Stylewriter Review – Plain English Writing Software for Writers
May 13, 2009 | Comments Off
StyleWriter integrates into Word and analyzes your manuscript for style and usage errors.
In this stylewriter review I’ll cover:
- Getting the software: how easy was it to access and start using a trial version of the software. There were some surprises here!
- Understanding the results: how easy was it to “get” what the program was telling me.
- Usefulness of the results: did the suggestions improve my writing?
- Price & Guarantee
I don’t bother repeating the marketing blurb from the product’s websites. You can go read about that on the individual websites (links are given). I focus solely on how well the software worked for me as a fiction writer trying to edit my manuscript.
No Free Trial!
StyleWriter does not offer a free trial version of the software. Instead, you can pay $30 and they will send you a trial version by post. They will discount the final price by $30 if you decide to buy.
I don’t know about you, but waiting a week or more for software to arrive by mail seems sort of….archaic? It made me wonder just how sophisticated the software really is if they can’t create a downloadable trial version. Anyway, enough griping. I received the software in the mail and installed it without any problem.
Understanding the Results
StyleWriter integrates with Word. After it analyzes your text, you can scroll through the results screen and evaluate each suggestion. In each case, I found the problem and the advice easy to understand.
StyleWriter provides some useful “global” information. For example, they provide a blunt ‘readability’ measure (average sentence length) and also have a ‘passive index’, which specifies if you are using too many passive verbs. Again, the information was easy to understand.
Usefulness of the Results
I found StyleWriter’s results more useful than WhiteSmoke, but not as useful as AutoCrit’s — mainly because AutoCrit is more targeted to fiction writers.
Comparing to other Software
StyleWriter’s goal is to cut words from your text, making it cleaner. This contrasts with WhiteSmoke’s goal which seems to be to add unnecessary words, like adverbs and adjectives. StyleWriter aligns more closely with my goal as a fiction writer to produce clean, tight writing.
Since StyleWriter is designed for all types of writing, it lacks fiction-specific suggestions. They even admit as such, stating “StyleWriter is for anyone who writes, but is most useful for the typical office worker in business or government who has little or no training in good writing skills. For advice specific to fiction, look to AutoCrit.
Even where they are most similar, I find AutoCrit more useful for my purposes. For example, both AutoCrit and StyleWriter analyze your writing for sentence variety. They use sentence length as the metric, but it is how they display their results that differs.
StyleWriter gives you a single graph that shows you how many sentences of each length are found in your text. But if you have too many long sentences, you have to search through your document to find them. With AutoCrit, you can see exactly where your long sentences are as review the sentence variety report. This could be just a personal preference. In both cases, the important information is conveyed.
Price & Guarantee
At $150, StyleWriter is the most expensive of the three editing programs I reviewed. It comes with a 35-day money-back guarantee.
Get StyleWriter Now
Summary
StyleWriter provides useful advice that can help you clean up your writing. It lacks advice specific to fiction writing, which is a short-coming compared to its competitors.
This is just my opinion! Find out more at the StyleWriter site and make up your own mind!
White Smoke Writing Enhancement Software Review
December 23, 2008 | Comments Off
White smoke writing enhancement software works with a variety of applications including Microsoft Word and MSN messenger, so you can check your writing anytime and instantly modify your correspondence. White smoke program can also look for passive verbs, overused words, wordy phrases and more.
Although white smoke software is easy to use and works with numerous applications, we found some of the feedback incorrect or irrelevant. For example, some of the comments and edits offered included incorrect spelling and out of context suggestions. This product may be best for those that have a good basic understanding of English grammar, word usage and spelling, so they can make a proper selection from the suggested word lists.
White smoke writing enhancement software review
Editing Tools
White Smoke has a huge database of suggestions that consists of 6,007,005 enrichment corrections, 7,484,611 grammar corrections and 3,684,281 spelling corrections. When you submit your writing samples into the program it can check for spelling and grammar errors, punctuation, passive verbs, overused words and wordy phrases.
This software helps you enhance your text by providing adverb and adjective suggestions, much like the synonym tool in Word. This program cannot however evaluate the content or tense of a sentence, so it is ultimately up to you to decide which word fits the situation.
Reference Tools
White Smoke has a built in dictionary and thesaurus to help you choose applicable and effective words.
Additional Tools
White Smoke includes a diverse collection of templates, from business letters and proposals to love letters.
Applications
White smoke offers several programs for the application of your choice. We looked at the basic White Smoke Version but they also offer business, legal, medical, creative writing, dating and executive versions.
White Smoke can be used with Microsoft Word, Outlook, WordPerfect, HTML, any chat program and more.
Help/Support
White Smoke can be contacted by telephone, email or chat; however, we could not get their live chat to work. WhiteSmoke responded to our first email within 24 hours, but instead of answering our email they provided general sales information. We sent a second email with a list of questions and they responded within an hour with useful and relevant information.
Feedback
Toptenreviews.com tested three writing samples with this program, a business letter, a marketing devise or white paper and a technical document. However, much of the feedback was incorrect or inapplicable. In general, most of the suggestions did not extend beyond what a basic thesaurus can offer, without regard to content or tense.
When we put the white paper through the edit process, the feedback included some misleading comments and four obvious incorrect suggestions, such as we were prompted to change “used” to “used” and “supposing” to “supposed,” which would have made the sentence incorrect.
The program did offer some good feedback, but the toughest part would be discerning between a valid and invalid suggestion, especially if you are an inexperienced writer or an ESL student.
Summary
White Smoke works with a wide variety of software applications and offers the writer alternative word and grammar choices to enhance their writing. Nonetheless, we found the feedback to be misleading or incorrect.
White smoke writing enhancement software Special Offer
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White Smoke English Writing & Proofreading Software Review
December 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment
First Impressions of White Smoke Proofreading Software
I found WhiteSmoke very easy to install and get started with. It checks the grammar, spelling and readability of everything that you write (it will do this whilst running in the background, or you can load up the program directly). It’s a bit like a very advanced and more intelligent version of Microsoft Word’s spelling and grammar checker.
