PERSONAL WRITING

Personal writing is subjective (based on personal opinions or feelings rather

than facts or evidence). When you write personal papers, the content of your
writing is based on your own observation, experience, or opinion. Writing
assignments that ask you to state your opinion about an issue, to document
what you observed, to relate a subject to your own life, to share a story, or to
provide a description of a person, place, object, or event are considered
personal papers. Personal opinion and narrative essays fall into this category,
as do some reflective papers. If you have ever written a paper about what
you did on your summer vacation or given your opinion about an issue, you
have written a personal paper. Personal writing asks what you think about a
subject or what you observed or experienced.
 THE WRITING PROCESS

A writing process is a series of actions that writers take in the course of

producing a text that satisfies their purposes and the expectations of their
readers (if any). It is a key term[1] in the teaching of writing.
 STEPS OF THE WRITING PROCESS

STEP 1: PREWRITING
THINK AND DECIDE

o Make sure you understand your assignment. See Research Papers or Essays
o Decide on a topic to write about. See Narrow your Topic
o Consider who will read your work. See Audience and Voice
o Brainstorm ideas about the subject. See Prewriting Strategies
STEP 2: RESEARCH (IF NEEDED)
SEARCH

 List places where you can find information. See Doing Research
 Do your research. See Evaluating Sources and Primary vs. Secondary Sources
 Make an Outline to help organize your research. See Outlines
STEP 3: DRAFTING
WRITE

Put the information you researched into your own words. See Paraphrase and
Summary
 Write sentences and paragraphs even if they are not perfect.
 Read what you have written and judge if it says what you mean. See Thesis
Statements
 Write some more. See Incorporating References
 Read it again.
 Write some more.
 Read it again.
 Write until you have said everything you want to say about the topic.
STEP 4: REVISING
MAKE IT BETTER

 Read what you have written again. See Revising Content and Revising
Organization
 Rearrange words, sentences or paragraphs.
 Take out or add parts.
 Do more research if you think you should.
 Replace overused or unclear words.
 Read your writing aloud to be sure it flows smoothly
STEP 5: EDITING AND PROOFREADING
MAKE IT CORRECT

Be sure all sentences are complete. See Editing and Proofreading
 Correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
 Change words that are not used correctly or are unclear.
 Make sure you are using the appropriate Style formatting.
 DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
 is a literary device in which the author uses details to
paint a picture with their words. This process will
provide readers with descriptions of people, places,
objects, and events through the use of suitable details.
The author will also use descriptive writing to create
sensory details as a means of enhancing the reading
experience. If done effectively, the reader will be able
draw a connection through the use of sensory details
that include seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and
tasting. These techniques will assist you in becoming
not only a better writer, but will also make your writing
more engaging for readers.
 DESCRIPTIVE WRITING TECHNIQUES
 Choosing your focus: When you first begin writing, it's extremely important to decide what your topic is
going to be. This will prevent you from losing focus on the theme or main idea of your writing. When you
decide what you are going to write about, you can begin to add details about the specific event,
object, or person.
 Use of words: In most cases, you'll use adjectives to make your writing more detailed for the reader. For
example, rather than just saying: 'The dog sniffs around,' you'd say: 'The big brown dog sniffed around the
red rose bushes in the front yard.' The use of 'big,' 'brown,' 'red rose bushes,' and 'front yard' assists the
reader in visualizing the event and what the dog looks like. This process will allow the reader to create a
mental image through the use of your word choice.
 Reader interest: As a writer, it's important paint a picture with your words. One of the best ways to do this is
through the use of the five senses. This won't only engage your target audience, but it'll appeal to other
readers as well. By using taste, smell, hearing, sight, and touch, you are creating an opportunity for the
reader to develop an emotional connection to your writing.
 Re-reading and redo: Re-reading what you write is an important step in the descriptive writing process.
This gives you time to reflect on whether or not you need to add more details to your writing. Putting
yourself in the readers' position is important. Ask yourself after reading your writing, 'Would I be able to
understand the main topic of my writing if I had no prior exposure?' This should indicate whether or not
more details are needed.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

