tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65975518352407129032024-03-14T02:17:25.795-07:00ProseWorksA Collection of Rhetorical and Cultural CritiquesBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12609331258459335095noreply@blogger.comBlogger347125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-13400539867423518672022-05-19T07:26:00.003-07:002022-05-19T07:29:30.617-07:00Law School Personal Statements: Keys to Success?<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51UB9sZY_YDU0uZk9fO4rihPdhV6Si-d9ylKQoEEq3ZvnCVmYtAIEB-j6sBBWDX_OlwF7nk-qjwi2LfrvwGhP1zR5bDU9JaBBv5_uRWMkBqRJ6ywEe9Z6H13vOwW-XzduFPo0aPkYgiisGyLfH4fWJmgKzLX-6XhGkC18GV4c-WltyV3H1mUG7zoE/s311/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="311" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51UB9sZY_YDU0uZk9fO4rihPdhV6Si-d9ylKQoEEq3ZvnCVmYtAIEB-j6sBBWDX_OlwF7nk-qjwi2LfrvwGhP1zR5bDU9JaBBv5_uRWMkBqRJ6ywEe9Z6H13vOwW-XzduFPo0aPkYgiisGyLfH4fWJmgKzLX-6XhGkC18GV4c-WltyV3H1mUG7zoE/w413-h231/Picture1.jpg" width="413" /></a></div><br />By Draza Kolpack</span></i></div><p style="text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Applying into a
post-graduate program is certainly a stressful time for any student, whether
they are coming directly out of their undergraduate degree or returning for
additional schooling after some time gather experience in the workforce- and of
course applying to law school is no different. Among the grades and various
test scores that these programs dissect when considering an application, there
is another crucial determining factor: a personal statement, 2-4 pages that
sums up an applicant’s moral character, credibility, reason for wanting to
practice law, and how they are the perfect fit for the program they are
applying for. But how is the perfect personal statement crafted? Which styles
of writing best suit this niche piece? While it is clear that not every program
is the same or provides the same prompts, and that every individual has their
own experiences that lend themselves to infinite variability, I have chosen a
successful personal statement to analyze myself; in this article I plan to
illustrate the stylistic choices, strategies, and personal nuances that made
this applicant successful in applying to this incredibly competitive field.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">To understand the
stylistic strategies that I will be discussing in this piece, it is crucial to
understand the styles in which they are rooted. The official style, often found
in academic and bureaucratic writing, is characterized by the use of passive or
impersonal voice, complex sentences, slow sentence openings, shapeless or
‘unspeakable’ form, excessive use of jargon, a bureaucratic tone, and higher
levels of abstraction alongside a number of other nuances. This lays in
juxtaposition to the plain style, a style of writing that utilizes an active
voice, simpler sentences, an informal tone/diction, and clear subjects with the
intention of producing writing that is clear and concise to a large majority of
readers in the target audience. The creative style allows authors to supplement
a number of facets within their writing regardless of the style employed: strategies
supporting emphasis, transitions, clarity, figurative language, syntax,
restatement, sound, drama, and word play can all be utilized to make a good
piece of writing great; whether one is looking to deliver a more personal tone
through their writing, to drive a point home for the purpose of persuasion or
understanding, or to simply elevate writing without making it too flowery, the
creative style demonstrates that it can certainly be applicable in a number of
settings. While not always necessary or desirable, I find that blending these
styles (to a degree) is a great way to illustrate your skill as an author; in
the case of a personal statement for law school, utilizing the strong diction
and jargon that will be necessary in your future field while writing plainly to
demonstrate your skill/knowledge in wielding these concepts can be an
exceptionally useful skill.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Passage One:</span></b></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><em><span style="color: #3a3d44;">“While
I learned to advocate for myself throughout high school, I also learned to
advocate for others. My neighbors, knowing my desire to be a lawyer, would
often ask me to advocate on their behalf with small grievances. I would make
phone calls, stand in line with them at government offices, and deal with
difficult landlords. A woman, Elsa, asked me to review her rental agreement to
help her understand why her landlord had rented it to someone else, rather than
renewing her lease. I scoured the rental agreement, highlighted questionable
sections, read the Residential Tenancies Act, and developed a strategy for
approaching the landlord”</span></em></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #3a3d44;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do we see here? The use of active voice,
the shorter, less complex sentences, and the ultimately less abstract form of
this passage ultimately lends itself to the plain style; the language utilized
is easily read and understood, characteristics that serve narrative writing
well. The addition of relatively strong diction and a few instances of jargon
are skillfully used to promote the author’s credibility as an applicant to the
legal program of their choice. It is also important to note that in this
passage the author uses exemplum, a creative strategy which means to simply
provide a specific, often concrete, example, to highlight pivotal moments in
their mindset and/or career that exemplify their individual experience,
personify the author, and present them as an ideal candidate.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="color: #3a3d44;">Passage
Two:</span></b></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><em><span style="color: #3a3d44;">I
broke from the belief systems I was born into. I did this through education,
mentorship, and self-advocacy. There is sadness because in this transition I
left people behind, especially as I entered university. However, I am devoted
to my home community. I understand the barriers that stand between youth and
their success. As a law student, I will mentor as I was mentored, and as a
lawyer, I will be a voice for change.</span></em><span style="color: #3a3d44;"></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #3a3d44;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This passage has many parallels in
regards to stylistic choice as passage one. The key element I would like to
focus on is this author’s use of the creative style strategy, climax; this
conclusion to the personal statement also works as a climax or a culmination of
all the growth they wrote about in this piece, driving home the message of how
their experience shaped them and why they should be accepted by using short,
abrupt sentences with powerful content.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Readability Statistics:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> (From the article
as a whole)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJyumvtz6ModXjgmpoSuoia5fOwtLftFj3Qnl-P38x5_pouGlcaMLXP2HshDqJQk9wQ4aILzNt0ZG5W4_oBpNViTGUmzsX_C28tIXl61cak8QQNLpvy3k1N6BUtXXNrgEzLt3twg0xFFZWCV7nyxPk7S7GwpCIeH5_I9CPx6VDqkS8GSm1eSefVKR/s584/Picture2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="584" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJyumvtz6ModXjgmpoSuoia5fOwtLftFj3Qnl-P38x5_pouGlcaMLXP2HshDqJQk9wQ4aILzNt0ZG5W4_oBpNViTGUmzsX_C28tIXl61cak8QQNLpvy3k1N6BUtXXNrgEzLt3twg0xFFZWCV7nyxPk7S7GwpCIeH5_I9CPx6VDqkS8GSm1eSefVKR/w506-h298/Picture2.png" width="506" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Gunning Fog Index: estimated grade level
required to understand text / Flesch Reading Ease: scale from 1-100, 1 being
most difficult to read and 100 being the easiest)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Though I have been touching on this
concept for the majority of this article, we must discuss this piece of writing
in its primary context- a personal statement as part of an application to a law
school. Without knowing the school for which this applicant was applying, it is
difficult to know what the exact prompt they were provided with was. The safe
assumption, however, is that this personal statement was written with the
intention of illustrating the applicant’s credibility and experience as well as
demonstrating why they would be a good fit for the program specifically (much
like a job interview in which one applies themselves to the company’s statement
or message). In the end, I feel that the utilization of primarily plain and
creative styles served to best illustrate the applicant’s moral character and
ideology, something that is undoubtably taken into account because grades and
other achievements/opportunities participated in are taken into account
separately from the personal statement. But I feel like it would be negligent
to call the official style less than useful in this context; while it is true
that the plain and creative styles fit the narrative form of this piece, the
official style is used subtly as a means of demonstrating the author’s ability
to craft words and use diction appropriate for the field. I find that this
piece is a good opportunity for writers to practice their ability to blend
these styles in a way that exemplifies your skill as a writer without falling
into the potential floweriness of the official and creative styles, or the sometimes-lacking
nature of the plain style. But does this answer the question of “what stylistic
choices are more suitable for a personal statement?” No, not necessarily, but I
think it is important to recognize that individuality is often just as
important as finding that perfect style; even disregarding that each program
may have a different prompt which may lead to different stylistic choices
taking priority, your own story can be bent and presented in infinite ways by
utilizing a plethora of writing genres and styles.</span></span><p style="text-align: left;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowRevisions/>
<w:DoNotPrintRevisions/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/>
<w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="376">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hashtag"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Unresolved Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Link"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]--></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-71250549886514037822022-05-19T07:21:00.004-07:002022-05-19T07:21:24.259-07:00Technology Translator<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehfZNNgwTe66VS8FVqteRHgg0ayigWhD_YRUzpxHt9XYHP6brMJHhoj__zFa3wdRS1VNozubdKCt-II9WE8muN0Lsps4kl8LGphhTazT5VHQDG3zof16YVCTBLfdhcCd5kCinrb2E-eJqyluiDxzJEdN664mZJqgZdxCmxLRcRMyljxBqZOiQEZLE/s1000/IT-problems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehfZNNgwTe66VS8FVqteRHgg0ayigWhD_YRUzpxHt9XYHP6brMJHhoj__zFa3wdRS1VNozubdKCt-II9WE8muN0Lsps4kl8LGphhTazT5VHQDG3zof16YVCTBLfdhcCd5kCinrb2E-eJqyluiDxzJEdN664mZJqgZdxCmxLRcRMyljxBqZOiQEZLE/w351-h234/IT-problems.jpg" width="351" /></a></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">By</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tiffany
Yang</span></i></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As an Information Systems major, learning about prose
writing styles has intrigued me to analyze how technology is written and
communicated to the general public. Technology is a niche field of knowledge,
mainly obtained only by educated and trained professionals. Having grown up
without advanced technology and before having pursued this field, I always
found technology instructions were rather difficult to understand and follow.
Therefore, I found an article that provides an explanation of how to connect a
router to a modem, in plain style. This is the article I have chosen to
analyze, to determine how well the writers have converted something that is
commonly complex, to an easy and non-obscuring plain style. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Before we begin, we must understand the context of this
article, called “How to Connect a Router to a Modem – Create a Wi-Fi network
and connect to the web.” It was published on a website called Lifewire. In
their description, they state that their mission is to:</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">...help people get the most out of the technology that
dominates all of our lives today. We provide context for the latest technology
news, an extensive library of updated educational how-to articles, and
independent product advice and reviews to more than 15 million users each
month. Our goal is to help consumers understand what is happening in the world
of tech, figure out what products enhance their lives, and learn how to make it
all work. We aim to be the trustworthy, friendly, and authoritative voice for
people who use their tech every single day and expect it to work. When it
doesn't, they want to search for an answer, get it working, and get on with
their day.</span></i></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Based
on this description, we can confirm that their target audience is open to the
general public. They aim to help people who have access to internet and need
help finding quick, easy and understandable answers to solve their technology
problems. This article was also one of the first five links that appeared after
googling, “How to install a router,” meaning it’s extremely accessible and
there are little to no restrictions to inclusivity. This article was also
written by Robert Earl Wells, a writer from Portland, Oregon. He graduated from
the University of North Carolina, and his areas of expertise include smart
home, gaming, steaming entertainment, Android and iOS, software and apps,
consumer technology and social media. He has over 15 years of experience
writing, editing, and being a technology enthusiast. Lifewire has fact checkers
to ensure solutions, facts and technical information in their news articles are
accurate and comprehensive and statistics are properly sourced and up to date. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now
that we have covered the background and contextual factors, let us now discuss
the contents of the article. To simplify my analysis, I have selected a portion
of the article to examine:</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">To log into your router and change the network settings,
open a web browser, enter your router's IP address in the URL bar, then enter
the user name and password. Once logged into your router's admin interface, you
can set up a guest network, configure security settings, and more. At a
minimum, you should change the default Wi-Fi password to decrease the
likelihood of hackers infiltrating your network. If you or another person
changed the default user name and password, reset your router to factory
settings. Insert the straightened end of a paperclip into the hole on the
router's back and hold down the reset button inside for 10 seconds.</span></i></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
first step in my analysis was to put this into a readability calculator, which
provides the statistics involving Gunning Fog index (the indication of the
number of years of formal education that a person requires in order to easily
understand the text on the first reading), and the Flesch Reading Ease (the
number representing readability). For this portion of the article, it scored a
Gunning Fog index of 12.12, meaning that someone would require about 12 years
of education to understand these instructions, which is relatively high. One of
the determining factors of plain style is a low Gunning Fog index. It also
scored a Flesch Reading Ease of 47.11, which is relatively low, when plain
style should have high numbers of reading eases. These high scores argue the
instructions provided by Lifewire are not as simple and easily comprehensive as
they would hope, and it has readability statistics an official style piece
would have.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Next
let’s look at the strategies identified. The obvious strategy that is usually
the main cause for obscurity in technology is the use of special terminology,
also known as jargon. Technology has specific terms which offer no plausible
substitutes. For example, in the text, the terms network, IP address, admin
interface, and URL are possible causes of obscurity. The article uses these
terms assuming readers have basic knowledge and understanding of technology.
Another official style strategy used was the incorporation of multiple ideas in
a singular sentence. Let’s look at this sentence for example, “<i>Once logged
into your router's admin interface, you can set up a guest network, configure
security settings, and more.” </i>This sentence mentions multiple areas of
technology that could have been split up and described in more detail to
provide a better understanding to readers. What are they? Why do they need to
be set up? What else more? This sentence will cause uncertainty, leaving
readers with unresolved issues. The use of jargon confirms that this uses
official style strategies.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Although
it has official style indicators, this article also has many plain style strategies.
The first one being the low level of formality. This article is written in
second person, creating a less formal tone for the article. The second strategy
is the use of active voice, which is when the sentence or statement present the
subject and following is the action of doing or verb, as opposed to passive
voice which is the opposite in which the verb is presented first, followed by
the subject. For example, the sentence <i>“At a minimum, you should change the
default Wi-Fi password to decrease the likelihood of hackers infiltrating your
network” </i>is active, but if it were to be written in official style passive
voice, it would be revised as: <i>“To decrease the likelihood of hackers
infiltrating your network, you change the default Wi-Fi password.”</i></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In conclusion, after taking into consideration the context
of this article, the purpose, the audience, and the strategies, I believe this
article did its best to translate complex technical instructions into something
much simpler and more comprehensible, but because the terminology used don’t
have simpler alternative choices, it is hard to replace the terminology with
something more straightforward and transparent. The terminology in this
particular article is needed, therefore cannot be avoided or replaced. What
this article could have done better is split up multiple ideas, provide details
and basic background knowledge of each idea or topic, instead of assuming all
readers have an understanding. Despite this main flaw, the article does embody
traits of plain style and to someone who does have basic knowledge of
technology, these instructions would be easy to follow. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-72800209589556703632022-05-19T07:11:00.005-07:002022-05-19T07:11:32.722-07:00Style in Cormac McCarthy's The Road<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>By M. Thomas</i></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowRevisions/>
<w:DoNotPrintRevisions/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/>
<w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="376">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hashtag"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Unresolved Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Link"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-ansi-language:EN;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVqpxa14gghEejoJTxpIEPqIjsKRoiwTRNLFK0fys0QGFGmVXmFqXpMjNl1zd738gfGscepBQ1E6Ztz1TWyCpA2SZGsPTmr9vE2Z_0AbY7TgkFukBx6Mtd7L-DYi1ibcoLJCnojcWa-5ioLh4H1fhP9L7SitM3ReLET8EMIR26WITjFClDVZBmYpS/s1379/The-Road-Cormac-McCarthy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1379" data-original-width="826" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVqpxa14gghEejoJTxpIEPqIjsKRoiwTRNLFK0fys0QGFGmVXmFqXpMjNl1zd738gfGscepBQ1E6Ztz1TWyCpA2SZGsPTmr9vE2Z_0AbY7TgkFukBx6Mtd7L-DYi1ibcoLJCnojcWa-5ioLh4H1fhP9L7SitM3ReLET8EMIR26WITjFClDVZBmYpS/s320/The-Road-Cormac-McCarthy.jpg" width="192" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">Stylistically speaking, sometimes writing for the sake of
complexity stretches far away from a target audience. When sending a text, a
bygone word such as “indubitably” is almost <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i>
used unless the author is aiming to either impress or humor someone. Texts
often come in short bursts - unless looking only at an older generation of
texters - with little to no grammatical thought put into them. Contrary to any
official or academic style of writing, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">plain</i>
style of writing is favored for the majority of modern writing done outside of
a professional setting: otherwise known as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">social setting</i>. That being said, social media sites such as
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all have millions of examples of this style of
writing. However, none of those examples are necessarily surprising or unique.
Sure, plain style allows people to communicate with one another in a social
setting, but something <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">far</i> more
fascinating to me is Cormac McCarthy's employment of it in his novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Road</i>.</span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There is absolutely no need to move
anywhere past the first page in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Road</i>
when looking for examples of plain style:</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">“When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the
night he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him. Nights dark beyond
darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before. Like the
onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the world. His hand rose and fell
softly with each precious breath. He pushed away the plastic tarpaulin and
raised himself in the stinking robes and blankets and looked toward the east
for any light but there was none. In the dream from which he'd wakened he had
wandered in a cave where the child led him by the hand. Their light playing
over the wet flowstone walls. Like pilgrims in a fable swallowed up and lost among
the inward parts of some granitic beast. Deep stone flues where the water
dripped and sang” (McCarthy, 1).</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One of the immediate things to
notice in McCarthy’s writing is the lack of punctuation, something that would
annoy someone’s mother or perhaps a friend who is also not-so-secretly a member
of the grammar police. There are moments where a conjunction is uncomfortably
used without a comma, and sentences end and begin much more suddenly than in
most other fiction pieces. There are more complex words that McCarthy uses such
as “glaucoma” and “flowstone” in his writing, but his language and imagery that
he allows any reader to process within his stylistically-short sentences is
what makes his writing unique and mold-breaking as compared to many other strictly
creative-style authors of countless other novels of similar subjects, themes,
and topics.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">Approaching writing a novel with the intention of
communicating concisely with the reader is McCarthy’s formula for success, and
it endlessly depends on plain-style and no-nonsense techniques. In a quote
accredited to an article in Open Culture, McCarthy stated, “There’s no reason
to blot the page up with weird little marks. I mean, if you write properly you
shouldn’t have to punctuate” (Jones). While it is arguable that McCarthy may
not be writing in an entirely correct way, and he has made plenty of people
squirm with his plain style of writing, he has written many different novels
and stories in this style, and all of them are focused on one thing in particular:
clarity.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Plain styles of writing are often
incredibly concise and clear in what they mean to communicate while avoiding
heavy jargon and complex concepts that readers may not fully understand.
McCarthy’s writing aims to avoid those complex concepts used in academic and
scholarly writing and instead writes in the aforementioned plain style While
there are plenty of creative and therefore ambiguous aspects to McCarthy’s
writing, he spends lots of time excluding things such as quotation marks (one
of his most infamous stylistic choices) in order to take all the jumble that he
possibly can off of the page. In stead of the removed quotation marks, McCarthy
relies specifically on spacing and indentation to communicate any conversation
between characters in his stories:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">“The boy turned in the blankets. Then he opened his eyes.
Hi, Papa, he said.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m right here.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">I know” (McCarthy, 2).</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">While in the top section of that writing, a reader may not
notice that someone has begun talking due to the lack of quotation marks,
McCarthy’s heavy reliance on indentation always pays off as verbal
communication between characters surprisingly does not only rely on the
presence of quotation marks, but instead relies on two things: quotation marks <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> indentation, and only one of which
must be present. In his writing, McCarthy has faith that people will comprehend
textual clues given to them and interpret dialogue as conversation between
characters. Many authors choose to write in ways that assume an audience to
have some members which require as many cues as possible to follow a story, but
McCarthy’s writing methods have proven that a general audience can discern
conversation via only one or two contextual clues/patterns. In an interview
with Oprah, McCarthy stated, “You really have to be aware that there are no
quotation marks and write in such a way as to guide people as to who’s
speaking” (Oprah). In McCarthy’s writing, it is easy to see that he is able to
guide people with such a simple technique while using arguably simple and plain
language as well. McCarthy uses a plain style of writing in an unexpectedly
creative way, breaking boundaries between two often separate categories of
writing.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">The clarity of McCarthy’s writing is something rather rare
among writers, but it is a creative decision that has worked in his favor both
in the number of volumes he has sold, and his overall popularity as a writer.