I liked the way it automatically checked my typing in not only Microsoft Word but also in emails and when leaving comments using web forms. It caught a few potentially embarrassing typos before I had a chance to hit “send” or “submit”…
Testing white smoke
I tried running a few pieces of my regular writing through white smoke to see what it would say. This passage came from a piece I was writing for my blog The Office Diet:
Now you know what calories are and you know how to figure out how many are in your food … you just need to know how many you should be eating.
white smoke suggested putting a comma after the words “calories are”, and when I clicked to find out why, I was told:
Explanation: This sentence requires a comma to separate its clauses and improve clarity.
Definition: Two coordinated clauses should be divided by a comma.
So far so good: I agree that the sentence is improved when rewritten as:
Now you know what calories are, and you know how to figure out how many are in your food…
The next suggestion, however, was to put a full stop after “out” and before “how”, which would make the sentence:
Now you know what calories are and you know how to figure out. How many are in your food …
This time, when I asked why, white smoke explained “Two distinct sentences have to be divided by a full stop [period].” However, these were not two separate sentences, and putting a full stop here would lose meaning. I suspect the use of “figure out” (which is quite informal or colloquial) confused the software.
My frequent use of bullet points, rather than conventional paragraphs, also caused a few issues:
- It suggested putting a period after the first bullet, but not after others. (Conventional advice is that you do not need to use periods for bullets consisting of short phrases, but if you do use periods, you should be consistent.)
- white smoke believed that “Your weight” and “Your activity levels” should be “You’re weight” and “You’re activity levels” respectively. Again, I suspect the use of bullets and fragments rather than full sentences caused this confusion.
Sometimes, the software didn’t recognise what role a particular word was playing in a sentence. In the following example, the word “fast” is an adjective modifying “food”, but white smoke believed it was a verb:
They found that those who skipped breakfast tended to eat more fast food.
I was advised to “Change ‘more’ to ‘faster’”. I can understand where the confusion came – “more fast” would be poor grammar if the sentence was “I ran more fast than Billy.” But my sentence was correct as it stood.
Enrichment Suggestions
white smoke makes a number of enrichment suggestions which can help improve the flow or style of your writing. For example, one of these came up for me when it recommended changing “And” in:
And your muscle mass is also important
to “Furthermore”, “In addition”, or “Moreover”. I would probably have picked one of these if I’d been writing a more formal piece, but for a blog post, I don’t think starting with “And” is a problem.
Verdict
I enjoyed using the white smoke software, and found it was particularly good at spotting typos as I wrote. It could seem a little intrusive at times (a small window pops up in the right hand side of the screen as you type, when the software is running), so I usually turned it off when writing fiction or informal emails as I tended to get a lot of warnings about these!
There were a few occasional slips when the software didn’t understand the meaning of what I’d written, but so long as you don’t just accept every suggestion automatically, these infrequent mistakes shouldn’t cause too many problems.
I think it would be an excellent piece of software for:
- People learning English as a foreign language
- Students writing academic essays
- Anyone producing a formal business-related piece (perhaps a report, or a job application)
- Freelancers writing for print or traditional markets
You might find the white smoke software frustrating if:
- You mainly write fiction or poetry (especially if you use a lot of dialogue or your style involves breaking grammatical rules)
- Your emails and other non-fiction writing tend to be very informal
- You use a lot of bullet points or other sentence fragments
- You’re already very confident about your spelling and grammar
Overall, white smoke is a very easy to use, intuitive piece of software, and considerably cheaper than paying a proof-reader to check your work!
From: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/whitesmoke-software-review/
Whitesmoke Writing Software – Quality Writing is Essential in the New Job Market
November 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
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Quality Writing is Essential in the New Job Market “Online publications and services are growing in number and sophistication, spurring the demand for writers and editors with Web or multimedia experience.” – Bureau of Labor Statistics |
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| How you spend your time in the office: | ||||||
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| If you want to go forward in the new job market, you need to write, and write well. Statistics show that many employees spend up to 25% of their working hours writing, making it a paramount skill to master for your daily work. Are you prepared? | ||||||
| WhiteSmoke 2009 is a proofreading and editing tool that works with all software applications. It gives you instant grammar checking, spell checking, and style checking, as well as a one– click dictionary–thesaurus. | ||||||
| Get WhiteSmoke 2009 today and get that job | ||||||
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WhiteSmoke 2009 Review | Grammar Correction | Proofreading and Editing Writing Software
November 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
WhiteSmoke 2009 is an innovative proofreading and editing tool with a single aim – to help you write better. Whether you simply want to compose well–written emails to family and friends, or you need professional results for business and corporate settings, WhiteSmoke consistently delivers
WhiteSmoke 2009 New Features
New GUI
WhiteSmoke 2009 introduces a new GUI with an improved workflow. Central to the new design is the presentation of WhiteSmoke’s suggestions and corrections. Replacing the pop-up menus of WhiteSmoke 2008, the user now receives corrections and suggestions in-line with the text, just like when a text is edited and proofread manually.”Our beta group is very pleased with this new development, which brings a more organic and ‘real-life’ feel to the writing and editing experience,” notes Liran Brenner, VP R&D at WhiteSmoke. Other changes include the placement of the additional writing tools (English Lessons, Templates, and the Dictionary) above the text area, and more intuitive placement of the “Check” and “Apply” buttons.
Style Checker
WhiteSmoke 2009 introduces a new collection of style checking features. The WhiteSmoke Style Checker includes WhiteSmoke’s patented Text Enrichment, a unique technology that has established WhiteSmoke in a field apart from competitors, as well as a range of new features that address overall writing style. Users will be notified of incomplete sentences, use of slang and IM speak, and informal sentence structures. These additional style checking features make WhiteSmoke 2009 a great leap forward from previous versions of WhiteSmoke, and consolidate the WhiteSmoke mission of creating an “all-in-one” writing tool.
