Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms
Abbreviations An abbreviation is a short form of a word or phrase that is used to represent the whole term. For example, etc. for etcetera, Sat for Saturday, Dec for December, Sonar…
Audience Analysis
Every act of writing takes place in a new context, with a unique time, place or reader to take into account. Audience adaptation refers to the skill of arranging words,…
During the Lecture
Listen carefully to the introduction. By knowing this outline, you will be better prepared to anticipate what notes you will need to take. Decipher this outline by listening for: A…
Note taking Strategies
Here are some tips for effective note taking strategies: Summarize your notes in your own words, not the instructor’s. Remember: your goal is to understand what the professor is saying,…
Charts and Graphs
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” This is certainly true when you’re presenting and explaining data. You can provide tables setting out the figures, and you can talk about…
Written Communication
With written communication, make sure that what you write will be perceived the way you intend. Words on a page generally have no emotion they don’t “smile” or “frown” at…
Tips for taking good class notes
Summarize your notes in your own words, not the instructors. Remember: your goal is to understand what the professor is saying, not to try to record, exactly, everything he or…
Editing for content
Ask yourself who, what, when, where, why, and how when reading for content. Does the text answer all the questions you think it should? Highlight the sentences that best answer…