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Business & Technical Writing/Questions Answered by Expert Dan Smith
| Subject | Date Asked |
| hyperlinks in texts | 1/17/2012 |
| Q: is it appropriate to divide hyperlink reference/citation (just as information listing) for example ... A: Normally, hyperlinks should not break across a line if you want them to be real hyperlinks. But ... | |
| Citing web sites in-text | 9/2/2011 |
| Q: Smith: I would like to know how to do parenthetical citations of web sites. I do alot of writing ... A: Citation styles vary with different style manuals, although in the US most such manuals ultimately ... | |
| Business / Formal Letters and Content Writing | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: We are planning for IT Outsourcing Company, we will be providing services and support on different ... A: You need to hire someone who can write. I might be able to help with this, but as it is a big ... | |
| Case Study :: How to Proofread like a Pro : Tips for creating the Perfect Document | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: You’ve carefully revised and polished your document, and it’s been sent off to the word-processing ... A: I assume you want me to correct this sentence. Application of these methods in stores in San Diego ... | |
| capitalisation | 2/3/2011 |
| Q: I am involved with writing about Zhineng Qigong theory. (Qigong is similar to Tai Ch'i.) I would ... A: Once the concept for the terms is introduced and defined in the essay, it is neither necessary nor ... | |
| capitalisation | 2/3/2011 |
| Q: I am involved with writing about Zhineng Qigong theory. (Qigong is similar to Tai Ch'i.) I would ... A: Just because a term is backed by a theory does not make it a proper noun. I would not capitalize ... | |
| long-term care? | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: Hyphens drive me crazy! Is there a hyphen in long-term care or is it long term care? I think I've ... A: Compound adjectives are an ambiguous area in English. I hyphenate "long-term care". But note that if ... | |
| Suggestions for report heading? | 11/30/2010 |
| Q: I am in the process of writing a professional report which forms part of my undergraduate university ... A: First, a couple of notes about your writing here. It should be "an HP ProLiant BL20p G4 Server," ... | |
| Have you ever "broke / broken" a promise? | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: I'm not sure if I should use the word "broke" or "broken" in the following sentences? 1. Has someone ... A: Broken is correct in each case. You can get the full conjugation of all English verbs from several ... | |
| report writing skills | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: i am a student of geology in 3rd semister.so i have a problem in biased language.i didn't have any ... A: Biased language is any language that shows bias for or against some group or identity simply because ... | |
| Don't act "strange/strangely" | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: Grammar question; don't act strange/strangely? Hello, I'm not sure if I should use the words "normal ... A: Mostly, these words are interchangeable and carry the same meaning in these sentences. But I think ... | |
| meaning of "you get an A for effort" | 1/31/2010 |
| Q: What is the meaning of the expression "you get an A for effort" in general and what does it mean in ... A: The "A" refers to grading in school, where "A" is the highest grade possible. Getting an A for ... | |
| meaning of "authentic" | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: What is the meaning of authentic in the following sentence? 1. This restaurant serves authentic ... A: It means the food is identical to food that might be served in Italy. The dishes are traditional ... | |
| making price inquiry | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I am interested in learning how to ask about price/cost/total damage of a commodity or service in ... A: I would simply ask "How much is this?" I can't think why anyone would find this offensive. It does ... | |
| the + family name + s | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: In English "s" following a family name preceded by "the" refers to the entire family, e.g., the ... A: Apostrophes are properly used to make possessives. But this is something that has become much ... | |
| WRITING | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: I read a book that has a reference: 2. Connor WE. The importance of n-3 fatty acids in health and ... A: The article by Connor was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The rest of the ... | |
| Appendix v. Attachment | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: In writing a "plan" for a governmental organization is it better to label supplemental documents as ... A: I would probably call them appendices, but I doubt if it really makes much difference as long as you ... | |