1. Good descriptive writing includes many vivid sensory details that paint a picture and appeals to all
of the reader's senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste when appropriate. Descriptive writing
may also paint pictures of the feelings the person, place or thing invokes in the writer. In the video
section below, watch a teacher use a Five Senses Graphic Organizer as a planning strategy for
descriptive writing.
2. Good descriptive writing often makes use of figurative language such as analogies, similes and
metaphors to help paint the picture in the reader's mind.
3. Good descriptive writing uses precise language. General adjectives, nouns, and passive verbs do
not have a place in good descriptive writing. Use specific adjectives and nouns and strong action
verbs to give life to the picture you are painting in the reader's mind.
4. Good descriptive writing is organized. Some ways to organize descriptive writing include:
chronological (time), spatial (location), and order of importance. When describing a person, you
might begin with a physical description, followed by how that person thinks, feels and acts.
 GOOD DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
Good descriptive writing creates an impression in the reader's mind of an event, a place, a person,
or a thing. The writing will be such that it will set a mood or describe something in such detail that if
the reader saw it, they would recognize it.
To be good, descriptive writing has to be concrete, evocative and plausible.
 To be concrete, descriptive writing has to offer specifics the reader can envision. Rather than
"Her eyes were the color of blue rocks" (Light blue? Dark blue? Marble? Slate?), try instead, "Her
eyes sparkled like sapphires in the dark."
 To be evocative, descriptive writing has to unite the concrete image with phrasing that evokes
the impression the writer wants the reader to have. Consider "her eyes shone like sapphires,
warming my night" versus "the woman's eyes had a light like sapphires, bright and hard." Each
phrase uses the same concrete image, then employs evocative language to create different
impressions.
 To be plausible, the descriptive writer has to constrain the concrete, evocative image to suit the
reader's knowledge and attention span. "Her eyes were brighter than the sapphires in the
armrests of the Tipu Sultan's golden throne, yet sharper than the tulwars of his cruelest
executioners" will have the reader checking their phone halfway through. "Her eyes were
sapphires, bright and hard" creates the same effect in a fraction of the reading time. As always
in the craft of writing: when in doubt, write less.
 EXAMPLES OF DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
The following sentences provide examples of the concreteness, evocativeness and plausibility
of good descriptive writing.

 Her last smile to me wasn't a sunset. It was an eclipse, the last eclipse, noon dying away to
darkness where there would be no dawn.
 My Uber driver looked like a deflating airbag and sounded like talk radio on repeat.
 The old man was bent into a capital C, his head leaning so far forward that his beard nearly
touched his knobby knees.
 The painting was a field of flowers, blues and yellows atop deep green stems that seemed to
call the viewer in to play.
 My dog's fur felt like silk against my skin and her black coloring shone, absorbing the sunlight
and reflecting it back like a pure, dark mirror.
 The sunset filled the sky with a deep red flame, setting the clouds ablaze.
 The waves rolled along the shore in a graceful, gentle rhythm, as if dancing with the land.
 Winter hit like a welterweight that year, a jabbing cold you thought you could stand until the
wind rose up and dropped you to the canvas.
 EXPOSITORY WRITING
is writing that seeks to explain, illuminate or 'expose' (which is where the word 'expository'
comes from). This type of writing can include essays, newspaper and magazine articles,
instruction manuals, textbooks, encyclopedia articles and other forms of writing, so long
as they seek to explain. Expository writing differs from other forms of writing, such as fiction
and poetry. In fact, this lesson itself is an example of expository writing.

 The expository essay is a tool that is often used in the academic world. If you've
attended school, it's highly likely you've written one. Most expository essays have an
introductory paragraph in which a thesis or objective is stated, several main body
paragraphs that prove or explain what is in the introduction, and a concluding
paragraph in which everything is summed up.

