Office Talk from The Office Pro

Proofreading Tips: Checking It Twice

2011-12-20T14:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

This month, I received a newsletter that had an author's book entitled Get Client's Now! (The book's title is Get Clients Now! by C. J. Hayden. No apostrophe.) Check the source--that's an important proofreading tip. People don't like their names misspelled, and I'll bet authors don't like their book titles misspelled either.

Checking the source is worth the effort; and that's true for company names, addresses, phone numbers, dollar amounts, and numbers in a list. Even Santa checks his list twice!

I Hear Voices

2011-11-23T10:04:00.000-08:00

March 8 has been approved as an official holiday for National Proofreading Day by Chase’s Calendar of Events. This holiday was founded by Judy Beaver. The National Proofreading Day Web site has been updated with a monthly proofreading survey. (Please click here to take November’s survey!) What do the first three sentences have in common besides shameless promotion? They’re written in passive voice.

Do you know the difference between active and passive voice? According to William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well, “The difference between an active-verb style and a passive-verb style—in clarity and vigor—is the difference between life and death for a writer.” He’s right; the first three sentences are boring! And, active voice is easier to understand than passive voice because the reader knows who’s doing what. Active-voice sentences are written in subject-verb order.

Use active voice to keep your writing strong and concise for business. However, if you write in passive voice, revise the passive-voice sentence by changing to subject-verb order. Ask: who did what to help identify the subject. Sometimes you know the subject; it follows the word by. Otherwise, you may have to add a subject. So, what’s the subject in the first sentence of this newsletter? (Who did what?) Chase’s Calendar of Events. Here’s the sentence written in active voice: Chase’s Calendar of Events approved March 8 as the official holiday for National Proofreading Day. Still boring? Perhaps, although it’s active voice!

Microsoft Word can identify your passive-voice verbs so you can improve your writing. Then, you can decide if you want to change the sentence to active voice. To be sure Word places the green zigzag line under passive-voice sentences, follow these steps:

Click the Office button.
Click the Word Options button.
Click the Proofing link (left side).
Click the Settings button.
Scroll down to Style category (under the Grammar and style options list); select Passive sentences to place a check in its check box.
Click OK two times.

Even though active voice is the preferred writing style, you can use passive voice for certain situations. Use it to place emphasis on someone other than the subject (Laura was honored vs. We honored Laura) or to avoid placing blame on someone (The program couldn’t be installed vs. Joe couldn’t install the program). See the difference?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Text Speak

2011-10-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

It’s scary out there! No, not the zombies and witches, I’m talking about texting. Last week a Wisconsin teen won $50,000 for the 2011 LG U.S. National Texting Championship. The contestants competed in several challenges, ending with the “Text Attack” challenge. The finalists had to type as quickly and accurately as possible. Accurately? By whose standards?

I think vanity license plates are easier to figure out than text messages. Earlier this month I wrote about corporate speak and its readability problems, although is text speak any easier to understand?

awgthtgtta degt b/c i’m awltp
What the heck does that mean? Translation: Are we going to have to go through this again? Don’t even go there because I’m avoiding work like the plague.

Spell check obviously has problems with the spelling of that text message; however, the Flesch Reading Ease Scale gives it a score of 100, which means it’s easy to read. Really? Dr. Flesch didn’t figure text speak into the formula.

Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business, writes that while there are many positive aspects of social media, Generations Y and Z have difficulty with writing and face-to-face interactions. Even though these groups are writing more, they’re not following grammar, punctuation, and capitalization rules. Plus most words look like typos.

So, is text speak appropriate for business communication, including blogs and e-mails? Remember, you want to write a document so your audience understands it.

What do you think? Will text speak become the new standard? What did you think when OMG and LOL were added to The Oxford English Dictionary? Do you think that’s the death of language?

Happy Halloween!

How Easy Are Your Documents to Read?

2011-10-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read something that makes no sense? Contracts? Reports? Proposals? Do you quit reading the document because it gives you a headache? You're not alone.

Corporate speak, legal speak--call it what you want; it's not easy to understand. Furthermore, people are too busy to read a document more than once to figure out what someone is trying to say. The writer needs to write in plain English!

Dr. Rudolf Flesch created a readability formula that measures how easy something is to read based on the average sentence length in words and the average word length in syllables. The calculation results in a number between 0 and 100. The higher the number, the easier the message is to read.

He applied his formula to several publications; the scores are averages from random samples:

Reader's Digest: 65
The Wall Street Journal: 43
Standard auto insurance policy: 10
Internal Revenue Service: -6

The minus six makes me laugh every time! Of course, you want to write a document so your audience understands it. But does anyone understand a message written with a readability score of minus six? Dr. Flesch's advice: "If it's too hard to read for your audience, you shorten the words and sentences until you get the score you want."

But who wants to count words and syllables? The good news is you don't have to calculate the readability formula. Let Word and Outlook do it. Here's how to set it up in Word 2007:

But who wants to count words and syllables? The good news is you don't have to calculate the readability formula. Let Word and Outlook do it. Here's how to set it up in Word 2007:

Click the Office button.
Click the Word Options button.
Click Proofing link (left side).
Under When correcting grammar in Word, be sure Check grammar with spelling and Show readability statistics are selected.
Click OK.

In Word 2003, select Tools | Options from the menu bar. Click the Spelling & Grammar tab. Be sure Check grammar with spelling and Show readability statistics are selected. Click OK.

According to Dr. Flesch, "the minimum score for Plain English is 60." Remember, the goal is to have your readers understand your message.

To help you improve your writing, I recommend reading Why business people speak like idiots by Brian Fugere, Chelsea Hardaway, and Jon Warshawsky. The authors conduct studies and give pertinent examples to back up their claims that "bull has become the official language of business." They write in an easy-to-read, humorous style that helps you learn how to update your business writing and speaking skills, so people understand your message.

September 24 is National Punctuation Day

2011-09-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

Happy National Punctuation Day! Today is the eighth annual celebration of this holiday. Jeff Rubin is the founder of National Punctuation Day. Check out his Web site: http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/. You can enter a Punctuation Paragraph Contest (entries are being accepted through September 30), learn about punctuation, and more.

What are you going to do on National Punctuation Day?

