| THESE
ARE SOME BRIEF NOTES ON THE USE OF ENGLISH,
COMPILED FROM SOME OF
THE WORK I HAVE LOOKED AT.
YOU
CAN SIMPLY PUT THESE BY YOUR KEYBOARD TO
REMIND YOU OF SOME BASIC THINGS.
- You
should avoid using similar words in a sentence e.g. ‘ This
focussing on the image provides a focus for…..’ Try
to think of different words to convey your meaning and interpretation.
- Think
about singular and plural in your choice of words – e.g.
a thing, these things.
- This
also involves the use of definite and indefinite articles in referring
to nouns. e.g. the stuffs should be these stuffs: similarly a
birds should be the birds.
- Also
one should be careful about how to use past and present tenses – a
useful rule is to think when an event or happening took place, or
where it is contemporary and use the words – was (past) is
(present0 and were (recent).
- The
use of capitals (upper and lower case) This is more problematic,
but a general rule is that the upper case is appropriate in titles
and sub-headings, but not in general content and sentences, except
where one is referring to specific names or , for example buildings – the
De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.
- Sentences
always have to have a verb to enable them to function – e.g.
people came to exhibitions….
- There
are several other points that may be useful. One
is that the use of overlong sentences should be avoided if possible.
A sentence that extends over eight lines of text can be too dense
for the reader to follow, and breaks the rhythm and continuity of
the narrative. It is important to be aware of how a reader will follow
the flow of what is being said, and how they will take in the meanings
and ideas of what is being developed.
- Some writers have a tendency to over-use sub-headings and sections.
Often it is better to maintain a continuous flow of ideas, where
the reader can move readily from one concept to another, rather than
the staccato effect of sub-headings often containing sometimes only
one sentence, which is rather like being assailed by written machine-gun
fire!
- The
usage of appropriate words is also important. When translating
from one language into another, it is easy to miss the initial
meaning of what one wishes to express. If in doubt, consult the
Oxford English Dictionary (appropriate capitals) to
find a word. It is also too easy to try to condense several meanings
into one word. It is better to develop a clear and specific style
of writing than to assume that the reader will know what you mean.
- When
editing your written component, it would be useful to index or
code quotations or specific comments in a way that allows you to
place them in a structured way. Some may use colour – coding
, or individual files, but it is important to keep a mental grasp
on your material. It is also useful to maintain an adherence to the
conventions of writing within a thesis, and to develop a consistency
of style appropriate to the work that you do.
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