Grammar Checker
WhiteSmoke 2009 introduces new grammar algorithms and updates to existing algorithms. Key new detections include confusions between countable and non-countable nouns (much/many, less/fewer), comparative/superlative mismatches (more nicer, less nicest), and recognition of run-on sentences. Updates to existing grammar algorithms have further improved the precision of WhiteSmoke’s corrections over a wider variety of possible sentence constructions.
whitesmoke 2009 business version review
With the WhiteSmoke 2009 Business Writing Version you can’t go wrong with any document you send out! Our online software corrects any potentially embarrassing grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes and takes your text to a new and more professional level with text enrichment suggestions relevant to the business world. The integrated dictionary-thesaurus, idiom database, and optional multi-language translator [Now Free] are complemented by 600 document templates that all-in-all provide you the best English writing package available!
whitesmoke 2009 Creative version review
Do you feel like you’ve got a burning desire to be a writer but afraid you still need to brush up on some writing basics? The WhiteSmoke online grammar and writing software is the all-in-one solution that caters to all your writing needs! It will correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes in any short story and essay you write. It will also provide you with text enrichment suggestions to enrich your writing with synonyms and extra adjectives and adverbs. The integrated dictionary-thesaurus, idiom database, 600 document templates, and online English lessons complete our unique all-in-one writing tool made just for you!
Get a free dictionary + ESL Online Video Tutorial Courses + Business English Video Tutorial Course
whitesmoke 2009 General Writing version review
Writing has never been more accessible than with the groundbreaking WhiteSmoke grammar and writing software. Whether you are a middle school student, about to hand in your first college thesis or already deep in the world of work, our software provides an all-in-one software package that caters to all your writing needs. Starting with grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections all the way up to text enrichment suggestions of synonyms, adjectives, and adverbs, the WhiteSmoek English text enhancer does it all. Together with a built-in dictionary-thesaurus, idiom database, 600 document templates, and an optional multi-language translator, WhiteSmoke is just the writing tool you need to “Write Better – Right Now!”
whitesmoke 2009 Bio-Writing version review
Completing those patient progress forms or filing lengthy medical supply orders can be tedious and even embarrassing if sent out with mistakes. The WhiteSmoke online English grammar and writing software answers to all your needs as it corrects grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. It goes even further by offering text enriching synonyms, adjectives, and adverbs – all suited to medical jargon. Completing this package are the integrated dictionary-thesaurus, 600 professional document templates, and the optional multi-language translator. All in all, WhiteSmoke is the best all-in-one writing solution to make you “Write Better – Right Now!”
whitesmoke 2009 Hi-tech version review
The Hi-Tech Writing version of WhiteSmoke is an excellent writing solution for Hi-Tech and IT professionals. Like all versions of WhiteSmoke, you get full access to our advanced grammar checker and spell checker, as well as the style checker, which provides text enhancement suggestions to improve your writing. The dictionary-thesaurus and the spelling database of the Hi-Tech Writing version are tailored for the specific writing needs of Hi-Tech and IT professionals.
whitesmoke 2009 Executive version review
If you are an executive manager who just doesn’t have time for editing emails and business proposals, then WhiteSmoke’s English grammar and writing software is the solution you’ve been waiting for. The Executive Version includes the text enrichment capabilities of all other WhiteSmoke versions (business, creative, legal, medical, and general), and WhiteSmoke’s world-leading grammar, spelling, and punctuation correction. These core features are backed by a one-click dictionary-thesaurus, and over 600 professional document templates. WhiteSmoke’s all-in-one solution is the best bang for your writing buck!
Whitesmoke 2009 Business English Video Tutorials
WhiteSmoke’s Business English Video Tutorial Course is based on a comprehensive and highly interactive method to help you learn the “ins and outs” of Business English. The course is based around a series of real-life business scenarios, which help you acquire the necessary communication skills through actual business interactions. There are achievement tests to help you track your progress, and detailed case studies to help you get the most out of your Business English learning experience.
Now buying any whitesmoke Products, get this Free!!
Whitesmoke 2009 ESL Online Video Tutorials
WhiteSmoke’s ESL Online Video Tutorial Courses are based on a comprehensive and highly interactive method to help you learn the “ins and outs” of English as a second language. The courses are based around real-life scenarios, which help you acquire the necessary communication skills through actual interactions. There are achievement tests to help you track your progress, and detailed case studies to help you get the most out of your English learning experience.
Now buying any whitesmoke Products, get this Free!!
The Writing Process – Guide to effective writing for Technical Writers
October 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Introduction
One of the more difficult tasks facing IT people is finding the best way of putting across technical information in a nontechnical way.
Nontechnical writing is often the most difficult type of communication for IT people (“techos” as they are sometimes known) to do well. This is because such writing calls for communication between people with widely different backgrounds.
Nontechnical writing takes technical information and translates into ideas that can be readily understood by people who are perhaps skilled in other areas or other disciplines.
Nontechnical writing presents a situation much like that involved with translating a foreign language. When you are speaking to someone who shares a common background and language, they can fill in the gaps and make up for mistakes in your communication. However when speaking to someone who has a different background and speaks a different language, they cannot make up for gaps and mistakes, and need additional explanation.
1. The Writing Process
This is a very important section for people who have not spent half their lives learning the many techniques of writing good, easy to read prose. While there’s no real substitute for those years, by applying some basic principles the result might be quite good.
1.1. Clear & effective communication
A subject as large as this could fill a library, but as big a subject as it is, there are some general guidelines which can be applied to help you write more readable reports.
If you are serious about becoming a better writer, you’ll take the following guidelines to heart and practice them. They were mainly put forward by the English writer George Orwell in his book Politics and the English Language (1947). Taught in university courses, practised by experienced writers everywhere, they can be considered some of the “tricks of the trade”.
By implementing the techniques outlined in this document you will be able to use language as an “instrument of expressing and not for concealing or preventing thought”.
1.2. No tired figures of speech
It is a fact that when communicating, people often use expressions and clichés that have become overworked. They may once have been full of impact, able to grab a readers attention with the freshness of their imagery. But after 1,000 uses, they are past their “use by” date and deserve to be retired. Take the time to think of new ways to express familiar ideas and your writing will benefit.
1.3. Short not long words
Never use a long word when a short one will do; use “timely” not “auspicious” or “opportune, use “set” rather than “predetermined”.
Short words tend to be more specific or concrete, making the message more definite. Short words also usually have more impact.
Use a specific, concrete word instead of a general, abstract one. Instead of: “We should request management to do something about their high overheads”, say “Let’s ask John, Susan and Peter to suggest five ways of cutting departmental costs”.
Examples of general (usually long) versus specific (mostly short) include:
- stringed instrument/guitar.