 When writing an expository essay, it's important to write with the assumption that your
audience has little to no background knowledge about the main topic. Your duty as
the writer is to provide the reader with as much information as you can. The reader
should feel as if he or she has learned something after reading your essay.
 EXAMPLE OF EXPOSITORY WRITING
This morning at 9am, a school bus collided with a car at the intersection of Jones and Heard streets. There
were no injuries on the school bus, but medical personnel performed checks on each student and the driver
before those students were transported to their schools. The driver of the car sustained slight, non-life-
threatening injuries. He was transported to the local hospital. The accident is still under investigation at this
time.
Advances in science and technology have made the use of "green" energy possible. In places where
climate conditions permit, people are able to use solar energy or wind energy for power. Solar energy is the
use of sunlight for energy and power. Humans are able to harness the energy of the sun by installing solar
panels on their homes or businesses. Humans have also found ways to harness the power of the wind by
using wind turbines to capture wind energy. Both of these forms of "green" energy are being used more and
more.
The school science fair was a success again this year! We had 15 teams participating, and they all had
amazing projects. Each team consisted of two students who designed a science experiment to test a
hypothesis, created a display of their experiment and results, and presented their display to the judges. The
winners this year are Sarah Jones and Mark Gordon, who hypothesized that students get into less trouble in
the classroom on days when it is sunny outside. The judges were very impressed with their data collection
methods, which included asking teachers to share information on how many students earned stars at the
end of each day. They correlated this information with their own data about the weather-sunny, cloudy, or
rainy.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF EXPOSITORY WRITING
There are a few characteristics of expository writing you should remember when crafting an expository
essay. The first is to keep a tight focus on the main topic, avoiding lengthy tangents, wordiness, or unrelated
asides that aren’t necessary for understanding your topic.

In the same vein, be sure to pick a topic that is narrow, but not so narrow that you have a hard time writing
anything about it (for example, writing about ice cream would be too broad, but writing about ice cream
sold at your local grocery store between 5:00 and 5:15 pm last Saturday would be too narrow).

You must also be sure to support your topic, providing plenty of facts, details, examples, and explanations,
and you must do so in an organized and logical manner. Details that can support your expository writing
include:
 Anecdotes
 Comparisons
 Quotations
 Statistics
 Descriptive details
 Definitions
 Charts and graphs
 FORMATTING AN EXPOSITORY ESSAY
The typical format for an expository essay in school is the
traditional five-paragraph essay. This includes an introduction and
a conclusion, with three paragraphs for the body of the paper.
Most often, these three paragraphs are limited to one subtopic
each.

This is the basic essay format, but expository writing does not need
to be limited to five paragraphs. No matter how long your essay
is, be sure your introduction includes your thesis statement and
that the paper is based on facts rather than opinions. And, as
with all good essay writing, make sure to connect your
paragraphs with transitions.
 METHODS FOR WRITING AN EXPOSITORY ESSAY

There are a few different methods for writing an expository essay. These
include:

Compare and contrast

Cause and effect
Problem and solution
Extended definition
Generally, you will want to pick one method for each piece of expository
writing. However, you may find that you can combine a few methods. The
important thing is to stay focused on your topic and stick to the facts.

Now that you have a clearer understanding of expository writing, you're ready
to write your essay. One final tip: be sure to give yourself plenty of time for the
writing process. After you've completed your first draft, let your paper sit for a
few days—this lets you return to it with fresh eyes. If you'd like a second opinion,
our essay editors are always available to help.
 TYPES OF EXPOSITORY WRITING
In composition studies, expository writing (also called exposition) is one of the four traditional modes of
discourse. It may include elements of narration, description, and argumentation. Unlike creative or
persuasive writing, which can appeal to emotions and use anecdotes, expository writing's primary purpose is
to deliver information about an issue, subject, method, or idea using facts.