| Appendices - can they reference report? | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: I am writting an engineering report and I need to add past reports as Appendices. However, many of ... A: I'm not sure I entirely understand your question, but if your reference takes the reader to one ... | |
| Recipe Book | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: I have written a recipe book in WORD. I want to add some drawings that my son is doing. He ... A: Word handles images quite well. You simply need to scan your son's sketches into a format that can ... | |
| capitalization | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: I am editing a church history course, and I have just about exhausted every manual, style book, etc. ... A: If Chicago doesn't have anything specific on the topic, I doubt if anyone will. I do not think these ... | |
| Business and Technical Writing-is there a difference | 11/20/2007 |
| Q: A: Generally, technical writing has to do with the specific requirements of technical documentation and ... | |
| Capitalization | 10/12/2007 |
| Q: I apologize in advance for the lengthiness of this question. I can't find the answer concerning ... A: I doubt if you'll find a manual that addresses this particular issue. You might try the Microsoft ... | |
| sequence of academic degrees with British honors | 8/21/2007 |
| Q: An author holds an MD degree, is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and is a Dame ... A: I would give precedence to the academic degree and the professional affiliation before the social ... | |
| Letter Format | 8/6/2007 |
| Q: Mr. Smith, I am embarrassed, but am in need of some professional help. I am a department manager for ... A: Any standard business letter format will be appropriate, and you can find these in the templates ... | |
| Parentheses to combine singular and plural forms | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: I frequently see singular and plural forms combined into one word using parentheses, usually with ... A: I agree with you but don't have a source either. I generally object to the use of a slash instead of ... | |
| Use of the term "applicable" | 7/3/2007 |
| Q: Greetings. I am a technical writer at a test lab which evaluates the compliance of equipment to ... A: Your customer is correct, and it's not even a close call. The standard is being applied to the ... | |
| hyphenated word | 6/22/2007 |
| Q: I am writing a graduate level paper in social work and need a clarification on the word long term. ... A: Compound adjectives are ambiguous, and they evolve some, so confusion on the subject is natural. In ... | |
| need assistance for writing a business mail | 6/3/2007 |
| Q: i am planning to start up my own recruitment firm, how should i start up, help me how, should i ... A: Well, if the care you put into addressing your question to me is any indication, you need quite a ... | |
| writing instruments | 5/12/2007 |
| Q: In filling out a checking account transaction ledger, I require a very fine lined pen that will ... A: The selection of writing instruments at Office Depot or OfficeMaxx is extensive. I'm sure you'll be ... | |
| plagiarism | 3/4/2007 |
| Q: Do you know if I copy a portion of my mother's will and use it in my will, would that be plagiarism, ... A: That is not a problem. Plagiarism only arises as an issue when you take credit for the work of ... | |
| American English | 2/4/2007 |
| Q: Smith, I am now working on a project where the text is changed to American English from British. I ... A: The differences are not terribly great. There are some differences in spellings ... | |
| Salutation | 12/5/2006 |
| Q: I have just been told that "the correct way" to write a business letter to someone you know, but are ... A: I have no idea, and do not think it is correct. If you are on a first-name basis with the person and ... | |
| Correct use of "square metres" | 11/24/2006 |
| Q: Information I handle often reduces output of various factory's glass to "square meters" to produce a ... A: As long as it is accurate, I think the purpose will be met. In general, a stronger construction is ... | |
| letter writing | 11/20/2006 |
| Q: If I am business owner, how can I write a letter to the local visa office to prove that one of my ... A: I don't have a form letter for that purpose. Just address the letter to the office and explain that ... | |
| Tech Writing | 11/16/2006 |
| Q: Dan: I've been doing technical writing since the 1970s. In its heyday, TW was the "in" thing but ... A: I have confronted the same problem, but I have pretty much turned a different direction and away ... | |
| Car Parking Fine Letter | 11/11/2006 |
| Q: Could you help me by giving me some advice on how to reply to a Car parking Fine I got when I parked ... A: The basic setup that you sent was OK. You just need to elaborate a bit more. Tell more specifically ... | |