E-mail Subject Lines

2011-08-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

People form an opinion within seconds of meeting you--and you don't have to say a word! So you have to wonder, do people judge you by your e-mail subject lines? They're easy to overlook, although that's your reader's first impression of the e-mail and you.

I've received some interesting ones lately:

"Hot of the presses...see what's new!"
"Five tings you didn't know about the Paris Opera Ballet!"
"Your licence expires in 15 days"
"Truley Pivital"
"Come have diner on us tonight..."

Yikes! These messages are from reputable organizations. My husband, Beaver, forwarded that last one to me--good catch!

If you use spell check, it will check the subject line. However, sign, of, tings, and diner will pass that test because they're words. Just the wrong words. That's why we need to proofread--especially the subject line. Too bad Outlook's AutoCorrect (see last month's post) doesn't work in the subject line.

The subject line is the most important part of your e-mail message because its goal is to get the e-mail opened and read. Your message might be misconstrued if the subject line has an error. A friend received an e-mail with a subject line that said something about "signing"; the sender meant to type "singing." Oops!

So, take time to write an informative and grammatically correct subject line. After all, it's a first impression.

Word's Typo List

2011-07-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with Word’s typo list (a.k.a. AutoCorrect)? Microsoft has a feature that automatically corrects commonly misspelled (or mistyped) words; and this feature works in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Here’s how it works. If you type t-e-h for the, Microsoft changes the misspelled version to the when the Spacebar or Enter is pressed, or a punctuation mark is typed. Words typed without a space are also part of this list; for example, witha, forthe, and ofthe conveniently correct themselves to with a, for the, and of the while you’re typing. Microsoft helps you and me to become more accurate typists!

You can personalize this typo list for words you consistently mistype. That way, you don’t have to correct them ever again. For example, my fingers have a mind of their own; I consistently type select as s-l-e-c-t. So, I’ve added this combination to my list.

To add the typo and corrected spelling to the list from a document, follow these steps:

Right-click the misspelled word (the one with the red zigzagged underline) and select AutoCorrect.
If the correctly spelled word is displayed, select that word. That misspelled word has now been added to the typo list with its correct counterpart.
If the correct word is not listed, select AutoCorrect Options. (The AutoCorrect dialog box displays.)
Be sure there’s a check in the Replace text as you type check box.
Type the incorrect spelling (slect) in the Replace text box.
Press TAB key to move to the With text box.
Then, type the correctly spelled word (select).
Press ENTER two times.

The instructions are the same for 2003.

Another way to use this feature is to create speedwriting words. Have you created your own abbreviations or shorthand words (the olden-day version of texting) when you write in longhand? Consider the possibilities: shortcuts for frequently used company names, cities, technical and medical terminology, hard-to-type words, short phrases, and even multiple-line addresses! There is a 256-character limit, though. Finally, “texting” can be put to good use--or professional use.

With the help of AutoCorrect, you can use those same shortcuts when typing. Here’s how in 2007:

Click the Office button.
Click the Word Options button.
Select the Proofing link on the left side of the window.
Click the AutoCorrect Options button. (The AutoCorrect dialog box displays.)
Follow steps 4 – 8 above, substituting the shortcut word for the incorrect spelling.

For version 2003, replace steps 1-4 with Tools from the menu, then AutoCorrect Options. Continue with step 5.

One thing to consider--don’t use abbreviations that are words themselves. For example, deter can’t be a shortcut for determine because deter is a legitimate word. This same rule applies for misspelled words. If you mistakenly type you for your, don’t use you as your misspelled word because it’ll change it every time.

One more thing--to use the abbreviation rather than the longhand version, click the Undo button or use the Undo keyboard shortcut, CTRL+Z, immediately after the word changes; then, the longhand version goes back to the abbreviation.

To delete a word combination from the AutoCorrect list, follow these steps:

Follow steps 1 – 4 above (to open the AutoCorrect dialog box).
Begin typing the misspelled or shortcut in the Replace text box.
Click to select the combination in the list.
Click Delete, and then click OK.

Isn’t technology wonderful? Just remember, when you’re typing on somebody else’s computer, you can’t use your shortcuts! Please post what shortcuts you create or have already created.

Word's Proofreading System

2011-06-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

My name is Judy, and I am a red pen-aholic. Just ask my students!

Do you have Red Pen Syndrome? Urban Dictionary.com defines the term red pen syndrome as “The sufferers of this syndrome have an irrepressible urge to correct any and all grammar mistakes that come within their sight. At times this can be helpful, but at other times, it can be downright inappropriate and mean.”

Is there a 12-step program to stop this behavior? If so, do I want to be cured? NO! When I was a young girl, I always wanted a red pen--and still do.

Have you heard there’s a movement to eliminate using red pens in schools? Red corrections are considered “stressful.” Linda Orlando wrote an article about it, “The Ink That Teachers Use to Grade Papers Has Parents Seeing Red.” Isn’t red associated with love? Well, now purple is the new red!

What do you think? Is red ink offensive? Doesn’t red make it easy to see the corrections and comments? Please tell me what you think; it’ll be fun to read your comments.

Microsoft has its own version of the “dreaded red pen.” Are you familiar with Track Changes in Microsoft Word®? You can use this feature to electronically edit documents. Once the changes have been made (which are easily identified), you can quickly accept or reject the suggested revisions. Can you guess what color is used for the changes? Don’t worry; if the red offends you, you can always change the color.

Quick Ways to Start Track Changes
You can click the Review tab to access Track Changes and all its features (if you’re using 2007), or you can quickly activate the feature from the status bar. If you don’t see Track Changes: Off (or On) on the status bar (at the bottom of the document window), right click anywhere on the status bar. Then, select Track Changes from the menu; now press ESC. This indicator lets you see if the feature is activated or not and lets you quickly turn the feature on and off by clicking it.

For 2003, TRK displays in the status bar. Double click it to turn the feature on and off; TRK is dimmed when the feature isn’t on. Use the Reviewing toolbar to access all the Track Changes features.

In both versions you may use the keyboard shortcut, CTRL+SHIFT+E, to turn Track Changes on and off.

Start Proofreading
Once Track Changes is activated, you or a proofreading buddy can add, change, and delete text, showing the revisions without losing your original content.

