Grammar-Checking Software Is Soft on Grammar Errors

Grammar-Checking Software Is Soft on Grammar Errors Grammar-Checking Software Is Soft on Grammar Errors Grammar-Checking Software Is Soft on Grammar Errors By Mark Nichol You want to improve your grammar, but you’re disinclined to invest time and energy to laboriously study print or online resources about sentence construction. You’ve seen ads on the Internet about grammar checkers, and you decide to check them out. How useful is grammar-checking software? After visiting five grammar-checker websites and using (the free versions of) their products, my conclusion is that software is no substitute for wetware (otherwise known as your brain). Here are my brief reports about the software I sampled. Grammarbase.com Grammarbase.com fallaciously flagged â€Å"ought to be† and â€Å"may be† as examples of passive voice a common misunderstanding of the topic. (Passive voice is a backward-facing construction such as â€Å"This sentence was written by me†; â€Å"I wrote this sentence† is the active alternative. Verb form is not the primary issue.) Worse, there were several real grammatical and syntactical errors in the site’s introductory text (which I used as a test sample for this and the other sites); the grammar-checking tool found none of them. GrammarCheck.net When I copied and pasted the sample text into GrammarCheck.net’s tool, it showed the same poor results as Grammarbase.com’s. However, when I clicked on the site’s Advanced Report button, it took me to . . . Grammarly Grammarly found nearly fifty errors (or, more accurately, instances of concern), mostly involving what the site terms â€Å"writing style,† in the introductory text taken from Grammarbase.com. (The free version did not specifically identify the errors.) When I then plugged in the raw, error-laden version of a copyediting test, it found fewer mistakes than revealed in the Grammarbase.com text but gave the test text a lower score. PaperRater PaperRater found no errors in Grammarbase.com’s text and only two in the text for the copyediting test both concerning misuse of hyphens. Spellcheckplus.com Spellcheckplus.com was stymied by the phrase â€Å"not only should the structure of your writing be solid,† reminding me about noun-verb agreement (irrelevant in this case) and by the phrase â€Å"your basic default word processor grammar checker,† alerting me that if by using your I meant â€Å"you are,† it should read you’re (again, irrelevant). However, it advised changing you’ll to â€Å"you will† and noted that a letter space should both precede and follow an ellipsis and that the first two words in â€Å"run on sentences† should be hyphenated all valid but superficial corrections. My tests were not rigorous, and I did not purchase any of this software I merely took a test drive of each company’s freeware trial. However, the only difference I can see between the free and paid versions of these software products is that the paid versions not only flag your errors but also analyze them. The problem is that, whether in simple or advanced mode, these tools missed just about every error that matters in a grammatical review. These tests confirmed my suspicion that grammar-checking software can at best note only the most elementary errors (and sometimes marks valid constructions as mistakes). Grammar is much too complicated and nuanced to trust to technology. If you want to write well, learn to write well. If you want to have your writing reviewed and evaluated, access the brain of another human being. But don’t even think of relying on software. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:25 Subordinating ConjunctionsFive Spelling Rules for "Silent Final E"The Difference Between "Un-" and "Dis-"

5 Tips About Freelance Work

5 Tips About Freelance Work 5 Tips About Freelance Work 5 Tips About Freelance Work By Mark Nichol Self-employment is not for everyone, but many publishing professionals thrive, or at least survive, in a freelance capacity. Before you decide whether to join them, however, keep these factors in mind: You probably won’t get rich from freelance writing or editing, but the qualitative rewards are manifest. Self-employed editorial professionals are hereby excused from useless, time-wasting, poorly run meetings. (Freelancers sometimes need to attend in-person or online meetings as part of a project they’ve been hired for, but such gatherings tend to be more efficient than the average company or department to-do.) Freelancers also are fortunate enough to be able to avoid demoralizing company policies, depressing workplace ambience, petty office politics, inept managers, and annoying colleagues. Then there’s that whole commuting thing and no traffic reports (unless you want to tune in just for the sake of nostalgia). When you work at home, you also get to choose what kind of clothes you wear or whether you wear anything at all. But self-employment is a challenge, especially for those who do not have a strong aptitude for business management after all, you, as a freelancer, are running a business. Therefore, you have no one but yourself (unless you hire someone) to manage your finances or your marketing. Each year, if you’re a US citizen, you must submit a profit-or-loss statement and figure (and pay) a self-employment tax, and you should always be working on getting your next project while you’re completing your current one. Furthermore, your income will be variable. And if you’re paid a flat fee, false starts and dead-end ideas don’t earn you any money. Fiction writers, especially, have to put in seemingly endless hours in a gamble to earn a decent living in royalties and you’re nowhere near done even when the not-so-final draft of your manuscript is accepted. Still determined to go independent? Then follow my advice: 1. Find an anchor client. Your first priority is to enter into a relationship with a company that provides you with a steady source of work that provides you with enough income to get by. Everything else is just frosting on the cake, but bake the cake first. 2. Don’t be particular at first. Certainly, you should search your soul for what kind of content you’d like to work on. But when you’re starting out, accept any assignment that involves writing or editing words and, even though you should have a pay range in mind, be prepared to accept less compensation than is ideal. You can always ask for a â€Å"raise† later, and you can always increase your rate when you are engaged by new clients. 3. Be flexible about your rates. I’ve varied my hourly editing rate by up to $50, depending on the client. Online research will yield extensive information about the market rate for writing and editing in various media, in different industries, and so on. You may very well end up straddling two or more markets, and your pay rate may vary substantially. (Also, if you’re asked what rate you’ll accept, rather than offered one, propose a range with a $5-$10 differential starting at your minimum.) 4. Don’t give up your day job. Not right away, at any rate. Nights, weekends, summer vacations for educators these are the opportunities to wade into the freelance pool. Even if your steady job is making you mentally unsteady, stick it out until you have an anchor client. The transition period may exhaust you as you try to juggle full-time work, your personal life, and your efforts to start your own business, but you may be able to jettison your job sooner than you think. (Or you can work for a part-time salary and be self-employed, too.) 5. Keep it simple. You don’t need much in the way of infrastructure. You can probably get away without business cards. You don’t need a fancy-looking invoice template. Some self-employed people rent a small office or use an outbuilding as a way of separating their professional life from their personal one, but few of us can afford that luxury. Turning a spare room into an office, or using an existing study, or even setting aside part of a bedroom or a family room, is sufficient for most people. (But make sure others in your household know that when you’re on the clock, you’re off limits.) Remember, too, that self-employment will always be hard work but virtually any employment is a hard work, and being your own boss is its own reward. Note: The DWT Freelance Writing Course will re-open September, so stay tuned. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Beautiful and Ugly WordsOne Sheep, Two Sheep, One Fish, Two Fish . . .Passed vs Past