While I had never heard of Cormac McCarthy before reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Road</i> in a high school English classroom, his style of writing
is revolutionary when it comes to the combination of plain and creative styles.
Hopefully, more writers will take influence from McCarthy and learn to work
outside of those unwritten rules which constrain writers to tapping the
quotation mark key every time there is dialogue, and using a comma with
conjunctions.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">Works Cited</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 17pt;"></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 9pt 45pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -22pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">Jones, John. "Cormac Mccarthy’S Three Punctuation
Rules, And How They All Go Back To James Joyce". <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Open Culture</i>, 2022,
https://www.openculture.com/2013/08/cormac-mccarthys-punctuation-rules.html?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=F53FE94C9E5045DA938038F74E8F6979.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 9pt 45pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -22pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">McCarthy, Cormac. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Road</i>. Pan Macmillan, 2006.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 9pt 45pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -22pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">McCarthy, Cormac. "Cormac Mccarthy On The Power Of The
Subconscious". Interview by Oprah Winfrey. 2022.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 9pt 45pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -22pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
</span>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-71185676433562617982022-05-19T07:05:00.001-07:002022-05-19T07:05:41.054-07:00Making Great Use of the Official Style and The Life of Pi<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span>By M. Thomas</span></i><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowRevisions/>
<w:DoNotPrintRevisions/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/>
<w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="376">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hashtag"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Unresolved Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Link"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-ansi-language:EN;}
</style>
<![endif]--></span>
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoq9siVI2LcHpUdkUQkGN-A0CFnQ0blTvGWTNVR2SXU91FmsjmhimOpHding80cLQGFAXlppkXxNSXlB7UHJPebdeiPDj4mDiofDb1vXNGiJvCqz9ECfeXzSq0sJ2Qr9Va7WI9_vZ_rZViKH2jcvnScHSjIT0miE9G81H68RY-OS0HrmGI00TC6Y4/s1356/201503-book-life-pi-949x1356.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="949" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoq9siVI2LcHpUdkUQkGN-A0CFnQ0blTvGWTNVR2SXU91FmsjmhimOpHding80cLQGFAXlppkXxNSXlB7UHJPebdeiPDj4mDiofDb1vXNGiJvCqz9ECfeXzSq0sJ2Qr9Va7WI9_vZ_rZViKH2jcvnScHSjIT0miE9G81H68RY-OS0HrmGI00TC6Y4/s320/201503-book-life-pi-949x1356.jpg" width="224" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In day-to-day conversation, we often determine our
impression of a person’s intelligence through two things: the size of the words
they use and the complexity of their ideas. However, there are plenty of people
who present complex ideas in simple terms, simple ideas in complex terms,
simple ideas in simple terms, and also complex ideas in complex terms.
Translated into written form, any idea, simple or complex, communicated through
the use of complex language is considered to be written in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">official</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">style</i>. Long sentences, appositives, prepositional phrases, and big
words are all common in the world of a writer who chooses to write in the
official style. Often, official style is long and wordy, but there are plenty
of examples out in the world of the written word that make great use of
official style.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">I found an exemplary example of this in a paper written
about Yann Martel’s infamous novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life
of Pi</i>: an amazing fictional story about a boy and a tiger surviving and
coexisting in the middle of the ocean on a lifeboat. With the popularity of the
novel, it is correspondingly popularly interpreted and discussed on an academic
level. June Dwyer, one of those academics who enjoy discussing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life of Pi</i> at a higher and more
metaphorical level, wrote an article titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yann
Martel’s ‘Life of Pi’ and the Evolution of the Shipwreck Narrative</i>. Dwyer
is a highly experienced professor at Manhattan University and published this
piece in an academic journal titled: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Modern
Language Studies</i>, volume 35. In her thirteen-page analysis, Dwyer talks
about the reinvention of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shipwreck
narrative</i>, which she explains is a common theme in children’s narratives
that involves something that she calls: the “domination paradigm” (Dwyer, 11).
While this statement sounds, albeit, a little confusing, Dwyer uses a specific
technique in her academic analysis of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life
of Pi</i> that makes her version official style writing increasingly
comprehensible:</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">Yann Martel's prizewinning novel, Life of Pi
(2001) addresses this shift. It provides a new paradigm, reversing the trend
toward human dominance over animals that develops in children's literature
involving shipwrecks and the already established pattern of human dominance in
the shipwrecks of adult literary history. In terms of children's literature, animals
have traditionally been treated as equals — friends, even — but as the readers
and the protagonists grow older, the affinity dwindles, and the dominance of
human over nonhuman animal emerges. However, with Life of Pi, the domination
paradigm is replaced with a more ecologically acceptable one of respect.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Firstly, there are several
incredibly<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>common features of
official writing used in this block of text. In the first sentence, an
appositive is already used as well as large words such as “prizewinning” and
“addresses”. Dwyer uses that big vocabulary in order to imprint the importance
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life of Pi</i> on the reader while
also permeating an academic/official tone to the entire sentence. The
appositive identifies <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life of Pi </i>as a
prizewinning novel and is also employed to accomplish that same goal of
establishing an aura of intellect. Dwyer had most likely predicted that her
audience would mainly be fellow academics, and in order for any of her readers
to see this article is credible, it quickly became imperative to publish a
piece radiating with techniques commonly associated with the official style.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While Dwyer’s work shows lots of
those tired complexities endlessly present in any writing done in the official
style, she ensures that there is an earlier given definition to certain terms
which she uses in her writing. The term “domination paradigm” might sound
confusing on its own, but once you learn that June Dwyer kindly wrote out the
full definition of what this means earlier in the piece, it can be difficult to
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> know what Dwyer means when she
drops yet another sample of her favorite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life
of Pi</i>-related buzzword, “<span style="color: #222222;">It provides a new
paradigm, reversing the trend toward human dominance over animals that develops
in children's literature involving shipwrecks and the already established
pattern of human dominance in the shipwrecks of adult literary history.” That
sentence is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lot</i>, but you never have
to read it again because for the rest of the article, Dwyer replaces that
three-line sentence with two words: “domination paradigm”. Those two words
function as a synecdoche does: a single part represents a whole. While Dwyer’s
trick of defining a term and then making her piece several pages shorter than
it has to be, she was most likely able to do this because her writing uses more
than just the official style. The long, listy, and wordy world of official
style exists around the ideas of both lengthy and complex ideas <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> diction. A pure example of the
official style cannot exist without those two things, and Dwyer’s strategic
shortening of a three-line sentence defies that pure example.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And while that
little trick, along with several variations of it, make a hefty portion of
Dwyer’s writing far more accessible than it would have been otherwise, there
are still plenty of devices familiar with the official style within even just
the block of text shown above. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">The
very last sentence reads, “<span style="color: #222222;">However, with Life of
Pi, the domination paradigm is replaced with a more ecologically acceptable one
of respect.” This sentence</span> contains countless complexities, and while
that sentence <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> be turned into
something like: However,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life of Pi</i> the theme of man and animal
becoming friends has been replaced with a more realistic theme of respect
between man and animal”, there is a concrete and unarguable reason for which
Dwyer does this: credibility. The credibility Dwyer sought after while writing
her piece is not something to confuse with the credibility linked to
accessibility; it is credibility linked solely to the opinions and thoughts of
her peers. Her word choice and syntax throughout her piece uses those things
such as hefty diction, appositives, introductory phrases, and the like in order
to communicate her knowledge on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life of
Pi</i> and its retelling of the shipwreck narrative as credible and something
to be trusted. A common argument against using the official style is often
about wordiness, but an introductory phrase such as, “<span style="color: #222222;">In
terms of children's literature…” (Dwyer, 11). allow Dwyer to specify. That
specificity is what makes her writing credible in academia. While there is a
plethora of examples in government texts and incomprehensible papers written by
a diverse pool of people who have attempted to write in the official style,
Dwyer has provided an example of one way to properly use official style without
butchering a reader’s interest.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>
</span></span>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-47761140428138717842022-04-29T13:57:00.007-07:002022-04-29T13:58:18.340-07:00The Underdog of Writing Styles<p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By Tiffany Yang</span></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0BjEY6UEf7ECRamWR8qlyLtXU133rpMPcgFaXFfV4vU4KZ2sL-6ZJzcMv_BiNTkRgPTXEw9AujUcYkWmbHN0d1eTW2SjlUT7ZoKazMAwTcDeX4fktOv_BQ1Yoft9RO_ES1XKH_DDtAwG4nDQN4bTTQ-eGFsMp09V6u34Z1kyd57-p_n0kF7DYuPS/s783/2022-04-29_15h55_54.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="521" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0BjEY6UEf7ECRamWR8qlyLtXU133rpMPcgFaXFfV4vU4KZ2sL-6ZJzcMv_BiNTkRgPTXEw9AujUcYkWmbHN0d1eTW2SjlUT7ZoKazMAwTcDeX4fktOv_BQ1Yoft9RO_ES1XKH_DDtAwG4nDQN4bTTQ-eGFsMp09V6u34Z1kyd57-p_n0kF7DYuPS/s320/2022-04-29_15h55_54.png" width="213" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After learning the strategies and devices used within official style, I learned about plain style and how they are the opposite of each other. This gave me the misconception that plain style translates to unprofessional, unreliable, non-educational, and unintelligent forms of writing. To dig deeper, I analyzed an article that utilized plain style and detected the strategies used to compare how this prose style is used, the context of this article, and how it can affect the way it is used in spheres of human activity. The article chosen was published by a website called Healthline. Their main goal is to set readers and viewers on a journey to health and wellness. They claim to have the best interests concerning wellbeing, and cutting through all the confusion with straightforward, expert-reviewed, person-first experiences – all designed to help viewers make the best decisions for themselves. They have several topics ranging from nutrition, sleep, mental health, fitness, and product reviews, etc. My article talks about haircare, specifically the effectiveness of hair vitamins. The article explains what exactly hair vitamins are, nutrients they provide, if they work, and their recommendations. This article was found on Google, with a quick word search of “Do hair vitamins work?” and it was one of the first five articles that appeared. This shows that the article is easily accessible to the public and very inclusive. </div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The author of this article is Katey Davidson. She is a Canadian registered dietitian and certified personal trainer. She graduated with a master's in science in foods and nutrition from Western University. She specializes in women's nutrition and fitness, with a focus on sustainable, long-term behavioral change. In addition, she teaches at the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at Brescia University College, an affiliate of Western University. She has authored several articles for Healthline on weight loss, veganism, product-reviews, and more.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Davidson uses a lot of obvious plain styles in her article about hair vitamins. After reading what Healthline's purpose is, it makes sense as to why they use plain style in their writing. Their website description clearly states that they want to cut through all the confusion and provide expert answers and information, in a straightforward way. This is premature evidence that plain style is present. To look closer at plain style strategies I will share the ones found within the excerpt I have examined but let us first discuss the readability statistics of this article. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To gather accurate numbers for the statistics, an excerpt which I believe was an accurate representation of this article’s writing was selected to calculate. The results were slightly shocking because plain styles are meant to have low Gunning Fog Indexes and high Flesch Reading Eases, but in this case the Gunning Fog Index was 13.27 which means in order to read and comprehend this article, the individual would need to have at least 13 years of formal education. I was expecting this number to be lower considering the simplicity of the writing but after taking into consideration that Healthline still is a source that provides information and expert answers, it makes sense that the Gunning Fog Index is around, what would be considered, a high school graduate. As for the Flesch Reading Ease, I was expecting this number to be very high because to me this article was easy to read but I was surprised to see a reading ease of 39.86. Although this is not low, it is also not as high as I expected. These results do not fit what is expected of plain style writing, so let us now identify the strategies of plain style Davidson used.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The first strategy Davidson used is a clear active voice. An example within the excerpt is when Davidson states, “When your body is functioning well, it can better support nonessential functions like growing healthy hair.” This is an active voice because this statement focuses on the subject and then what the subject is doing, rather than the subject being acted upon by the verb. A passive example of this exact statement would be written like this: “Growing healthy hair is a nonessential function that can be better supported by a well-functioning body.” This is the opposite of plain style and the tone it presents is much more formal. This led me to identify the next strategy, which is the level of formality Davidson chose. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Plain style often uses low levels of formality, taking into consideration all audiences and open accessibility. A first-person perspective would be the lowest level of formality, a second person perspective would be next, and the third-person perspective would be the highest level of formality. Davidson having written the article in second person perspective makes the article less intimidating and does not obscure readers from understanding her article. The low level of formality is not the only strategy that helps readers understand her writing. It is also accompanied by the strategy of providing sentences that are noncomplex. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Throughout this article Davidson refrains from using jargon and euphemism, in turn avoiding the probable cause of creating unnecessary verbose and complex sentences. The idea around plain style is to have short, noncomplex sentences that typically have one or minimal ideas within each sentence. There is no jargon that would obscure readers and no euphemism to force readers to read in formal tones. Having put all the strategies mentioned together, they all work in favor of the same goal and purpose: to relay information in a simple manner so that the article can have a large openness of accessibility, which can then be read by various groups of audiences, and circuit through different spheres of human activity. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After identifying all the strategies and how they play a role within plain style, let us now discuss context versus text. I had mentioned earlier that this website (Healthline) had a goal of providing viewers and readers with quick, easily understood, expert answers and information by cutting through all the confusion. It seems like Healthline is reciting exactly what plain style. They are an accessible website open to whoever has internet access and in being so accessible, their audience can be determined as the general public. Based on this context, I argue that plain style is very appropriate and fitting. When something is as accessible as this article on Healthline, the goal should be to appeal to a wide range of audiences, wide range of purposes and goals, because the spheres of human activity here can vary. Therefore, I believe Healthline chose to write in plain style to reach the maximum number of readers and viewers. Now we should consider different contexts and the counterargument that plain style is not fitting or does not affect the spheres of human activity. Hypothetically, what if the context of this article was the exact opposite? Such as, it had extremely limited accessibility through the means of a paid subscription, or the need for a specific position/status/certification of some type (student, professor, scientist, etc.). In this scenario, would plain style still be fitting or does the prose style have an impact on this different context? I would argue that plain style would still be appropriate because although the context is different, Davidsons article still serves it purpose of presenting knowledge and information. The different context would change accessibility, audiences, and how this article would circuit, but the purpose of the article remains the same. This article still provides the audience with quick and simple expert answers, which means the spheres of human activity would still be similar, Healthline provides their information to be applied and used as knowledge.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In conclusion, I do not believe there is a situation where plain style would not be appropriate. Although some contextual factors may change, the overall purpose remains no matter the context. Plain style does not translate to unprofessional, unreliable, non-educational, or unintelligent. Text can still relay amazing information, answers and expertise while using plain style. Plain style simply means one's writing means exactly what they say/write. There are minimal to zero special strategies that could cause obscurities. Therefore, the prose style of plain may sometimes affect the context but does not change the purpose or sphere of human activities. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-66952750712463908182022-04-29T13:53:00.004-07:002022-04-29T13:53:42.132-07:00Double-Speak in Plain Style<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By Branden Schultz</span></i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Plain
Style is great at its job. It can clearly pass on information, and it doesn’t
matter if it's meant to be entertaining, informative, or persuasive. For one,
it keeps a simple vocabulary and usually has concise sentences, guaranteeing
that almost any reader can get something out of it. However, plain style can be
used for more than simple language. It can put a spotlight on abstract ideas
and themes, while not physically having them within the text. Ernest Hemingway
employs this ‘double-speaking’ this in the short story “Hills Like White
Elephants”, which touches on hedonism and abortion in its four pages.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2FHSir8RBM2M4l5YKDmGkuZxsDe8PEVyZPJr1zIC3Dagv07ijMplVr0FitRDmV_cFXH4yI0dya7meClT8q_bzJwc2w2_vWkuw-4-3G_9Z4WVCKylhvYms-ZTZH0hmQZaLdy4CT20JO3Gkg7tq_EXR_hAivSsMg9aaVWzInLRX78eDoYIfhxooHj3/s464/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="318" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2FHSir8RBM2M4l5YKDmGkuZxsDe8PEVyZPJr1zIC3Dagv07ijMplVr0FitRDmV_cFXH4yI0dya7meClT8q_bzJwc2w2_vWkuw-4-3G_9Z4WVCKylhvYms-ZTZH0hmQZaLdy4CT20JO3Gkg7tq_EXR_hAivSsMg9aaVWzInLRX78eDoYIfhxooHj3/w275-h402/Picture1.png" width="275" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“Hills Like White Elephants” is, again, short and has a very
simple style. If complexities were crimes, its only charges would be the
occasional longer sentence and requiring some familiarity with Spanish currency
and alcohol names (or at least the ability to use context clues to figure out
what they mean). For some context on “Hills Like White Elephants”, it was
originally published in 1927 for the literary magazine <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Transition</i>, and again later that same year in Hemingway’s short
story collection <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men Without Women</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Transition</i> was a magazine known for
having abstract articles that did not directly address their themes, but
instead alludes to them. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men Without
Women</i> is a selection of Hemingway’s works, which share common themes of
hedonism, infidelity, and abortion among them. “Hills Like White Elephants”
maintains a simple language that only requires four years of education to
understand, according to the Gunning Fog Index. (3.98, specifically).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pieces written in this style were a norm for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Transition</i>, giving Hemingway a specific
audience that he would want to maintain circulation with-besides the general,
wide-spanning audience that the plain language inherently gives him. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The dialogue is some of the simplest, shortest parts of the
story, but has the strongest allusions at the same time. A husband and wife are
on a training, with the implication that the wife is pregnant and
seeking/considering an abortion. Consider the following excerpt, which can be
found after the first introduction paragraph (see “Further Reading” below for
the full passage).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"What
should we drink?" the girl asked. She had taken off her hat and put it on
the table.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"It's
pretty hot," the man said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"Let's
drink beer."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"Dos
cervezas," the man said into the curtain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"Big
ones?" a woman asked from the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"Yes.