- transport vehicle/car.
- public service department/Queens land Transport.
- entertainment/movie.
- science/biology.
- sporting event/Olympic Games.
Specific words help by allowing the other person to see a clear meaning, general or abstract words tend to obscure meaning.
1.3.1. Economical & precise with words
Economical. if it’s possible to cut a word out without losing the meaning, always cut it out. For example to write: “You can begin to down load the data to the hard disk of the computer by loading the diskette into the diskette drive and selecting “down load” from the Utilities menu which is found in the System Administration area..” Is not as economical as: “To down load the data to the PC, insert the diskette and select “down load” from the Utilities Menu”.
They both get the same meaning across but the first includes extra words which add nothing to the clarity of the statement, but which the reader is obliged to plough through nevertheless. In this example it isn’t necessary to tell the reader where the down loaded data will go or where to insert the diskette or even that the Utilities menu is in the System Administration area if this section is dealing with the System Administration area as a whole.
The rule of thumb is, don’t make people read more than they need, they get in the way, waste time and cause irritation when done to excess.
Precise With around 500,000 words (not including technical), English has perhaps the largest number of words of any language. With such a variety, try to choose the words which best express your thought. Many words have only slight differences in meaning; i.e. assisted, benefited, served, helped. Or meritorious, illustrious, distinguished, significant, renowned.
The best way to achieve precision is to:
- Think carefully about what you’re saying, and
- Have a broad enough vocabulary. A good way to build your vocabulary is to make a point of looking up words you don’t know and perhaps using a thesaurus when writing a document.
1.3.2. Active not passive
Always use the active voice where possible. Active voice has more impact than passive voice and is usually more concise as well. For example it’s better to write: ‘use the active voice’ than to say: ‘the use of passive voice is to be discouraged’.
Notice the diluted effect that the passive voice creates. An enormous amount of what is written in organizations suffers from this problem. Why? Partly through habit, partly through a desire to lend authority to the words and partly to hide a lack of real understanding of the subject. Half-baked or incomplete thoughts tend to be expressed this way.
1.3.3. Everyday English not foreign, jargon or scientific
Except in situations where these are specifically called for, everyday English should be used rather than foreign, jargon or scientific words (i.e. not used for the sake of appearing knowledgeable). As a general guide, choose words that are likely to be understood by the largest number of people unless you are writing for a highly specialized readership.
It is often more difficult to use a common word when the concept is normally described in technical terms. Never assume that people know the meaning of technical words unless they have specific training (i.e. a computer science graduate can be expected to know computer jargon, but the accounts clerk who is actually using the software cannot be expected to understand computer jargon.
1.3.4. Prefabricated language
Orwell also pointed to the habit many people have of using “prefabricated” language. Rather than making the effort to think of new ways of describing things, most people lazily continue to use the same old expressions they’ve been using for years. For example: ‘At this point, the weekly invoice run is initiated and without further ado will run until finished.’ Contains two pieces of prefabricated language; “at this point” and “without further ado’.
The result of overused expressions is that the message may not get through since the reader has tuned out after encountering too many overworked phrases. Original sounding language helps get the message across by sparking the reader’s interest. In the above example, you could say: ‘The weekly invoice run now commences.” Not using prefabricated language also leads to the economical expression of ideas.
1.3.5. Present tense not past/future
Unless it specifically applies, use present tense. Say “Pressing accepts the default value” rather than “Pressing will accept . .” (future tense). Another example, “use active voice in the present tense” rather than “the use of passive voice in the future tense is to be discouraged’.
Using present tense makes the message sound more immediate. The reader unconsciously thinks if it’s happening now, it’s worth knowing. If it’s happening in the future, let’s wait until it happens. If it’s already happened, it’s history.
1.3.6. Avoiding overstatement
This general guideline applies to all communication. In an attempt to strengthen their message, many people resort to overstatement – words that convey an exaggerated view of a person, event or situation. If someone says “You never help me with my work” they invite a reply like “Of course I help you, what about last week?’.
When a speaker exaggerates it usually makes the other person defensive – all of which gets in the way of clear communication. It’s better to limit yourself to simply stating the facts, it shows that you’re being fair and mindful of the other person’s feelings.
1.3.7. Adapting words to the reader
To help the other person perceive what you’re saying as interesting and intelligible. Certainly, using precise specific words adds interest as mentioned earlier, but you can also add interest by being concise and colorful in your phrasing.
Another way to add interest is to use colorful, non cliché expressions. For example, to describe an experience as being “electrifying” is colorful but commonplace, to say it was “like touching an electric fence” adds color and freshness, making it both more interesting and entertaining for the listener/reader.
1.3.8. Never barbarous (advisory only)
Note: This section is for general interest only. It is included for the sake of completeness. Despite the fact that opportunities to use “barbarous” language in reports are limited, it is still worth mentioning since it is perhaps the most corrupting use of language seen today.
Orwell makes the point because he was appalled at the way governments would use terms like “collateral damage” to describe the deaths of innocent people, or their own soldiers being killed by “friendly fire” (mistakenly killed by their own side), or “ethnic cleansing” used to describe genocide.
Notice that barbarous terms are abstract, they don’t have a down-to-earth meaning. “Collateral damage” would become horrifying if the meaning was made concrete by showing the victims as real people – perhaps one’s own husband, wife or children. “Ethnic cleansing” sounds almost harmless but its real meaning is barbaric when you imagine it happening in your street, to people you know.
Why is it done? Usually as a way of legitimizing or “selling” acts of barbarism to people who would otherwise object. As an exercise, the next time a war occurs in which Australia or it’s allies are involved, listen to the way in which the events are described in the media. The words are carefully chosen to persuade us that the war is necessary because “we” are right and “they” are wrong. People often forget that there is no absolute right or wrong when it comes to why nations go to war. It is up to governments to “sell” the idea by glorifying our own cause and demonising the enemy’s.
1.4. Non sexist language
Care should be taken to avoid sexist (or nondiscriminatory as it is legally known) language.
As a general guide:
- Make no gender assumptions – avoid using language which assumes a person’s gender. Today, there are very few jobs where a person is always male or female. Instead of saying “he/she” or “they” when mentioning a person, refer to their job title or function, i.e. “the data entry clerk” or “the user” or simply as “you”.
