0c5ab77191
nach der Anleitung von https://github.com/novoid/LaTeX-KOMA-VWA
553 lines
15 KiB
TeX
553 lines
15 KiB
TeX
%----------------------------------------------------------------
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%
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% File : thesis-style.tex
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%
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% Author : Keith Andrews, IICM, TU Graz, Austria
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%
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% Created : 27 May 93
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%
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% Changed : 19 Feb 2004
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%
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% styling and technical implementation adopted 2011 by Karl Voit
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%----------------------------------------------------------------
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%% defined an anvironment for the style Keith used to use:
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\newenvironment{mykeithtabbing}[1]{%%
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\begin{tabular}{lp{0.9\hsize}}
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}{%%
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\end{tabular}
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}
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\newcommand{\mybadgood}[2]{%%
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\begin{mykeithtabbing}
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{}\emph{Bad:} & \sout{#1} \\
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\emph{Good:} & #2 \\
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\end{mykeithtabbing}
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}
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\chapter{Language and Writing Style}
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\label{chap:Style}
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\begin{framed}
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This chapter is an adopted version of a single chapter of
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\citeauthor{KeithThesis} thesis template \cite{KeithThesis} in its
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version from 2011-12-11.
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The reason why \cite{KeithThesis} is not recommended to be used instead
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of this template is its more \enquote{traditional} \LaTeX{}
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implementation. But the information contained regarding \enquote{How
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to write a thesis} is generally brilliant and worth reading.
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Using this chapter here is meant as a teaser. If you do like this
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chapter, please go and download the full template to read its
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content:~\cite{KeithThesis}.
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What was modified from the original chapter:
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\begin{itemize}
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\item strikethrough of bad examples
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\item minor typographical details
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\item technical modifications
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\begin{itemize}
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\item moved citations from \verb+\citet{}+ and
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\verb+\citep{}+ to \verb+\textcite{}+ and \verb+\cite{}+
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\item changed quoting style to \verb+\enquote{}+
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\item created various commands and environments to encapsulate
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format
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\end{itemize}
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\end{itemize}
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\end{framed}
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The classic reference for English writing style and grammar is
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\textcite{StrunkWhite}. The original text is now available for free
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online \cite{Strunk}, so there is no excuse at all for writing poor
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English. Readers should consult it first, then continue reading this
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chapter. Another good free guide is \textcite{NASAGuide}.
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%orig% The classic reference for English writing style and grammar is
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%orig% \citet{StrunkWhite}. The original text is now available for free
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%orig% online \citep{Strunk}, so there is no excuse at all for writing poor
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%orig% English. Readers should consult it first, then continue reading this
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%orig% chapter. Another good free guide is \citet{NASAGuide}.
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\textcite{Zobel-WritingCompSci} and \textcite{BugsInWriting} are guides
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specifically aimed at computer science students.
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\textcite{Phillips-HowGetPhD} gives practical advice for PhD
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students.
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The following Sections~\ref{sec:Clear} and \ref{sec:Gender} are
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adapted from the CHI'94 language and writing style guidelines.
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\section{Some Basic Rules of English}
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There are a few basic rules of English for academic writing, which are
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broken regularly by my students, particularly if they are non-native
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speakers of English. Here are some classic and often encountered
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examples:
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\begin{itemize}
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\item \emph{Never} use I, we, or you.
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Write in the passive voice (third person).
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\mybadgood{You can do this in two ways.}{There are two ways this can be done.}
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\item \emph{Never} use he or she, his or her.
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Write in the passive voice (third person).
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\mybadgood{The user speaks his thoughts out loud.}{The thoughts of the user are spoken out loud.}
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See Section~\ref{sec:Gender} for many more examples.
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\item Stick to a consistent dialect of English. Choose either
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British or American English and keep to it throughout the
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whole of your thesis.
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\item Do \emph{not} use slang abbreviations such as \enquote{it's},
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\enquote{doesn't}, or \enquote{don't}.
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Write the words out in full: \enquote{it is}, \enquote{does not}, and \enquote{do not}.
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\mybadgood{It's very simple to\ldots}{It is very simple to\ldots}
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\item Do \emph{not} use abbreviations such as \enquote{e.\,g.} or
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\enquote{i.\,e.}.
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Write the words out in full: \enquote{for example} and \enquote{that is}.
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\mybadgood{\ldots in a tree, e.\,g.\xspace{}the items\ldots}{\ldots in a tree, for example the items\ldots}
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\item Do \emph{not} use slang such as \enquote{a lot of}.
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\mybadgood{There are a lot of features\ldots}{There are many features\ldots}
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\item Do \emph{not} use slang such as \enquote{OK} or \enquote{big}.
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\mybadgood{\ldots are represented by big areas.}{\ldots are represented by large areas.}
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\item Do \emph{not} use slang such as \enquote{gets} or \enquote{got}.
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Use \enquote{becomes} or \enquote{obtains}, or use the passive voice (third
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person).