If you want to add a comment or to ask a question of the author, use the keyboard shortcut, CTRL+ALT+M, to add an electronic “sticky note.” It displays in the right margin. After you’re through typing your note, press ESC.

Then, turn off Track Changes once you’re through editing. Now, you can decide which changes you want to keep.

Choose a View for the Proposed Changes
If you find it confusing to read the document with all the changes, other views are available. Experiment with the different views to choose the one you prefer. (Versions 2003 and 2007 display the markup versions differently.)

Final Showing Markup—all proposed changes are displayed.
Final—all proposed changes are included as if they were accepted.
Original Showing Markup—all proposed changes are displayed.
Original—all the proposed changes are hidden.

Accept/Reject the Changes
You may accept or reject each change individually, or you may accept or reject all changes in one command.

First, press CTRL+HOME to move to the beginning of the document.

2007

From the Review tab, select Next button to move to the first comment or proposed change.
Select Accept button or Reject button; Word automatically moves to the next proposed change.
Continue until all comments and proposed changes have been reviewed.

2003

On the Reviewing toolbar, click the Next button.
Select Accept button or Reject button.
Click the Next button to move to the next comment or proposed change.
Repeat the steps until all comments and proposed changes have been reviewed.

To accept or reject all the changes at once, click the Accept or Reject list arrow. Click Accept (or Reject) All Changes in Document. This applies to both versions. In 2007 use the Review tab; in 2003, the Reviewing toolbar.

Having someone else proofread your content is helpful because we generally don’t find our own errors. We know what we meant to write, so that’s generally how we read it. Your proofreading buddy doesn’t have to be a co-worker; you can e-mail the document to anyone. Track Changes makes it convenient to proofread someone’s work, and it saves paper because you don’t have to print the document to make corrections.

Proofing With Word

2011-05-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to create a document that's 100 percent accurate? Do you rely on Spell Check to help you? Well, you know Word doesn't find all misspelled words because some typos are words. Plus, Word has default settings that intentionally ignore certain words. So, if you rely on Spell Check, you may want to change those default settings.

Do you know words in uppercase are ignored? Do you think it's because so many acronyms and "initialisms" (LOL and OMG) are used? If you capitalize the heading, EXPERIENCE, on your resume and misspell it, Word doesn't flag it as misspelled. I think it's more difficult to find errors in words that are in all caps.

"Words" that have numbers in them such as part numbers (A3457) are ignored, too. If you mistakenly type 1uantity instead of quantity, Word doesn't identify it as a mistake.

Do you need to change these settings? It depends. Do you write words in capitals? Do you use part numbers or "words" with numbers in your documents?

Here's how to change the default settings in Word 2007:

Click the Office button.
Click the Word Options button.
Click Proofing link (left side of the screen).
Remove the check from Ignore words in UPPERCASE and/or
Remove the check from Ignore words that contain numbers.
Click OK.

For Word 2003, select Tools | Options | Spelling & Grammar tab; remove the checks from Ignore words in UPPERCASE and/or Ignore words with numbers. Click OK.

When you change these default settings (UPPERCASE and words with numbers) in Word 2007, they'll change in Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access, too.

If you change the setting to no longer ignore uppercase words, you may want to add frequently used acronyms to your electronic dictionary. That way, you won't be bombarded with red zigzagged lines.

National Proofreading Day

2011-03-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

March 8 is my mom's birthday. Flo loved to correct people, especially when it was related to language. But, is that enough to designate March 8 as National Proofreading Day? I'm open to your ideas; post your comments below with the dates you'd like to suggest for NPD.

Typos have caused some embarrassing moments and some costly mistakes. Watch Jay Leno's "Headlines," and you'll see what I mean. Even professionals get it wrong.

Correct all errors--in all documents: spreadsheets, presentations, reports, letters, e-mails, resumes. If a spreadsheet has a typo, readers will wonder if the numbers are accurate. A resume with a typo could mean a job seeker won't get called for the interview. Is your presentation professional if it has a misspelled word? Flo certainly wouldn't think so!

In the 1980s a Florida contractor filed a $254,000 product liability lawsuit against Lotus Development Corporation (remember the spreadsheet app, Lotus 1-2-3?). An employee in the construction company developed a Lotus spreadsheet to cost jobs. An additional row was inserted for general expenses; however, the formula didn't include the newly added expense of $254,000 in a $3 million office complex contract, which caused the contractor to underbid on that job. Even though the contractor won the bid, it lost money on the deal. Lotus said it wasn't responsible for the contractor's error. The contractor eventually withdrew the lawsuit.

Test all formulas in a spreadsheet to be sure they're calculating properly, especially after inserting and/or deleting rows and columns. Print a "formula display" of the worksheet to help with debugging; add row and column headings and gridlines before printing to make the formulas easier to understand. (Read the posting below for step-by-step instructions on how to do that.)

Mistakes include misspelled words; misused words; typos; grammatical errors; and missing, overused, and incorrect punctuation marks. Correct all of them. Let's care about accuracy. Join the movement. Carry a red pen (or pencil)! Please let me know what dates you'd suggest for the new holiday, National Proofreading Day!

Printing a Formula Display in Excel

2011-03-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Having a printout of the formulas is helpful, especially if you’ve created the worksheet, but you don’t work with it. It’s a great reference for you, and it can help with debugging.

Create the formula display by pressing Ctrl key and the accent mark key (`), which is the key left of the number one key. Formulas are displayed in the cells rather than the values.

Before printing the “formula display” of the worksheet, add the row and column headings and gridlines:

On the Page Layout tab, select the Print check boxes to the Gridlines and Headings buttons.

National Grammar Day is March 4

2011-02-28T12:33:00.000-08:00

A powerful supercomputer with 2,800 processors that competed in “Jeopardy.” What is Watson?

There was an online poll: Who do you think is going to win? I voted for Watson! Beaver wanted a human to win; I was cheering for Watson.

Watson has gotten a lot of attention: articles, TV shows, comedians’ jokes, and more. Rightfully so. Greg Lindsay, a contributing writer to FastCompany.com, called the Jeopardy man vs. machine match-up the “Nerd Super Bowl.” I had a front row seat (in my living room)!