| Business Capitalization Rules | 11/1/2006 |
| Q: I apologize for assuming. Thank you for your reply. BrandyDear Mr. Smith, I am reviewing a SOW ... A: You're welcome. Again, almost anything written is almost always better without the acronyms. Even if ... | |
| Business Capitalization Rules | 11/1/2006 |
| Q: Smith, I am reviewing a SOW from a vendor with serious capitalization inconsistencies when ... A: A SOW? You're reviewing a female pig whose owner is broke? This is the second question this morning ... | |
| agm report | 11/1/2006 |
| Q: I've been asked to produce a booklet for our next agm. This will be used for funding purposes as ... A: What is an agm? Don't ever assume that everyone knows all the acronyms you know. Acronyms are ... | |
| i need to write a personal letter. | 10/31/2006 |
| Q: How are you ? I'm working as a dermatology resident, and i want to apply for a higher study program ... A: I have worked with many people on admissions to graduate school and in a variety of disciplines ... | |
| quorums | 9/1/2006 |
| Q: Please could you tell me if a quorum as part of a committee can be related to each other? i.e mother ... A: That would depend entirely on the bylaws of the particular organization. For example, the board of ... | |
| capitalization | 8/15/2006 |
| Q: I understand the 'capitalize proper noun' rule, but am getting confused about how extensive the ... A: I would not normally think of those as proper nouns. Sometimes it is appropriate to use capitals in ... | |
| want to develop | 7/18/2006 |
| Q: Followup To Question - My spoken english is good. But my written english is not as good and some ... A: As I said, write in a conversational manner. No one would say the things you have said. Your object ... | |
| want to develop | 7/18/2006 |
| Q: My spoken english is good. But my written english is not as good and some times bad. I dont have the ... A: It is a very common mistake even for native speakers (especially those who have majored in business) ... | |
| want to develop | 7/16/2006 |
| Q: My spoken english is good. But my written english is not as good and some times bad. I dont have the ... A: If you do not like to read, there is probably not a lot of hope because that should be a big part of ... | |
| starting a sentence with | 6/29/2006 |
| Q: I found this answer at English Plus. --> ---------------------------------------------- There is ... A: You would not normally make two such closely related phrases into two sentences. He liked the ... | |
| Definition | 6/16/2006 |
| Q: I am writing a paper and part of it is to be about"trade bodys" of England. I can't even find a ... A: A trade body is an organization that is devoted to promoting trade. The World Trade Organization is ... | |
| archaic definitions | 6/15/2006 |
| Q: my questions is in regards to the use of archaic definitions. is it proper to use a word in a ... A: Probably not, though I'd like to see the specific example you have in mind. But presumably when you ... | |
| Business writing | 5/26/2006 |
| Q: When reading a U.S. homebuilder's annual report, I, a Japanese, have bumped into: Each division is ... A: 1. Either "feasibility studies" or "a feasibility study" would be acceptable. Which it should be in ... | |
| Microsoft Word's grammer checker | 5/24/2006 |
| Q: I'm an 'expert' in the physics category. I often compose my answers in a text editor and then paste ... A: Word is wrong in the first and third. In the second example, I think you could get away with either, ... | |
| Comma after Inc. | 5/23/2006 |
| Q: I cannot find any written confirmation that a comma should always follow Inc., and I am beginning to ... A: You are correct. But many people get it wrong. The comma should also come before and after such ... | |
| English usage | 4/25/2006 |
| Q: I, a businessperson working for a Japanese company in Tokyo, use English quite often and sometimes I ... A: In all these examples, both alternatives are correct and except for example 3 have identical ... | |
| Career Questions | 3/11/2006 |
| Q: I was wondering if you knew of any "hot spots" (cities) that have a good demand for technical ... A: I don't have much more insight than you have. This is something that is frequently ocntracted for on ... | |
| Correct punctuation | 2/25/2006 |
| Q: Always problems with the comma! My dog is fast and that is why I like him. Should a comma be ... A: The sentence is a compound sentence just like this one, and the independent clauses should be ... | |
| Wrting in English | 2/12/2006 |
| Q: I have a Japanese student of English. I have bumped into a sentence in a text book: Until now no ... A: I think you are correct. But if the speaker is really talking about the present ("now"), I don't ... | |
| What is a quorum | 1/27/2006 |