Two big ones."</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Again, the dialogue is very simple. The longest spoken
sentence is four words, but already there’s emphasis that they’re drinking
‘big’ ones (notice the repetition). There is also an implied detachment with
the man speaking into the curtain, as if he is issuing dismissive orders to a
waiting servant (which he really is). As soon as the scene starts, the main
characters begin drinking, which kicks off their hedonistic behaviors. There’s
also signs of a controlling relationship between the two, as the man tries to
reign in his wife’s conversation and also convince her that<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> she </i>wants the abortion. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“"Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the
things you've waited so long for, like absinthe." (The girl says), to
which the man replies, “Oh cut it out.” Again, the sentences are concise and
clear, especially the man’s blunt replies. Regarding my aforementioned
accusation that the man is convincing the girl to want the abortion (which is
only referenced as an ‘operation’ in the story; another allusion), Hemingway
writes, “‘Well’, the man said, ‘if you don’t want to you don’t have to. I
wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to. But I know it’s perfectly
simple.’ [The girl replies] ‘And you really want to?’ ‘I think it’s the best
thing to do. But I don’t want you to if you don’t really want to.’” The man
puts emphasis that A) there’s no reason to worry about the operation because
it’s ‘perfectly simple’, B) the man is still in control of the situation
because ultimately he will be the one deciding he he has her do it or not,
though he is being ‘good’ by letting her choose if she wants to. It’s a subtle,
manipulative way to reassert control, while allowing the girl to have an
illusion of choice (even if there is a clear ‘right’ choice). Hemingway does
not leave it plainly written for the audience, but the signs and allusions are
all within the piece.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In short, plain style is a great way to help ensure that a
text maintains a wide circulation of audiences. The more people that can
understand a text, the better. However, plain style also allows for a spotlight
to be put on allusions and themes, and is done in a way that other styles can
not so cleanly replicate. The story is not about the text, but the implications
beneath it. There’s a story within a story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><u><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><u><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Further Reading</span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://faculty.weber.edu/jyoung/English%202500/Readings%20for%20English%202500/Hills%20Like%20White%20Elephants.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“HillsLike White Elephants” </span></a></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-12350795881313049822022-04-29T13:46:00.007-07:002022-04-29T13:46:45.072-07:00Does Standardized Testing Measure Intelligence?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8AJdNJyoV-FnBdHHruToWPuTbaCGhP6owXzOMFqxNYs4kWcWIUWAEPdZoKz0Q9C48Bauqb5bC74H_jhnGCQz2YjmjrBHzuGz4mUBz_FZ07v5hEWhsSRXRwHEaYo_GMI1Pgqvwd5m_WFpCCqYEeWQpupDfHPQpCDeEgGe8Yqm2PNTR2v58c8rBtPA/s317/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="317" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8AJdNJyoV-FnBdHHruToWPuTbaCGhP6owXzOMFqxNYs4kWcWIUWAEPdZoKz0Q9C48Bauqb5bC74H_jhnGCQz2YjmjrBHzuGz4mUBz_FZ07v5hEWhsSRXRwHEaYo_GMI1Pgqvwd5m_WFpCCqYEeWQpupDfHPQpCDeEgGe8Yqm2PNTR2v58c8rBtPA/w475-h287/Picture1.png" width="475" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By Caitlin Olson</span></i></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Standardized testing is to suppose to be an
accurate representation of how well a student will perform in various subjects
throughout school. The article that I chose to write about is “The Advantages
and Disadvantages of Achievement Tests” by Ralph Heibutzki. Throughout this
article he discusses the main issues of standardized testing such as race,
income, pressure to perform, and not all skills are measured equally. He also
gave same some examples of how standardized testing could be beneficial such as
it is efficient to administrator, student improvement, and accurate performance
indicator. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;">The plain style is very evident by using short,
less complex sentences. They state the facts clearly and concisely without all
the extra, unnecessary jargon. This article does not have a targeted audience and
it does not seem to be bias towards one opinion. This allows the audience to
read the information and form their own opinion on the topic. </span>I believe
the<span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;"> writer</span> wanted their readers to
know both sides of standardized testing and how it can be a positive thing when
determining effective performance and a negative thing when it comes to the
pressure they bring to students. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As far as accessibility, this article is
accessible to any reader as well as it is easy to read. Each section of the
article is bolded as well as it uses clear, plain language. The writer also
wrote their argument in a logical order by putting the important details first.
In the beginning they talked about some of the positive aspects of standardized
testing such as being a performance indicator, effective venue for change, and
efficient to administer. They indicated that if used appropriately, standardized
testing can provide a clear-cut picture of how well a student is performing.
This is a good thing for parents because they appreciate having this
information so they can pinpoint what their child is doing wrong and how they
help them succeed. Teachers also benefit by seeing these results because it
allows them to see what they need to approve on as a teacher. When it comes to
being effective venue for change, the educational policymakers often use these
tests to decide how they want to allocate their resources. According to Popham
“Such funds are best used in districts whose scores suggest serious action is
requires”. If a school’s test scores look like they need to be improved, most
of the funding will go to that school. Lastly, they discussed how standardized
testing is more efficient to administer. This is because all of the testing is
done over the computer, and it reduces the time that it takes to grade tests. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They continued this pattern by then discussing
the negative effects of standardized testing. By doing this it allows the
reader to easily follow along with the main arguments of the paper. Some of the
negative effects that they talked about are not all skills are measured
equally, fairness, and the negative pressures on schools. In this section they
argued that no test will ever be able, no matter how unbiased it seems, can
equally measure what each student learns. Standardized testing is typically in
a multiple-choice format which only measures knowledge and skills and not
creativity and problem solving. When it comes to fairness there is a gap in
achievement results between rich and poor students because students that are
rich have more opportunities to succeed than students who are in low-income
houses. Lastly, there is a lot of negative pressures on the schools to succeed
because funding and salary improvements are typically associated with the test
score results. Also, students that do not do well on the test may be written
off and placed in classes that do not challenge them. This may leave the
student as well as the teacher to feel unmotivated. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;">As far as credibility, this article seems to be
very organized and well thought out by how they laid out their argument to
their readers. They also cited their research throughout the article which
makes the reader feel as though the writer took the time to thoroughly
investigate this topic. They were able to make this article easy to read while
also seeming credible to their readers. </span>This article is very easy to
skim from outside readers because of the bolded title as well as shorter
paragraphs.<span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;"> It</span> was set in <span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;">an </span>appropriate tone where it seemed like
they were very professional and they<span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;"> also</span>
seemed very passionate about the topic. As I said before, this article does a
really good job of blending styles because it seems credible as well as it is
easy to read for outside audiences. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There was also minimal redundancy throughout
this article. The main idea was definitely stated but it was repeated over and
over again. They clearly had separate sections for each main point and then
continued to elaborate on those main points. The use of active voice was also
clear throughout this article. The tone made it seem like they were talking
straight to their readers which gave it a personal touch. Using this tone, it
allows the readers to connect with the writer and form their own opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In conclusion, “The Advantages and
Disadvantages of Achievement Tests” conveyed a lot of plain language while also
seeming credible to its readers. This article a lot of shorter, less complex
sentences and minimal jargon. The article wrote in active voice which helps the
readers connect more with the writer. Using these strategies of plain style
will help the readers fully understand the topic and then they can form their
own opinions on the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-9254789295933752302022-04-29T13:43:00.004-07:002022-04-29T13:43:39.275-07:00Plain Style in the Deep Water Movie Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7c3huBJYEg7N61unO3rOBDItm5_voZH1zp9tBx2RmmnlXcev0xH8tTD_xwzpV470WxJVjd7JSQBfw5TsxE46ZRy-1AET5tAoDyiSWTOInfk_8pHjvZac5kpZajum-PY28THxWkR0_jfaciWgtJO07iiEPynZMgR4qTFoHYFGYVa1xS43Ggo8lJMjQ/s516/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="516" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7c3huBJYEg7N61unO3rOBDItm5_voZH1zp9tBx2RmmnlXcev0xH8tTD_xwzpV470WxJVjd7JSQBfw5TsxE46ZRy-1AET5tAoDyiSWTOInfk_8pHjvZac5kpZajum-PY28THxWkR0_jfaciWgtJO07iiEPynZMgR4qTFoHYFGYVa1xS43Ggo8lJMjQ/w361-h197/Picture1.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By Matthew
Nelson</span></i></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span> <span> </span></span>I am looking at a <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/deep-water-movie-review-2022" target="_blank">review written for the movie Deep Water</a> starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The review itself was written by Brian
Tallerico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The movie is a thriller about
a serial adulterer whose partners keep going missing and she suspects her
husband as being responsible for the disappearances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Due to the nature of the film the review was
also tailored to a mature audience in its references to the behavior of the
characters but the style in which it was written is extremely informal and
plain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was written in the first
person and includes quite a few plain style strategies that give the review the
feeling of a conversation the author is having with the reader rather than a
formal analysis of how the film conducted itself in the eyes of the
reviewer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the ease I found in
reading the review it still scored a 14.77 on the Gunning Fog Index which is
relatively high for a plain style, a score of 12 being deemed the more
difficult end of the plain style spectrum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Flesch reading ease is more proportionate to how I felt the review
read, that score being 53.99.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The first very contrasting element
to the review that makes it a plain style of writing compared to some of the
official style works that we had looked at was the lack of jargon used by the
author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a number of pop
culture references and comparisons made between Deep Water and other films made
in the genre but there was no use of jargon or Latinate diction that would have
excluded the reader from an of the information or reserved aspects of the
review for the movie critic community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An excerpt from the review reads, “<span style="background: white; color: black;">There are echoes of Affleck's work in “</span><a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/gone-girl-2014"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;">Gone Girl</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black;">” in how he
captures Vic’s temperature</span>,” where the reference to another
film that Ben Affleck starred in captures the most exclusive aspect of the
review, though instead of accumulating years of education to understand the
reference fully as is common in the official style, the reader needs only watch
the film for it to make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
level of depth, or lack thereof, is what highlights the plain style the review
was written in without any jargon potentially alienating the members of its
audience.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I had also
mentioned in the introduction that the author wrote the review in a way that
makes the audience feel more like they are being spoken to by a familiar person
rather than having to read through lines of droning cinematic analysis which is
not necessarily a criteria of official or plain style in its own right, but the
way it was used in this piece contribute to the plain style of literature that
it was written in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are times when
the author drifts in and out of an inner monologue and a direct conversation
with the reader and this sense of inconsistency and messiness adds to the
entertainment value of the review which was no doubt the indented effect, but
it does become too familiar in my eyes to be considered anything other than
plain and informal writing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the
review the author uses a number of rhetorical devices that contribute the
conversational feeling of the writing, but he extensively uses rhetorical
questions to engage the audience in his train of thought when he was reviewing
Deep Water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are littered throughout
the review, and each provokes analysis of the movie but none of them require an
answer since, in keeping with the rhetorical strategy they are all either
answered immediately after or require no answer at all since the answer was
already talked over by the author. <span style="background: white; color: #333333;">“Will
the “Make Movies Sexy Again” crowd give some of the storytelling bumps in “Deep
Water” a pass or is this going to be further proof that the subgenre is
creatively dead?...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is he kidding?...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why is this man devoting so much time and
capital to his theory that Vic is a murderer?...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has Vic always seen human life as disposable?”</span>
are just a few of the rhetorical questions in the review that create an
informal and conversational atmosphere about the writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not to say that a rhetorical device
like the rhetorical question cannot be used in official style but the frequency
of their implementation and the dialogue between the reader and the author that
they cultivate create a plainer style of writing that most if not all adults
would be proficient enough at reading to fully grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> I thought
the review was entertaining and explored the film knowledgably without
alienating any of the audience by using the official style. The devices and strategies that the author
imbued his writing with for this review was plain but not boring which made the
reading accessible to a general audience without subjugating them to a bland or
elementary diction.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><p></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-37723453580905915852022-04-29T13:37:00.007-07:002022-04-29T13:37:55.120-07:00Can Plain Language Effectively Stand Alone?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtR3V5nXIctABZF2hQSWzjE5F1VO3w6eCcPNVmoSXd952O2votjNF1NWfHkplWI7i3avAUrgufyDrJbAZXNtk1gMhrF2TdkQn85Vp5GPb2cgS7SP83pwUDP1W_yoPjNw1GWbJm-QuCc3wlew0jgsorQQskMyhOac3hNQpeaqDzrKNki7yYpnJ0xYPI/s1412/Plain-language-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1412" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtR3V5nXIctABZF2hQSWzjE5F1VO3w6eCcPNVmoSXd952O2votjNF1NWfHkplWI7i3avAUrgufyDrJbAZXNtk1gMhrF2TdkQn85Vp5GPb2cgS7SP83pwUDP1W_yoPjNw1GWbJm-QuCc3wlew0jgsorQQskMyhOac3hNQpeaqDzrKNki7yYpnJ0xYPI/w404-h246/Plain-language-blog.jpg" width="404" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By Peter
Hliqaim</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Society
has an obligation to write in a manner so that the complexities of writing can
be understood without hard analysis followed by long hours of frustration.
Plain style is straight forward, clear, and when used correctly, can be very
effective. It is a tool for reaching a range of audiences and providing easily
understood information. The use of strategies such as metabasis, exemplum, and
active voice can make writings straight forward yet still interesting and keeps
the reader intrigued when used effectively. Though some pieces can appear
written in the official style, it may not necessarily be considered official
style by merely adopting formatting styles and using complex words. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Imagine
Games Network (IGN) is a media outlet for gaming news, reviews, and
walkthroughs; This professional platform influences IGN writers to pull from
the official style format, but that is as far as it goes. Dan Stapleton, IGN’s
Executive Editor of Reviews is a 18 year gaming journalist veteran and is in
charge of the gaming reviews that are published through IGN. His expertise as a
journalist influences the many writers at IGN such as Mitchell Saltzman, the
author of the article <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elden Ring Review</i>
to write in similar taste. The article only uses official style strategies such
as prepositional phrases to appear professional, but in reality, is
straightforward and uses more plain text strategies to convey the message, “To
set the stage, all you know from the outset is that you play as a “Tarnished”
of no renown, blessed by grace, and are compelled to make the journey to The
Lands Between and become an Elden Lord” (Saltzman, 2022). The structure isn’t
complex and Saltzman sticks to the idea of explaining who the Tarnished is.
This is one way to mask plain style in a way that is higher level writing, and
not incorporating too many different ideas in a sentence. Plain text can be at
times uninteresting and dry, but Saltzman is able keep readers engaged through
writing in the active voice and relating his experience to the readers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Saltzman
begins with a first-person approach to give the audience an understanding that
this is his experience, and this is his opinion:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the 87 hours that it took me to beat Elden Ring, I was
put through an absolute wringer of emotion: Anger as I was beaten down by its
toughest challenges, exhilaration when I finally overcame them, and a fair
amount of sorrow for the mountains of exp I lost along the way to some of the
toughest boss encounters FromSoftware has ever conceived.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There
is no “they” because this is a personal level Saltzman is trying to relate with
the reader. When reviewing a game for the public, point of view matters because
the audience wants to learn what the good and the bad is directly from the
person, someone to relate to. If what Saltzman experienced is relatable by
writing in the first-person view, we as an audience are more likely to feel a
connection because there is an attempt to connect with the audience rather than
just spewing information for us to absorb. Saltzman does a good job staying in
the first-person and tells his story well to the audience. In this way we get a
better understanding of what he went through and what we can expect or have
already similarly experienced. To further increase the readability of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elden Ring Review</i>, Saltzman makes it
easy to follow each new idea introduced. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Saltzman
makes it a point to make sure his audience understands what is to come next
from one<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>idea to the next by using a
plain text strategy known as metabasis. This helps the reader follow the
article more easily and helps them understand what to expect, “you can equip
Ashes of War to your weapons and completely change their affinity and skill…The
Ashes of War system essentially combines two elements of prior Souls games –
weapon affinities and weapon skills – by making them items that you can freely
equip to your armaments” (Saltzman, 2022). All of his ideas transition
smoothly, helping readers have an easier time understanding his thought process
and explanations. This leads into the next strategy that is used in every new
idea, and that is exemplum. Saltzman makes the effort to explain every idea as
if the reader has no prior knowledge. This helps in the reader’s understanding
of concepts they are not familiar with yet, “‘Freedom’ is the word that every
aspect of Elden Ring’s design connects back to. From the moment you set foot in
Limgrave, the first of many interconnected regions of The Lands Between, you
are completely free to go wherever you want” (Saltzman, 2022). He introduces
the idea of freedom in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elden Ring </i>and
then proceeds to explain why that is the case. Saltzman continues this strategy
when explaining systems in the game regarding weapons, skills, and so on.
Normally, these plain strategies would be very uninteresting as it tends to be
too straightforward and dry, but Saltzman has achieved a good balance in his
article by also pulling from creative strategies as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Possessing
the skill to effectively blend different styles into an individual's writing
makes a big difference when deciding your audience and what type of writing you
want to achieve. Official style and plain styles can be dry and uninteresting,
but Saltzman is able to pull from creative styles by using elements of
hyperboles and creative word choice. In this instance, Saltzman exaggerates his
time in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elden Ring</i> to describe to the
reader how he felt after his long 87 hour playthrough, “Even after 87 hours of
blood, sweat, and tears that included some of the most challenging fights I’ve
ever fought, and innumerable surprises, there are still bosses that I left on
the table…” (Saltzman, 2022). Besides the sweat and tears, blood is definitely
an exaggeration on Saltzman's part, as well as choosing to say “innumerable” to
explain the many secrets found in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elden
Ring</i>. Saltzman uses strategies such as the ones mentioned above to
effectively deliver his message and it proves to be an intriguing read
throughout. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Plain
style strategies shine best when paired with other writing strategies such as
official and creative. It’s not a standalone strategy that works well on its
own unless the text is strictly informative to the point of simplification for
the audience's understanding. There are many things that plain strategies can
do well even if at times it can be too vague. By blending different effective
writing strategies, plain style can be made to shine well in any given
situation. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-74236405254596322252022-04-29T13:34:00.008-07:002022-04-29T13:34:47.840-07:00National Geographic: Quasi-Scientific Writing?<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>By Draza Kolpack</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />It may come as no
surprise that National Geographic is one of the most prolific and consumed
magazines in the United States; whether one reads Nat Geo Kids at a young age
or comes across a National Geographic article through research, millions of
Americans are familiar with the name and content of these quasi-academic
articles. But to what is their success due? After reading my chosen article, <i>Climate-resilient
coral gives hope to the world’s reefs, </i>I would argue that their success
rests in the author’s (in this instance Sarah Gibbens’) well-practiced ability
to apply the plain style to information that is largely academic in nature.