My favorite clue and response were under the category, Beatles’ People: “Any time you feel the pain, hey - this guy - Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.” Watson correctly responded, “Who is Jude?” Okay, so the song is about a guy, but still, Watson called my name!

Watson was impressive. Beaver and I watched a fascinating NOVA special about Watson and its creators. NOVA chronicled Watson in its mock “Jeopardy” contests to prepare it for its big debut. Here’s a link if you’re interested in reading more about it. (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/will-watson-win-jeopardy.html)

Computers can take on human-like characteristics. Have computers ever "scolded" you? They've scolded me! Years ago, I had to use prime numbers to resize files on a miniframe system. If I entered a non-prime number in the command; the computer would yell at me, “NOT A PRIME NUMBER!” Excuse me? Have you ever typed a misspelled word in Google’s search text box? Google displays Did you mean: (with the corrected spelling). Little smarty-pants!

Do you like it when computers catch your errors? Let me know what you think.

Back to “Jeopardy” and Alex Trebek—Watson is a computer, although Alex kept referring to it as a man, by saying “he” and “him.” I’ve got to correct you on this one, Alex! With National Grammar Day (Friday, March 4) just days away (yes, it’s that time of year already), using a masculine pronoun for a computer is not grammatically correct. Use a gender-neutral pronoun, not a masculine pronoun.

By the way, National Grammar Day was established in 2008 by Martha Brockenbrough, founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG). (http://spogg.org)

So, what are you doing to celebrate National Grammar Day? Grammar Girl has a Web site dedicated to the national holiday. (http://nationalgrammarday.com/) Check out all the fun things to do! Will you send a free E-card to your favorite grammarian? Will you enter the Fiction Writing Contest? Let me know how you’re celebrating!

And let me be the first to wish you a safe and happy National Grammar Day!

Examples of Lists

2011-01-30T22:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some examples of vertical lists discussed in the previous post. Notice the first letter of the first word is always capitalized for each item. Notice the balanced writing in every example. The numbered list’s items begin with a verb, and the bulleted list’s items are a list of features.

The following example uses a colon to introduce the numbered list because the introductory statement is a complete sentence. A numbered list is used because the steps need to be completed in the order given. Each item is punctuated with a period because each one is a complete sentence.

An Excel 2007 spreadsheet that has an embedded chart may be printed without the chart by following these steps:

1. Select the data range to be printed.
2. Click the Office button.
3. Point to Print.
4. Select Print.
5. Under the ‘Print what’ section of the Print dialog box, click the option button for Selection.
6. Click OK.

The example below does not use a colon because the intro ends with the verb to be. (A colon isn’t used if the intro ends with a preposition either.) The list itself does not have any punctuation marks at the end of the line because none of them are complete sentences.

Some of my favorite features in Excel are
• Subtotals
• IF function
• VLOOKUP function

Examples of Lists in a Sentence
Some of my favorite features in Excel are • subtotals, • IF function, and • VLOOKUP function.

A chart that’s embedded in a spreadsheet may be printed without the data by following these steps: (1) click the chart, (2) press CTRL + P, and (3) press ENTER.

Resume Examples
Use action verbs with quantifiable results for bulleted items in a resume. If it’s a past job, use past-tense verbs.

• Handle up to $20,000 in cash and credit card transactions daily
• Manage all accounting, payroll, and benefits for 125-employee business

Punctuating Vertical Lists

2011-01-30T21:50:00.000-08:00

Everyone writes lists: to-do lists, grocery lists, New Year's resolutions, even wish lists to Santa. But do you know how to punctuate lists? If you're scribbling a grocery list, obviously you don't need to punctuate. But if you do, you earn extra credit points!

However, what if you're including a list in a business document? Lists are effective because they're easier to read than paragraphs. The following rules will help you properly punctuate a vertical list:

Need a colon? (I mean the punctuation mark!) Yes, if the introductory statement is a complete sentence. (The statement that introduces this list uses a colon because it's a complete sentence.) A colon isn't used if the intro ends with the verb to be (is, are, was, were, being, been, etc.) or a preposition (to, with, etc.). In these instances, you don't use any punctuation, even though it looks like something's missing.

Need bullets or numbers? Use numbers if you need a specific order. Use bullets if your list doesn't need to be in a particular order, although you may sort the items by importance, alphabetically, or by categories. If you need to reference items during a discussion, use letters instead of bullets.

Use capitals? Yes. Capitalize the first letter of the first word of each line. Word and PowerPoint will do that for you automatically.

Use a period at the end of each line? Use a period only if the item is a complete sentence. Some people place commas or semicolons at the end of each line plus the word "and" at the end of the second to the last item. That's okay if you want a more formal format, but it's not necessary in business writing.

Is your list balanced? Be consistent; for example, start each point with a verb. You may also start each item with a question, with a command, or with a summary statement. Some people start each item with You should. Even though the writing is balanced, the words You should are unnecessary; don't use them. Bulleted items on resumes need to be balanced, too; use action verbs rather than Responsible for or Able to.

Headings highlight and summarize the information in a list that has more than one or two sentences for each point. By summarizing each point with bold text at the beginning (as I've done above), the reader can scan the material and then read the items that only pertain to him or her. For example, if HR distributes a memo about benefits, a part-time employee could skip the information about vacations or other benefits that don't apply to him or her.

Use these same guidelines for your PowerPoint slide lists. Even better, forget the list; just use a title and an image on the slide!

Lists may be formatted with bullets, numbers, or letters within sentences, too. This method saves space and visually highlights each point. Simple lists with three or four items work well in a sentence. Use commas at the end of each item, and don't capitalize the first letter of the word. However, the same rules for balanced writing and colon usage to introduce the list do apply.

Keyboard Shortcuts

2011-01-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

Keyboard shortcuts. They’re convenient because you don’t have to remove your hands from the keyboard to grab the mouse and click a button. Here are some of my favorite Microsoft keyboard shortcuts:

Ctrl + S = Save
Ctrl + W = Close the file (without exiting the program)
Ctrl + N = Start a new file (and bypass that extra screen!)
Ctrl + C = Copy
Ctrl + V = Paste
Ctrl + A = Select all
Ctrl + Z = Undo previous command
Ctrl + Y = Redo previous command
Ctrl + F = Find text

Start using one of them until it becomes a habit; then, move on to the next one. Usually, your fingers are already on the keyboard, so why not use the shortcuts? You can still use the mouse to perform the commands; thankfully, the mouse isn’t as hard to find as the remote!