| Q: I need to know what a quorum is and why they are required at a meeting. Thanks A: A quorum is the minimum number of officers of the organization required to do business. The actual ... | |
| Example of formal meetings | 1/27/2006 |
| Q: Can you please help me out I need to know what the difference between a formal meeting, semi formal ... A: Sorry this took so long. The site seems to have been having difficulty. Chairperson: Directs the ... | |
| apostrophe question | 1/26/2006 |
| Q: Something bugs me about seeing pleurals and apostrophes (CD's, 40's etc) Is the apostrophe correct ... A: It bugs me too, and I don't use them that way. I correct it in everything I edit. But we may be ... | |
| phrase "in the case of" | 1/19/2006 |
| Q: Mr. Smith, I?fm studying technical writing. I have a question about the phrase ?gin the case ... A: Would you please send me this question directly in an e-mail? Some of the characters in your ... | |
| Conference | 1/16/2006 |
| Q: We are having a conference and am looking to write a short information page about the following:Our ... A: Try looking up Web sites on conferences that are upcoming. That is the kind of information usually ... | |
| Editorial question | 12/19/2005 |
| Q: What is the difference in an academic journal between an Erratum and a Corrigendum? A: I will confess to never having come across the latter before. So I looked them both up. They pretty ... | |
| Career advice | 11/27/2005 |
| Q: I am a corporate recruiter seeking to develop a home business but anxious about leaving my steady ... A: I have found it difficult to sustain that kind of income working alone. There's a lot of competition ... | |
| A.P.A | 11/14/2005 |
| Q: how do i format a summary/ critique of a couple of interviews into an apa format? A: You will need to get access to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. I ... | |
| vehicle | 11/2/2005 |
| Q: Could you explain the differences between the words below, with some examples e.g. a bulldozer, ... A: First of all, the words "heavy" and "light" are relative, so different speakers might put different ... | |
| meaning of the working vehicle | 10/28/2005 |
| Q: Mr. Smith. Thank you for your informative reply to my question. In the previous question, the ... A: I think I would call such a set of vehicles "self-propelled industrial vehicles." Normally a crane ... | |
| wording on a title of a patent abstract | 10/27/2005 |
| Q: Smith, I'd like to know about a wording used in a title of a patent abstract. A: WORKING VEHICLE ... A: I would phrase this as follows: <<Vehicle speed-change control device and speed-change control ... | |
| scholarship essays? | 10/24/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering if you answered questions on how to proofread and correct scholarship essays? ... A: Depending on how long they are and how many there are, there might be a fee. I normally limit my ... | |
| Combined Technical Words | 10/9/2005 |
| Q: We write aviation technical manuals and there are a LOT of instances when we are confused about ... A: I wouldn't worry too much about this one. The important part here is that you establish a rule that ... | |
| The word "inspire ... to" | 10/3/2005 |
| Q: I have to pick your brain on the grammatical aspect of the following sentence: He inspired millions ... A: This is actually not a very good sentence, and that is why you're struggling with it. But in this ... | |
| Technical Writing | 9/29/2005 |
| Q: What is the symbol that signafies the end of an article (in a magazine) called? A: Different magazines use different symbols, and some use nothing more than a period, simply going to ... | |
| ain't | 9/28/2005 |
| Q: In every dictionary I have been able to find, the word "ain't" is listed as "non-standard". It is ... A: "Ain't" is commonly used in both British and American English, but it is most evident in less formal ... | |
| Using too. | 9/27/2005 |
| Q: Haha, you may have noticed that I've asked you a somewhat numerous amount of questions; well, thanks ... A: I would not normally set it off with a comma. I don't know that I've noticed it done very often, and ... | |
| how to write a letter of resignation | 9/26/2005 |
| Q: how to write a letter of resignation A: Generally, it is a good idea to express some regret at terminating the employment relationship and ... | |
| Revision | 9/18/2005 |
| Q: My name is Jonathan and I was wondering if you could possibly take a look at my essay for my writing ... A: I don't think I could edit this without a look at the article itself. Could you forward your essay, ... | |
| How should this legislation be read? | 9/5/2005 |
| Q: I live in New Zealand. New Zealand has a "no fault" system of insurance for injured workers. Workers ... A: I am not the person to ask about this issue. Such legal questions involve not only grammatical ... | |
| grammar | 7/15/2005 |