Exposition may take one of several forms:

 Descriptive/definition: In this style of writing, topics are defined by characteristics, traits, and examples. An
encyclopedia entry is a kind of descriptive essay.
 Process/sequential: This essay outlines a series of steps needed in order to complete a task or produce
something. A recipe at the end of an article in a food magazine is one example.
 Comparative/contrast: This kind of exposition is used to demonstrate how two or more subjects are the
same and different. An article that explains the difference between owning and renting a home and the
benefits and drawbacks of each is one such an example.
 Cause/effect: This kind of essay describes how one step leads to a result. An example is a personal blog
chronicling a workout regimen and documenting the results over time.
 Problem/solution: This type of essay presents a problem and possible solutions, backed by data and facts,
not just opinion.
 Classification: A classification essay breaks down a broad topic into categories or groupings.
 PERSUASIVE WRITING

 intends to convince readers to believe in an idea or opinion and to do

an action. Many writings such as criticisms, reviews, reaction papers,
editorials, proposals, advertisements, and brochures use different ways
of persuasion to influence readers. Persuasive writing can also be used
in indoctrination.

 It is a form of non-fiction writing the writer uses to develop logical

arguments, making use of carefully chosen words and phrases. But, it's
believed that fiction writing should also be persuasive.

 is a written form of an oral debate and can be a fun and interesting

style of writing for students. Persuasive writing is used to convince or
persuade a reader that the writer's opinion of a topic or cause is
correct.
 THREE COMMON TECHNIQUES IN PERSUASIVE WRITING

1. Presenting strong evidence, such as facts and statistics, statements of

expert authorities, and research findings establishes credibility and
authenticity. Readers will more likely be convinced to side with the
writer’s position or agree with their opinion if it is backed up by verifiable
evidence.
2. Concrete, relevant, and reasonable examples or anecdotes can
enhance the writer’s idea or opinion. They can be based on observations
or from the writer’s personal experience.
3. Accurate, current, and balanced information adds to the credibility of
persuasive writing. The writer does not only present evidence that favor
their ideas, but they also acknowledges some evidence that opposes
their own. In the writing, though, their ideas would be sounder.
 EIGHT PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
1. Appeal to Authority
Important people or experts can make your argument seem more convincing; Using reliable research
can help your argument seem convincing.
Example 1: Former U.S. president Bill Clinton thinks that junk food should be taken out of vending
machines.
Example 2: A recent study found that students who watch TV during the week don’t do as well in
school.

2. Appeal to Reason
Facts, numbers, information, and logic can be very convincing.
Example: A Snickers bar has 280 calories and 30 grams of sugar. That’s not very healthy.

3. Appeal to Emotion
Getting people to feel happy, sad, or angry can help your argument.
Example: Your donation might just get this puppy off the street and into a good home.

4. Appeal to Trust
If people believe and trust in you, you’re more likely to persuade them.
Example: Believe me! I’ve been there before. I’m just like you.
5. Plain Folks
People will believe you if you appear to be an “Average Joe.”
Example: A politician says, “I’m going to clean out the barn!”

6. Bandwagon
If everyone believes it, it must be true!
Example: Nine out of ten people prefer our soap!

7. Rhetorical Question
Rhetorical questions are not intended to be answered. They’re a way to state the “obvious.”
Example: Who wouldn’t like to earn more money?

8.Repetition
If you repeat information or present information in repeating patterns, people will remember
it and believe it.
Example: Duty does not trump honesty. Duty does not trump common sense. And duty, my
friends, does not trump morality.
 PERSUASIVE WRITING ELEMENTS

• Clear, concise, and defined thesis

• Clearly organized structure
• Strong introduction
• Well-developed argument with strong evidential
support
• Strong conclusion
• Purposeful and precise word choice
• Varied sentence structure
 PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES

Persuasive essays are a great way to formulate sound arguments and distribute them to the
public. If nothing else, these types of essays may be a requirement at some point in your
academic career.