How Do You Make Last Names Plural?

2010-11-30T15:02:00.000-08:00

Where has this year gone? Have you already addressed your holiday cards? If not, here are the rules to help you master some common mistakes when addressing envelopes—for any occasion.

So, do you add an s to a family name when you’re addressing the envelope to the family? In case you want to send us a card, it’s “The Beavers,” not “The Beaver’s.” Even though some people add an apostrophe and an s to people's last names to make them plural, it's not correct.

The rule to follow when making a last name plural is add an s, unless it ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh; then add an es. For example, Lopez becomes Lopezes and Harris becomes Harrises.

Does the es added to a last name look strange? Spell check doesn’t like it either. But that’s the proper way to do it.

E-mail Overload

2010-10-31T16:37:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, October 20, was Information Overload Awareness Day. Now there’s a holiday I can relate to! For the webinar held in its honor, you could have registered for FREE if you pledged to not multitask during the event. Too bad my students don’t take that pledge!

Mark Hurst, the author of Bit Literacy: Productivity in the Age of Information and E-mail Overload, says the solution to e-mail overload is simple: Don’t become overloaded. Ha! Too late for that! As I read his list of what happens to a person when the Inbox is full of messages, I began to feel guiltier with each point he made.

The biggest message count Hurst heard of was 150,000! He claims he’s not making this up and said “that user said he did not feel fine.” Well, I’m feeling better now. Thank you.

Hurst says don’t use your Inbox as a to-do list, a file drawer, or a phone book—all those messages that keep those “bits” of information need to go elsewhere. Outlook has modules to hold those items; use them! Two ways to efficiently move the endless stream of e-mails from the Inbox to their appropriate destination include “drag and drop” and mailbox rules. These features make it easy to process your e-mail.

1) Turn e-mails into tasks and calendar appointments with “drag and drop.” Drag e-mails to the Task button to create a to-do item, or drag e-mails to the Calendar button to create an appointment. The e-mail is still in your Inbox, so go ahead and delete it.

2) Assign rules to your e-mails so they can automatically bypass the Inbox and go directly into a designated, already-created folder. This feature is powerful, yet easy to create.

“Drag and Drop” to Create Tasks or Calendar Appointments

1. Drag e-mails from your Inbox to the Task button (or Calendar button) on the Navigation Pane at the bottom left side of the screen. A new task (or appointment) opens.

2. Change the name of the task (or appointment) in the Subject line, if necessary.
3. Change the time and date and add a reminder, if you’d like.
4. Click Save & Close button.

Rule to Automatically Move Incoming E-mail Directly to Folder

1. Select an e-mail in the Inbox from the person you want to create the rule for.

2. Right click the message.
3. Select Create rule; the Create Rule dialog box displays. (Top half of box defines which e-mails will be selected; the bottom half identifies what to do with them.)
4. Place a check in the ‘From’ checkbox.
5. Click the Select Folder button; then, select the already-created folder from the list.
6. Click OK two times.
7. If you’d like to move all the e-mails currently in your Inbox that match that criteria, place a check in the Run this rule now on messages already in the current folder checkbox.
8. Click OK.

Define rules to automatically move e-mail to different folders, sound an alarm for e-mails from a particular person (the Big Cheese?), forward messages sent by a certain person to your manager. The possibilities are endless. The Create Rule dialog box has an Advanced Options button to create rules with even more selections. Experiment with it, and let me know how you use it.

One of Mark Hurst’s mantras is “Empty the Inbox as least once a day.” He says you can “delete most [e-mails], file some of them, but most importantly, get them all out of the Inbox…”

Happy Halloween!

The Poor Semicolon

2010-09-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 24, was National Punctuation Day. Do you have a favorite punctuation mark? No? Here's what Bill Walsh had to say about the poor semicolon, "The semicolon is an ugly bastard and thus I tend to avoid it..." (from his book, Lapsing Into a Comma: A Curmudgeon's Guide to the Many Things That Can Go Wrong in Print and How to Avoid Them).

Is name-calling really necessary? For a punctuation mark? How do you feel about the semicolon? Would you like it "plutoed" from the world of punctuation?

Many people don't know how to use the semicolon. So, in honor of NPD (National Punctuation Day), I'll teach you how to use it; and you'll never have to avoid it again.

Bill Walsh also calls the semicolon a SUPERCOMMA; now that's an excellent description. A good rule of thumb is to use the semicolon when you need something stronger than a comma or when you have too many commas. Generally, the semicolon helps the reader understand how to read the message correctly.

When a comma's not enough

Independent Clauses

You can join two sentences (independent clauses) with a semicolon:

People don't know when to use the semicolon; it's the least used punctuation mark.

The sentences need to be related thoughts. For example, a semicolon wouldn't work well in this example: The comma is overused; football season has started.

Independent Clauses With a Conjunctive Adverb

If you add a conjunctive adverb (consequently, however, and furthermore are some common ones) between two sentences, you still need the semicolon. Punctuate the sentence two times--a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb and a comma after it:

People don't know when to use the semicolon; consequently, it's the least used punctuation mark.

When there are too many commas

Independent Clauses With Commas

When two sentences are joined with a conjunction (and, or, and but are the most common conjunctions), a comma precedes the conjunction. If either sentence contains a comma, the comma before the conjunction is changed to a semicolon:

The comma is the most overused punctuation mark, often being placed where people pause in speech; and the apostrophe is the most misused mark.

A Series With Commas

Use semicolons to separate items in a series when at least one of the items has a comma:

National Punctuation Day will be celebrated in Chicago, Illinois; Seattle, Washington; and San Diego, California.

Are you ready for your "semicolonoscopy" now? (Thank you, Vickie Austin, for that word!)

Please comment on your favorite punctuation mark!

Happy Punctuation Day!

I Love Excel!

2010-08-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

Excel is my favorite program! There, I said it. And even though "Embrace Your Geekness Day" has passed (July 13), that statement says it all!