- Don’t get carried away with removing apparent gender bias in language. With the best of intentions it can mutilate language. For example a “manhole” cover is the generic name of the object and to call it a “personhole” cover obscures it’s meaning and leaves itself open to ridicule, whereas “access” cover is acceptable.
- Further information – if in doubt, consult the Anti-Discrimination Act and the Equal Opportunity in Public Employment Act relevant to your state.
1.5. Writer’s block
Common causes of writer’s block include:
- Internal censor – imaginary, internal critic, speaking with the voice of teachers, parents or other authority figures. The censor makes us reject what might have been written before the writing process has a chance to get under way.
- Fear of failure – originates also from authority figures. It makes us see writing as difficult or risky. It generates anxiety and lack of self-esteem (I’m a hopeless writer!)
- Perfectionism - having unrealistically high standards, not setting realistic goals.
- Procrastination - you begin by sitting down to make a start. After a time you’re thinking of all the things you could be doing – some of them quite important which should probably be done right away. Next thing you know, you’re doing that something else and thinking “Well I’ll get back to that later”. This is the gentle art of procrastination whose basis lies deep in the heart of human nature.
1.5.1. Preparation
The problem is often that you’re expecting to hear the finished product being dictated in your mind by that mysterious process called inspiration. But before the words will start to flow you need to know a lot about the subject. So if you are experiencing writer’s block, it’s generally a sign that you don’t yet know enough about the subject. Spend some more time preparing and getting to know the subject well.
1.5.2. Make a start
Another tip is to lower your expectations about the quality of output at the beginning and just write what you do know even if it sounds half baked. The important thing is to start the flow of words one way or another. Concentrate on getting as much down as possible with the intention of going back and correcting it later. It doesn’t matter at this stage how bad it sounds, no one else need see it. Anything you write now can be changed later in the light of a better understanding of the subject.
1.5.3. Review the reference material
If that doesn’t help, go back and review the reference material you have prepared. A lack of reference material as discussed in the previous chapter is the source of writer’s block. It highlights the importance of thorough presentation to the success of the documentation.
1.6. Environment
Most people work best in a quiet, comfortable environment, as free as possible from interruptions and distractions. Easier said than done in many work places, particularly when the telephone never stops ringing and coworkers frequently want to chat.
It is important to arrange a time and a place during the working day where you can work in a quiet, interruption free environment, since you need to be able to concentrate and follow a train of thought for an extended period.
1.7. Routine
Get into the habit of writing everyday. It helps to reinforce the writing process and to overcome writer’s block.
The process of writing involves using the part of your mind that performs the enormously complex task of turning ideas into language. Unless you use this acquired skill regularly, it falls into disuse. It gets rusty and won’t work properly. It’s similar in some ways to physical fitness. Just as regular exercise keeps a person fit, writing something every day helps to keep your writing faculties in good working condition. Schedule a period each day to work on the documentation and do everything you can to stick to the schedule. If your other commitments make it difficult to allocate time on a regular basis, discuss the matter with your manager with a view to reorganizing your work load.
1.8. Ergonomics
Since writing involves sitting in one position for long periods, certain ergonomic factors need to be considered. These include the following:
1.8.1. Chair
Provide yourself with a chair that gives good lumbar (lower back) support. Try to avoid slouching in the chair for long periods as this places strain on the lumber vertebrae.
1.8.2. Screen
The screen should be on or around eye level and not closer than around 40 centimeters. Screens (liquid crystal flat screen types excepted) do emit a small amount of radiation. While no definite proof exists that this radiation is harmful to humans, many people do report degrees of discomfort and eyestrain. Common sense would suggest trying to minimize your exposure. Using an earthed radiation shield is recommended. The intensity of radiation coming from a screen decreases rapidly the further away the screen is. Therefore, position the screen to be as close as it needs to be to allow your eyes to comfortably read the words on the screen, and no closer.
Adjust the brightness to be just bright enough rather than brighter than necessary. If the brightness needs to be high to overcome reflected light from windows, either rearrange the screen away from the direct light, or arrange blinds. All of this helps to minimize eyestrain.
1.8.3. Regular breaks
Occupational health guidelines recommend taking a break every hour by getting up and walking around. This not only helps your circulation and eyes, it also clears the mind.
1.8.4. Keyboard
Your wrists should not need to be bent while using the keyboard. Studies show that Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) can occur where a keyboard operator, over a long period, constantly types with bent wrists. The strain is due to the tendons which pass through the wrist from the lower arm to the hands becoming inflamed because they are being stretched and constricted as they pass through the narrow aperture in the wrist known as the Carpal Tunnel.
Avoid this possibility by making sure the keyboard is not too high. Either adjust the seat higher up, or arrange for a lower desk or a keyboard drawer which fits under the desk top, or a wrist support pad.
White Smoke 2009 – Computer Make Your Text Grammatically Terrific
October 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment
After several years of research and development on the promising idea of an intelligent writing tool for correcting and enhancing a user’s text, White Smoke 2009 says thet can deliver it. Featuring a grammar checking engine that detects a wider range of errors than any other commercial grammar checker, and a range of other tools to create an all-in-one writing solution, White Smoke 2009 says it is the ideal software application for writers, copy editors and at-home Internet users who are concerned with creating error-free texts.
Community is the Key
“The real secret behind White Smoke’s technologies is our user base. Our users give us constant feedback, and a very wide variety of texts for analysis – without this interaction, our algorithms would not be so advanced,” states Liran Brenner, VP R&D at White Smoke. “Our users make a passionate community, and have stuck with the product throughout its development due to the great potential it brings to written communications. White Smoke’s writing technologies level the playing field, allowing English as a Second Language speakers, and those of us who simply need a good editor for our writing, to confidently write error-free texts.”
White Smoke writing technologies are based on natural language processing (NLP) technology. The program works by analyzing an entire sentence, understanding the structure, and making corrections and suggestions based on a combination of grammar rules and complex statistical models. This approach is unique, and was a factor in leading Business 2.0 to include White Smoke as one of its “31 Best Business Ideas in the World” of 2006. The latest release, White Smoke 2009, is the complete fruition of the White Smoke idea – an intelligent and dynamic tool for writers; a tool that works alongside any text-based application.
