editing skills

Editing SkillsInteractive Note-Taking

This presentation

covers capitalization.

Sample Item

Wanda wouldn’t offer her little brother a

Christmas cookie because he ate all of her

Halloween candy last october.

A. BrotherB. CookieC. OctoberD. No change is necessary.

Wanda wouldn’t offer her little brother a AChristmas cookie because he ate all of her BHalloween candy last october. C

A. BrotherB. CookieC. OctoberD. No change is necessary.

Wanda wouldn’t offer her little brother a AChristmas cookie because he ate all of her BHalloween candy last october. C

A. BrotherB. CookieC. OctoberD. No change is necessary.

Is brother, cookie, or october a problem?

October needs a capital letter, which option C

provides.

Capitalize the first letter of the first word of a sentence .

the rotten pear sat in a puddle of goo on the kitchen counter.

Dude, formal writing is not the same as texting your friend!

The rotten pear sat in a puddle of goo on the kitchen counter.

Capitalize the pronoun I.

If that liar Darlene claims that she spent the night studying, i will say that i saw her kissing Thomas at the movies.

If that liar Darlene claims that she spent the night studying, I will say that I saw her kissing Thomas at the movies.

Don’t be lazy! Capitalize those I ’s.

You deserve a capital letter!

Capitalize proper nouns .

On tuesday, september 18, elizabeth cooked her first pot of squid eyeball stew. On Tuesday, September 18, Elizabeth cooked her first pot of squid eyeball stew.

Proper nouns include the days of the week,

the months of the year, and names.

Other Proper Nouns Titles before

Names Specific

Places Organizations Companies Product

Names Religions Languages

Nationalities Holidays Departments Historical

Eras Regions of the

Country Titles of Works

Quick Test

Directions: For the items in you notes , choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose “No change is necessary.”

Show me what you

know.

This presentation covers commonly misspelled words and knowledge of spelling rules.

Sample Item 1Because we were hungary, we could not

concentrate on the lecture. We will definitely

consult Wanda since she was fueling her brain

with a fruit smoothie.

A. hungryB. definatelyC. feulingD. No change is necessary.

Because we were hungary, we could not Aconcentrate on the lecture. We will definitely Bconsult Wanda since she was fueling her brain Cwith a fruit smoothie.

A. hungryB. definatelyC. feulingD. No change is necessary.

Because we were hungary, we could not Aconcentrate on the lecture. We will definitely Bconsult Wanda since she was fueling her brain Cwith a fruit smoothie.

A. hungryB. definatelyC. feulingD. No change is necessary.

Is hungary, definitely, or

fueling misspelled?

Hungry is definitely

misspelled, but choice A

corrects it!

Sample Item 2

At the flea market, Harold bought fresh tomatoes, a pair of used jeans, and a stuffed deer head with a broken antler. He considered the shopping trip successfull.

A. succesfulB. successfulC. sucessfulD. No change is necessary.

At the flea market, Harold bought fresh tomatoes, a pair of used jeans, and a stuffed deer head with a broken antler. He considered the shopping trip successfull.

A. succesfulB. successfulC. sucessfulD. No change is necessary.

Is successfull misspelled? If so,

which choice corrects it?

Choice B does the job—two cs, two ss, but only

one l.

When in doubt, rely on “gut” feelings.

Your eyes have seen in print — and your brain has registered — all of the possible

words that you will encounter for this skill. If you don’t recognize the right answer, go

with the one that feels right.

Hey, I know that word!

Quick Test

Directions: For the items in your notes, choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose “No change is necessary.”

Show me what you

know!

This presentation

covers standard

punctuation.

Sample Item 1

As we got out of the car we could smell the

delicious chicken and rice that Grandma was

cooking for dinner.

A. car, weB. chicken, andC. rice, thatD. No change is necessary.

As we got out of the car we could smell the Adelicious chicken and rice that Grandma was B Ccooking for dinner.

A. car, weB. chicken, andC. rice, thatD. No change is necessary.

As we got out of the car we could smell the Adelicious chicken and rice that Grandma was B Ccooking for dinner.

A. car, weB. chicken, andC. rice, thatD. No change is necessary.

Do you need a comma after car, chicken, or rice?

Exactly! You need to connect the

introductory clause.

Sample Item 2A. Since Grandma wasnt looking, Julie filled the

dogs bowls with leftovers from the meal.B. Since Grandma wasn’t looking, Julie filled the

dogs’ bowls with leftover’s from the meal.C. Since Grandma wasn’t looking, Julie filled the

dogs’ bowls with leftovers from the meal.

A. Since Grandma wasnt looking, Julie filled the dogs bowls with leftovers from the meal.

B. Since Grandma wasn’t looking, Julie filled the dogs’ bowls with leftover’s from the meal.

C. Since Grandma wasn’t looking, Julie filled the dogs’ bowls with leftovers from the meal.

Notice that the apostrophes are all correct in version C.

End Marks• Use the period [ . ] to end statements.

Jasmine ate a chocolate-broccoli muffin.• Use the question mark [ ? ] when asking a

question.Did Jasmine eat a chocolate-broccoli muffin?

• Use — not overuse — the exclamation mark [ ! ] to signify excitement or emphasis.

Oh, no! Jasmine ate a chocolate-broccoli muffin!

One exclamation mark per essay is a good average.

But I really love! I mean love! the exclamation

mark! ! ! I want to use it all the time! ! !

It’s me! ! !

Wrong

Commas, Part 1

Jasmine will pass the comma test. Slacker Sam will not.

• Use a comma with a coordinating conjunction to connect two sentences.

• Coordinating conjunctions = and, but, for, or, nor, yet, and so.

Jasmine will pass the comma test, but Slacker Sam will not.

You have to study if you want to do

well!

Commas, Part 2

Jasmine will buy a bag of potato chips and a hotdog.

• Use and alone to connect two items.• Use commas and an and to connect three or more items. Jasmine will buy a bag of potato chips, a hotdog, and a soda

Hard work deserves a reward!

Semicolon

Jasmine worries about her grade in statistics. Math is not her best subject.

• Use the semicolon [ ; ] to connect two main clauses which is like combining two complete sentence into one. This is called a compound sentence.

Jasmine worries about her grade in statistics; math is not her best subject. Jasmine prefers classes that require her to write: Intro to Humanities, Abnormal Psychology, and US Government.

But I excel at punctuation!

Apostrophe

We cant cheat from Jasmines punctuation quiz because shes absent today!

• Use the apostrophe [ ’ ] with an s to show possession: Jasmine’s pen, the cat’s eyes, the professors’ frowns

• Or use the apostrophe to indicate the letters/spaces removed in a contraction: she’ d, can’ t, should’ ve

We can’t cheat from Jasmine’s punctuation quiz because she’s absent today!

Ha! Dentist appointment!

Quick Test

Directions: For the items in your notes, choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose “No change is necessary.”

Show me what you

know.

The End.That’s what I’m talking

about.