Excel is feature-rich, although most people use 20 percent of the features 80 percent of the time. You don't need to know 100 percent of the features to be proficient. I've discovered several "cool" techniques during my career that made me love Excel.

Does it drive you crazy there are several ways to perform the same command in Excel--well, in all software programs for that matter? Keyboard shortcuts, mouse clicks, tool bar buttons? How many ways can you copy and paste, for crying out loud? Often, it's a two-step process, although a powerful command exists disguised as a one-step copy technique.

Use one step to copy the cell's content into adjacent cells (this command works well when copying formulas):

Click the cell to copy.
Position the mouse pointer over the black square in the lower right corner; the pointer changes to a black plus sign.
Click and drag to fill the adjacent cells. (Click and drag down or to the right.)

This same click-and-drag copy technique is a "list creator" as well. Days of the week, months of the year, and calendar dates are among the built-in lists to create by just typing the first word (and sometimes the second item)!

For monthly headings, type January (or Jan for abbreviations). "Copy" (using the technique described above) that cell to the adjacent cells to create all 12 months. How cool is that? Type Monday (or Mon) for days of the week.Try it! Creating heading for budgets, forecasts, etc., is easy!

If you prefer actual dates for column headings (for weekly production schedules), type the first date and the next one to create the "pattern." For example, to create all Mondays, type 1/3/2011 (first Monday in 2011), then type 1/10/2011 (the second Monday) in the next cell. Select both cells. Click the black square in the lower right corner of the selected cells; then, click and drag to fill the adjacent cells.

You can create your own lists for headings or descriptions you frequently add to spreadsheets such as customers, departments, job titles, etc. Here's how:

Click the Microsoft Office button.Click Excel Options at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
Click the Popular category.
Click Edit Custom Lists under the Top options for working with Excel section.
Be sure NEW LIST is selected in the Custom lists box; then, type the items for the list in the List entries box. Press ENTER after each item. (Be sure the items are spelled correctly and are in the proper order.)
When the list is complete, click Add.
Click OK two times.

Once the custom list has been entered, you may enter it into any spreadsheet: Type the first word of the list. Then, use the click-and-drag copy technique to complete the list. "That was easy!" (Thank you, Easy button.)

Let me know the lists you create. It'll be fun to hear from you--whether you're a geek or not!(If you're using Excel 2003, skip Steps 1-4 above. Click Tools from the menu bar. Select Options, and then click Custom Lists tab. Continue with Step 5.)

Let me know the lists you create. It'll be fun to hear from you--whether you're a geek or not!

Grammar and Punctuation Rules I Never Learned?

2010-07-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, my mom, Flo, was a grammarian. Mom couldn’t understand why I knew grammar rules and my brothers didn’t because we went to the same school. While I’m not the grammarian she was, teaching grammar in my business communication classes helps. To my surprise, though, I learned a few grammar and punctuation rules when I started teaching the class. Was I asleep during those lessons in grade school? Or did I forget them? Either could be true…

Comma vs. no comma. I swear I never learned this rule: Place a comma between each element and after the last element for dates (elements include day of the week, month, day, and year), addresses (elements include name, street address, city, state, and zip code), and geographical locations (elements include city and state) when these items contain more than one element in a sentence. Examples help explain this rule:

Our meeting will be held July 31, 2010, at our corporate headquarters. (Many of us know to place the comma between the day and year. What about that second comma? Do you know this rule?)

The sales letter addressed to Ms. Mary Smith, 123 Main Street, Chicago, IL 60601, will be mailed today. (Notice the comma after the zip code.)

Were vs. was. The subjunctive mood—what?—is a verb expressing a doubt or a wish and typically occurs in clauses using if or wish. For example, If I were you, I’d transfer to another department. I used to say, "If I was you..." I don’t remember if Mom corrected me.

Bad vs. badly. I used to think most people were saying this one incorrectly. Imagine my surprise when I found out I was the one saying it wrong! Use the adjective (bad), not the adverb (badly), after a linking verb (is, are, look, seem, feel, sound, appear, etc.) when it describes the verb’s subject. I feel bad saying this incorrectly for so long!

As I tell my students, “Just because it sounds right to you, doesn’t mean it is right.” Grammar rules! Right, Mom?

Update Your Writing!

2010-06-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

I am writing to thank you for reading this blog. Is this an acceptable business sentence? Today’s business writing needs to be concise because people are too busy to read unnecessary words. How would you change this sentence to make it more concise?

Why do we use extra words when we write? Think back to school—remember minimum word counts? If we had a 500-word essay due, why not use make a decision rather than decide? We learned some bad habits—for business writing. Length was rewarded in school, but it’s not needed in business. Here are four concise writing tips:

The first sentence of this blog is an example of a long lead-in. It’s a hard habit to break: This letter is to tell you that… or I just wanted to let you know that… Sometimes the words before that are unnecessary. You can eliminate introductory phrases, although some people think sentences sound too curt without these lead-ins. Perhaps--although maybe we’re just not used to it. Try it; let me know what you think.

Redundant words--two words commonly used together that have the same meaning--are funny, if you think about it. Advanced notice and advanced warning—notices and warnings are given in advance. Some other redundant expressions are final outcome, exactly identical, combined together, and true facts. Know any others?

Some verbs are disguised as nouns; remember the example to increase the word count—make a decision? Often, we create nouns from verbs; for example, decide, calculate, and discuss become make a decision, make a calculation, and have a discussion. Using the verb makes our writing stronger, easier to understand.

Wordy expressions can often be reduced to one word; using the one-word counterpart can update your writing skills. Do you use any of these phrases?

Due to the fact that = because
Are of the opinion = believe
At this point in time = now
In the amount of = for
On a monthly basis = monthly

Revise your writing to be concise. William Zinsser, author of several writing books—including On Writing Well, says: “Be grateful for every word you can cut. Writing improves in direct ratio to the things we can keep out of it that shouldn't be there.”

Revising and Proofreading

2010-05-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

Experts agree that editing is the key to good writing. Do you take the time to review your document? Proofread it for errors, and review it for conciseness and clarity. Can you use fewer words to make your point? Can you rearrange paragraphs or words to make it easier to understand, more logical?