 Let's take a look at a few excerpts from persuasive essays. Each of these could stand as the
thesis statement in a well-crafted argument.

 Mandatory minimum sentencing is harmful to the human race. It is a form of discrimination;

many people receive long sentences for minor crimes. We should overturn mandatory
minimum sentencing rules and give judges more leeway in their decision-making.

 The death penalty is a good deterrent for criminals. Beyond that, it is fair because the Bible
supports "an eye for an eye." We need to keep the death penalty on the books.

 Marijuana should be legalized. We are putting too many people in prison and spending
too much money to incarcerate them for nonviolent crimes.
 TEN IMPORTANT TRIGGERS FOR PERSUASIVE WRITING
There are several types of triggers that are commonly used by writers when they are working on
persuasive writing including:
1. Apologia
Apologia is most often used in public relations situations, such as writing for speeches that justify or
defend a person or make an apology for an action taken by that person. It can also be used in a simple
statement that is a straight forward apology or disclaimer.
* Differentiation is when the author distinguishes a particular questionable act from more harmful or
serious actions.
· Bolstering is the attempt to improve or enhance an individual's image if they are under attack;
· Transcendence which is when the act is placed in a different context; or
· Denial where the questionable act is rejected in substance or intent either directly or indirectly.

2. Passion
It has been said that when someone writes with passion it is what gives the writer an unfair advantage
over the reader. Passion is included under every principle that is active in conjunction with our nature.

3. Language features
Language features are one of the main triggers of persuasive writing. For example, the writer must use
the present tense, use emotive and technical language including powerful verbs and strong adjectives.
The use of three adjectives or phrases is often undertaken to make them stand out better.
4. Pros and cons
Discuss the pros and cons of a particular item or issue. When you approach a topic from both
sides of the coin, it can help to draw in your audience and have them see your own point of
view and how something can be good or bad. By presenting both pros and cons you make
yourself appear unbiased. If you are really trying to present something in a good light you will
generally present more pros than cons and the cons that are presented will be more positive
things that are not that bad.

5. Emotions
Make an emotional appeal to your reader. Use emotionally descriptive phrases to draw the
reader into the material. "The poor helpless children were forced to do hours of homework every
evening before bed". This kind of description draws the reader into the particular plight of a
situation and makes them feel empathy or sympathy towards the situation.

6. Vocabulary
Using emotive vocabulary, adjectives and adverbs e.g. "cruelly captured" rather than straight
forward words. Words or phrases are repeated and stretched out to make them stick in the
reader's mind.
7. Argument
Distorting facts and abuse opponents without being malicious. What is known as half truths – when facts can
be manipulated to suit the argument of the writer (sometimes important substance is omitted to present a
believable argument). Exaggeration is also used to move the reader into the writer's realm. "If I get one more
task added to my workload, I'm moving to China".

8. Ask rhetorical questions

These grab a reader's heart strings, making them think, but they don't need to have an answer back. Some
very powerful rhetorical question starters:
· Do you really think…
· Is it really worth…
· Do you want to be part of…
· What would happen if…
· How could you possibly…
· - How could your conscience cope with…

9. Use personal pronouns

Use personal pronouns so your readers see that you are speaking directly to them – "we", "you" "our" and "us"
make the audience believe you are speaking only to them. The use of personal pronouns can draw the
readers into the material that you are writing and make them feel more involved immediately.
10. Include facts
Facts back up what you are writing about and make your material more believable. Statistics are
often used with percentages because they are immediately given credence over simple statements.
Example: 74% of drivers admitted that they texted while driving and would continue to do it even
though there are laws in place that prohibit this dangerous practice.

Persuasive writing contains the basic facts about something including names, dates, statistics and
quotes. It then goes on to present the opinion of the writer which shows a personal interest in a cause.
It is a way to present a point of view and then to try to have your readers agree with that point of
view. The material is written in a forceful manner so that it can win the audience over.