While one would expect information that would otherwise be found in scientific
journals and studies to be dense and hidden behind a veil of jargon and flowery
language, National Geographic seems to have found the balance necessary to
ascribe to their large readership. However, this balance is invariably a
difficult one to maintain; what are the implications of speaking too plainly or
using too academic a tone in a piece such as this? In this piece I plan to
illustrate how the writing style employed by the author fits the context of the
article, as a piece of scientific literature made accessible to the public, and
highlight how these styles work within the multiple spheres of human activity
this information may find itself in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_OIyS0RriGZpGthLIFueFc5SOvA2uO-W0Xj51NPZdxd96msn1-neMbE06g9LVXlK_14VQq-mfZvhvdrcvyWH8VCDzvI8kHsNTupQdkpzJc4rGzBMieSTMyWFWzuOcSdYgJWVI0C7Udls9QYwWSKyd4RNaJwq9E0c07SSuFzXQZ8SM8POmINpKhjj/s295/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="196" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_OIyS0RriGZpGthLIFueFc5SOvA2uO-W0Xj51NPZdxd96msn1-neMbE06g9LVXlK_14VQq-mfZvhvdrcvyWH8VCDzvI8kHsNTupQdkpzJc4rGzBMieSTMyWFWzuOcSdYgJWVI0C7Udls9QYwWSKyd4RNaJwq9E0c07SSuFzXQZ8SM8POmINpKhjj/w237-h356/Picture2.jpg" width="237" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To contextualize
the context of the article, as well as the spheres of influence I referenced
above, I think it is best to also have a greater understanding of the official
and plain styles used by the author of this article in a broader sense. The
official style, often found in academic and bureaucratic writing, is
characterized by the use of passive or impersonal voice, complex sentences,
slow sentence openings, shapeless or ‘unspeakable’ form, excessive use of
jargon, a bureaucratic tone, and higher levels of abstraction alongside a
number of other nuances. This lays in juxtaposition to the plain style, a style
of writing that utilizes an active voice, simpler sentences, an informal
tone/diction, and clear subjects with the intention of producing writing that
is clear and concise to a large majority of readers in the target audience. To
provide further context as to how these strategies are employed and how elements
of both the official and plain styles were balanced by Gibbens in this piece, I
will provide passages from the text with analyses as well as readability
statistics that may grant a better frame of reference for the difficulty of the
text.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Passage One: <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">““We found hope,” says Rowan McLachlan, a coral expert at
Oregon State University and lead author of the study published today in </span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-06896-z" target="_blank"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: windowtext; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;">Nature Scientific Reports</span></i></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">. Hope has been a scarce thing lately on coral
reefs. As a result of human-made greenhouse gas emissions, they face
chronically warmer water, more intense marine heat waves, and an increasingly
acidic ocean. That’s in addition to local stresses from pollution and
overfishing. The world has so far warmed by 1.1°C (1.98°F), and coral
reefs have already suffered </span><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/160321-coral-bleaching-great-barrier-reef-climate-change" target="_blank"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: windowtext; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;">mass</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"> <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">fatalities</span>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Most notably this
passage utilizes some active voice and shorter, less complex sentences; this
lends itself to being easier to understand while also presenting the
information in a more personal/personable tone. Furthermore, while there is
still jargon scattered throughout this piece, the salient nature of the issue
at hand (climate change) means that the terms the readers face are widely known
or easily inferred.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Passage Two:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“Oceans absorb some of the heat building up in the
atmosphere. Heat waves amplified by climate change prompt corals to expel the
symbiotic algae that nourish them—an effect called coral bleaching, which can
ultimately kill them. Meanwhile, oceans also absorb some of the atmosphere’s
excess carbon dioxide, making <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">seawater more acidic</span>,
which <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">weakens coral skeletons</span>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once again there
are examples of jargon in this passage, but here we see the author’s choice to
preemptively provide an explanation to terminology which may be confusing to
readers. I think that this is one glaring difference between this piece and
your average academic paper, where jargon is thrown around under the assumption
the reader is well aware of what it means and how it should be applied to the
circumstance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Readability Statistics:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> (From the article
as a whole)</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvSEvrhZ7sOyshO5ixuNlu0eDr37LU2iCN3N2b6uuwzGwGO6HfpO-P4ohaM-71BYhHZDxDut34jWeGVKFK5vOJHsdhjz9PbJUaErWFXlf7UU_boxGe0_biRiXNqjyAXTMOk7jQyi5hScCpBZEMigS279KopO0QvL9gbAaOCASuLlGXhIhdjF4YK9J/s606/Picture3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="606" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvSEvrhZ7sOyshO5ixuNlu0eDr37LU2iCN3N2b6uuwzGwGO6HfpO-P4ohaM-71BYhHZDxDut34jWeGVKFK5vOJHsdhjz9PbJUaErWFXlf7UU_boxGe0_biRiXNqjyAXTMOk7jQyi5hScCpBZEMigS279KopO0QvL9gbAaOCASuLlGXhIhdjF4YK9J/w551-h307/Picture3.png" width="551" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">(Gunning Fog Index: estimated grade level
required to understand text / Flesch Reading Ease: scale from 1-100, 1 being
most difficult to read and 100 being the easiest)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> With
the content of these passages in mind, we can now discuss the implications of
writing scientific information plainly as the author of this article chose to
do. It could be argued that distilling academic articles into plain writing
only serves to water-down the content and that meaning is lost in translation,
but I think that upon closer inspection that the author of the article in
question walks the knifes-edge exceptionally well; I feel it would be quite
reasonable to assume that readers with no background knowledge on the subject
as well as readers well-versed in the field could consume this media with no
complaints. By writing scientific findings plainly the author is able to
circumvent the gatekeeping of information that is prevalent in academia due to
use of the official style; this makes the information presented easily
digestible (subjectively I suppose) to the average high school-educated
individual and subsequently allows for National Geographic to appropriately reach
larger audiences. Furthermore, it is important to note that while the official
style is often used to present the author as credible or intelligent,
distilling jargonistic and other wise difficult concepts into readable material
demonstrates a certain level of expertise as well. I feel that in an age where
‘fake news’ and scientific denial are prevalent that recognizing this talent
for making previously inaccessible data more readable, and the credibility
borne of it, is increasingly important. This said, some will never read or
trust National Geographic regardless of it’s use of plain writing to discuss
complicated subjects, though it is difficult to claim that this phenomenon is a
consequence of the stylistic choices made or the result of distrust in media
due to widespread misinformation. Though this is undoubtably a limiting factor
for this particular work, I find that there is very little change the author
could have made to improve the situation at hand- no magazine has the entire
world as members of its readership but the stylistic choices employed by
Gibbens could set the stage for dissuading apprehension in regards to
scientific literature which in turn can only lead to more acceptance of works
in this genre. While many facets of the official style are not plausible to
change, for example legal writing often requires the flowery language that the
official style provides in order to cover any and all loopholes in a statement,
but I feel much of today’s bureaucratic would be drastically improved by
following in the footsteps of those at National Geographic; writing complicated
things plainly could be one of many answers that solves the growing concern
that is distrust in elite sources.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-11043830224016591622022-04-29T13:17:00.003-07:002022-04-29T13:17:22.564-07:00Explaining The Complex Science Behind Music With Plain Style<p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By Tori Horman</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When learning new things, I often find
myself getting frustrated when the author uses confusing language to describe a
concept. It makes me feel as though I’m not smart enough to grasp what is being
talked about, and so I often give up trying to learn about it. One hobby that
I’m very passionate about is music. I enjoy listening to it, as well as playing
it. Because of this, the book </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Why You Love Music: From Mozart to
Metallica--The Emotional Power of Beautiful Sounds </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">by John Powell caught my
attention and I had pick it up. In this book, Powell uses plain language to
describe the psychology and science behind music. Powell has a master’s degree
in music composition, as well as a PhD is physics. Some of the topics in the
book can be quite complex, for example, the chapter discussing how notes are
formed by combining sound waves, but the author does his best to break things
down so that the average reader is able to understand. In addition to this, he
writes in a casual, conversational tone, often with bits of humor sprinkled
throughout.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjW3KeysqvZfaZUq7kJZNqvX8gw9HaOFk-3drHO4lpxiNqMR4BQiff8-dHbCDUSwYjyutDyqiZ9VBupBBb5ALDr8xgZafZ1c823bZF4WH1PzW6rEUGh1_d2p3Lcr9h0v6ie5M2FHXrtPaT7LSaaE7Il3d0m6SnnQ8T6E4BG-16LtmgOdtIafxBdaH/s278/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="174" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjW3KeysqvZfaZUq7kJZNqvX8gw9HaOFk-3drHO4lpxiNqMR4BQiff8-dHbCDUSwYjyutDyqiZ9VBupBBb5ALDr8xgZafZ1c823bZF4WH1PzW6rEUGh1_d2p3Lcr9h0v6ie5M2FHXrtPaT7LSaaE7Il3d0m6SnnQ8T6E4BG-16LtmgOdtIafxBdaH/w246-h393/Picture1.jpg" width="246" /></a></div></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Two
of the most prominent plain style strategies in this book are the avoidance of
jargon, abstraction, and euphemism and lower level of formality. The author
defines any terms that the reader may be unfamiliar with, often using analogies
and examples of things that readers are familiar with. Taking a concept that
the reader may be familiar with and using that to illustrate how something
works allows them to better visualize what is going on. Page 205 reads, “When
you improvise, you don’t allow yourself total freedom. You choose your notes
carefully, according to the rules appropriate to whatever genre of music you
are playing- and there are always rules. Rule-free improvisation would be like
rule-free conversation: a frustrating, unrewarding mess. This comparison with
conversation is quite useful because conversations<i> are</i> improvised.” Like
musical improvisation, a conversation is not scripted, but there are rules to
follow based on context. By making this comparison, readers who do not have a
background in genres of music that use improvisation can better understand how
it has rules. This quote also uses “you” to refer directly to the reader, thus
lowering the level of formality. Another way the author does this is by adding
humor and personal comments throughout the book to keep the reader entertained.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
addition to explaining musical concepts the reader may not be familiar with,
the book also breaks down scientific concepts regarding sound and how our
brains process it. For example Page 122 of Chapter 9 says, “Your eardrums are
like tiny, highly sensitive trampolines that react quickly to changes in air
pressure.” Comparing an eardrum to a trampoline allows the reader to visualize
something they are familiar with. The book goes on to explain how your eardrum
reacts to musical notes in particular saying, “When you hear a musical note,
however, there is a repeating pattern to the pushes and pulls on your eardrum.
If you hit a piano key, twang a guitar string, or blow into a saxophone, you
set up a trembling vibration in the instrument and the air around it…. The
regular to-and-fro vibration of the instrument produces a pattern of repeating
ripples of pressure in the air that push and pull on your eardrum.” In this
explanation, the author uses active voice and simple sentences to explain the
process of sound traveling to the eardrum. Active voice is particularly important
when explaining processes like this because it’s important for the reader to
know what is doing what (the vibration produces a pattern, the ripples of
pressure push and pull on your eardrum, etc). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Some people may
argue that plain style limits the reader from getting the full picture. They claim
that advanced scientific concepts cannot be broken down very well into simpler
language without losing some much-needed information. However, texts in plain
style are a great starting point for conveying information to someone with no
prior knowledge of a topic. Someone who is completely unfamiliar with the
complex workings behind a topic is not going to find an article full of jargon
and official style helpful. If the reader wants to dive deeper, they can seek
out more advanced texts once they are more familiar with the basics. This book cites
several studies throughout the text, so that readers can seek out information
presented in its original more complex context once they are familiar with the
basics. For example, chapter 8 centers around explaining a variety of studies
done by researchers on musical talent. These studies are summarized and cited
in the bibliography at the back of the book which has all of the sources cited
by chapter so the reader can easily seek out the sources they are most
interested in for further reading.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Overall,
plain style is important when first introducing readers to more complex topics.
Although I am someone with a background in music, I don’t know all of the
science behind it, or how creates certain psychological reactions in people. I
learned a lot from this book that I feel will benefit me as a musician, as well
as allow me as a listener to think about music in a new way. If this
information was presented in a more complex way, I would have struggled to
grasp it a lot more and admittedly not even bothered to learn about it in the
first place. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-47722427239037005642022-04-29T13:13:00.002-07:002022-04-29T13:14:26.030-07:00Musical Analysis in Plain English<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0-hHYiLmF0QM63VNRJQkx9MNMRL3lDvk3oD_rB1xQBj1oGeZOlDLIo5zvPd6mz4uFBJ2IlvSdfxPklWnGRLgJqtq6fwdy6MhDL-1mYPQUFLptGSEvGQT3D_SJkF9HXTW9eklrT4usbjmFlGVPq3-ohCalnoK9o4u8n3OrFXaupi3ze0tkInRBUz1/s500/Picture1.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="500" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0-hHYiLmF0QM63VNRJQkx9MNMRL3lDvk3oD_rB1xQBj1oGeZOlDLIo5zvPd6mz4uFBJ2IlvSdfxPklWnGRLgJqtq6fwdy6MhDL-1mYPQUFLptGSEvGQT3D_SJkF9HXTW9eklrT4usbjmFlGVPq3-ohCalnoK9o4u8n3OrFXaupi3ze0tkInRBUz1/w359-h271/Picture1.gif" width="359" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>By Gabriella D.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>If written works in official style is hard
to understand, plain style works are hard to find. Within this world full of
official style, there aren’t many scholarly articles works in plain prose that
are published and include a full text. More specifically, a university search
database definitely makes my search more difficult. However, after reading this
specific piece, I automatically knew that it was written in plain style based
on general reading ease. The piece is called “Meaningful Collaborations: An
Introduction to Music of Jamaica” by Karen Howard. In contrast to other
articles, I was able to easily read the article and stay engaged without the
niche language, repetition, or other high style techniques. At first glance,
the sentence structure consistently followed the plain style format of the kicker
followed then by the kicked. Not only linguistically but also visually, I was
able to identify plain style because of the visual aids accompanying the text. The
piece surrounds a 5<sup>th </sup>grade teacher and his students. They invite
Dr. David Aarons, an ethnomusicologist, to their fifth-grade class to teach
about the professional’s wide variety of traditional and contemporary music
experiences from Jamaica. The article follows the author’s experience teaching
their fifth-grade class parts of the Jamaican music culture by an
ethnomusicologist while also understanding the sociocultural socio-history
behind Jamaican lyrics. While we learn the different parts of Jamaican musical
culture, we analyze the type of prose used throughout the piece and its
strategies, and why they are used. Then, we will consider the plain style prose
within the context it is written. I argue that the context of which the piece
is written makes a great impact on which stylistic prose is used. In this case,
the author’s teaching background may have carried over into the language of the
piece and affected the author’s choice of prose – plain style.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">First, the
stylistic strategies which are used throughout the piece prove that this piece
is written mostly in plain-style which is also language teachers of lower-grade
levels often use for easier understanding. For example, a plain-style strategy
we see throughout the entirety of the article is conduplicato – the repetition
of a keyword from a preceding clause or sentence at or near the beginning of
the next. An article about music, understandably, variations of the word “song”
is repeated about 14 times throughout the piece. Another strategy used is
metabasis – stating what has been said and/or what will follow. Here, we can
see that the author, rather smoothly, creates a transition by applying context to
what they discussed which was analyzing Jamaican song lyrics, “An understanding
of the song’s deeper cultural meaning behind the seemingly silly lyrics,
however, secured its place in my curriculum” (56). We can see the author
utilizes metabasis in hopes of concluding by tying the significance of this
specific Jamaican musical piece to the context of their musical class. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">However, we move on to the strategies that
seemed to only magnify the cons of plain-style prose. For example, plain style
may be easier to read but they may also oversimplify its content. For example, the
author mentions a musical technique while analyzing the lyrics of a Jamaican
song, “The call and response song can be placed into a key that works for the
instruments that you choose” (56). According to <i>ISKME.org</i>, call and
response is a technique where “<span style="background: white; color: black;">one
musician offers a phrase and a second player answers with a direct commentary
or response to the offered phrase. The musicians build on each other’s offering
and work together to move the song along and create a sound that’s inventive
and collective”. However, this is </span>a musical technique that is not explained
further within the article. Although it can be self-explanatory, as the main
topic being about music and Jamaican music analysis, there should be more
explanation on this term and its nuances. Another example where the ethics of
plain style are questioned is within a conversation between the teacher and
their students on the introduction of Jamaican culture, <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“They smoke a
lot.” I realize that he means marijuana, and I am unsure how to respond. I
decide to be frank and say that I do not know if that is true, but that it does
seem to be a reputation associated with the country. I raise my finger in the
air and say, “That might be . . . a stereotype!” We review the definition for
stereotype. Clare reminds us is facing the wrong way,” It’s when we judge
something without knowing things for sure.” I add, “Right—that we make an
assumption without questioning why we think that, or where we heard it.” (54)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They are right to correct their students
for stereotyping what they think they know of the country, but there is more to
understand about this stereotype. It well and done that they now understand the
definition of a stereotype, but more is to say about how to recognize other
stereotypes in play, avoid them, and stop this stereotype threat. However,
there is also not much to say as I doubt that sociological concepts of
stereotypes are a part of the curriculum just yet. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In conclusion, the
plain style has its pros and cons. It makes pieces more readable and
accessible, however, it also has ethical implications like oversimplifying. This
could be detrimental especially for the intended audience that comes with the
more accessible plain style. However, the author’s stylistic choice of using
plain-style prose may be due to the context surrounding this work. It is not
written to a 5<sup>th</sup> grade audience because of some moments of musical
analysis. At the same time, this is not intended for musical theory experts as
most of its sentences are simple and concise without much further explanation
or analysis. The author is a teacher not only reflecting on their experience of
teaching music culture to their fifth graders and analyzing Jamaican music, but
they also aim to teach other educators how to go about music education. We can
see this when they include dialogue of the students which makes for reference
for other educators. Therefore, the intended audience are for teachers alike
searching for ways to teach complex concepts to young children. In this case,
plain-style prose is appropriate which its pros overpower its cons. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-938211748928003632022-04-25T13:33:00.001-07:002022-04-25T13:33:12.968-07:00Accessibility in The New York Times: Does it Work?<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRia9r___lwgekM8KcZtyN_7HfMW0WyAMZddco-t5uLGYWcjap8gaztjMDVzUoyfJCTq6L0TTGZQwyls7IKPIVwBtpDoueisbEa_IPXyLa22xRjAsb2caq1Y5CmlwZIyA5G9vDo898Tnrf7ZqhHMa1NWpxVt1uEcvjNL-be9KM5f-oB682PfY75Sy/s480/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="480" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRia9r___lwgekM8KcZtyN_7HfMW0WyAMZddco-t5uLGYWcjap8gaztjMDVzUoyfJCTq6L0TTGZQwyls7IKPIVwBtpDoueisbEa_IPXyLa22xRjAsb2caq1Y5CmlwZIyA5G9vDo898Tnrf7ZqhHMa1NWpxVt1uEcvjNL-be9KM5f-oB682PfY75Sy/w381-h253/Picture1.png" width="381" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>By K.C. Cayo (they/them)</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The New York Times, generally, has made a good
practice of accessibility in their reading levels—their texts require a lower
reading level, which means they have a higher reading ease. The typical New
York Times article has about a tenth grade reading level and a Flesch Reading
Ease of 60 to 70, so you do not need to be the most knowledgeable or the most
qualified to understand any of their texts. One article, however, encompasses
the best parts of Plain Style, though the overall tone used in the piece makes
it fall short in other categories.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In mid-March, 2022, Luke Broadwater and Amelia
Nierenberg <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/15/us/politics/daylight-saving-time-senate.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">wrote an
article about the U.S. Senate meeting,</a> groggy and obviously irritated, the morning
after Daylight Savings time ended, and unanimously voted to make Daylight
Savings permanent after very little discussion. The composition was humorous
and light-hearted as it emphasized the exhaustion of senators after losing an
hour of sleep, the surprising energy and unification they experienced across
party lines at the possibility of getting rid of this “frustrating
clock-changing", and the few comments that <i>were</i> covered in the
bare-bones conversation. Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida,
introduced the <a href="https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/d34c77c0-acea-4074-bc57-14da30292160/D1F8B2235CBDE4F1FCCCB6EC85586EAC.bag21164.pdf">Sunshine
Protection Act</a> with almost no warning or debate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Plain style is a writing approach that
emphasizes the readers’ needs. It is concise and reader-friendly, often written
for a wider audience. Daylight Savings, an issue that affects almost every
person, is a good topic to address in plain style. This ensures that almost any
reader could engage with the article and understand what the conversation is,
what the bill addresses, and what final steps moving forward could look like.
The authors ensured that this text would be accessible for a wide audience
(ironic, seeing as The New York Times is [inaccessibly] hidden being a paywall)
so they could inform the public about policies that the Senate is enacting. The
style fits well with what a news article should look like, though perhaps it is
at an even higher reading ease level than others of its kind. Though it uses
some words that may require the occasional reader to break out their thesaurus,
for the most part the sentences are simple, short, and intentional. The
majority of the sentences are in active voice, emphasizing the action and the
agent of said action, which in this scenario was likely done to not only
humanize the Senators, but to create a humorous tone. The authors <i>know</i>
that this topic, along with the speed in which it was brought to the Senate
floor and passed, is funny, and that many readers will read about it with
amused surprise. It is rare that politicians are willing to “cross the aisle”
and agree with their counterparts of other parties, yet they came together so
determinedly because they were cranky about losing an hour of sleep. In these
ways, the plain style worked well for this type of writing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On the other hand, plain style could also cause
some problems when it is used in this way. This article reads like a comedy. It
is laughable, it is enjoyable, and we, as readers, resonate will the bone-deep
weariness and subsequent joy at the possibility of making Daylight Savings
permanent. However, what this article gains in accessibility, it loses in
credibility; the combination of the topic and the writing style do it a
disservice in this situation. It hardly reads like a New York Times article.