Hilla Ovil-Brenner, White Smoke CEO, says, “I am proud to say that White Smoke 2009 is a very mature product for professional writers, and for people who just want to write correct English in their emails and instant messages. Now that we have launched White Smoke 2009 with its advanced grammar checking and style checking features, we hope to reach out to a wider audience, especially writing and copy editing professionals, and writers of English as a Second Language. The new Hi-Tech Writing profile is also aimed at high tech and IT professionals, another niche that needs professional text editing and enhancement. We at White Smoke truly hope to revolutionize written online communications by bringing quality English to everyone.”
White Smoke is a company in the field of English writing technologies with a focus on products that enhance and correct grammar, spelling, and writing style. White Smoke products are based on natural language processing (NLP) technology, featuring unique and patented artificial intelligence algorithms for text analysis. As well as the White Smoke 2009 desktop software, White Smoke makes its technologies available through other channels, such as a browser-based text editor, and specialized OEM versions designed for integration with 3rd party service providers.
See the White Smoke website for further information
Learning English On Your Own
October 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Learning English On Your Own
First, find out what kind of learner you are. Answer these questions to get an idea of how you learn best.
• Do you need to “see” it on paper to understand?
• Do you need to “hear” it to understand?
• Do you learn better when you are having fun?
• Do you remember more when you are moving around?
• Do you need to memorize rules?
• Do you learn by talking to people?
You can learn more effectively if you understand your strengths and use them to help you. Think about what has helped you in the past.
Use a variety of strategies when studying.
Talk to English speakers, use a textbook, memorize vocabulary, write sentences and paragraphs, listen to various recordings, study grammar, read newspapers, magazines, and books
Don’t forget the 4 skills.
Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing
Learn with someone.
Find a language-learning partner. If you meet with someone who is also studying English, you can help teach each other.
Organize your studying.
• Set achievable, short-term goals. (For example: My goal is to finish a book this month; to learn 10 vocabulary words; to be able to tell a story; to be able to ask questions in meetings)
• Create a study notebook with material that you have studied. Review it every month or two.
• Study in short intervals. (10, 20, or 30 minutes a day)
• Tell someone about your study plan, and talk about it frequently.
• Plan out when, where and how you will study.
Here are 2 study plans you can try:
Plan One: Focus on one skill each week
Monday: Read a news article quickly for the main idea.
Tuesday: Define the vocabulary that you don’t understand.
Wednesday: Reread the article, and focus on understanding all of it.
Thursday: Look at individual sentences and grammar.
Friday: Read the article again and summarize it in speech or writing.
Skill: Listening
Monday: Listen to a Podcast or something recorded.
Tuesday: Define the vocabulary that you don’t understand by looking the words up in a dictionary or using context clues.
Wednesday: Listen again and focus on a few specific sentences and phrases. Write them down.
Thursday: Listen to short segments and repeat what the speaker says.
Friday: Listen again without looking at your notes. Stop the recording frequently and summarize what you just heard.
Skill: Speaking
Monday: Think of a topic that you want to be able to talk about. Think about the audience.
Tuesday: Think of vocabulary or ideas that you need to know in order to talk about the topic.
Wednesday: Talk about the topic in short, timed segments. Start with 1 minute, then talk for 2 minutes, then for 3 minutes.
Thursday: Listen or read what someone else has said about the topic. Study some new vocabulary words about the topic.
Friday: Discuss the topic with someone, or record yourself talking about the topic and listen to it.
Skill: Writing
Monday: Think of a topic that you want to be able to write about. Think about the audience.
Tuesday: Think of vocabulary or ideas that you need to know in order to write about the topic.
Wednesday: Try free writing. Don’t worry about vocabulary or grammar. Just write as much as you can for a period of time (10 – 20 minutes).
Thursday: Self edit your writing or ask someone else to read your writing and make comments.
Friday: Add more details and write a final draft.
Plan 2: Focus on all 4 skills each week
Monday: Read an article quickly for the main idea.
Tuesday: Listen to a Podcast or other recording on the same topic that you read about on Monday.
Wednesday: Study vocabulary that is related to the topic.
Thursday: Write your opinion or a summary of the topic.
Friday: Talk about what you read or heard to someone else or to yourself.
Other Ideas for Self-Study
Speaking:
• Practice telling stories.
• While you are doing an activity, describe it in English aloud or in your mind. (“I’m sitting on the train, taking my morning commute to work.”)
• Practice saying tongue twisters quickly. “Six thick thistle sticks.”
• Find a conversation partner to meet on a regular basis and agree on topics to discuss.
• Have an English conversation on the telephone.
• Sing along with an English song and stay with the beat.
• Think of a topic that you want to talk about and practice speaking about it for two minutes. Record it and listen to yourself.
• Read children’s books in English aloud.
• Read news articles or dialogs aloud.
Listening:
• Listen to any audio and ask yourself, “Who is the audience?”, “What is the main topic?”, “What are some details?” and “What vocabulary words are new to me?”
• Listen to Online news stories.
• Watch a movie without subtitles.
• Listen to an audio book. (You can also read along with the audio, too.)
• Listen to audio from NPR or BBC and read the transcripts.
• Listen to music, and while you are listening, try to hear words that have reduced sounds. (For example, “gonna” is a reduction of “going to”.)
• Listen to podcasts to hear a variety of speech and accents, such as call-in radio programs, interview programs, news shows, quiz shows, sports programs, etc.
• Go to a lecture or speech in English and take notes.
Writing:
• Write a journal in English. Write about anything.
• Write a short story.
• Write to-do lists in English. (example: “Call Tom.”)
• Write emails to friends who speak English.
• Write a blog in English, or post comments on someone else’s blog.
• Write sentences for new vocabulary words. Ask someone to edit them for you.
• Translate short articles from your native language to English.
• Watch a movie or read something and write a summary.
• Practice “free-writing” which is writing without caring about grammar, vocabulary or structure. Time yourself and write for 10 minutes without stopping.
Reading:
• Read books/journals that are related to your job/career.
• Read fiction that has been recommended for young adults. Keep a journal of short summaries of what you’ve read.
• Read a blog.
• Read “easy readers” with audio CDs. These are available at bookstores and Online.