Revising and proofreading are two different processes. Revising is improving the content for clarity, conciseness, and readability, whereas proofreading is creating copy that is 100 percent accurate. Experts recommend to revise first, and then proofread.

Are you a good proofreader? Typically, people who read slowly are good proofreaders because they don’t skip words. Place a piece of paper or ruler under the line you’re reading to force yourself to slow down. Give yourself plenty of time to review your document; otherwise, you’ll rush through it.

Most of us don’t like to proofread because it’s boring. Set your document aside for at least 24 hours. That way, you’ll be reading it with a fresh set of eyes.

Because editing is a way to become a better writer, be sure to take the time to review your documents before they are sent or distributed. Professionalism in written documents includes accuracy and easy-to-read, understandable content.

Some excellent resources for better business writing are Essentials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Guffey (South-Western Cengage Learning, 2010), Why Business People Speak Like Idiots by Brian Fugere, Chelsea Hardaway, and Jon Warshawsky (Free Press, 2005), and The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing by Natalie Canavor and Claire Meirowitz (Pearson Education, Inc., 2010).

Proofreading Tips

2010-05-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

The countdown to the BEE has started! The 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee website has the countdown clock displayed on its home page; the annual competition is being held June 2 -4 with 274 spellers, ranging from 8 to 15 years old. Did you see the boy who fainted during the 2004 National Spelling Bee and then stood up to successfully spell his word? If you missed it, check out the YouTube video. Amazing!

These spellers are always welcome in my classes. They would never be guilty of the misspellings I’ve seen: fananimal [phenomenal], unfourtnatly [unfortunately], and rein burst [reimbursed], just to name a few.

Didn’t they see the red zigzagged underline that tells them the word is misspelled? While phenomenal is a difficult word to spell, I’m not sure what happened with fananimal. Laziness? Unfourtnatly was handwritten. Rein and burst are words in the electronic dictionary. (Yes, it was spelled as two words because that’s the first option for AutoCorrect, if you spell reimbursed as reinburst. Too bad—the correct spelling of reimbursed is the second option in AutoCorrect.)

I’m horrified when I send a document with a typo! Proofreading seems to be a lost “art,” especially with our hurried communications—e-mail, texting, etc. So, here are some tips for proofreading:

Turn on spell checker. While spell checker may not identify all typos, it’ll help.

Read out loud. Spell checker will not find words that are mistyped if it’s a legitimate word. Reading out loud helps us to find mistakes that we typically don’t see when we silently proofread.

Assume you’ll find errors. Many of us tend to read the copy the way we intended it to be. If you’re actually looking for errors, you may find them.

Add frequently used proper nouns to the electronic dictionary. Be sure to spell the person’s name correctly; then you’ll know it’s spelled incorrectly when the red zigzagged underline appears. (Right-click the name, and select Add to Dictionary.)

Use the Find command to identify common typing errors. Some of us mistype words (form for from, you for your, etc.) can be easily spotted if you use the Find command to help you proofread.

• Press Ctrl+F

• Type the mistyped word in the Find what textbox (for example, form)

• Press Enter.

Word will find each occurrence of the word; then, you can determine if the word (form) is used properly. Continue to press Enter until the dialog box displays, Word has finished searching the document. Press Enter to close the dialog box; then click Cancel to close the Find and Replace dialog box.

Would you like to share some of the spelling errors you’ve seen?

Outlook Sticky Notes

2010-04-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

April 22 is Earth Day, and one way to be more eco-friendly is to use fewer sticky notes. Even though I love Post-it® notes, I use too many of them and then can’t keep track of all of my reminders. Outlook has the solution! The Notes module has electronic sticky notes to write reminder messages.

Do you have too many notes? Can’t find your reminder when you need it? Outlook Notes has a search feature to help you quickly find the one you’re looking for.

Can you quickly change the size of your sticky note if you run out of room while you’re writing? No, you have to use another sticky note! Not so with Outlook Notes.

Creating Electronic Sticky Notes

Use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+N) from any Outlook module.
Type the reminder message.
Press ESC key.
To view e-notes in the Notes module, select Go | Notes from the menu bar, or use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+5).
You may also drag a copy of your e-note(s) to your Windows desktop.

Would you like your e-note to be part of your to-do list? It’s easy; drag the e-note to the Tasks button in the Navigation Pane. (Your original e-note stays in the Notes module, too.) A Task dialog box opens; add a due date and a reminder. Then, save the task.

To search for a particular e-note, click in the Search Notes text box (Outlook 2007). (For Outlook 2003 if you don’t see the Look for text box, press Ctrl+E.) Type the text you’re searching for, and press Enter.

To delete an e-note, right-click the note and select Delete.

Enjoy your spring, go green, and use electronic sticky notes!

National Grammar Day

2010-03-04T06:37:00.000-08:00

Thursday, March 4, is National Grammar Day! I’m going to celebrate by wearing my “I’ve Got a Preposition for You” T-shirt. (I bought it from Grammar Girl.)

When I told my business communication class about the “holiday,” one of my students said he’s not going to speak that day. A gentleman in England will not stand in the “five items or less” line at the grocery store because the sign should read “five items or fewer,” although he does that every day, not just for Grammar Day.

Are you familiar with “Headlines,” a Monday night “Tonight Show” feature with Jay Leno? People send newspaper and magazine clippings that have grammar and spelling errors to Jay. Two of my favorites include “Chance of rain, possibly mixing with some wet snot” and “Add a bottle of out house wine for an additional $12.99.” Yikes! One letter can change the meaning of the sentence! Even copy editors don’t get it right all the time.

So, let’s go back to 3rd grade for a grammar review; today’s lesson is pronouns. As I tell my students, “Just because it sounds right, doesn’t mean it is right. People say things wrong all the time!”

Possessive pronouns do not have apostrophes. The possessive pronoun its is often used incorrectly; many professional signs confuse the possessive pronoun and the contraction. It’s is a contraction for it is. Its is the possessive pronoun. It’s wonderful that grammar has its own day.

Pronouns need to agree in number with their antecedents (the words to which they refer, which are generally the subjects). For example, an employee has the right to see their file is not correct. Employee is a single subject [the antecedent]; their is a plural pronoun. Make the subject plural as well as the verb to correct the sentence: Employees have the right to see their files.