One way that this piece could have added credibility was by highlighting the
historical precedent of Daylight Savings, the discourse that surrounds changing
it in the first place, or even what the next steps look like in this
conversation. Scientists and politicians have been advocating for a single time
system for some time, though they do not agree about which version is the best
one. There is also an extensive history to why Daylight Savings exists in the
first place, from the passion project of Benjamin Franklin in the 1800s to the
number of trains that would arrive late to the station due to the different
“sun times” that different states followed in the 1840s. However, none of this
history is addressed in any meaningful way in the article. Though this writing
evokes excitement and amusement, it misses the mark in integrity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are pros and cons to every style of
writing, and plain style is not unique in that sense. The New York Times, for
all that it tends to aim toward official styles, or a mix of official and
plain, leaned into the latter in this situation. This was an easy,
comprehensible read geared toward a larger audience, which made sense for this
piece considering how widely Daylight Savings affects a diverse range of
people. However, for a political article, it was surprisingly comedic, whether
that was intentional or not, and that hurt the ethos of the writing. Overall,
this piece accomplished what it needed to: it informed the public of what the
Senate is talking about in a simple, approachable way. Regardless of how they
meant to accomplish that, they were successful.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-84010433231526016692022-04-25T09:56:00.005-07:002022-04-25T09:56:37.870-07:00Roger Ebert and Plain Style: A Review of the Review (Inception)<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpru7BqmsuvAxqHCz5wboQdeRJztSEHhLwo0NsX8So2ajBrFj9KPcwiZ3q8FYFgiimAnAhC7wAjtG8PJpkbwmRVdMQ2d-trw2czJ-taLys3xRH4x59tvp5nY63BEuhmHylQfKEgAOr0nlz9k9vWAddRodycgj4pdIpFZNoZZHvZV40Q5pL19Xhimd/s221/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="124" data-original-width="221" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpru7BqmsuvAxqHCz5wboQdeRJztSEHhLwo0NsX8So2ajBrFj9KPcwiZ3q8FYFgiimAnAhC7wAjtG8PJpkbwmRVdMQ2d-trw2czJ-taLys3xRH4x59tvp5nY63BEuhmHylQfKEgAOr0nlz9k9vWAddRodycgj4pdIpFZNoZZHvZV40Q5pL19Xhimd/w336-h188/Picture1.jpg" width="336" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><i>By Jonathon
Brueggeman</i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> When reading through Roger Ebert’s
personal, published review of the film </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Inception</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, it is immediately
apparent why this particular reviewer has become synonymous with the term “film
critic”—his language and analysis relates to a vast array of potential readers.
However, this ocean of possible audience members seems paradoxical when you consider
the fact that Ebert is essentially only telling his audience about his own
experience with the film. He does not generalize the viewing to mass appeal,
rather he crafts his review solely around his own experience and how he
interpreted the film.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Herein
lies the beauty of plain style. In direct opposition of its big-headed brother
“official style”, plain style exists as a medium where many different people
can access certain information. Instead of being locked behind a barrier of
jargon and deep contextual knowledge, plain style opens the gates of
information and allows the masses to pour in. This concept is shown explicitly
in Ebert’s review of <i>Inception</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> In
respect to the format of the review itself, I will not needlessly drone on
about the benefits of plain style. The review will show exactly why plain style
is so crucial in creating and engaging narrative and appealing to the most
amount of people possible, though obviously not a limitless audience. Ebert
uses plain and creative style strategies in order to create a captivating
review that expresses his opinion of <i>Inception</i> to everyone concerned
with (possibly) seeing the film.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> To
begin, Ebert comes out swinging with a simple metaphor and immediately engages
the audience with the use of first-person pronouns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> [It]
must have involved prodigious concentration, like playing blindfold chess while walking a
tight-wire …Nolan
tests us with
his own dazzling maze.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Right from the
get-go, the audience of his article is captivated by his interesting, colorful
use of language that also includes them in the conversation through his
reference to “us”. The importance of this acknowledgement of community cannot
be overstated. In official style, this sentence would likely read: “<i>Because
of the depth of the screenplay, the film is interesting to attempt to solve.</i>”
Blah, blah, blah. I bored myself just trying to think of the monotonous way an
official style user would bastardize such a well-stated idea. By using
figurative language, the reader immediately as an image of the task at hand and
the complexity and sheer awe of the film in discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <i>The story
can either be told in a few sentences, or not told at all</i><i>.
Here is a movie immune to spoilers: <a>If you knew how it ended, that would tell you
nothing unless you knew how it got there. And telling you how it got there
would produce bafflement</a><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rather than
jumping from his introduction directly into the summary of the plot, Ebert
takes a second to let the astonishment of the movie settle in. He talks about <i>Inception</i>
as if it is an experience rather than just a film. This connection would be
impossible without the use of plain and creative styles. Ebert could have
certainly begun his second paragraph with: “<i>Dominic Cobb is a man who…</i>”
and proceeded to lay out a brief outline of the plot at hand. He doesn’t do
that. The drama is allowed to marinate—the audience of his review can sense
just how much this movie blew him away from three succinct sentences. It is
also important to note that Ebert addresses <i>Inception</i> as a film “immune
to spoilers”, but he goes out of his way to reveal as little of the plot as
possible. Sure, this is the courteous thing to do, but I would argue that a
piece written in official style may overlook this courtesy in favor of a deeper
analysis of the film. Plain style allows Ebert to be vague in revealing the
plot but oh so concrete in his description of his emotions and his experience
watching the movie.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <i>The
hero explains that you can never remember the beginning of a dream, and that
dreams that seem to cover hours may only last a short time. Yes, but you don't
know that when you're dreaming. And what if you're inside another man's dream?
How does your dream time synch with his? What do you really know? <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This excerpt is
another perfect moment of plain style usage. Ebert brings up some monumental
questions that the film challenged him to think about…but he doesn’t bother
with answering them. Those are just details! He is not concerned with the
questions themselves but rather the fact that the movie caused him to think
them in the first place. By using official style, Ebert is allowed to branch
off and ask himself big questions without feeling bogged down in the need to
answer them. A piece written in a more official style would be obligated to
explain something that was just brought up, but Ebert, because of his use of
plain style, is allowed some space to just brainstorm ideas and show the
audience what the film made him think.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> In
the next paragraphs of the review, Ebert abandons the use of first person that
I have so highly praised in favor of third person analysis. However, I would
argue that this was the correct decision under the circumstances. This is
because the paragraphs mostly summarize the events of the film in brief
sentences that do not deal with his reactions or emotions during his own
viewing. He is playing a dangerous game here because breaking the flow of his
review with a complete shift in perspective into a more official style is
risky, but it pays off incredibly well. Ebert uses these moments of official
style to get the boring summary out of the way so he can get right back into
the meat of his review—how <i>Inception</i> made him feel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <a><i>So skilled
is Nolan that he actually got me involved in one of his chases, when I thought
I was relatively immune to scenes that have become so standard. That was
because I cared about who was chasing and being chased.</i></a><i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In this quote is
an important parallel between the review and the use of plain style: personal
connection matters. In place of the monotonous droning provided in nearly every
use of the official style that is plagued with prepositional phrases and
useless filler, plain style, and Ebert himself, connect with the audience
through the succinct descriptions of raw emotion. He does not care about the
chase scene because of its technical prowess. I do not care about film analysis
because it sounds technical—I care because of the way it makes me feel, just as
Ebert feels connected with the characters and the film, I feel connected with
the use of plain style.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <a><i>More I
will not (in a way, cannot) say</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Need I say more about
this beautiful use of plain style? Only briefly. Ebert’s use of plain style and
ambiguity is perfectly used here because he does not spoil any important plot
elements within the story, and he also conveys the fact that he may not be
physically able to say more about the plot because of the hurdles he has yet to
overcome. To conclude his review, Ebert provides the audience with an essential
use of plain style through his inclusion of first person pronouns:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <i>I
think when Nolan left the labyrinth, he threw away the map.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> This
final line accomplishes a few things. First, the fact that Nolan’s story is
ambitious and unlike anything previously charted in the realm of film. Second,
this analysis and review is strictly what Ebert thinks. It is nobody’s opinion
except his own. Finally, the use of the metaphor “labyrinth” helps prepare the audience for
the complexities of the film that they have yet to see.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> All
in all, this review exists as a perfect encapsulation of how plain style can be
infinitely more accessible and well crafted than if the same piece was written
in official style. Sure, there are some losses such as complexity and depth of
analysis, but these losses are completely overshadowed by the benefits of:
increased viewership and emotional attachment to the author and their opinion.
Not every piece would work in plain style, but when one works as well as this
one, sometimes its important to take a step back and appreciate the beauty in
its simplicity and accessibility.</span></span></p><div style="mso-element: comment-list;"><div style="mso-element: comment;"><div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_7" language="JavaScript">
<!--[if !supportAnnotations]--></div>
<!--[endif]--></div>
</div>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-87929453770163513642022-04-25T06:43:00.002-07:002022-04-25T06:43:39.794-07:00Official Style: Friend or Foe?<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSIIrVJ_lSr9-VQxZ8sZQa-e2e05xNkFSZjkDogZnaEmyngXi5yWppek_EOYCjM3F1rqDgFmTxV9Q5PuglAhYl-saUWcHo0OV5RXE5VzVyNzko-BGflcTe3P9cCuIxxMvQHaAtdQQtDPlRjHIdf-acsJpDjlXLM-p-fxqCX283e_QKp6D47BtJRXn/s2017/Picture1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="2017" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSIIrVJ_lSr9-VQxZ8sZQa-e2e05xNkFSZjkDogZnaEmyngXi5yWppek_EOYCjM3F1rqDgFmTxV9Q5PuglAhYl-saUWcHo0OV5RXE5VzVyNzko-BGflcTe3P9cCuIxxMvQHaAtdQQtDPlRjHIdf-acsJpDjlXLM-p-fxqCX283e_QKp6D47BtJRXn/s320/Picture1.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>By Maggie Marks</i></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Often
during college courses, the texts that are required for us to engage with and
learn from are written in a way that is difficult to comprehend during the
first read through. I find myself not fully comprehending the meaning until the
second or third time through (or in some instances I need to hear someone
explain pieces of it in words that aren’t horrifically dense). If you can think
of a time that you have felt like this reading for school, then you have most
likely read something in official style. Official style is a complex tool that
can be used to show the sophistication and credibility that an author holds
within their field. However, there are times in which using this style can hurt
more than help the efforts of the piece.</span></span></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The
case study <a href="https://doi.org/10.18666/JNEL-2019-V9-I3-8840 " target="_blank"><i>Incorporating Community Grant
Writing as a Service-Learning Project in a Nonprofit Studies Course </i>was
written by two University of Washington Tacoma employees</a>, William Towey and
Ruth Bernstein. William Towey is the Senior Director of Business Development,
and Ruth Bernstein is an Assistant Professor in Nonprofit Studies. The case
study was published in the Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership,
section Teaching Case Study. The purpose of the case study was to analyze the
relationship between university students seeking to become grant writers and
nonprofit organizations; and how this relationship can improve to best benefit
both parties. To do this, students are paired with local Washington nonprofits in
a service-learning structure to provide students with real-life experience, and
consequently improve the nonprofit’s ability to produce grant proposals.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found this case study while
browsing the good ol’ Google Scholar for articles written about grant writing
for nonprofit organizations. Considering the place the case study was
published, and who the authors are, the article seems to be written for educational
purposes. However, the reason for using official style feels as though it is
persuasive in nature. The complex sentence structure and hefty vocabulary used
provides credibility and portrays confidence in the evidence that was
accumulated during the case study to convince their audience, both the students
and the nonprofits, to reframe the way that they structure their relationships.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The question of whether or not
official style is a friend or foe in this instance is best understood when
looked at through both the lenses of the university and the nonprofit
organizations. I stated my analysis by thinking like the college student that I
am. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“Observing students and their
nonprofit community partners build relationships rooted in the excitement of
mutual learning and benefit was demonstrated clearly throughout the class as
students became increasingly informed and passionate about their partners and
the staff from the community organizations became equally excited about their
increased ability to write a great grant.” (pp. 309)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sentences such as these demonstrate the type of official
style writing that students are accustomed to when learning in a university
setting. The most notable aspect should be the fact that this passage is one
sentence when it could clearly be divided up in smaller and easier to digest
sections. This causes us to see a much more bureaucratic and verbose strategy
being utilized. We as college students are fairly comfortable dissecting the
meaning and nuance behind official style texts and feel welcome in this sphere.
We have a mutual agreement between us students and higher education officials
that this is the type of writing that we use to communicate with each other. To
display convincing information this is the unspoken rule that needs to be
followed to correctly communicate within the world of higher education. This is
an example of official style being a friend to the university and the
individuals connected with it. We see official style for its intention: a
persuasive and effective tool to display the authors solid grasp of the
concepts to the point of superior knowledge and understanding.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> On the
other side of the coin there is another player who is being written about in
this case study. Individuals who work for nonprofits differ from college
students in the way that there is a potential for higher variability between
the type of individuals involved. More often than not, nonprofits are
underfunded and stretched thin. There is no guarantee that the individuals
involved have an equal level educational background. Additionally, writing to
them in this style could cause an unfair presumption that these people have
time or resources to decipher the information being thrown their way. A
service-learning approach that is being proposed to these nonprofits may truly
be a beneficial choice, however the way that the information is displayed to
them could be more effective in a clear and simple matter. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“Effective service learning based on
a reciprocal outcome model provides a platform upon which secondary benefits of
broader community engagement and participation may emerge for students,
nonprofits, university, and community that extend the operational horizon of
all participants. Deeper and potentially transformative experiences for
learners occur as they enjoy the benefits of seeing their work support a cause
in which they believe while gaining satisfaction from helping those in need
(Cress et al., 2013).” (pp. 302)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This section is a very good example of a slow sentence
opening, the point of the sentence doesn’t reveal itself until around the
second half. Which begs the question of whether or not the first sentence is
needed at all. There is also an impersonal or passive nature to all of the
“action” that is being proposed/ talked about within this passage. It is
difficult to decide what the main point of this section is, and because of this
it feels exclusive against the nonprofit individuals. This is especially
harmful considering this “Literature Review” section is all about reviewing
what previous knowledge exists about nonprofit interactions and how they can
improve. It seems to me like the nonprofits should be an equal part of this
conversation. With this style of writing though, we can see how they are
considered to be that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> To wrap
things up, the official style usage in this passage isn’t as clear cut a
question as originally thought. It is not as easy as whether it is a friend or
a foe. It should be more about the role that it plays when considering the
audience that it is reaching. Official style is a regular occurrence in the
world of higher education, while it can still exclude and be a hassle to
decipher at times, there is a more minor chance for full exclusion of
individuals. The nonprofits are where the use of official style can become
advantageous or not welcoming. The irony comes especially when the main purpose
for the article was to create a mutually beneficial relationship between the
two parties. There should not be an opportunity for this level of
disconnection. Because of this the use of official style is both helpful and
harmful in this case study. </span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-51145919390117477422022-04-22T10:12:00.006-07:002022-04-22T10:12:56.611-07:00Plain Style Writing and How it Advocates for Mental Health<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaB5ydQwS6wnX7d0kyaaV2FydjRYhayeRo_CXLbRksP-KqLfuFUb_kjf2mqCxSHmU83DxqaMNeuzB_4C51a3ntZTjHJOzwDLfz3S4zGVAmoOMg-9FsBt9WbbXibsg_zF6r2Lv4qrze74TXMqqc1Ez60a8tthQjCflkHKuryIYVdh77uoXj3Y0VuW6/s1023/blog%20article%202%20image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1023" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaB5ydQwS6wnX7d0kyaaV2FydjRYhayeRo_CXLbRksP-KqLfuFUb_kjf2mqCxSHmU83DxqaMNeuzB_4C51a3ntZTjHJOzwDLfz3S4zGVAmoOMg-9FsBt9WbbXibsg_zF6r2Lv4qrze74TXMqqc1Ez60a8tthQjCflkHKuryIYVdh77uoXj3Y0VuW6/w346-h215/blog%20article%202%20image.jpeg" width="346" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>By Garrett O.<span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></i></span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span> </span><span> </span>So, what is “plain style” writing,
and what impact does it play on mental health resources? Plain style writing
uses active voice (instead of passive), simple sentence structures, little
jargon, and tends to have a low reading difficulty. By using plain style
writing in mental health resources, a wider audience is able to understand and
implement good mental health practices. New knowledge can do no good if it
doesn’t reach its intended audience.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The article that I will be
discussing is titled “<a href="https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/mentalhealth/mental_health https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_2" target="_blank">Your Child’s Mental Health</a>” from the Canadian Pediatric
Society, which is made up of more than 3,000 licensed pediatricians. More
specifically, it is published on CaringforKids.cps.ca, which is a resource
designed to inform parents on a wide range of potential health problems in
children. The way the information is presented and delivered is very straightforward.
Unlike many online health resources, <i>Caring for Kids</i> tries to make
complicated information accessible to a wide range of people—specifically
parents and caregivers of children. The only tradeoff is that the article
doesn’t dive too deep into mental disorders; it is mainly focused on covering
all bases. A sentence from their mission statement reads: “The information on <i>Caring
for Kids </i>should not be used as a substitute for medical care and advice” (Caring
for Kids, 2017). If a parent is seeking information on a particular diagnosis
that was already given, they would have to find a different article that is
better tailored to their needs. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Unlike a
peer-reviewed research article, “Your Child’s Mental Health” is not designed as
a professional resource. Not everyone is a doctor, and not every problem
warrants a trip to the hospital. The website specifically states that parents
are the intended audience of the information provided. Parents seeking the
article might be concerned about their child’s mental health, or simply just
curious about how they can help their child through life’s unpredictability. With
an intended audience this large, accessibility is extremely important.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One aspect of the article’s
accessibility is the use of list format. For example, the main points are listed
in colored text, which are then followed by bold sub-points, eventually leading
to bullet-pointed lists. Because of this, a reader can quickly scroll through
information that isn’t useful to them. The word-choice is also very
reader-friendly. The authors use dashes and parenthesis to define content that
might be unfamiliar to the reader. One example reads: “<span style="background: white;">This person—often a parent
or other family member—is someone your child spends a lot of time with and
knows they can turn to when they need help.” Even though the
definition of “this person” was defined in a previous sentence, the author
wants to make sure that the audience isn’t confused on the content. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Another important
accessibility strategy used is the question format of the headings. After giving
brief reassurance of the affect good parenting can have on a child, a bold
heading asks, “How can I nurture my child’s mental health?” This pattern is
continued throughout the article, with the last headline asking, “Where do I go
for help?” After each question is asked, the article proceeds to provide
clearly written bullet-pointed answers. This ensures that parents are learning
the process of helping their child in a linear fashion. Each new question that
they formulate while reading is swiftly answered in the following section.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After a parent has finished
reading the article, they might want to dive deeper into similar resources.
