Writing skill Archive

Non-defining relative clause (NDR)

NDR are not essential for understanding the sentence, they just give some extra information. They are a useful way to combine two short sentences into one long sentence.

(e.g.) This model, which reguires five parameters, was adapted from the one published by Mitchell et al..

We use commas with NDR. We use pronouns whether they are subject or object. We can still omit the pronoun and ‘be’ if they come together (, which was used …). We always use ‘which’ for things and ‘who’ for people (occasinonally ‘whom’).

In DR, the pronoun always refers to the noun which comes immediately before.

BUT 

In a NDR, the pronoun can refer to the noun immediately before or the whole of the preceding sentence. Be careful!

(e.g.) Mitchell et al. have produced a model, which contains five parameters, that can …

(e.g.) Designing these models, which can take several months, is not an easy task.

(e.g.) Designing a model to accurately simulate network traffic, which can take severak months, is no wasy task. → What taskes severakl network? Designing the model or simulating? Network traffic?

• Give more information.
• Useful for writing long sentences. (Long Sentences is Need!! Too many short sentences are childish.)

Two kinds:

Definitive relative clauses

DR tell us ‘which thing’. We cannot easily take the DR clauses out of a sentences.

(e.g.) The model that was used by Mitchell et al. …

(e.g.) The inventor of this device was a person who had …

If the pronoun (that, who, where, etc.) is the object of the sentence, we can leave it out.

(e.g.) The model that was used by Mittchell et al. … → Mitchell et al. used the model [object] → The model that was used by Mitchell et al. …

Also, if ‘be’ follows the pronoun we can leave out both the pronoun and ‘be’.

(e.g.) We used the same model that produced the best results in the first experiment. → The model [subject] produced the best results … → We must use the pronoun.

DR do not use commas.

	thing	person
subject	that, which (formal)	who, that
object	-(, that, which)	-(, whom)

99% of your paragraphs should fit one on these categories. However if you have a good reason for writting a different kind of paragraph, then that’s okay. If a paragraph doesn’t fit into one of these kinds then there’s probably a problem with the way it is written.

4. Compare and Contrast (C.C.)

Compare the similarities and differences of two or more things. Always discuss the different ‘things’ separately.

—– HTML —– CSS. —– HTML —– HTML —– CSS —– CSS —– CSS —– CSS —–.

NOT!!

—–HTML —– CSS. —– CSS —– HTML —– CSS —– HTML —– CSS —– HTML.

 5. Cause and Effect (C.E.)

A C.E. paragraph explains why things happen the way they do.

e.g.) “A > so > B” or “B > because > A”

The use of style sheet means that —–. —– a single file —– so —– resulting in —–.

6. Time Description (T.D.)

A T.D. paragraph simply discusses things in order of tim. They are usually used for discussing the history of a subject or an experimental procedure start in the past and work forword.

7. Conclusion 

Conclusion paragraphs have many different structures but you should always clarity most import points of your publication. You should also stake a clain on future work if possible.

1. General to Particular (G.R.)

[E.G.] The power of the Internet relies on finding information quickly through the use of search engines. Internet users — information request — search enngines — rely on a suit of algorithms.

2. Definitions

A definition paragraph explains the terms you will use.

[E.G.]A semantic-oriented search engine relies on the meaning of data rather than the rules of the data itself. In semantics data is not coded as numbers but rather by use of special tags —. The term ‘data’ is used for —.

3. Lists

A list paragraph simple gives a list. The list is refered to in the T.S. and the details are given in the body.

[E.G.] There is an almost infinite number of possible semantic tags but the most common ones are lasily recognisable. — music — rock, jazz, classical. — countries — America, Europe or Japan. —.

The most important writing skill is making good paragraphs.

There are rules:

• One paragraph, one topic
• Write a good topic statement (1st sentence, sometime two sentences)

• Explain ideas to many people
• Get comments from other people
• Mutual benefit through sharing information
• Institution (or professor) tells you to publish
• GET RECOGNITION (Get citation, get a better job)

For above purposes, people must read your publications.

To get your paper published, it must be passed by the referers. It must have good English.

To get people to read it, it must have a good structure.