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\mybadgood{The radius gets increased\ldots}{The radius is increased\ldots}
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\mybadgood{The user gets disoriented\ldots}{The user becomes disoriented\ldots}
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\item \emph{Never} start a sentence with \enquote{But}.
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Use \enquote{However,} or \enquote{Nevertheless,}. Or consider joining the
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sentence to the previous sentence with a comma.
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\mybadgood{But there are numerous possibilities\ldots}{However, there are numerous possibilities\ldots}
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\item \emph{Never} start a sentence with \enquote{Because}.
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Use \enquote{Since}, \enquote{Owing to}, or \enquote{Due to}. Or turn the two
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halves of the sentence around.
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\item \emph{Never} start a sentence with \enquote{Also}. Also should
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be placed in the middle of the sentence.
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\mybadgood{Also the target users are considered.}{The target users are also considered.}
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\item Do \emph{not} use \enquote{that} as a connecting word.
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Use \enquote{which}.
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\mybadgood{\ldots a good solution that can be computed easily.}{\ldots a good solution which can be computed easily.}
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\item Do \emph{not} write single-sentence paragraphs.
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Avoid writing two-sentence paragraphs. A paragraph should contain at
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least three, if not more, sentences.
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\end{itemize}
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% rules on the use of a comma in lists
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% http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma
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\section{Avoid Austrianisms}
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\label{sec:Austrianisms}
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I see these mistakes time and time again. Please do not
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let me read one of them in your work.
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\begin{itemize}
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\item \enquote{actual}~$\ne$~\enquote{current}
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If you mean \enquote{aktuell} in German, you probably mean
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\enquote{current} in English.
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\mybadgood{The actual selection is cancelled.}{The current selection is cancelled.}
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\item \enquote{allows to} is not English.
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\mybadgood{The prototype allows to arrange components\ldots}%%
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{The prototype supports the arrangement of components\ldots}
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% they allow to achieve
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\item \enquote{enables to} is not English.
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\mybadgood{it enables to recognise meanings\ldots}{it enables the recognition of meanings\ldots}
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\item \enquote{according}~$\ne$~\enquote{corresponding}
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\mybadgood{For each browser, an according package is created.}{For each browser, a corresponding package is created.}
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\item \enquote{per default} is not English.
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Use \enquote{by default}.
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\mybadgood{Per default, the cursor is red.}{By default, the cursor is red.}
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\item \enquote{As opposed to} is not English.
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Use \enquote{In contrast to}.
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\mybadgood{As opposed to C, Java is object-oriented.}{In contrast to C, Java is object-oriented.}
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\item \enquote{\emph{anything}-dimensional} is spelt with a hyphen.
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For example: two-dimensional, three-dimensional.
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\item \enquote{\emph{anything}-based} is spelt with a hyphen.
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For example: tree-based, location-based.
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\item \enquote{\emph{anything}-oriented} is spelt with a hyphen.
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For example: object-oriented, display-oriented.
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\item \enquote{\emph{anything}-side} is spelt with a hyphen.
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For example: client-side, server-side.
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\item \enquote{\emph{anything}-friendly} is spelt with a hyphen.
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For example: user-friendly, customer-friendly.
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\item \enquote{\emph{anything}-to-use} is spelt with hyphens.
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For example: hard-to-use, easy-to-use.
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\item \enquote{realtime} is spelt with a hyphen if used as
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an adjective, or as two separate words if used as a noun.
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\mybadgood{\ldots using realtime shadow casting.}{\ldots using real-time shadow casting.}
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\mybadgood{\ldots display the object in realtime.}{\ldots display the object in real time.}
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\end{itemize}
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\section{Clear Writing}
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\label{sec:Clear}
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The written and spoken language of your thesis is English as
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appropriate for presentation to an international audience. Please take
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special care to ensure that your work is adapted to such an audience.
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In particular:
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\begin{itemize}
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\item Write in a straight-forward style, using simple sentence
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structure.
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\item Use common and basic vocabulary. For example, use \enquote{unusual}
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for \enquote{arcane}, and \enquote{specialised} for \enquote{erudite}.
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\item Briefly define or explain all technical vocabulary the first
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time it is mentioned, to ensure that the reader understands it.
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\item Explain all acronyms and abbreviations. For example, the first
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time an acronym is used, write it out in full and place the acronym
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in parentheses.
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\mybadgood{\ldots When using the \myacro{GUI} version, the use may\ldots}%%
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{\ldots When using the Graphical User Interface (\myacro{GUI}) version, the use may\ldots}
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\item Avoid local references. For example, not everyone knows the
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names of all the provincial capitals of Austria. If local context is
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important to the material, describe it fully.
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\item Avoid \enquote{insider} comments. Ensure that your whole audience
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understands any reference whose meaning you do not describe. For
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example, do not assume that everyone has used a Macintosh or a
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particular application.
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\item Do not \enquote{play on words}. For example, do not use \enquote{puns},
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particularly in the title of a piece. Phrases such as ``red
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herring'' require cultural as well as technical knowledge of
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English.