They could also be asking, “Where do I go from here?” The Canadian Pediatric
Society provides resources following the article with this in mind. They have
direct links to videos that explain the information more in-depth, and other
articles explaining how to spark conversation with your child regarding their
mental health. In addition to this, they have a handful of links to connect
parents directly with psychologists for specific diagnoses and treatment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We have now established how
the content is able to be so accessible. But why is this important? As you have
probably heard before, there is a serious mental health crisis affecting every
corner of the world. According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence
of mental health conditions has risen over 13% in the last ten years. Suicide
is also second on the list of causes of death in 15–29-year-olds (WHO, 2022). Even
if an individual is able to manage suicidal ideations, chronic physical health problems
stem from poor mental health. Mental health struggles don’t discriminate. That
is why it is vital for the information in this article to be easily accessible to
a large audience. Active listening and acceptance are emphasized repeatedly,
which could be all a child needs to know that they are safe and understood. “Your
Child’s Mental Health” gives a parent necessary tools to help their child while
encouraging a doctor’s visit for more complex problems that a family might not
be equipped to deal with alone. If it was written in a wordier format, parents
might misinterpret this information or fail to understand it altogether. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It is far too easy to get
lost in medical terminology and coded language. Leading with compassion is
essential in a child’s development. Very often a child is just as fearful as
their parents that something might be wrong. Reminding them that they have an
advocate during difficult times can make a world of difference, even if a
parent can’t take all their pain away. When considering how important good
mental health practices are, it is without question that plain language
resources like “Your Child’s Mental Health” should be widely accessible to people
everywhere. Just as official style and coded language have their own place in textbooks
and doctor’s offices, plain style should have just as much space in the hands
of the every-day family. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-38927989724042591652022-04-21T13:59:00.000-07:002022-04-21T13:59:02.312-07:00The Downfall of an Argument through Official Style: Race and Postcoloniality<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg47u44cAMY0VtiJqyKMIgH6bNuAjF4Ac5bHZyzJep6G69K0AFlLK2gCcO8ZuPes3pFFk7w0Y4lReFWIuaIC1GYXPgep-O2WtjJNlooMyaQ7oLU1MDXA6vT0AHE7CLM38vENuOpJVGozF937iEjXNv2mb30amtyS-PjWhdPCVt_ng-pe_I1YjZhKdG/s728/Fulani-Image-v2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="728" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg47u44cAMY0VtiJqyKMIgH6bNuAjF4Ac5bHZyzJep6G69K0AFlLK2gCcO8ZuPes3pFFk7w0Y4lReFWIuaIC1GYXPgep-O2WtjJNlooMyaQ7oLU1MDXA6vT0AHE7CLM38vENuOpJVGozF937iEjXNv2mb30amtyS-PjWhdPCVt_ng-pe_I1YjZhKdG/w398-h233/Fulani-Image-v2.png" width="398" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Jon Brueggeman</span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
<i>The Routledge Companion to Critical and Cultural Theory</i>, an unfamiliar
reader would have trouble finding a comprehensible sentence—sort of like
finding hay in a proverbial needle-stack. No chapter exemplifies this needless
complexity quite like Chapter 12: Race and Postcoloniality. For a subject so
crucial to both literary analysis and culture within our society, it is
discouraging to see the official style overshadow the important themes within
the chapter. Rather than expand the audience of the subject or provide a clear
lens to view literary works, the chapter distorts its message through
convoluted language. The chapter hits the ground running with unnecessary
wordiness in its opening sentences:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Like
all other fields of study and/or modes of critique in contemporary humanities,
‘postcoloniality’ and ‘race’ defy easy definition or summation. Whether
conceived of singly or in tandem, each term holds together, in sometimes uneasy
if not confidential co-existence, a diverse range of critics working from a
vast array of theoretical, ideological, aesthetic, historical, and regional
perspectives. What I present here is a particular partisan argument in the full
knowledge that someone working in the same field(s) would, in all likelihood,
present the argument differently, if not present a different argument altogether.
(Amoko 131)<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What this entire
opening paragraph says is essentially: “Race and postcoloniality are heavily
debated topics. This is my opinion; it is not necessarily fact.” But the use of
the official style purposely clouds the intention of the opening paragraph—making
it difficult for the audience to understand what the argument is or why it is
being made. Further, in that entire paragraph, we do not know what the argument
being made is. The author never states it. By using the official style, the
author conceals his argument to the benefit of no-one, except those who deem
the paper itself credible because of the style alone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Don’t
take my word for it, though. The author knows this as well. In fact, the final
line of the opening paragraph deftly summarizes the excerpt above: “In short, I
want to convey the sense that postcoloniality and race are sites of
contestation and debate rather than clearly defined and readily summarized
fields” (Amoko 131). Amoko summarized the entirety of his opening paragraph in
one sentence, a sentence that is much more cohesive and direct than the opening
paragraph before it. So, why does he still include the opening paragraph if
only to summarize it better later on? This is the official style at its
absolute worst. Fancy words and subordinate clauses that add (essentially)
nothing to the grand scheme of the argument but are included nonetheless
because they add superficial credibility to the argument. Complexity does not
equate to depth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Race and Official
Style<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We don’t have to
look far for another detrimental use of the official style. This chapter has a
tendency to introduce a compelling idea and then over-complicate it or in
reverse order. Take the upcoming excerpt, for example. This passage intends to
establish that: race is a socially constructed, dated concept that is
ironically still involved in every moment of everyday life. Seems like a fairly
simple concept. Let’s see how Amoko describes this idea:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Race turns out to
be a false idea that has had, and continues to exert, powerful global
consequences even after its fundamental falseness has been recognized.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Okay, this is
wordy, but I’m with you so far.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There can be no
question that </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">race
<i>(that is, the belief that human beings can be divided into a limited number
of morphological categories) and </i>racism <i>(that is, the discrimination on
the basis of race) remain two of the principal forces organizing the modern
world. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The added
parenthesis here make this passage a maze to work through, and they add
absolutely nothing to the overarching sentence. They simply define race and
racism—things that were already defined earlier on and are most likely common
knowledge to the audience members. Try reading that sentence without the added
definitions. It still repeats information seen before it, but it does not
sacrifice readability in its redundance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">(Race is a
necessary condition for, but at least in theory not an inevitable cause of,
racism.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To me, this
statement is contradictory. Race doesn’t cause racism? But…you just said that
race is a necessary condition for racism? How can race be necessary condition
but not a cause? It would seem to me that the act of placing people into races
causes racist ideologies. This idea leaves me with questions that are
compelling, but the author does not address this statement again. I do not
understand the inclusion of the statement besides adding to the word count—it
is a sentence that is guilty of muddying the waters and not much else. Perhaps
I am just not understanding the sentence…maybe that suggestion speaks for
itself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In much the same
way that everyone is thought to ‘have’ a gender, sexuality, and nationality,
everyone is thought to ‘have’ a race. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Makes sense to me.
Although, the comparison between nationality and sexuality/gender is unfounded
because nationality is a defined characteristic (where someone was born)
whereas sexuality and gender are fluid characteristics. Nonetheless, this is a
succinct claim that everyone reading can understand and agree with. Notably, it
is also the sentence with the least amount of official style strategies used. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a long time,
this way of thinking about race was validated by mainstream intellectual
opinion; to deploy the sexist vocabulary of a bygone era, the ‘races of man’
were for more than two centuries thought to constitute a legitimate science.
But the consensus of intellectual opinion today, both in the humanities and the
sciences, seems to be that race is an irredeemably dubious concept: its
boundaries are notoriously unreliable and its identity categories (‘white’,
‘black’, ‘brown’, etc.) are internally incoherent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In a terribly
roundabout way, Amoko is saying: we think of race as socially constructed today,
but, in the past, we thought of race as biological. There is quite a bit of
jargon and wordiness sprinkled in the quote to dilute its central message. The
added words and distorted clarity have the benefit of seeming more credible but
have the adverse effect of making the passage nearly unreadable. This is how
the passage concludes: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Race is socially
constructed… [despite this] everyone is still thought to have a race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you’ll recall,
this section began with the idea that Amoko’s passage is trying to say: race is
a socially constructed, dated concept that is ironically still involved in
every moment of everyday life. It took all of those quotations and complex
descriptions before we finally arrived at the idea he is trying to address. As
I mentioned, this is the official style ruining an otherwise compelling
subject. Instead of focusing on the content of the essay, the reader is so
focused on trying to decipher what the author is trying to say that the
concrete message is lost in the weeds. In my opinion, there is nothing, in
terms of content, within this passage that justifies its use of official style.
This passage could be rephrased in plain style, and it would be better for it.
Nothing besides semantics would be lost in the translation. The needless complexities
would be removed and the significant, central message could rise out of the
revision like a phoenix from the ashes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
text examples aside, let’s get to the root of the problem with official style
in this piece. The problem is: the use of official style discourages potential
audience members and clouds the message the author attempts to convey. It is no
question that every person deals with race on a day-to-day basis. The concept
may not be apparent to some people (or more apparent for others), but everybody
deals with race and its repercussions in all situations. This is the reason
that the official style’s use in this essay pains me. I can imagine the diverse
and infinite audience that this piece could relate to, but, sadly, those people
will never get the chance to read this or interpret its true meaning because of
the language that it uses. The ideas of race and postcoloniality transcend
critical theory. This is a topic that could apply to everyone, but most people
do not have the academic proficiency to decipher the message within. It’s sad
because the message is universal in its content but completely exclusive in its
execution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It’s
important to note that I don’t believe Amoko’s intention was to maliciously
exclude audience members. I assume that most uses of the official style come
from a place of familiarity with the material and wanting to establish
credibility. He attempts to analyze the complexities of race and post
coloniality to the degree that <i>he</i> is familiar with the subject. It would
be more effective to increase the audience appeal of the content because of the
importance of the information. By using numerous prepositional phrases, intense
jargon and drawn-out sentence openings, Amoko limits his audience to a select few
members of his field when the piece is much better suited to introduce critical
theory students to the realm of race and postcoloniality as well as its
significance to the realm of literature. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> I’m sure he could find a way to say basically
the same claims as stated in his essay in the plain style, but, realistically,
it would be harder for his ideas to be published. This is the downfall of
official style. When the style your ideas are conveyed in becomes the focal
point rather than your ideas themselves, your argument folds in on itself. Not
for a lack of merit, though. Official style pieces have merits of their own and
significant uses of the style that enhance their message. It is important to
not lose track of your central idea for the sake of being deemed “credible”.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-44778884681611265782022-04-21T13:39:00.004-07:002022-04-21T13:39:35.325-07:00Plain Style is Needed in Bureaucratic and Medical Writing<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSr-xIvL1pVlEkGfbRvM9D8-9oxLZmZtvEi9b1UJdlMSulSpahtbVkJXE9LDa6jLMe_gHEKjZiPv8FlLzrtDi4YW4OkoB-ubZ26gY3H-oSfPJfdGbIboOP2SMWGbzCCkYPDNPsioL6AnltgbIGI0WZRWgbVM0GUvK0shcrJAeFUWxMId7yRtgy69VI/s2000/eng313-%20blog%20article%202%20pic.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2000" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSr-xIvL1pVlEkGfbRvM9D8-9oxLZmZtvEi9b1UJdlMSulSpahtbVkJXE9LDa6jLMe_gHEKjZiPv8FlLzrtDi4YW4OkoB-ubZ26gY3H-oSfPJfdGbIboOP2SMWGbzCCkYPDNPsioL6AnltgbIGI0WZRWgbVM0GUvK0shcrJAeFUWxMId7yRtgy69VI/w348-h246/eng313-%20blog%20article%202%20pic.jpeg" width="348" /></a></div></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Olivia Revels</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The plain style is vital when it is used to explain a
service that most people in the U.S. will need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I looked at an article about Medicare that was written by AARP or
American Association of Retired Persons in 2021.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Medicare is a national health insurance
program that is mainly used by individuals 65 years or older and by younger
people with disabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a
commonly used service in the U.S. that many have used and/or want to use when
they are eligible for the program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, it can be quite difficult to understand and know if you are
eligible to apply, how to apply, when to apply, and why this service may be a
good fit for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be especially
difficult because the text surrounding Medicare contains elements from the
official style that reflects the bureaucracy and the medical field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An example of the way Medicare is defined
from Investopedia in 2022 is “Medicare is a U.S. government health insurance
program that subsidizes healthcare services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The plan covers people age 65 or older, younger people who meet specific
eligibility criteria, and individuals with certain diseases.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know about you, but I do not
understand what subsidize means, let alone what exactly Medicare is from this
definition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That is why this article from AARP is so important for
understanding Medicare when put into a plain style of writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to explore the elements of plain style
in the article and then get into a discussion on how this article increases
accessibility and assumes competence of the audience while using the plain
style. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The elements of plain style are present throughout the
article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This includes things like
simple sentence structure, less prepositional phrases, the use of active voice,
and when jargon is presented, it is explained clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The simple sentence structure is present for
a majority of the article and especially with the title being “What is
Medicare?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are subsections of the
article titled as “Taking control of your health care” and “Medicare adapts to
the Coronavirus.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of these reflect a
simpler sentence structure that has fewer words, identifies a clear subject and
the verb is tied to that subject.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also,
the average number of words per sentence is much lower at 18.42 than the text I
looked at with official style with 24.51 words per sentence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are significantly less prepositional phrases used and
instead the sentence format emphasizes the active voice over the passive
voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of the entire article there
were only about six prepositional phrases and were still simple in structure,
for example “in the hospital,” “in recent years” and “into the decisions.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are not more than a few words long and
have no specific jargon or complicated vocabulary being used in them that
allows for the clear presence of the plain style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Another element of the plain style here is the structure of
using active voice in a “subject + verb” format quite often in this
article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This format also helps
eliminate the use of noun substitutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An example of this is “You need to pay attention to all of Medicare’s
parts.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the very beginning of the
sentence, we see “you need” which is clearly the “subject + verb” format of
active voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More examples of this
format are “Medicare is,” “enrollees cope,” “the federal government said,”
“Medicare beneficiaries will not,” etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are many more, but these are just a few to show how recurrent they
are in the article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The last element I will discuss is jargon in the article and
how it is explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first term is
Medicare and is portrayed in the first paragraph as “What is Medicare?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For more than 55 years, it’s been the program
that older Americans and people with disabilities turn to for their health care
coverage.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The jargon is Medicare and
immediately after it is mentioned, the next sentence provides an explanation of
what it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This allows the reader to
clearly understand what that term is and understand it for the rest of the
article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same concept repeats with
other jargon in the article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word
was used, then there is an explanation in the next sentence or so for the
reader to easily have access to that information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Now that we have looked at all these elements of the plain
style, we can get into how they have made the article much more
accessible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the plain style
elements and strategies are used, this article is no longer impossible to
read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone would be able to
understand what is being said without having to research other definitions and
explanations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This widens the audience
reading this and using the information since they could comprehend it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other elements beyond comprehension for this
article’s accessibility include that it had a Spanish version of the
article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This way native Spanish
speakers could access the same information with no complications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another reason for this article’s great
accessibility is that it is available to read without a paid subscription.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The last element of this article’s accessibility is how it
assumes competence of its target audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The target audience of this article is mainly the elderly and disabled
individuals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people hold negative
stereotypes surrounding the competence of elderly and disabled individuals and
the plain style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These stereotypes
assume that they cannot understand the information being presented and need to
have it explained to them in a derogatory way that assumes they are
incompetent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this article
ignores those and goes beyond writing in a way that is accessible and
inclusive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mainly using the plain style,
we see a form of writing that converts the normally confusing and complicated
governmental, insurance and medical writing into something much more
efficient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An example of this in the
article is: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You'll need to do some homework before you start assessing
options and picking plans. Make a list of your doctors and decide how important
it is to you that you can continue seeing them once you are on Medicare. Also
make a list of any medications you take so you can make sure any prescription
drug plan you select will meet your needs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We see commands being made to the audience with “make a
list” and “decide” throughout this paragraph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The use of commands shows that the article is assuming the competence of
its audience which is dissimilar from the societal norms associated with ageism
and ableism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, the language used is
specific yet understandable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can
understand that we need to be planning, looking at doctors, and taking stock of
medications before taking any next steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Overall, this article applies strategies from the plain
style, increases accessibility and assumes competence to be inclusive of all
individuals. The topic of Medicare is
complicated and confusing, so the use of plain style is essential for readers
to understand the information presented.
Its increased accessibility and assumption of competence prevents
exclusion of certain readers based on their education, native language, and/or
identities. This article is a great
example of how the plain style can be used to benefit a broad range of people
on a subject that many need to be aware of but have little or no help
with. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-40785038163927957642022-04-21T13:33:00.001-07:002022-04-21T13:49:02.431-07:00Become an Artist in 15 Step (In Plain English<p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3yMGP7RjcdmQzSZYlxNWAiNJqafIwHu105HoGRhvqcnSCyfPTRjyU3nO2GF_vk6InKTHNbfa7op2WCl-KFlOFo48I3QB9UXSOxL92qNZxwW1lxZhtiHDiLsh9ykTMUsgAUeZUYUYY2V_QwFoCfTEoX6J_PDYpOnnotchG34ICaRlIUS4BCf9mD-V/s400/Picture6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="400" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3yMGP7RjcdmQzSZYlxNWAiNJqafIwHu105HoGRhvqcnSCyfPTRjyU3nO2GF_vk6InKTHNbfa7op2WCl-KFlOFo48I3QB9UXSOxL92qNZxwW1lxZhtiHDiLsh9ykTMUsgAUeZUYUYY2V_QwFoCfTEoX6J_PDYpOnnotchG34ICaRlIUS4BCf9mD-V/s320/Picture6.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By Olivia
B.</span></i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Behind the Instructions</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Plain style is a necessary choice for
an author when their piece requires clear, concise information. The article, <a href="https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-draw-a-rose--cms-26864 " target="_blank"><i>How to Draw a Rose</i>,</a> is one of those pieces that needs to be
carefully constructed using plain style. Written by <span style="background: #FEFEFE; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Monika Zagrobelna, a polish
artist, the article is a step-by-step guide to drawing a rose. It was published
on the Evatotuts+ website, design.tutsplus.com, where anyone can go to take
free or paid courses in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign, as well as
check out tutorials for different types and styles of art. It is not exclusive,
as many of their resources do not require a fee and pop up on google after
searching for simple art tutorials. This article, for example, was the first
link that came up when I googled “how to draw a rose.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: rgb(254, 254, 254); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Due
to the accessibility of the article, the main audience is probably filled with
members of the general public who are just looking for basic instructions to
draw a picture. It is likely that these people don’t have much background in
art and are in search of something simple either to doodle or to include in a
larger project. Because “general public” is such a broad category, there are
varying ages, knowledge levels, and abilities that will be accessing this
article. Some of those people might have an extensive background in art, while
others have none. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: rgb(254, 254, 254); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Stylist Choices <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background: rgb(254, 254, 254); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">It is clear that this
article is written in plain style for a handful of reasons. First of all, </span><span style="color: #282a2e; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the
piece teaches readers how to draw a rose through active voice. Sentences start
with actions words like “draw,” “start,” and “connect.” They address the reader
and give clear directions for what to do next. It also uses clear and basic
terminology. There isn’t any jargon that the general public wouldn’t know or be
able to figure out easily, and they explain the words that can't be avoided,
such as "shading." The piece doesn’t appear to be lying by omission
or hiding biases, as it is just a basic set of instructions, however it might
be a way to get users hooked on their site and make them more money. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #282a2e; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Simpler Isn’t Always Better<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #282a2e; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Though there are many
reasons why this plain style is the appropriate choice for this piece, some
aspects of plain style might negatively impact its success. To start, it might
seem oversimplified to a person who has a vast background or education in art.