| Q: A colleague and I are having a grammatical dispute, and we were wondering if you could help us solve ... A: Grammatically, adverbs are allowed to either precede or follow the terms they modify, so your ... | |
| what have you answer me before? can you plz double check.... | 6/8/2005 |
| Q: I have never receive any of your answer, and check with your file again, make your mind clear ... A: Well, I don't know what happened to my answer then. My response, however, was that an edit of this ... | |
| Appendix/Attachment | 5/25/2005 |
| Q: What is the difference between an appendix and an attachment? What would be the proper usage? A: They're about the same thing, I suppose. One definition of attachment is a supplementary document ... | |
| Technical writer | 5/19/2005 |
| Q: this is the second DVD I have written a script for, the question is once its complete I am going to ... A: I'll be happy to take a look at the content. Why don't you send me a sample directly to: ... | |
| monetary amount | 5/17/2005 |
| Q: A doctor asked me to type his book as he records it. The book will be between 300-500 pages, what ... A: Transcription services in Austin charge $1.00 for a 25-line page. That's roughly one double spaced ... | |
| Tech Writer trailblazer | 4/11/2005 |
| Q: I am collecting advice and reference information on how others have handled or might handle ... A: I would start by establishing internal procedures for creating documentation for both internal ... | |
| I want to get data about " it is always easy to quit" | 4/9/2005 |
| Q: Sir, i am student. i want to write about "IT is always easy to quit". i want to get data about ... A: To quit what? If you need information about addictions in general, look up that topic using any of ... | |
| I am sorry | 4/3/2005 |
| Q: Sir i am really sorry to use short forms which hurt you. I just asked that what we should write 1 ... A: I live in Texas, but please do not misunderstand me. I am not interested in joining a MLM, but if ... | |
| help me out | 4/3/2005 |
| Q: h r u?i am 24 years old :-) me & a friend of mine have joined a company for which we have to ... A: I would need to know a great deal more about the company to offer any suggestions. Yes, I know how ... | |
| hello | 3/18/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering if you can help me with my analytical report on course management softwares for ... A: I may be able to help with this, but its scope is probably beyond what I can do pro bono in this ... | |
| writing | 3/14/2005 |
| Q: -would you be able to give me a head start?hi expert I'm doing an english analytical report which ... A: I have given you a head start. But to go a bit further, I would either take an example of an ... | |
| Word meaning | 3/5/2005 |
| Q: Followup To Question - Dear Mr Smith, Please give me your interpretation of the intent of that ... A: Well, then, there would be no other way to amend the document. It very clearly says that unless it ... | |
| Word meaning | 3/5/2005 |
| Q: Please give me your interpretation of the intent of that portion of the statement in brackets in the ... A: The phrase "except as otherwise provided" has the same operational effect as would "only" after the ... | |
| Word meaning | 3/5/2005 |
| Q: Please give me your interpretation of the intent of that portion of the statement in brackets in the ... A: I'm assuming the brackets are yours to guide me to the correct phrase? It means that unless ... | |
| Grammar: Coordinating conjunction question | 2/27/2005 |
| Q: The second sentence in the following example is a pattern I find myself writing (and agonizing over) ... A: I don't think it gives too much emphasis to the and. I think you're making way too big a deal of ... | |
| What do I need to get started in tech writing? | 2/26/2005 |
| Q: I recently graduated from school with BA in English and have been trying to figure out how to start ... A: Most community colleges offer courses specifically in technical writing. You might take a couple of ... | |
| Looking for help on Editing | 2/4/2005 |
| Q: Dan, Could you possibly edit my personal statment? Looking for your reply. Thanks, Vivi A: You did not include it. I often edit these, but I usually limit the work that I do free to one ... | |
| English usage and grammar help | 2/2/2005 |
| Q: Mr. Smith, I will be taking the Foreign Service Exam in April. I am looking for a concise and fairly ... A: The classic for nearly a century now is Strunk & Whilte, The Elements of Style. It is short, ... | |
| business letter | 1/26/2005 |
| Q: My husband and I are trying to sell our house. I need to know how to write a letter stating the ... A: I thought I had answered this question. I apologize if there has been a delay. Any business writing ... | |
| Brochures for Practice | 1/24/2005 |
| Q: I am a licensed acupuncturist having also completed my iridology certification. I should also finish ... A: The economics of the project depend on how large a print run you will do at one time. With today's ... | |
