.
3.8. What you say when comparing things or people
i. Young male drivers have far more accidents by comparison with
other groups.
ii. Mortality rates are lower for women as compared with men.
iii. In contrast to the South of the island, the North is still untouched
by tourism.
3.9. What you say when concluding your essay or argument
i. In conclusion, the results of our study…
ii. To summarize: there are many people reasons why people buy
technology.
iii. The organization main aim can be summarized as follows…
iv. The following conclusions may be drawn from these figures,
Firstly, .. Then, … Next, Finally.
3.10. Saying again what your aims were at the conclusion of an essay
i. The aim of this study was to determine whether it is possible to
reduce the amount of salt in bread without spoiling its taste.
ii. In this…I have tried/attempted to…
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
iii. In this essay I have tried to set out..
3.11. What you say when emphasizing that something is important
i. I would like to stress that…
ii. It should be noted that…
iii. It is worth bearing in mind that…
iv. Crucially, it was claimed that…
v. It is essential that the work is…
3.12. What you say when giving your opinion
i. In my opinion,..
ii. I think that,..
iii. In my view,..
iv. In this writer´s view,..
MIND MAP
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
REINFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES
If you want to practice a little more, go to the reinforcement activities proposed:
crossword puzzles: Months and Seasons and Days of the Week.
Reinforcement
Activity´s Name
Activity´
Description
Activity´s File
GLOSSARY
About: Alrededor
Achieve: Alcanzar
Advantage: Ventaja
Agree: Estar de acuerdo
Aim: Objetivo
Approximately: Aproximadamente
Attempted to: Pretender
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
Benefit: Beneficio
Bold: Negrilla
Cause: Causa
Certainly: Efectivamente
Challenge: Reto
Circa: Cerca de
Compared to/With: En comparación a/con
Comparing: Comparar
Contrasting: Contrastar
Cure: Cura, remedio
Cut: Cortar
Decline: Disminuir
Decrease: Disminuir
Disadvantage: Desventaja
Effect: Efecto
Emphsizing: Enfatizar
Essay: Ensayo
Explaining: Explicar
False; False
Firstly: Primero que todo
Furthermore: Más aún
Generalizations: Generalidades
Giving: Dar
Goal: Meta
In order to: Con el fin de
Increase: Incrementar
Insecure: Inseguro
Issue: Dificultad
Lead to: Liderar, dirigir
Lower: Más bajo
Making: Haciendo
Means: Significar
Opinion: Opinion
Opposite. Contrario
Others: Otros
People: Personas
Provide: Proveer
Purpose: Propósito
Reason: Razón
Result: Resultado
Right: Correcto, exacto
Rise: Levantar
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Plantilla para Desarrollo de Objeto Contenido
Roughly: Casi lo mismo
Saying: Decir
Share: Compartir
Someone: Alguien
Summaries: Resúmenes
Sure: Seguro
Therefore: Por lo tanto,
Things: Cosas
Trouble: Problema
True: Verdad
Try to: Tratar, perseguir
View: Punto de vista
Ways: Manera, forma
Which: El cual
Without: Sin
Writers: Escritores
Bibliography
Exercises on line. Recovered 2012, May 28. Available in:
http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/Connect.html.
Activity 1, Basic I and Basic II. Recovered 2012, May 28. Available in
http://www.duoc-teachers.mundomas.com/index.php.
Abstract Example. Recovered, 2012, October 18. Available in:
http://writing2.richmond.edu/training/project/biology/abslit.html#sample1.
Writing Handbook at Longman Exams Dictionary (2007). Fourth Impression,
Pearson Education Limited, England. P.WH-36-38, WH59-83.
Credits
Good Writing is an Art. Cardona. A.N. (2013). Curriculum Designer/Instructor
at the Virtualization Project. Centro de Servicios y Gestiòn Empresarial-CESGE,
Antioquia, Colombia S.A. SENA.