Because some people do put a lot of time, effort, and money into acquiring
artistic skills, it might seem insulting that this website is claiming to teach
an individual how to do art in this "dumbed down" way. The art
industry is one that can sometimes struggle to get respect, and sites like this
might be contributing to that issue. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #282a2e; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Another issue that plain
style creates in this situation is a lack of information. The article claims
that by following the instructions, the reader should have drawn a beautiful
rose. This might be true in some cases, but for a reader without any art
experience, the brief instructions don’t really explain everything. For
example, the later steps talk about shading to add dimension, but don’t explain
how exactly to do that. Step 14 says to “add a subtle texture to the
illuminated parts. The darker your rose, the darker you can go here.” This is
written very plainly, giving directions in active voice, however, there isn’t
much explanation of how to do this. If the reader understands texture and
shading, the instructions are very straightforward. However, if the reader
doesn’t know what adding “subtle texture” means, the lack of explanation won’t
make any sense. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #282a2e; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<span style="color: #282a2e; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Despite
the few downfalls of plain style, I do think it is the best choice for this
type of article. The article is straightforward, well organized, and easily
accessible to anyone who might need to quickly know how to draw a rose. It does
get the job done because if readers simply follow the instructions, they should
successfully draw a rose—and that is the goal of the piece</span></div></span>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-23044400287153145742022-04-19T14:30:00.003-07:002022-04-19T14:30:24.755-07:00Official Style: Ain’t No Style o’ Mine?<p style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: helvetica;">By Branden Schultz</i></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vMOe1kVqBiM_Ho13K1AmBiSd5pLJhWIvDLkidCL0j2jDHfcezcB_qmluGj8fRhA6NfdozvsUjGt7jTmwJZfRggjWfgmotweEYHKcygGINyDq6J8lvWSEJL5HCSwYN_KCxjnAcHmB8-chNSOmfq024g9zzt84rHe5czuVbStWI2KZJaua2W5oJBoM/s385/Picture5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vMOe1kVqBiM_Ho13K1AmBiSd5pLJhWIvDLkidCL0j2jDHfcezcB_qmluGj8fRhA6NfdozvsUjGt7jTmwJZfRggjWfgmotweEYHKcygGINyDq6J8lvWSEJL5HCSwYN_KCxjnAcHmB8-chNSOmfq024g9zzt84rHe5czuVbStWI2KZJaua2W5oJBoM/s320/Picture5.jpg" width="219" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />Official Style catches a lot of flak for being full of
sentences crammed with too many words, phrases, and terms (half of which are
incomprehensibly complicated), and little time to breathe in between, let alone
process the information you’re cramming down your throat. The style gets
discredited for being exhausting, and at times <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">downright unhelpful</i> to its audience. To make things worse,
sometimes the topic isn’t even complicated- but how the author handles it sure
is. However, this style is not the useless mountain of garbage that some decry
it to be. No, official style can be used to raise one's professional
appearance- to raise their persuasiveness and eloquently raise points in ways
that the plain and creative styles would not be able to. The truth is that the
official style is not the enemy- it is a simple tool that is useful <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in the right contexts</i>, and has pitfalls
and tropes that its writers may fall into, just like any other style . <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The context of a text changes so
many aspects of its quality- how can a text be judged if its: effective, clear,
persuasive, informative, entertaining, enjoyable, popular, or credible, without
understanding <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why, when, </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">where </i>it was written <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for whom</i>? Is the text a persuasive essay
asking the city to install more benches, or a fictional short story of a cat
trying to find its milk? Will the President of the United States be reading
this, or a Kindergartener? In 1801, or 2016? Obviously, the tone, word choice,
and exact subject matter will change depending on the answers to each of these
questions. Without context, there is no answer to the quality of a text. There
may be an inherent personal bias towards a specific style, but this is not an
objective assessment of the text’s value. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But it’s easier to believe it when
you see it, I know. So let’s look at an example. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fundamental Undemocratic Values in Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship
Troopers: How to Make Upper Secondary School Students More Self-aware of Their
Fundamental Democratic Values </i>by Sebastian Forsman, a student at the
Stockholm University, shows an effective use of the style. And once again, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">context </i>behind this text shows why it is
an effective use of the official style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Forsman wrote this to the administrators of the English department at
Stockholm University. He hoped that the thesis paper would convince the
administrators to add Robert A. Heinlein’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Starship
Troopers </i>to the department’s list of required books for students. Forsman
wanted to raise awareness of fundamental democratic values within the student
body. His audience (the administrators) is a busy, intelligent group. Stockholm
University has an acceptance rate of only 24%- this is not an easily accessible
university. They need a compelling argument to change the school's curriculum-
a simple “please and thank you” approach just won’t do. Also, this is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">group</i> of people that Forsman is writing
for- they have separate ideologies and beliefs that must all be appeased. But
it is also a small group of people, meaning that Forsman is not reaching for
wide reaching circulation, but instead is trying to convince a specific and
niche audience. The more detail that Forsman can elaborate on quickly and
concisely, the better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Admittedly, I was hesitant about the title’s length at
first. With twenty-three (23) words, I thought it was a sign of excessively
worded passages to come. But the title is perfect for Forsman’s audience,
because it is exactly what his argument is. Robert A. Heinlein’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Starship Troopers</i> stresses undemocratic
values that upper secondary students should be aware of, to raise their
understanding of the democratic values that should be preserved. What is the
best way to raise the understanding? Add <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Starship
Troopers</i> to the school’s curriculum. ‘Fundamental’ is used twice in the
title alone, creating repetition and stressing the absolute necessity of the
values that Forsman touches on throughout the paper. Even the title is
employing devices to help persuade his audience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the paper itself, Forsman speaks plainly, despite using
prepositions and stringing clauses together within one sentence. He also
maintains a clear organization throughout his thesis, helping the reader
maintain a sense of direction while reading the piece, and also helping
navigate through it for specific details- exactly what his intended audience
would want. There is a table of contents, there are headers, and quotes receive
their own margins for emphasis. The thesis paper looks incredibly presentable
and official, again catering to his audience’s expectations. Complicated terms
are given their own sections. They are broken down and explained, before being
used seamlessly to expand on the importance of his thesis paper- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why Starship Troopers</i> should be part of
the curriculum. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Forsman also speaks in a sequential manner. He relies on previous
elaborations to carry new arguments ahead. Forsman writes, “Since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Starship Troopers</i> has been chosen as the
teaching material to achieve the aims above, the first step would be to analyze
its didactic potential. This concept is borrowed from Malin Alkestrand and her
doctoral thesis on how fantasy novels could be used to problematize fundamental
values in school (67-76)” (Forsman 11). A lot of information is conveyed in
just these two sentences. “Since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Starship
Troopers </i>has been chosen,” emphasizes that this novel specifically will
“achieve the aims above,”. Here, Forsman calls back to pre-listed aims of his
article, which he examined earlier. Finally, Forsman moves forward, stating
“the first step would be to analyze its didactic potential.” Forsman, knowing
that ‘didactic potential’ is likely a foreign or otherwise complicated concept,
he elaborates on the concept’s origin (and its creator’s credibility in one
concise move). The rest of Forsman’s paper is written in a similarly sequential
matter- relying on past information to move forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Forsman’s paper has a Gunning Fog Index of 15.5, and a
Flesch Reading Ease Score of 39.28. Each word has about 5 characters to it,
while each sentence has about 23-24 words to it, on average. These are longer
sentences (ironically each being about the same length as his title), but the
language inside is only complicated if you haven’t read Forsman's earlier
passages- in no small part due to his sequential style of elaboration. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In short, don’t hate the game, hate the player. Words never
wanted to be complicated; they can’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i>
anything. They’re words. Instead, look at the author. Look at their purpose in
reading. And look at who they’re writing to. Understand where they came from,
and what they tried to make of their text. And then, stop hating the player.
You just might not have been the original audience, and that same original
audience might have thought that it was one hell of a read. There’s a time and
place for everything, and even though official style isn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the </i>style of mine,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a </i>style of mine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-30318374831351845222022-04-19T14:24:00.004-07:002022-04-19T14:24:38.580-07:00The Importance of Grants and How to Write One<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6OtJfcGu1Lz28QcTpP0--ixA-Q2W4QwRf-voU-4vewsoaattlVMLwsRiHciuIi62cmdzJVEmeOECxyFfnlvlBskPlxWo6eoUYpQ-2CtGZcpGW7w7v169ZITtB1lFQvQ3X6EWDzEYZUYRJCA810Q0u8MEapnGPjlPLbiXPaos-CFMIOuIE6GEEFeS/s606/Picture4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="606" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6OtJfcGu1Lz28QcTpP0--ixA-Q2W4QwRf-voU-4vewsoaattlVMLwsRiHciuIi62cmdzJVEmeOECxyFfnlvlBskPlxWo6eoUYpQ-2CtGZcpGW7w7v169ZITtB1lFQvQ3X6EWDzEYZUYRJCA810Q0u8MEapnGPjlPLbiXPaos-CFMIOuIE6GEEFeS/w392-h240/Picture4.png" width="392" /></a></div><i style="font-family: helvetica;">By Caitlin Olson</i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Many people believe that
grants are just “free money” which is essentially what it is, but they are also
so much more than that. They require a lot of preparation if an organization
wants to receive one, and grants allow people to pursue projects they wouldn’t
have the chance to pursue otherwise. Writing grants give organizations a chance
to improve their facilities, provide educational opportunities, social
programs, research, and so much more. For example, Darrell R. Jones submitted a
grant proposal to the Ohio Office of Criminal Services (OCJS) trying to
increase the public safety of the City of Summerville by improving the overall
physical fitness of the officers of the Summerville Police Department. The
Summerville Police department is experiencing a high incidence of
cardiovascular and musculo-skeletal problems among its sworn officers,
resulting in fewer officers on the street. The use of official style is evident
throughout this whole proposal where it starts with a slow sentence opener as
well as it continues to us passive voice. “It is proposed that a fitness center
be developed where Summerville officers can regularly exercise” (Summary) Throughout
the grant proposal it talks about what the problem is, the objectives they wish
to complete, the project description, and their budget so that the funder can
dictate what their organization is about. The use of passive voice is crucial
so that that there is no emotional connection between the grant writer and the
reader so that the main points of the argument are clearly stated. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Some important advantages that
a grant provides are that they are an investment when other sources of capital
are unavailable to initiate or expand programs, products, or services.
Additionally, unlike loans, grants do not have to be repaid and it enhances
brand prestige, visibility, status, and credibility. In the objectives section
of the proposal they used a lot of jargon so that the writer seems more
credible to the topic as well as showcase the overall necessity to pay
attention to the issue at hand. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the
City of Summerville receives the funding, they are asking they will complete
the following objectives: Reducing the use of employee sick leave for
cardio-vascular problems by 20%, reducing the use of employee sick leave for
musculo-skeletal problems by 40%, and lower the average resting pulse of unfit
employees by five beats per minute. If they succeed in receiving this grant it
will increase the health and fitness level of the officers as well as reduce
their time off of work which is inevitably good for the department and
community. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Unfortunately, many businesses
do not end up getting funded. Common mistakes that organizations make are value
inflation, no go-to-market strategy, the grant is too long or too technical,
etc. As far as value inflation, investors will judge whether your organization
is valuable. They want you to lay out the facts such as the problem, your solution,
the market size, how you will sell it, and how well you will stay ahead of
competitors. When it comes to not have a market strategy it could inevitably
doom your organization all together. Investors want you to explain the sales,
marketing, and distribution strategy of your company. You must explain how you
have already generated customer interest and how you will leverage this
experience through a cost-effective go-to-market strategy. Investors want to
know exactly who they are giving their money away to and determine whether they
have a plan. Lastly, investors are very busy and they read multiple grant
proposals a year. They favour grant writers who demonstrate the ability to
convey the most important elements of a complex idea in the least amount of words
possible. Also, grant proposals are typically filled with technical details and
investors only care about technology when it solves a big problem that people
will pay for, can be implemented on a reasonable budget, and can be protected
through patents or other means. So, using this information the Summerville
police department used a lot of jargon as well as complex sentences to help
them seem credible to the investor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Summerville police
department did not get funded because of the magnitude of the project that they
were asking for. However, the funder can fund the maintenance of the project
once the major objectives have been accomplished. In consequence of not
receiving funding to help increase the health of the Summerville police
officers the chance of illness increases as well as the chances of criminal
victimization increases when the officers are off work. Another possible
consequence of being understaffed for health-related reasons is that the
remaining officers at work are less likely to be able to handle the assigned
calls causing the community to be in danger. One Study (Fisk, 1988) shows that
the response time for police-relate 911 calls is significantly longer when
shifts are staffed at below recommended length. In the most extreme cases, this
could even be an issue of life or death. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #1000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The real point of grants is to
rally the necessary resources to help an organization fulfill its purpose. A
grant is a tool organization’s use to address issues within the community.
While grants impact the organizations they disperse to, they will more
significantly affect community as a whole. The Summerville police department
grant is crucial because it affects the whole community and not just the health
of the police officers. If the grant writer explains that they would be safer
if they received funding, people would be less likely to be scared to leave
their homes. Grants are an important tool that could benefit any organization
and even impact the whole community. When written correct grant proposals could
provide educational opportunities, improve facilities in the community, and
even help communities be more prepared in emergency situations. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-70788235511517195142022-04-19T14:21:00.002-07:002022-04-19T14:21:44.436-07:00Supreme Court Case Analysis<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AyBh7zV2-4h9qpzKIjnt0Br711JldVFLIm3GOtqMG67fZbgxv1T4RxkAp_WOWuWJvTAH6YLla_yoCdS8bsD0OxQbCK1XtdEsdDM9-yFmO6uJ3n30rdNTJlF0by4lcXLu12tT5VxOGmn1GeLgYz2uT227DsOr6EnjnmKCAShUO6JbRC5UZ2sLnZGj/s485/blogarticlememe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="485" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AyBh7zV2-4h9qpzKIjnt0Br711JldVFLIm3GOtqMG67fZbgxv1T4RxkAp_WOWuWJvTAH6YLla_yoCdS8bsD0OxQbCK1XtdEsdDM9-yFmO6uJ3n30rdNTJlF0by4lcXLu12tT5VxOGmn1GeLgYz2uT227DsOr6EnjnmKCAShUO6JbRC5UZ2sLnZGj/w402-h336/blogarticlememe.jpg" width="402" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Matthew
Nelson</span></i><p></p><p class="MsoHeader" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The official style is ever present
in the scholarly literature that we have become accustomed to reading and
writing for college or for our professional lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some areas of literature have come to expect
a higher degree of intensity from the official style than others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The official style is a key aspect of writing
in professional settings because it helps generate credibility and authority
through linguistic manipulation and diction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The legal community for example, is often more official in the texts that
are produced than writing areas where less intensive diction is acceptable and
does not detract from the credibility of the literature itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>US v. Lopez</i> is a Supreme Court case
analysis I wrote to examine the positions of both the dissent and majority and
then align myself with the side that I felt best represented the intentions of
the Constitution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case review I
used an extensive degree of official strategies for the same reasons that the
official style is so prevalent in education and professional settings, because
it made me appear more credible than if I were to explain all the same points I
made in a way that everyone could understand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the case review, as I had
mentioned, I use a number of the official style strategies that one would
expect from a document pertaining to the legal formalities of constitutional
law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Below is an excerpt from the case
review that I fell best represents the overall diction and style used in the
paper.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.1in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black;">“It is my position that in this case the majority was correct in
their interpretation of the Constitution and in particular the Interstate
Commerce Clause. While the dissent did make a logical argument about the
connection between education and interstate commerce and the relationship
between firearms and education, far too much speculation was involved in their
reasoning. Had there been empirical evidence in United States v. Lopez to
conclude that by bringing a gun to class Alfonso Lopez had substantially
affected the education of his peers and that in turn damaged the economy of the
area there may have been a case to be made. As it stood however, I feel
the majority made the correct decision. One particular area that I felt
to be especially compelling was the discussion about the possibility of the
substantial effects doctrine to get out of hand. I agreed wholeheartedly
with Justice Thomas that such a liberally interpreted doctrine when compounded
with the aggregation principle could enable Congress to significantly impose on
state legislative jurisdictions and violate the principle of federalism.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">From
reading this it is fairly easy to discern that I was writing with the intention
of implementing official style strategies, or at least attempting to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To kick off the excerpt, for example, I began
with the strategy ‘slow sentence opening.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the time I was far less familiar with the nuances of the official
style than I am currently, so the implementation of this strategy was likely an
attempt to extend my paper to fit a page requirement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The page requirement itself though is a way
of encouraging the use of official strategies like that in practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another official style strategy that I had
found myself using to a high degree in this case review was the complex
sentence structure strategy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The example
from the text that stood out was the single sentence “<span style="color: black;">In accordance with the parameters set for Congress as they saw
them the majority was able to rule the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 as
unconstitutional and reserved that right for the states.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have been perfectly acceptable to
substitute that entire phrase for one that simply stated that Congress felt the
Act was a decision for the states to make, but that would not have captured the
essence of the official style and the inherent credibility we associate with it
in quite the same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This quotation
provides a not entirely uncommon example of my writing incorporating more than
one official style strategy in one sentence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the case the other strategy, alongside the complex sentence strategy,
is the verbose/bureaucratic strategy where a sentence drones on and is
accomplished using more words than are necessary or efficient to convey the
information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like the complex
sentence strategy this could have been to elongate my writing and for the
purposes of the assignment’s guidelines, but I also believe that it gave me an
opportunity to include a level of diction and verbiage that allowed me to
present the information in a format that would, to anyone familiar with the
topic, appear more credible and trustworthy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While I have explored the
unnecessary nature much of my writing has, I think that it also helps to answer
the question of the significance of this style as well and it pertains to the
motive behind why I wrote this text and the purpose of the verbiage
involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it can appear tedious it
helped me accomplish the goal of the case review itself, which is not only to
explain my position on the case US v. Lopez, but also to demonstrate a
comprehensive understanding of the source material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By
reflecting much of the language used in the actual Supreme Court position,
which was written in perhaps the most tedious and complicated official style I
have ever encountered, I was able to inexplicitly convey to my professor that I
had a comprehensive grasp of not only the case, but also constitutional
precedent as it applied to the case.
While the official style is a powerful tool in specific settings, the
exclusivity of it to the niche communities that it is tailored for can make it
seem almost like a foreign language to people that are not privy to the jargon
or stylistic cues that are uniquely developed in the official styles of
specific professional communities.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-29972811925666793022022-04-19T14:15:00.000-07:002022-04-19T14:15:02.802-07:00Philosopher Speak: A Stylistic Review of John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism<p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> By <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: right;">Draza Kolpack</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When first reading
<i>Utilitarianism</i> by John Stuart Mill you might find yourself going back to
read paragraphs multiple times in an attempt to grasp what the man is trying to
argue or define, much like I did. It is hard to contextualize how this piece
became so wildly popular in 1861 London, where only two thirds of men and half
of women were literate at all, when we ourselves are trying to understand the
content and implications of his lengthy sentences and use of evidently educated
diction. I would argue that his jargonistic writing and flowery academic
language was used simply because that style was expected in philosophical
circles, but the issue of <i>Utilitarianism</i> being published in a popular
London magazine calls to question if that was Mill’s true intended audience.
With this in mind, it is my belief that this work was published for three
reasons: to clear up misconceptions and provide counterclaims to other
philosophers in the field, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">persuade the
educated elite that had opportunities to incite change within the government
and support new policies reflecting Mill’s views, and to garner support from
the greater public following the principle of ‘I don’t understand this but I
trust it’ by playing to his credibility through the use of the official style.
However, this is not the only context in which this piece is viewed or
understood; because modern philosophers and academics are taught Mill’s works
alongside various other historical philosophers, we must also take into account
this modern context.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To truly
contextualize the contexts at play, however, I feel that it is best to have a
greater understanding of the official style of writing this piece employs. The
official style, often found in academic and bureaucratic writing, is
characterized by the use of passive or impersonal voice, complex sentences,
slow sentence openings, shapeless or ‘unspeakable’ form, excessive use of
jargon, a bureaucratic tone, and higher levels of abstraction alongside a
number of other nuances. Mill’s makes use of a number of these tools when
writing <i>Utilitarianism</i>; I will exemplify these strategies and illustrate
the implications of such stylistic choices by providing passages from the text.
