Transcript Exercise 2

Exercise 2
No.1
 (Worse) Either the supply or consumers
determines the market outcome.
 (Better) Either the supply or consumers
determine the market outcome.
[Note 1.18]
 Whenever or or nor connects two subjects, the
subject closest to verb should determine
whether the verb is singular or plural.
 Since consumers is the closet to verb, the verb
should be plural.
No.2
 (Worse) The department chairman and
professor are my current employer.
 (Better 1) The department chairman and
professor is my current employer.
 (Better 2) The professor who acts as the
chairman is my current employer.
[Note 1.19]
 Although a plural verb is usually used when
two or more subjects are connected by and, a
singular verb should be used when the two or
more subjects refer to the same person or thing.
No.3
 (Worse) Telecommunications have been widely
studied in recent years.
 (Better) Telecommunications has been widely
studied in recent years.
[Note 1.20]
 Because a noun is plural in form (ending in s or
es) does not mean that it is plural in meaning.
 Like telecommunications, other examples such
as mathematics, physics and economics take
singular verbs because they refer to a singular
body of knowledge.
No.4
 (Worse) The optimization phrase determines a feasible
factor level combination to optimize the process quality.
This may be difficult for users without previous
statistical training.
 (Better) The optimization phrase determines a feasible
factor level combination to optimize the process quality.
This approach may be difficult for users without
previous statistical training.
[Note 1.21]
 Beginning a sentence with This or That may confuse
the reader as to what the writer is referring to.
 In this sentence, the reader could confuse This to refer
to only optimization phrase, feasible factor level
combination or process quality.
 Instead, adding approach behind This lets the reader
know what the author is referring to in the previous
sentence.
No.5
 (Worse) After the board meeting was finished,
they left the room.
 (Better 1) After the board meeting was finished,
the participants left the room.
 (Better 2) The participants left the room after
the board meeting was finished.
[Note 1.22]
 A writer occasionally use a pronoun to imply what it
refers to, thereby assuming that the reader will know
what referent for pronoun is.
 However, some readers do not understand what the
writer is implying when a pronoun is used.
 Since the board meeting is made up of participant, the
writer used the pronoun they, assuming that the reader
would understand. However, this implied meaning
often creates confusion.
No.6
 (Worse) It is preferred in standard methods to
select a tentative model based on censored data.
 (Better) Standard methods prefer selecting a
tentative model based on censored data.
[Note 1.23]
 Spoken English often uses they, it , and you
without a particular referent in mind.
 For example “In Taiwan, they use chopsticks.”
However, in writing, they, it, and you should
not be used unless they have an antecedent.
No.7
 (Worse) This study focuses on examination of
Taguchi’s two step procedure and
demonstrating how the wafer quality is
improved in the deposition process.
 (Better) This study examines Taguchi’s two
step procedure and demonstrates how the
deposition process improves the wafer quality.
[Note 1.24]
 A sentence is not parallel when a noun
(examination) and a gerund (demonstrating) are
used together.
No.8
 (Worse) The two step procedure attempts to identify
those factors that signficantly affect the signal-to-noise
(SN) ratio and finding the adjustment factors that
markedly influence the mean.
 (Better) The two step procedure attempts to identify
those factors that significantly affect the signal-to-noise
(SN) ratio and find the adjustment factors that
markedly influence the mean.
[Note 1.25]
 A sentence is not parallel when using an
infinitive (to identify) and a gerund (finding) are
used together.
No.9
 (Worse) The adjustment factors are found by
selection of the appropriate levels and to vary
the surrounding factors.
 (Better) The adjustment factors are found by
selecting the appropriate levels and varying the
surrounding factors.
[Note 1.26]
 A sentence is not parallel when a noun
(selection) and an infinitive (to vary) are used
together.
No.10
 (Worse) Being a volatile compound, the
chemist handled the mixture with extreme
caution.
 (Better) Because the mixture was a volatile
compound, the chemist handled it with extreme
caution.
[Note 1.27]
 In this sentence, the mixture rather than the
chemist was a volatile compound.
 The revised sentence eliminates the dangling
modifier.
No.11
 (Worse) The new computer has many improved
functions that reached the market last week.
 (Better) The new computer that reached the
market last week has many improved functions.
[Note 1.28]
 A common mistake of technical writers is the
use of a misplaced modifier when the clause or
phrase does not clearly modify what it should.
 In the revised sentence, the modifying clause
that reached the market last week is placed next
to what it should modify, The new computer,
this eliminating confusion.
No.12
 (Worse) The model offered by the manufacturer
with the latest functions has many advantages
over older models.
 (Better) The model with the latest functions
offered by the manufacturer has many
advantages over older models.
[Note 1.29]
 Placing the modifying phrase with the latest
functions in the wrong place erroneously states
that the manufacturer not the modem has the
latest functions.
No.13
 (Worse) The input’s power is greater than the
output.
 (Better) The input’s power is greater than that
of the output.
[Note 1.30]
 The comparison in this sentence is illogical.
 Instead of comparing power to the input, either
power is compared to power or input is
compared to input.
 The revised sentence makes the sentence
logical.
No.14
 (Worse) The back propagation network can be
used estimate the mapping function between
the two variables.
 (Better) The back propagation network can be
used to estimate the mapping function between
the two variables.
[Note 1.31]
 Make sure that necessary words are not missing.
Otherwise, the meaning will be unclear.
No.15
 (Worse) The novel algorithm is more efficient
in terms of computational cost.
 (Better) The novel algorithm is more efficient
than conventional ones in terms of
computational cost.
No.16
 (Worse) Turn on the machine and the valve
should be closed.
 (Better) Turn on the machine and close the
valve.
[Note 1.32]
 The writer should avoid shifting moods,
particularly from imperative (i.e. stating a
command) to indicative (i.e. stating a fact or
question).
No.17
 (Worse) The academic advisor asked the
graduate student if the paper was completed
and is it ready to send to journal for review?
 (Better) The academic advisor asked the
graduate student if the paper was completed
and ready to send to journal for review.
[Note 1.33]
 The writer should avoid shifting from indirect
course (i.e. reporting what the speaker said) to
direct course (i.e. stating the actual words of the
speaker), or vice versa.
No.18
 (Worse) The laboratory manager arranged the
meeting and the discussion was led by him.
 (Better) The laboratory manager arranged the
meeting and led the discussion.
[Note 1.34]
 Shifting the subject from laboratory manager to
discussion makes this sentence less emphatic
and confuses the reader from identifying the
important subject.