The fifth edition addresses a special challenge in a new chapter called "Excising the Excessive." It concentrates on both obvious and not-so-obvious ways to save space and time by reducing wordiness. Starting with a "Don't-Ever-Even-Think-About-Using-Again List," it progresses to more subtle examples that commonly clutter the writing of experienced mass communicators.
"Excising the Excessive" complements the six other chapters in Part 1, Improving Immediately: "25 Ways to Improve Writing Immediately," "Are These Distinctions Worth Making?" "Language Lapses," "It's Nobody's Guess," "The Trouble with 'Only,'" and "One Potato, Two Potatoes (Forming Plurals and Possessives from Words Ending in ch, sh, x, s, sis, ss, zz, and o)."
Popular with All Audiences. Together, these seven chapters provide opportunities for rapid and dramatic improvement in both writing and speaking skills, explaining why Part 1 is rated so highly among all audiences the resource/textbook reaches. The book concludes with Part 4, Quick Reference, equally popular among students, teachers, mass media professionals, and reviewers because it gives them more than 1,700 fast-check answers for words frequently confused, words frequently misspelled, irregular verbs, wordiness and trite expressions, and words that sometimes can be hyphenated or used as one or two words.
A Thorough Review. Parts 2 and 3 provide a thorough review of grammar and punctuation, the tools of a communicator's trade. These 22 chapters are filled with detailed explanations, examples and advice on parts of speech, punctuation, sentence functions and structures, and syntax.
Speed and convenience are enhanced by the comprehensive table of contents and the appendix, as well as by the book's spiral binding that frees both hands for keyboarding.
Free Student Workbook and an Instructor's Manual. A workbook for students and an instructor's manual are available free on the Web and can be used to supplement writing and editing courses or to provide a complete language skills course.
The workbook contains 30 class lessons and 63 exercises. The manual has 30 quizzes—one for each of the 30 class lessons—and answers and explanations for each of the 63 exercises. In addition, the 30 lessons are divided into three 100-point tests and are combined in a 300-point comprehensive final examination. Half of the three tests and all of the final examination can be graded by computer.
"Test Yourself" exercises also are available at the end of most chapters in the textbook.
Sensitivity in Language. Writing effectively requires not only strong grammar and punctuation skills but also sensitivity. Mass communicators who use language that discriminates against race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender, marital status or physical and mental ability rarely do so from a mean spirit. They are either careless with the language or unaware of what is or is not contemporarily acceptable. The "Sensitivity in Language" chapter provides illuminating examples, insights and explanations.
For Use as Needed. The book does not have to be read from beginning to end. Although that approach is recommended for those with fundamental needs in language skills problems, the organization permits "sampling" by writers and broadcasters who use the language well but are nagged by little uncertainties. By design, some sections provide more explanations and examples than many users will need. This arrangement gives everyone an opportunity to work through the book at his or her own pace without feeling either bogged down or inadequately informed.
Acknowledgments. The material has been put together over 35 years. Much comes from a collection of common errors college journalism and mass communications students have made in their writing and editing. Some comes from information gathered from reading, listening to or watching the work of professional mass communicators. Current and former students, colleagues, and professionals aware of the author's interest have made—and continue to make—valuable contributions and suggestions that have enriched the book. Their help is greatly appreciated, as are the suggestions made by those who reviewed the manuscript or one of the other editions.
Manuscript. Robert Bardeene, University of South Florida at St. Petersburg; Jack Dvorak, Indiana University; George Harmon, Northwestern University; Sherri Hildebrandt, University of Missouri; Bruce Plopper, University of Arkansas; and Jean Ward, University of Minnesota. Special thanks go to two long- time friends, Dr. Deryl Leaming and Dr. Vaughn Rhudy, for reading the final proofs.
First Edition. Martin D. Sommerness, Northern Arizona University; Dr. Betsy Alderman, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Dr. Lona Cobb, Bennett College; and four Marshall University colleagues, Dr. Ralph Turner, Dr. Charles Bailey and Professors Janet Dooley and Dwight Jensen.
Second Edition. Rachele Kanigel, San Francisco State University; Robert Bohle, University of North Florida; Keith Terry, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Henry Wefing, Westfield State College; Deborah Menger, University of Texas at San Antonio; and Daniel T. Davis, Michigan State University. Special thanks to Norma Jane Bumgarner of the University of Oklahoma for her extraordinarily thorough review and detailed list of helpful suggestions.
Third Edition. Kevin S. Knight, University of North Carolina-Wilmington; Beth Calhoun Leschper, West Texas A&M University; and Karon Speckman, Truman State University.
Fourth Edition. Jennifer Hope Carroll, York College of Pennsylvania; Peter Gade, University of Oklahoma; Corey A. Hickerson, James Madison University; and Shirley Mathews, University of North Carolina Wilmington.
To all who have made a contribution of any kind, including supportive family members and friends, please know that your help and your interest are not taken for granted.
The Challenge. As we either develop or refine our language skills, each of us— regardless of whether we are beginners or veteran mass communicators—can take comfort from the fact that no one knows everything about the language. And no one with a love for the language ever stops learning. The challenge is to learn enough to get to the point that we feel confident about our language skills. That's when real progress begins.
George T. Arnold, Ph.D.
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