Furthermore, I will provide readability statistics that may grant a better
frame of reference for the difficulty of the text.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CLl0OKnF4HZuoMxqILt-qcazH8M64PJlNwq0_ikfYnipzfJtQx4LL0HJXSdaj87YBH9CtYuHfVs0-x0Rxc_l2TdrSmbYYAgERW7nHLmmh3RsEt4Q5XkTGxRfB0NcV9tHLKmixfHqI48mquCMGCH3zbHbP2uIB7WoE_VK96yyS9mX1krU-JAlF956/s279/Blogarticle%20mill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="180" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CLl0OKnF4HZuoMxqILt-qcazH8M64PJlNwq0_ikfYnipzfJtQx4LL0HJXSdaj87YBH9CtYuHfVs0-x0Rxc_l2TdrSmbYYAgERW7nHLmmh3RsEt4Q5XkTGxRfB0NcV9tHLKmixfHqI48mquCMGCH3zbHbP2uIB7WoE_VK96yyS9mX1krU-JAlF956/s1600/Blogarticle%20mill.jpg" width="180" /></a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Passage One:</span></span></b></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">“A PASSING remark is all that needs be given to the ignorant
blunder of supposing that those who stand up for utility as the test of right
and wrong, use the term in that restricted and merely colloquial sense in which
utility is opposed to pleasure. An apology is due to the philosophical
opponents of utilitarianism, for even the momentary appearance of confounding
them with any one capable of so absurd a misconception; which is the more
extraordinary, inasmuch as the contrary accusation, of referring everything to
pleasure, and that too in its grossest form, is another of the common charges
against utilitarianism: and, as has been pointedly remarked by an able writer,
the same sort of persons, and often the very same persons, denounce the theory
"as impracticably dry when the word utility precedes the word pleasure,
and as too practicably voluptuous when the word pleasure precedes the word
utility."”</span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This excerpt provides
a great example of how the author tends to utilize slow sentence openings,
essentially employing a long windup into an even longer and more complex
sentence. These drawn-out sentence openings and the subsequent complex
sentences utilized by Mill may just reflect the writing style expected of
philosophy and academia in his time period, but these strategies serve to
exclude the average reader; not only the diction but the addition of multiple
concepts per sentence lends itself to unnecessarily complicated text that is
not easily understood by those not in academic circles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Passage Two:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">“Utilitarianism, therefore, could only attain its end by the
general cultivation of nobleness of character, even if each individual were
only benefited by the nobleness of others, and his own, so far as happiness is
concerned, were a sheer deduction from the benefit. But the bare enunciation of
such an absurdity as this last, renders refutation superfluous.”</span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are
countless examples of shapeless/unspeakable writing in this piece, of which the
passage above is one. While this writing style was and continues to be common
with philosophical works it still calls to question how the meaning on this
work is understood by different audiences and what information is lost in
translation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Readability Statistics: (Pulled from a
longer segment of passage two as listed above)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRH72sPp-lwW3DuyKJtmG6pDY0W1QL6UFfRLWLXc_A5VM4z0G0Bc_VhPRqaycV7wLmI5NEV-tqZTQQIPd4HO-af6wUBBL3Y-fc9B6SVVbAFmkNWSfGcJjuCrGycMcZWwX3iGgR5YkNrtlmVo9uCMYZXPXWjltGGp6X3VzM7or6BVps2u52w5vhRsNu/s489/blogarticlestats.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="489" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRH72sPp-lwW3DuyKJtmG6pDY0W1QL6UFfRLWLXc_A5VM4z0G0Bc_VhPRqaycV7wLmI5NEV-tqZTQQIPd4HO-af6wUBBL3Y-fc9B6SVVbAFmkNWSfGcJjuCrGycMcZWwX3iGgR5YkNrtlmVo9uCMYZXPXWjltGGp6X3VzM7or6BVps2u52w5vhRsNu/w464-h261/blogarticlestats.png" width="464" /></span></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">(Gunning Fog Index: estimated grade level
required to understand text / Flesch Reading Ease: scale from 1-100, 1 being
most difficult to read and 100 being the easiest)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Now
that the groundwork has been set, we must discuss the significance of the
strategies within the contexts, and the spheres of human activity, in which <i>Utilitarianism</i>
is found. The first that I would like to focus on is the original context; <i>Utilitarianism
</i>was a piece <span style="background: white;">published in three issues by
Fraser’s Magazine in 1861 aiming to explain what utilitarianism is, to show why
it is the best theory of ethics, and to defend it against a wide range of
criticisms and misunderstandings. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">The primary audience for this piece must
have been other philosophers, Jeremy Bentham (another utilitarian philosopher)
in particular, in order to provide criticisms to Bentham’s ideas and detail the
“misconceptions” surrounding Utilitarianism. Mill’s use of the official style
suits the purely academic nature of this piece well, but because this work was
published in a public London magazine the audience, and consequently the
implications of Mill’s style of choice, grew at an incredible scale. While it
seems clear that this work was not meant for the eyes of the generally
illiterate public, instead with the focus of countering Bentham’s ideas and persuading
the educated elite that had the power or opportunity to incite change within
the government regarding support for new policies reflecting Mill’s views, <i>Utilitarianism
</i>became largely prolific with the masses as an articulation of liberal
humanistic morality. The easiest implication of this to pinpoint, and a trend
that I feel parallels but is not as prevalent in modern contexts of this piece,
is that the use of the official style can effectively gatekeep information from
a massive majority of the readership. While it is true that the arguments of
Jeremy Bentham and other utilitarian philosophers may have been adequately
countered and that the political elite may have been swayed by this
presentation of ‘proper’ ethics, the public also played a massive role in this
context; the recently formed republic in Britain at this time was meant to
represent the will of its constituents (the public) through its policy. From a
perspective outside of academia, a perspective shared by nearly all of the
general public at this time, writing in this style would likely portray the
author as intelligent and credible even though the content would be difficult
for them to consume- support for these ethics based on the rule of ‘I don’t
understand this but I trust it’ had a very real impact. As a double-edged sword
of sorts, half rebuttal half persuasive argument, <i>Utilitarianism </i>accomplishes
each goal through the establishment of perceived credibility to its numerous
audiences.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Now we must discuss <i>Utilitarianism</i>’s
modern context; in that scholars and philosophers have not stopped studying the
work of John Stuart Mill even to this day. The sphere of human interaction in
which this piece is consumed has changed to a degree, though the implications
largely stay the same. The main difference lies in the fact that Mill’s work is
not presented outside of an academic setting today, and beyond that, the
persuasive element of this piece is not nearly as applicable in a modern
setting (in that there are no century old British elites and citizens to sway).
Once again, we face the fact that the official style gatekeeps information from
those outside of academic circles, but I find that it has a very diluted
impact; while the average reader would certainly have difficulty reading this
piece, they also have very little opportunity to make the attempt. The
gatekeeping element created by the use of the official style is of course still
present but academic institutions are now becoming the focal point for this
issue- this in of itself has implications. Because of the close ties between
academic writing and the official style, Mill’s proposal for a whole branch of
governing ethics goes largely unseen by the public; the constituency that had
so much pull as support for this work grew in 1861 Britain is not reflected by
members of the public in this modern model. One may argue that no one wants to
read the work of an age-old philosopher regardless, but I find it important to
recognize the official style and the strategies it utilizes to contextualize
the true goal of an authors work and the implications that has on the
applicable audiences.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-91680344099058243012022-04-19T14:10:00.003-07:002022-04-19T14:10:26.037-07:00Should We Criminalize the Official Style?<p style="text-align: justify;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV03Fj0eY592MvKY4JaDOs1U-6NSNrUH8C9OrSXskvZqZLBswQ9z3ctKtm6Qk6Dp0KqB5OSsyEewBsryKVOFtVVq30RTeeg-WVuPyW7iBoZwI-nsA1sTx3Sg_LH7SAFrriLJDJKvj7udQak0sWRASWM6Dk4BqASvmLAIMhLwOpbYI6ncZfGEPtkwg8/s1288/blogarticlecriminalize.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1288" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV03Fj0eY592MvKY4JaDOs1U-6NSNrUH8C9OrSXskvZqZLBswQ9z3ctKtm6Qk6Dp0KqB5OSsyEewBsryKVOFtVVq30RTeeg-WVuPyW7iBoZwI-nsA1sTx3Sg_LH7SAFrriLJDJKvj7udQak0sWRASWM6Dk4BqASvmLAIMhLwOpbYI6ncZfGEPtkwg8/w404-h220/blogarticlecriminalize.png" width="404" /></a></i></div><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tommy Knoche</span></span></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In an effort to look at how the official style is used
today I looked at the article <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cannabis
and Athletic Performance </i>which was published in the academic journal <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sports Medicine</i>. The article from
September 2021 is focused on the effects that cannabis can have on athletic
performance. Marijuana is one of the most commonly used recreational substances
in the world and researchers have begun looking into other uses for the
substances. This particular article was looking at the effect consuming
marijuana has on athletic performance. As I understand, the intended audience
was other researchers in the field of sports medicine, athletic trainers, and
athletes themselves. The entire article was written in the official style. I
believe that this was done to establish credibility for the authors and their
writing as well as attempt to make sure potentially obscure information was completely
communicated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As mentioned previously the entire article was written
in the official style. The intention of this is to establish credibility so
that the research that they are talking about in their journal is taken
seriously by others in their field. In fields like sports medicine authors need
to ensure that whoever reads their article can trust that they know what they
are talking about in their article as well as their actual research. If readers
don’t trust that the people writing the articles know what they are talking
about then the entire article becomes useless because nobody will take the
information seriously. If all of this research isn’t looked at sincerely then
people won't use it as a stepping stone to the discovery of more knowledge.This
is the case with all kinds of writing, not just scientific pieces . You want
your readers to be able to trust that you understand the topics that you are
writing about, but as mentioned above, in scientific writing it is especially
important. There is little room for interpretation in science and because of
that writers need to ensure that they can communicate their knowledge on the
subject while knowing that their audience will believe that they know what they
are talking about. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Writing in the scientific realm also makes it more
difficult for authors to avoid the official style. Because there is so much
scientific/domain specific language, it makes the piece of writing more
jargonistic than pieces in other fields. The vast majority of people might not know
what “<span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">putative endogenous
cannabinoid receptors'' are but others in the field would rather you say that
than “the places in your body where cannabis binds to” because it shows that
you have specific knowledge on the subject. Jargonistic pieces like this one
tend to exclude a large portion of readers because only a select few have the
background knowledge to understand what is being talked about. While the
official style is usually used this way to intentionally exclude people, I do
not believe that is the case with this piece of writing. The authors are almost
forced into the exclusion of others just to prove that they know what they are
talking about. I believe that this is one of the problems with the official
style of writing. Writers are forced to exclude people from fully enjoying and
learning from their work just to prove that they can be trusted. It should not
matter what style you write in as long as the information you are presenting is
correct, unfortunately that is not the case in the academic community. As of
right now it seems that the academic community relies on something I’ll call
“trickle down knowledge”. What I mean by that is that people in the scientific
community write just to be understood and trusted by one another. They then
count on others to transcribe what they discovered and spread it to the general
public. Would it not be more efficient to write in a way that allows anybody to
access the information? I understand that the jargon will always be there, as
that is just the nature of scientific writing, but I think that it could
benefit from trying to be less dry and more focused on just effectively
communicating what has been discovered and what can be learned.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-highlight: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
is why I believe a shift away from the official style is needed. So many people
and ideas are ignored simply because they do not look and sound like they are
“supposed to”. The main focus on different pieces of writing should be the
content and what the author is trying to communicate to their audience. It
doesn’t matter if it is a piece of legislation, scientific findings, or an
on-campus announcement, the content of the piece should be the focus, not how
it is written. Writing should be for everyone. In my article, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cannabis and Athletic Performance</i>, for
example they say “The ability of cannabis and THC to perturb cardiovascular
homeostasis warrants further investigation regarding mechanisms by which
performance may be affected across different exercise modalities and energetic
demands”. This is a really long and complex way of saying that “weed affects
the way that your body sends blood to places and could be a potential way to
increase athletic performance”. The whole point of the article is to get that
information out to people so that, if they live someplace where it is legal,
they can see how it affects their training and performance. By using the
official style the authors are isolating a large portion of their audience.
Oftentimes people are capable of understanding complex and jargonistic pieces
but choose not to simply because they are dense and do not get to the point.
The official style is especially bad when used in informative pieces, because
they should be straight to the point and communicate the information
effectively. The official style interferes with this smooth transmission of
information and should be avoided. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-highlight: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
do understand that there may be some pushback to this for a number of reasons.
The official style has been around for so long that moving away from it almost
seems blasphemous at this point. But like everything else it is good to grow
and evolve which is what I believe we should do with the way we write. The
official style is nice in the sense that it gives any piece of writing the air
of importance and just writing that way offers an increase in credibility to
the author. However, these benefits would effectively disappear if everybody
agreed to shift towards plain style as the choice for academic writing. The
official style is so ingrained into society's idea of what a “proper” piece of
writing should sound like that it will be tough to start the change, but once
people start to realize the benefits of using more plain language I think that
it will start to gain traction in all kinds of communities. Even certain types
of writing, such as academic or scientific pieces, don’t completely switch. I
think any decrease in official style would be a benefit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-highlight: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From
the insight into the official style and a look at the article from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sports Medicine</i>, I hope that you can see
the ill effects that the official style can bring about. In trying to establish
credibility, the authors were forced to make their writing less clear,
jargonistic, and less accessible. I believe that a shift away from the official
style is needed, especially with informative pieces like this one to help
ensure that the exchanging of ideas around the world continues and is as
effective as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6597551835240712903.post-58956209636128382852022-04-19T14:04:00.005-07:002022-04-21T13:28:26.613-07:00Voting Isn’t Just for Academics: Official Style in Political Studies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OgaBI976179OtVfaPFS7NLFeZ7pSfJ8RO-gmGxW7QoTz6sKp3-thEJMTA033hPZSVUhgAynLzsygAc48DbdI51Q4TrPDi9KumK5CuJxKOE_S_yeyWs2WMtuxPEb5i-UPuMQKznqP8Yv-hLIS_GJRxKoiW9Z4EiAJScp2nil9qi25hi9nMxEz5jSx/s1163/blogarticlevote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1163" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OgaBI976179OtVfaPFS7NLFeZ7pSfJ8RO-gmGxW7QoTz6sKp3-thEJMTA033hPZSVUhgAynLzsygAc48DbdI51Q4TrPDi9KumK5CuJxKOE_S_yeyWs2WMtuxPEb5i-UPuMQKznqP8Yv-hLIS_GJRxKoiW9Z4EiAJScp2nil9qi25hi9nMxEz5jSx/w431-h283/blogarticlevote.png" width="431" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"></i></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>By <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 0.5in;">Tori
Horman</span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: right; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Often, I have been
assigned academic articles to read for classes that I just couldn’t seem to
understand. The content of the article may be important or useful, but the way
it’s written leaves me wondering what point it was even trying to make. This
often frustrating type of writing is known as official style. In this article,
I will be breaking down certain strategies used when writing in official style
and how they can be improved to make the writing clearer. If the writing is
clearer and easier to understand, this means that more people will be able to
access the information. If more people are able to access the information, they
are more likely to be able to use that information to make more informed
decisions in their lives. The text I chose to review was an article from the
Journal of Social Media + Society titled “Do We Know Politicians’ True Selves
From the Media? Exploring the Relationship Between Political Media Exposure and
Perceived Political Authenticity,” by Simon M. Luebke and Iris Englemann. The
journal it was published in, the Journal of Social Media + Society, focuses on
“the socio-cultural, political, psychological, historical, economic, legal and
policy dimensions of social media in societies past, contemporary and future.”
Their mission is to gather studies on social media as technology evolves and is
open to a variety of research methodologies. Both authors work in the Communication
Science department at </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">Friedrich
Schiller University in Germany. Englemann is a professor while Luebke is a
research assistant. Both authors have had their work published in several
academic journals.</span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The genre of the
piece is academic writing, which I would characterize by emphasis on research
methods, establishing credibility, and the use of the official style. Another
common characteristic of academic writing is the fact that it is peer reviewed
by other experts, which goes along with the importance of establishing
credibility. This type of writing tends to circulate within academic
communities and is often published in peer reviewed journals. This text was
written in order to explore the social media use of politicians and how that
can have a significant effect on voters. Readers may be motivated to read it
because they want to know how politicians are using social media and how they
may unknowingly be swayed to have an impression on this person based solely on
their social media presence and how they are discussed in the news and other
mass media. They can use this information to make more conscious and informed
decisions on why they support the politicians that they support. However, it is
unlikely to be accessed outside of an academic setting, due to the
inaccessibility of the writing. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">It may be assigned to
students of a political science or communications class, or it may be read by
other researchers and used as a source to expand on the topic.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The article uses a
lot of political studies jargon, which makes sense considering the target
audience, but for someone like me who is not involved in the study of political
science, there were many unfamiliar terms. When explaining how they chose to
conduct their study, the authors use lots of jargon referring to several theories,
“As previous research provided descriptive insights on the question, we apply a
more theory-driven approach, drawing on the literature on<b> media priming
theory, performed authenticity in social media, political personalization, </b>and<b>
dual processing theory</b>.” Fortunately, these theories, as well as other
terms such as “political personalization” are explained later in the article,
but when I first read this sentence, I was unsure of what exactly they would be
looking at in their research.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Another component
of official style that this article uses is passive voice. In the abstract it
states, “Results from an online quota survey in Germany (<i>N</i> = 1,210) show
that <b>differences in perceived political authenticity</b> are not simply
determined by <b>citizens’</b> political attitudes but can also be explained by
their frequency of exposure to political information in different media types.”
When I began reading this sentence, I was confused as to who these differences
in perceived authenticity were referring to. Was it differences in how the
media reported things? Who were the ones perceiving the authenticity of the
politicians? Was it the media or the people? A way to reword this so that the
subject is clearer could be something like, “Results from an online quota
survey in Germany show that in addition to citizens’ political attitudes, how
frequently they are exposed to political information in the media can influence
how they perceive a politician’s authenticity.” The term “political
authenticity” used here is an example of passive voice in itself because it
turns an action (the action of perceiving something or someone as authentic)
into a concept.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This article also
contains sentences that use complex vocabulary and structure where it is not
needed, another component of official style. An example of this would be the
sentence, “This <i>ordinariness</i> dimension of authenticity comprises
impressions that contradict the notion of calculated politicians who do not act
based on true convictions but rather on strategic motives.” In this section of
the article, it discusses different factors that play a part in how people
judge a politician as authentic, ordinariness being one of them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A way to make this sentence more clear would
be something like, “Politicians that appear ordinary and down-to-Earth
contradict people’s usual impression of politicians who don’t believe in what
they’re saying, but say it to attract supporters.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">An
example of a sentence that uses several official style components at once
reads, “<b>Media priming is the outcome of <i>attribute agenda setting</i>,
that is, processes in which the salience of different personality traits of
politicians is transferred from the media to the public.”</b> First of all, this
is an example of a complex sentence because it combines several complete
thoughts together with multiple commas. we have jargon with the words “media
priming” and “attribute agenda processing.” This section of the article is
attempting to explain the concept of media priming, which is one of the
theories the authors are basing their research off. But in doing so, it brings
in another jargonistic term that is defined in an overly complex and verbose
way, “in which the <b>salience</b> of different personality traits of
politicians is transferred from the media to the public.” I was unfamiliar with
the word “salience,” so I looked it up and based on the context of this
sentence “salient,” according to Merriam Webster, means “standing out
conspicuously” or “of notable significance.” So, they are talking about the
personality traits of the politicians that stick out the most. This sentence
also contains passive voice. Both the subject and action are made unclear by
using the verb “is.” The personality trait “is being transferred from the media
to the public,” but wording it this way obscures who is the one doing the
transferring and puts more distance between the actor and the action they are
doing. One way this sentence could be fixed would be, “Media priming is the
outcome of the media pushing a certain narrative. Attribute agenda setting occurs
when the media emphasizes certain personality traits of a politician to the
public.” This revision splits up the sentence into two, making it less complex.
It also uses clearer vocabulary to define the concept of attribute agenda
setting, as well as rearranging the sentence to make the subject (the media)
and the action they are doing (emphasizing a personality trait) clearer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk101212205;"></span>
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One may argue that
language like this must be used when describing a study, because it establishes
credibility. And while I understand how the use of language is appropriate for
the intended audience, there is really no need to use complex and vague
language, when simpler and more clear sentence structure can be used to convey
the exact same meaning. I believe that official style certainly has its place,
but too much of it can be a bad thing. The study in question looks at something
that affects everyone, not just academics. People with a lower education level
vote too, and it is important that everyone can become an informed voter. By
reading the results of this study, people will be able to be more aware of how
politicians are using social media to appear authentic in order to gain their
support. This applies to other political studies that look into how voters are
influenced. If people know how they are being influenced, they can make more
critical and conscious decisions about who they support.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>ProseWorks Contributorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14086344490478079255noreply@blogger.com0