Writing about something in a consistent manner is one of the best ways to be persuasive on a
particular topic. You have an opinion already and you want to be able to convey that opinion to
someone else, so there are certain things you must do in order to accomplish that. There are plenty of
other ways to be persuasive with your writing, but ensuring that the same message is conveyed in a
similar manner each time is one of the most important ways to deliver that message to readers.
 RESEARCH PAPER WRITING

A research paper is a piece of academic

writing based on its author’s original
research on a particular topic, and the
analysis and interpretation of the research
findings. It can be either a term paper, a
master’s thesis or a doctoral dissertation.
 MAKE A RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE
RESEARCH PAPER BASICALLY HAS THE FOLLOWING STRUCTURE:

Title Page (including the title, the author’s name, the name of a University or college, and the publication
date);

Abstract (brief summary of the paper – 250 words or less);

Introduction (background information on the topic or a brief comment leading into the subject matter –
up to 2 pages);

Manuscript Body, which can be broken down in further sections, depending on the nature of research:

Materials and Methods

Results (what are the results obtained)
Discussion and Conclusion etc.

Reference;

Tables, figures, and appendix (optional);

 An outline might be formal or informal.
An informal outline (working outline) is a tool helping an author put down
and organize their ideas. It is subject to revision, addition and cancelling,
without paying much attention to form. It helps an author to make their
key points clear for him/her and arrange them.

Sometimes the students are asked to submit formal outlines with their
research papers.
In a formal outline, numbers and letters are used to arrange topics and
subtopics. The letters and numbers of the same kind should be placed
directly under one another. The topics denoted by their headings and
subheadings should be grouped in a logical order.
All points of a research paper outline must relate to the same major topic
that you first mentioned in your capital Roman numeral.
 The purpose of an outline is to help you think through your topic carefully and organize it logically
before you start writing. A good outline is the most important step in writing a good paper. Check
your outline to make sure that the points covered flow logically from one to the other. Include in
your outline an INTRODUCTION, a BODY, and a CONCLUSION. Make the first outline tentative.

Introduction — State your thesis and the purpose of your research paper clearly. What is the chief
reason you are writing the paper? State also how you plan to approach your topic. Is this a factual
report, a book review, a comparison, or an analysis of a problem? Explain briefly the major points
you plan to cover in your paper and why readers should be interested in your topic.

Body — This is where you present your arguments to support your thesis statement. Remember the
Rule of 3, i.e. find 3 supporting arguments for each position you take. Begin with a strong argument,
then use a stronger one, and end with the strongest argument for your final point.

Conclusion — Restate or reword your thesis. Summarize your arguments. Explain why you have
come to this particular conclusion
 Organize your notes

Organize all the information you have gathered according to your outline. Critically analyze
your research data. Using the best available sources, check for accuracy and verify that
the information is factual, up-to-date, and correct. Opposing views should also be noted if
they help to support your thesis. This is the most important stage in writing a research paper.
Here you will analyze, synthesize, sort, and digest the information you have gathered and
hopefully learn something about your topic which is the real purpose of doing a research
paper in the first place. You must also be able to effectively communicate your thoughts,
ideas, insights, and research findings to others through written words as in a report, an essay,
a research or term paper, or through spoken words as in an oral or multimedia presentation
with audio-visual aids.
Do not include any information that is not relevant to your topic, and do not include
information that you do not understand. Make sure the information that you have noted is
carefully recorded and in your own words, if possible. Plagiarism is definitely out of the
question. Document all ideas borrowed or quotes used very accurately. As you organize
your notes, jot down detailed bibliographical information for each cited paragraph and
have it ready to transfer to your Works Cited page.
 SENTENCE COMBINING

is the process of joining two or more short, simple sentences to

make one longer sentence. Sentence combining activities
are generally regarded as an effective alternative to more
traditional methods of teaching grammar.