| Application for Admission in School | 1/20/2005 |
| Q: I want to apply for admission in different schools for my child. Can you please draft an ... A: I regularly work with students on their applications to college and graduate school, and ... | |
| the purpose of page numbers in the dictionary | 1/8/2005 |
| Q: what is the purpose of having page numbers in the english dictionary A: The same as having page numbers in any other document, I suppose. Granting that the alphabetical ... | |
| might vs. could | 1/7/2005 |
| Q: I work with an Hispanic man helping him learn English,and he helping me in Spanish. Today he asked ... A: In these two stand-alone sentences, they are pretty much interchangeable. If some context is added, ... | |
| Three English expressions | 1/1/2005 |
| Q: First of all, thank you for making yourself available to answer questions related to the English ... A: You're welcome. All three are correct grammatically, but the parenthetical material is less clear, I ... | |
| Notify Letter | 12/10/2004 |
| Q: I am now writing a English letter and did not know whether the grammer or presentation is correct or ... A: Use this instead. Effective 15 December 2004, your salary will be increased to $10,000. Your salary ... | |
| Style Issue | 12/10/2004 |
| Q: How do you recommend handling the titles of events or programs? I work for a philanthropic agency, ... A: I took a quick look at Chicago and couldn't find anything specific to that problem either. That's ... | |
| science project report | 12/5/2004 |
| Q: How do you write a Hypothesis with out using first person. A: Do not use a first-person pronoun in the hypothesis. Generally speaking, personal pronouns of any ... | |
| Can you assist me with sentence construction and punctuation in this essay? | 11/21/2004 |
| Q: Emphasis is usually given to the Atlantic Charter of August 1941, in which Franklin D. Roosevelt ... A: I appreciate your comments in the feedback section, but don't you think it's taking advantage a wee ... | |
| Please edit this page. Thank you | 11/21/2004 |
| Q: become departments. The maintenance, security, and upkeep of the colonies outweighed the financial ... A: I don't suppose you have a friend named Peter, do you? I have explained to him my policy regarding ... | |
| Thanks very much for your previous help.Can you assist me with sentence construction and punctuation of this second essay please? | 11/20/2004 |
| Q: World War II drained the resources of many European countries, most notably Britain, thus ... A: World War II drained the resources of many European countries, most notably Britain, thus ... | |
| Improving English Sentences | 11/19/2004 |
| Q: I've been asked to translate a business brochure and I need to pick your brains about improving the ... A: You say you are not doing this for commercial reasons, but this is clearly a promotional piece. The ... | |
| Can you assist me with sentence construction and punctuation in this essay? | 11/17/2004 |
| Q: Peasants are people who must earn most or all of their money from the land around them. The ... A: OK. Here you go. My comments and questions are in parentheses. Peasants are people who must earn ... | |
| Can you assist me with sentence construction and punctuation in this essay? | 11/16/2004 |
| Q: Peasants are people who must earn most or all of their money from the land around them. The ... A: This is a much longer project than I can do strictly as a volunteer. I usually limit pro bono ... | |
| Capitalization | 11/15/2004 |
| Q: I thought I understood the rules, but it does get complicated at times. I read were someone used ... A: It is a confusing area. But the general rule, taken from the Chicago Manual of Style, is that ... | |
| Developmental English | 10/25/2004 |
| Q: What is Developmental English is it kind of like English Composition? A: The phrase is a new one to me, but it has been a long time since I actually did any teaching. I did ... | |
| Taking minutes of a Meeting | 10/8/2004 |
| Q: I was asked to take minutes at a meeting at the church I attend; I have no clue what the formula is ... A: Check out this site. http://www.meetingwizard.org/meetings/meeting-minutes-format.cfm Beyond the ... | |
| some help | 9/16/2004 |
| Q: I'm only in high school and I just want to understand the article more that's why i'm asking you. ... A: Again briefly, Ford did what a lot of companies in the 1990s did and let costs get out of control, ... | |
| eyes, ears and belly button in speeches | 9/13/2004 |
| Q: What does eyes, ears and belly button have to do with good speeches? A: The question should read, "What DO eyes, ears and belly button have to do with good speeches?" ... | |
| English grammar | 9/6/2004 |
| Q: 1) I have been told that the salutation and complimentary close are no longer required and are only ... A: 1. I have not heard of this. At any rate, it is bad manners not to do a salutation and proper close. ... | |