• Read “extensively.” This means reading for fun. You shouldn’t worry about the vocabulary or grammar. In fact, don’t worry about understanding everything. Just keep reading as much as possible.
• Sometimes read “intensively.” Read carefully for understanding. Look up the words you don’t understand, and try to get a full understanding of the text.
Pronunciation:
• Look at yourself in the mirror when pronouncing words to see if you are opening your mouth.
• When you make vocabulary flashcards, be sure to write the pronunciation of the letters and the word stress.
• Create a list of words with the same stress patterns. Practice pronouncing these one after the other. (For example: partner, income, power, exit)
• When practicing a sound, practice many words with the same sound.
• Ask a friend if you’re pronouncing a word correctly.
• Do a “shadowing” activity: Listen to natural speech and repeat what you hear without stopping the audio. Copy the pauses, stress and intonation.
• Put a rubber band around your thumbs and pull it apart when pronouncing stressed vowels. This will help you to pronounce the vowels more clearly.
Vocabulary:
• Keep a vocabulary spreadsheet of new words and examples of how they were used, including the context.
• When you learn a new word, try to use it 3 times in one day.
• Learn all the forms of a word (verb, noun, adjective, adverb). You get four words for the price of one!
• Divide your vocabulary into active and passive lists. (Active: words you’ll use; Passive: words you’ll hear but will not use)
• Do an Internet search for the word (if it’s a phrase, put quotations around the phrase). Look at how the word(s) are used in a sentence. (Tip: If you do the search on Google News, you’ll get examples from published sources.)
Answer these questions to help yourself get started on a self-learning program:
What is your first goal? I will be able to ______________________________________by (deadline) .
When will you study?
How will you study?
TESL/TEFL qualifications
October 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment
What training or qualifications do I need?
As with any job, the more you have to offer in terms of qualifications and experience, the better your chances of landing a well paid job with opportunities for advancement.
However it is also true that requirements vary from country to country and even from school to school.
For example, there are small schools with one classroom and a few students and there are universities with several campuses and thousands of students. There are entry level jobs and there are advanced DoS jobs.
Likewise, there are countries where certain qualifications are required to satisfy the visa regulations and they are not so much a requirement of the institute that hires you. For example, you will need to hold a degree if you want to obtain your work visa and work legally in many in Asian countries.
No Qualifications
Although there are jobs available to teachers with no qualifications whatsoever, we would not recommend this approach.
Firstly it is unfair to your students who will be expecting a professional, well trained teacher who will be able to help them learn English. They are most likely paying a lot of money to learn and they should be respected for this.
Secondly it is unfair to yourself. You will almost certainly flounder and find problems if you do not have even a basic grasp of teaching technique and subject matter. If you have training, you will find the work much easier and much more enjoyable.
On another tack, many schools who employ teachers without qualifications are likely to be breaking the law as most countries have minimum legal requirements for teachers. This being the case you will not only be paid less but be also employed illegally and if discovered you will at best be forced to leave the school and possibly the country and at worst be imprisoned.
Jobs like this are found by knocking on doors. It’s unlikely that you can apply for work and be offered a position unless you’ve got more than a scrap of paper from your high school.
Degree
With a university degree you can get offered a job at the lower end of the market in one of the less prestigious countries. Whether you’ll be employed without a TESL/TEFL Certificate will depend on the needs and desperation of the employer. In other words, with two untried candidates, the Certificate holder will get the job.
Remember, although you can probably find work with just a degree, we would always recommend getting some kind of training – however basic – before starting work. A simple introductory course (such as an online course) will make your teaching so much better and you’ll be so much more confident in class that it will make all the difference in the world to your first year’s teaching.
Degree + TESL/TEFL Certificate
A Degree and a TESL/TEFL Certificate is generally accepted to be the minimum entry level requirement for a new teacher. You can find work in most places and a lot of the jobs advertised will need these as basic requirements. But, there are Certificates and there are Certificates.
There is currently NO independent board of accreditation or assessment for Certificates. This means that each institute, school, or organization recognizes their own Certificate and accreditation comes from good practice, professional standards and reputation.
Online TESL/TEFL Certificates
Online courses offer a great training opportunity at entry level. They can provide a thorough grounding in a new career and the right tools to approach a new profession within a manageable amount of time and finances.
No matter what traditional in house course providers say to discredit online courses, the truth of the matter is that there has been a dramatic change in attitude towards online certification in the last ten years and online training is here to stay, so much so that even Cambridge University – traditionally a stronghold of in house training is changing their courses to meet the ever growing demand for online training.
But the change does not only come from the course provider’s side. More and more schools around the world recognize the value of online certificates issued by professional organizations like ICAL, and employers no longer discriminate between Certificates obtained through traditional institutes and those online.
Just be careful who you choose as your course provider (and this applies whether they are online or not) and make sure what they offer is of good standard. You can find quality online courses that will give you not only a widely accepted Certificate but also, and perhaps more importantly, will prepare you for the job.
If at all unsure which way to go, check first with the school owner.
The bottom line is that it is the employer who chooses, so if you are at all uncertain about the course to take, check out the requirements in the jobs on offer and, if need be, contact your agent or prospective employer and ask them what they are looking for.
In House Courses
There are many traditional in house courses offered by various English language schools around the world. Attendance is compulsory and fees are relativley high, certainly much higher than the fees for online courses. Some contact hours (classroom presentation & observation) are usually part of a typical in house training course.
CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) is a Certificate awarded by Cambridge ESOL.
It is a fairly intensive certificate program in terms of finance, workload and commitment, and a bit of an overkill if you are on a gap year or just trying out teaching for a while.
Unless your intention is to remain within the ESL industry and build a career for yourself in this field then you could quite happily opt for a basic TESL/TEFL Certificate.
As mentioned above, in most places the basic requirements for entry level teaching positions are a degree plus a TESL/TEFL certificate – not necessarily a CELTA.
CELTA is undoubtedly a popular qualification especially in Europe, but has far less clout in other parts of the world like Asia, for example.
CELTA is offered by English language schools selected and monitored by Cambridge University, who runs the course. In theory the schools should get annual check ups and approval from Cambridge but in practice once they have become an approved Cambridge Center they pretty much run the course as they wish and standards do vary, so much so that poor standards are a recurrent complaint from teachers taking the CELTA course in various centers around the world.