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\item Use unambiguous formats to represent culturally localised things
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such as times, dates, personal names, currencies, and even
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numbers. 9/11 is the 9th of November in most of the world.
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\item Be careful with humour. In particular, irony and sarcasm can be
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hard to detect if you are not a native speaker.
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\item If you find yourself repeating the same word or phrase too often,
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look in a thesaurus such as \textcite{Roget,RogetII} for an
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alternative word with the same meaning.
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\end{itemize}
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Clear writing experts recognise that part of writing understandable
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documents is understanding and responding to the needs of the intended
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audience. It is the writer's job to maintain the audience's
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willingness to go on reading the document. Readers who are continually
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stumped by long words or offended by a pompous tone are likely to stop
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reading and miss the intended message.
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\section{Avoiding Gender Bias}
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\label{sec:Gender}
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Part of striking the right tone is handling gender-linked terms
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sensitively. Use of gender terms is controversial. Some writers use
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the generic masculine exclusively, but this offends many readers.
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Other writers are experimenting with ways to make English more
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neutral. Avoiding gender bias in writing involves two kinds of
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sensitivity:
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\begin{enumerate}
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\item being aware of potential bias in the kinds of observations and
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characterisations that it is appropriate to make about women and men,
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and
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\item being aware of certain biases that are inherent in the language
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and of how you can avoid them.
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\end{enumerate}
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The second category includes using gender-specific nouns and pronouns
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appropriately. Here are some guidelines for handling these
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problems:
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\begin{itemize}
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\item Use a gender-neutral term when speaking generically of people:
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\begin{tabular}{ll}
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man & the human race \\
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mankind & humankind, people \\
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manpower & workforce, personnel \\
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man on the street & average person \\
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\end{tabular}
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\item Avoid clearly gender-marked titles. Use neutral terms when
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good ones are available. For example:
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\begin{tabular}{ll}
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chairman & chairperson \\
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spokesman & speaker, representative \\
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policeman & police officer \\
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stewardess & flight attendant \\
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\end{tabular}
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\item If you are speaking of the holder of a position and you know the
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gender of the person who currently occupies the position, use the
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appropriate gender pronoun. For example, suppose the \enquote{head nurse}
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is a man:
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\mybadgood{The head nurse must file her report every Tuesday.}{The head nurse must file his report every Tuesday.}
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\item Rewrite sentences to avoid using gender pronouns. For example,
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use the appropriate title or job name again:
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\mybadgood{Interview the user first and then ask him to fill out a questionnaire.}%%
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{Interview the user first and then ask the user to fill out a questionnaire.}
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\item To avoid using the third person singular pronoun (his or her),
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recast your statement in the plural:
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\mybadgood{Each student should bring his text to class.}{All students should bring their texts to class.}
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\item Address your readers directly in the second person, if it is
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appropriate to do so:
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\mybadgood{The student must send in his application by the final deadline date.}%%
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{Send in your application by the final deadline date.}
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\item Replace third person singular possessives with articles.
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\mybadgood{Every student must hand his report in on Friday.}{Every student must hand the report in on Friday.}
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\item Write your way out of the problem by using the passive voice.
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\mybadgood{Each department head should do his own projections.}{Projections should be done by each department head.}
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\item Avoid writing awkward formulations such as \enquote{s/he}, \enquote{he/she},
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or \enquote{his/her}. They interfere when someone is trying to read a
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text aloud. If none of the other guidelines has been helpful, use
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the slightly less awkward forms \enquote{he or she}, and \enquote{his or hers}.
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\end{itemize}
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Remember, the goal is to avoid constructions that will offend your
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readers so much as to distract them from the content of your work.
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\section{Titles and Headings in Initial Caps}
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% Capitalization in Titles
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% http://www.writersblock.ca/tips/monthtip/tipmar98.htm
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\section{Use a Spelling Checker}
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In these days of high technology, spelling mistakes and typos are
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inexcusable. It is \emph{very} irritating for your supervisor to have
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to read through and correct spelling mistake after spelling mistake
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which could have been caught by an automated spelling checker.
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Believe me, irritating your supervisor is not a good idea.
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So, use a spelling checker \emph{before} you hand in \emph{any}
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version, whether it is a draft or a final version.
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Since this is apparently often forgotten, and sometimes even wilfully
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ignored, let me make it absolutely clear:
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\begin{quote}
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\begin{em}
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Use a spelling checker, please. \\
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Use a spelling checker! \\
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Use a spelling checker, you moron. \\
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\end{em}
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\end{quote}
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\section{Use a Dictionary}
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If you are not quite sure of the meaning of a word, then use a
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dictionary. \textcite{DictionaryCom} is a free English dictionary,
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\textcite{DictChemnitz} and \textcite{DictLeoOrg} are two very good
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English-German dictionaries.
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\section{Use a Thesaurus}
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If a word has been used several times already, and using another
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equivalent word might improve the readability of the text, then
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consult a thesaurus. \textcite{Roget} and \textcite{RogetII} are free
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English thesauri.
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