| Paper presentation. | 8/16/2004 |
| Q: Iam a student from India doing my engineering. Iam planning to present a paper on Artificial ... A: What you will have to do depends on where the paper is to be presented. If you are presenting a ... | |
| cause/effect essay | 7/29/2004 |
| Q: hey, you are really helpful. Please can you edit my cause/effect essay. Thank You The ... A: This is generally well written, but I do have a few suggestions. You will be better off in prose of ... | |
| essay | 7/27/2004 |
| Q: can you help me edit my cause and effect essay please. Thank You. Some people choose to go ... A: My first comment is that this is probably not what your teacher meant by a cause-and-effect essay. ... | |
| How to make business contacts? | 7/22/2004 |
| Q: me and my partner has window tint company in florida. Write now I'm tryng to make more business ... A: If you have been buying books on business letters, they'll tell you how to format the letters. ... | |
| Please Edit My Cause & Effect | 7/15/2004 |
| Q: I need you your help. Can you edit my cause and effect essay. Thank You A College student ... A: Try this. I put some comments into parentheses where you had made particularly egregious errors. ... | |
| Punctuation | 7/9/2004 |
| Q: Mr. Smith, Please look at the following sentences and tell me if they are grammatically correct: 1. ... A: 1. the subject of the sentence is "means," not "communication." "Means" is plural, and that is the ... | |
| Plz edit me essay | 6/24/2004 |
| Q: can you edit my persusaive essay.. Thank You. MY GRANDFATHER'S GIFT Throughout life family ... A: I am sorry. This essay is not far enough along to be edited by someone else. There are too many ... | |
| Legal Authorization Letter | 6/23/2004 |
| Q: I'm the CEO of a small company. I would like to write a professional legal authorization letter for ... A: 23 June 2004 Sam Sam's Company Sam's Company's City, State 77777 Dear Sam: What I have done here ... | |
| Online Writing How to get Started? | 6/19/2004 |
| Q: Greetings from Scotland. After a considerable number of years in the oil & gas industry (as a ... A: Well, you certainly write clearly. I don't have a good feel for whether there might be a niche for ... | |
| punctuation | 6/12/2004 |
| Q: Dan, I have a question about puctuation. It is for my college english paper. Here is the sentence, ... A: So you have some idea, $50.00 would be an absolute ceiling on what I would charge for the paper you ... | |
| Business Communication | 5/24/2004 |
| Q: i m a student doing online degree and this is my assignment's question and i dont find the material ... A: You're just being asked to format a business letter is all. The formatting options in this venue are ... | |
| Question on Citing as essay. | 5/12/2004 |
| Q: Sir, I completed an essay recently, but I later found out my teacher requires a works cited area. I ... A: Your teacher is not just telling you she wants a works-cited page. Teacher wants evidence that you ... | |
| Business & Technical writing | 4/20/2004 |
| Q: i. Discuss in detail all the important features which are basically required for good documents. ... A: You have asked four questions that are obviously part of a take-home examination of some sort. I can ... | |
| English Statement | 4/13/2004 |
| Q: Smith I have seen the following question on the news paper about English statement but I could not ... A: The newspaper you read made an error. The usual response of a native speaker who had graduated from ... | |
| Letter | 2/7/2004 |
| Q: please send me letter business in the filed of find a inveser for Mycophagy produce. ... A: I'll need a good bit more information on this one. If you'd like to give me some more data, write ... | |
| The word "data" | 11/25/2003 |
| Q: My question is if the the word "data" should be treated as a plural at all times? I'm uncertain ... A: You can't win on this one. Here is what the Dictionary of Modern American Usage (Garner, 2000)has to ... | |
Business & Technical Writing
Answers by Expert:
Dan Smith
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I have been a professional writer and editor for more than 30 years, taught speech and English composition at the university level, and have developed speech and English composition courses and seminars for businesses. I am experienced in editing a wide variety of materials, especially business, scientific, and other academic papers. I am familiar with all the major style guides.
Experience
I have edited any number of graduate papers and other technical materials in such advanced fields as clinical psychology, civil and electrical engineering, and semiconductor fabrication. I have extensive experience in working with non-native English speakers.
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