"Sentence combining is a kind of linguistic Rubik's cube," says

Donald Daiker, "a puzzle that each person solves by using
intuitions and syntax, semantics, and logic" (Sentence
Combining: A Rhetorical Perspective, 1985).
 EXAMPLE SENTENCE COMBINING

Here's a simple example of how sentence combining works. Consider these three short sentences:

• The dancer was not tall.

• The dancer was not slender.
• The dancer was extremely elegant.

By cutting out the needless repetition and adding a few conjunctions, we can combine these three
short sentences into a single cohesive sentence. We might write this, for instance: "The dancer was
not tall or slender, but she was extremely elegant." Or this: "The dancer was neither tall nor slender
but extremely elegant." Or even this: "Neither tall nor slender, the dancer was extremely elegant
nonetheless."
 RULES FOR COMBINING SENTENCES
Combining sentences is a necessary part of fluent communication in the English language; however, with
all of the transitions, subjects, predicates, verbs and verbals to consider, it's easy to become
overwhelmed. Sentence combining does not need to be a chore! In fact, if you follow these simple rules
for combining sentences, you'll probably find that it's easy and you might even begin to enjoy it.

Combining Independent Clauses

Independent clauses are essentially two sentences that could stand on their own-in other words, they
don't "depend" on another clause to allow them to make sense.

These sentences must be combined with the use of a connecting word known as a "conjunction." Some
popular conjunctions often used to achieve this purpose are:

and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet

Each expresses something different, so use them wisely!

 "And" means also or in addition. Instead of saying, "Bryan went to the store. Brandon went to the store,
too," try saying, "Bryan and Brandon went to the store."
 "But" expresses an opposite or different point of view. Instead of saying "It was a good idea. It was a
dangerous idea," try saying, "It was a good but dangerous idea."
Combining Sentences with the Same Subjects and Verbs

Sentences with the same subject can be combined, since you're describing the same person,
place, or thing completing different actions. This is very easy.
• Instead of: "Television is an educational tool. It is a tool that prevents education."
• Try: "Television is an educational tool that may also prevent education."

If two sentences contain different subjects that are accomplishing the same action, the sentences
can be combined as well.
• Instead of: "The baby walked. The mother walked along."
• Try: "The mother walked along with the baby."

Notice that subjects, verbs, and independent clauses all have something in common. The sentences
before they are combined unnecessarily repeat words that may be omitted by combining the
sentences together.

By following these rules, your sentences will be more concise and interesting, and far less repetitive.
Using the Semicolon
The semicolon is one of the most feared punctuation marks used in the English language. How is it used, and
why? In reality, the semicolon is a powerful tool when used to combine sentences.

A semicolon is useful when two sentences that are related to one another in meaning must be combined,
but a comma will not suffice. Normally, a semicolon can be used in the place of a period (also known as
the "full stop"). You can use a semicolon in a number of ways in the following sentences.

• Instead of: "President Bush had left office. Barack Obama was now President.“

• Try: "President Bush had left office; Barack Obama was now President." or "President Bush had left office;
now, Barack Obama was President." or "President Bush had left office; as a result, Barack Obama was
now President."

Each conveys the same idea-but each also conveys that idea a bit differently.
With these simple rules for combining sentences, you can now combine sentences confidentially to make
your speech and stories much more interesting.
 TROUBLESHOOTER

 a person who locates and repairs

mechanical breakdowns

 a person charged with locating

and eliminating the source of
trouble in any flow of work
• It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or
process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most
likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally,
troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working
state.

• In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a

system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction,
and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms.

• A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial
systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs.
(For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a
hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a
symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom.
Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was
printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.

• The methods of forensic engineering are useful in tracing problems in products or processes, and a wide
range of analytical techniques are available to determine the cause or causes of specific failures.