Trinity TESOL Certificate is issued by Trinity College. It doesn’t have the external assessment that CELTA has, but it is still fairly well regarded in the ELT community.
Trinity is less recognized than the CELTA so a few jobs might not be open to Trinity certificate holders, but there are still plenty of schools which accept this certificate. Though this certificate is far more known in Europe than elsewhere.
Both CELTA and Trinity are demanding in terms of finances, time and commitment.
Online or In House
There are quite a few good courses (and several bad ones!) both online and in house to choose from. As for which would be the best course for you it really depends on how much time, money, and commitment you are prepared to invest.
Whether you are considering a traditional in house course or training online start by asking a few providers for their course syllabus and compare them. Check their tutors’ credentials. Make sure the course requires some actual work on your part and it is not based on “Yes or No” answers or “Read This Unit and Summarize It” type of coursework. Try and find out what other students who have taken the course say about it. Basically do as much research as you can.
Higher Level Qualifications
As mentioned above, the Certificate is the basic qualification for teaching English. If you’ve been in the game a few years and fancy climbing higher on the ladder to fame, success and fortune, then you should think about a higher qualification.
The Diploma is one option along with the MA, which is a university degree course. Both these should only be undertaken by experienced and previously well qualified teachers.
Diploma
A diploma is the next level up from a Certificate. If you have substantial experience of teaching English to speakers of other languages or are looking at professional development then you may want to consider getting a diploma.
TESL Diplomas are usually offered by universities.
MA TESOL
Usually an MA TESOL is a course for experienced TESOL professionals or for people who already have an understanding of the subject but wish to further their knowledge.
MA programmes are designed for students who plan to teach in the UK and the USA, or who plan to do research on the teaching, learning or assessment of English as a second or foreign language.
In the US you would need an MA to meet the licensing requirements for teaching in any public school. Many private schools also list it as one of their requirements for employment.
To enroll in a MA TESOL program you will normally need a first degree or equivalent and two years experience of teaching English as a second or foreign language. If your first language is not English, you will also be asked to provide evidence of your competence in English.
English Tips for ESL Learners
October 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment
English can be a challenging second language. It’s a big language with a daunting amount of vocabulary. Much of that vocabulary is confusing or contradictory, with homonyms that sound the same but are spelled differently, and inconsistent spelling rules. Regular verbs in English are fairly simple to conjugate, but there are many, many irregular verbs. When the rules and exceptions have been mastered, you still must learn English idioms, phrases which mean more than the literal translation of their words.
English Vocabulary
English is a living and evolving language with a rich, diverse history. Much of English has its roots in Latin, and this gives the language a certain order and predictability. English, however, has borrowed from dozens of languages over the years. This wealth of diversity makes the study of English an endlessly fascinating challenge.
Homonyms
One of the toughest challenges in building an English vocabulary is differentiating between homonyms, words which sound the same but have a different meaning. Sometimes the spelling is the same. A “vault” is a safe or strongbox. “To vault” is to jump over something.
Often homonyms are spelled differently. Here is a list of a few common homonyms. There are many more.
It’s – It is.
Its – Belonging to it. This is an exception to the usual rule about using an apostrophe to indicate possession.
Led – Past tense of the verb “to lead.”
Lead (pronounced “led”) – a soft, heavy grey metal.
Break – To badly damage something; a gap or interruption.
Brake – To stop.
Higher – With more height.
Hire – To employ.
Peace – The opposite of war or strife.
Piece – Part of something.
Spelling Rules
English spelling can be distressingly inconsistent. “Stuff,” “tough,” and “Ralph” all end with the same sound. “Ambitious,” “vicious,” and “shoes” just about rhyme, while “tough” and “plough” sound very different. To make matters worse, spellings vary in different parts of the world. “Plough” is the British spelling for a farming implement that would be called a “plow” in the United States.
Here is an example of a mnemonic device for remembering spelling.
I before E, except after C,
or when sounded like “ay,” as in “neighbor” and “weigh.”
This covers many situations.
I before E – this covers words like “relief” and “grieve”
except after C – this covers words like “conceive” and “receipt”
or when sounded like “ay,” as in “neighbor” and “weigh” – this covers words like “freight”
However, there are still exceptions. The past tense or plural form of words ending in “cy” will be “cied” or “cies.” Examples include “fancied” and “emergencies.” There are many other exceptions, including “conscience,” “ancient,” “glacier,” and “society.”
Plurals
The rules in English for creating the plural form of nouns are fairly simple. Add an “s” to the end of the word. If the word ends in “y,” change the “y” to “ies.” If the word ends in “f,” change the “f” to “ves.” There are, however, many exceptions. Here are a few examples.
Singular Plural
mouse mice
moose moose
goose geese
cow cows or cattle
child children
Verbs
The English language has many irregular verbs. The most significant example is the verb “to be.”
I am hungry.
You are hungry.
He is hungry.
I will be hungry.
Yesterday I was hungry.
Many verbs have an irregular form in the past tense. Here are some common examples.
Present Past
catch caught
come came
do did
fly flew
freeze froze
get got
hide hid
send sent
sleep slept
take took
tell told
Idioms
An idiom is a common figurative expression. An idiom will usually be recognized immediately by a native English speaker, but the meaning may not be clear to someone from another culture. Here are some examples of common English idioms.
A bit much – excessive; too much
A little bird told me – someone told me, and I don’t want to say who
A penny for your thoughts – what are you thinking about?
About-face – a complete change of direction or opinion
Made of money – has plenty of money
Make a mountain out of a molehill – make a small problem seem much bigger
Much ado about nothing – a lot of fuss about something insignificant
Packed like sardines – extremely crowded
Pain in the neck – something annoying
Paint the town red – go out partying and drinking
Put your foot in your mouth – say something inappropriate or embarrassing
Tall order – something difficult to achieve
Tall tale – a story that is exaggerated and untrue
Think outside the box – think creatively, without limitations
Tongue in cheek – something spoken “with tongue in cheek” is not meant to be taken seriously
Baby boomer – an American or Canadian born just after World War II
Egg on your face – you look foolish or embarrassed
Elbow grease – hard physical work
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