Singular pronouns are used when referring to an organization or department, as long as the group is acting as a single unit. For example, Jones, Smith, and Doe, Inc., is having its [not their] company picnic in July. The marketing department won its [not their] volleyball tournament.

When subjects are joined by or or nor, the pronoun agrees with the subject that comes after the conjunction [or or nor]. Here’s an example: Neither Stacy nor Jim wanted his desk moved. Many people think this statement should be written as Neither Stacy nor Jim wanted their desks moved. Because Jim is closest to the pronoun, you need to use a singular pronoun.

Enjoy National Grammar Day! My mom, Flo, would have loved this day; she was a true grammarian. What will you do to celebrate Grammar Day?

Delivering the Presentation

2010-02-22T05:40:00.000-08:00

Keyboard shortcuts are helpful when you’re delivering a presentation:

F5 (the function key) starts the slide presentation.

B toggles to a black screen and then back to the presentation. (Eliminate the visual so the audience focuses on you, especially when you're answering a question that's not related to the current slide or you’re starting your presentation but the slides aren’t part of the introduction.)

W toggles to a white screen and then back to the presentation.

N advances to the next slide (same as pressing ENTER key or clicking the Left mouse button).

P moves back to the previous slide.

HOME key goes to the first slide of the presentation.

END key goes to the last slide of the presentation.

Ctrl+S displays a menu of slides in the program; type the number of the slide to go to and press ENTER. Or, if you know the slide number; type it and press ENTER without using Ctrl+S.

ESC key ends the presentation.

TAB key moves to all hyperlinks on slide; then, press ENTER to select.

Just Say No to PowerPoint?

2010-02-05T13:47:00.000-08:00

Next week, February 7 – 13, is “Just Say No to PowerPoint” week. Really? Say no to PowerPoint? Is it PowerPoint’s fault if a presentation is lousy?

While some presenters use the slide deck as their cue cards, the slides are for the audience, not the presenter. Text competes with your message because people are reading the slide or writing down everything on the slide while you’re speaking. So, is the audience really listening to what you’re saying?

Images, on the other hand, help reinforce and complement your message. Having pictures and possibly a “headline” that relates to your topic is recommended. Be sure to use professional photo images; iStockphoto (www.iStockphoto.com) is a first-rate resource for images. Two excellent books on this subject are Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds and Beyond Bullet Points by Cliff Atkinson.

To create a more engaging slide deck, use the Title and Content slide layout:

Click the Layout button (located on the Home tab in the Slides group—version 2007). Or, select Format Slide Layout from the menu bar in version 2003.
Select the Title and Content slide layout.
Click the Insert Picture from File icon.
Locate the image file and double-click the filename.
Resize the image.
Click the title placeholder (“Click to add title”)
Type the text/title.

Using Delay Delivery

2010-01-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

Please remind me to do that. What do you do when people ask you to send them a reminder? Do you write it on a to-do list? Instead of adding it to your to-do list, immediately write the e-mail and send it via Delay Delivery. (NOTE: Outlook must be running and connected to your server/Internet access to send the delayed message. If you’ve logged off during the time the message is to be sent, the e-mail message will be sent when you log on to Outlook the next time, although it may be sent later than you wanted.)

2007 Outlook Instructions:

Create a New Message.
Click the Delay Delivery button (located on the Options tab in the More Options group).
Select Do not deliver before: to place a check in the box.
Select the date and time in their respective boxes.
Click Close.
Type the message.
Click Send.

2003 Outlook Instructions:

Create a New Message.
Click the Options button (on the Standard toolbar).
Select Do not deliver before: to place a check in the box.
Select the date and time in their respective boxes.
Click Close.
Type the message.
Click Send.

More on Getting Organized with Outlook

2010-01-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

Use the Reminder, Categorize, and Recurrence features to remind you to send birthday and anniversary cards. Set up the Reminder notification time to at least 1 week--that gives you time to buy and send the card, especially if the person’s special day is the first or second day of the month or year. Use Categorize to color code all birthdays and anniversaries on your calendar, and create a recurring “appointment” so you don’t have to fill in everybody’s holidays each year.

2007 Outlook Instructions:

Create a New Appointment.
Click Recurrence button (located on the Appointment tab in the Options group).
Select Yearly (Recur every 1 year(s) and On: selected date should be selected).
Click OK.
Click the Reminder list arrow to choose 1 week.
Click Categorize button to select Birthday/Anniversary category, if it's already been set up.
Click Save & Close.

2003 Outlook Instructions:

Create a New Appointment.
Click Recurrence button on the toolbar.
Select Yearly (Every “selected date” should be selected).
Click OK.
Be sure Reminder is “checked”; change time to 1 week.
Click Save and Close.
With the “appointment” still selected, click Calendar Coloring button.
Select Birthday/Anniversary category, if it's already been set up.

Getting Organized With Outlook

2010-01-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

How do you stay on schedule? Calendars? To-do lists? Do you use Microsoft Outlook? It’s an excellent tool to use, especially when you customize some features to help you remain focused.

"Getting organized is one of the top 5 New Year's resolutions people make…,” according to NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) Past President Standolyn Robertson. Is getting organized your New Year’s resolution—or at least one of them? Let Microsoft Office Outlook Calendar help; let’s take a look at two helpful features.

The Categorize feature helps you visually manage your calendar. Use colors to easily identify appointments—by location, by project, by type of appointment (for example, networking events (blue), client appointments (red), meetings (green), exercise (yellow), etc.), or whatever system works for you.

When I was teaching several classes at different schools, I color coded my classes by location. That way, I could quickly see where I needed to be during the week rather than having to read each appointment. You may create new categories, using the names and colors you want; or rename the default categories.

The Reminder feature—the alarm that reminds you of an upcoming event—helps you get out of the office on time. I often change the alarm to help me get to places on time because the default is 15 minutes, which may not be sufficient notification time.

Unfortunately, I missed a class I was enrolled in because I never changed the 15-minute default reminder (on any of my appointments). I had thought the class started at 3 p.m.; however, at 1:45 the reminder for the 2 p.m. class popped up on the screen. Yikes--I was 40 minutes away!

Be sure to include the time needed to get out the door, not just the travel time!