Michel Foucault Panopticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Michel Foucault Panopticism - Essay Example al authorities have chosen to control citizens through the appointment of a syndic which will have an ‘absolute’ power over the town’s population. The term ‘absolute’ means that people in this ‘imaginary’ town are not allowed going out of their homes apart from the hours and the places indicated by the syndic in advance. This structure resembles with a prison and in this way the argument of Foucault that prison could be considered to have the same ‘structure’ as a hospital or a school, could be justified. On the other hand, in order for the above scheme to operate successfully, there should be provisions for the participation of citizens in it. In this context, it is noticed by Foucault that ‘this surveillance is based on a system of permanent registration: reports from the syndics to the intendants, from the intendants to the magistrates or mayor; at the beginning of the lock up, the role of each of the inhabitants pre sent in the town is laid down, one by one’ (Foucault, 1995). In other words, the effectiveness of this scheme could be based on the existence of a specific plan of registration through which all people participated in the relevant ‘project’ would be registered. Under these terms, every event in the town would be precisely checked and every aspect of citizens’ life could be controlled. In real terms, the above scheme could be partially applied. In modern towns where a series of tools of surveillance has been implemented in order to control crime, the life of citizens is under the control of the state. The above situation even if justified because of the need for the protection of citizens’ life and property, it should be carefully reviewed as of the appropriateness of the machines used for the surveillance of human activities. In fact, the conditions of life in modern town resemble the description of Foucault’s imaginary town. In accordance with Foucault this town will be a place ‘in which the individuals are

Alcoholism Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alcoholism - Case Study Example ? (Mokdad, Marks, Stroup & Gerberding 2000) Professional health care practitioners are constantly vigilant on monitoring alcohol dependents, especially if it exists in conjunction with other illnesses, say, tuberculosis. In this regard, this essay is written to evaluate the case of Lisa, a 27 year old single woman with problems of alcoholism and tuberculosis. In the process, the following issues would be addressed: (1) As the public health nurse, how would you address Lisa’s predicaments? Are there things you would have done similarly with Teri? (2) How would you prioritize Lisa’s treatment plan? Explain your rationale for your proposal. (3) Comment on the statement: â€Å"Alcoholism is a Disease.† Do you agree of disagree? Support your arguments. And (4) does the concept of dual diagnosis, or co-morbidity affect Lisa’s treatment plan? What would you suggest as the public health nurse attending to Lisa’s treatment? In working with Lisa, the public health nurse, Teri, showed persistence, determination and compassion in her quest to address the problems. Given the scenario, I would have done exactly the same thing as Teri. She was right in finding out where Lisa transferred. Her dialogue with Lisa showed compassion but stressed the importance of continuing medications for Lisa’s tuberculosis. She was direct in inquiring regarding Lisa’s drinking problem and was able to solicit the appropriate response. She even called the counselor, Roni, from the Alcohol Treatment Center, to make sure that Lisa would resume her required sessions for counseling. Finally, the strategy of giving her calling card was an additional assurance that Lisa can contact Teri anytime she plans to move. As averred by Teri, Lisa must continue taking her medications for tuberculosis. She was correct in stressing that this is a priority since tuberculosis is an infectious disease and can infect other people she relates with (not only her sister but even Teri, Roni, and the rest of the

The Social Construction of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender Essay Example for Free

The Social Construction of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender Essay Socialization is the unequal distribution of power, wealth, income and social status between individuals and groups. This distribution is not random, it is patterned and structured. Three important axes of global inequality are gender, race and ethnicity, and class. These inequalities are on a global scale and are found in virtually all societies. It wasnt until relatively recently, however, that a caste system developed to include race and ethnicity among class and gender. Since imperialism and the conquest of the Americas, a number of social changes have occurred, and, as a result, the dominant groups today are not only higher in the social order, in terms of rank, but they are considered better as well. According to Winant, there are two main concepts of race, race as an ideological concept, and race as an objective condition. Barbara Fields, one of the main supporters and activists for the race as an ideological concept theory, explains the concept of race as [a] concept [that] arose to meet an ideological need; its original effectiveness lay in its ability to reconcile freedom and slavery. Remember, Africans werent the only slaves, Asians, for example, were slaves too. This created a distinction between the white slave owners and all other races, and this was acceptable because their slaves were lower than them, according to Fields theory, so it was okay to enslave other humans. Winant says that, Sociopolitical circumstances change over historical time, racially defined groups? [achieve] mobility or [remain] mired in poverty, and so on. If race is considered an objective condition it doesnt allow for the reconceptualization of race, one simply is ones race. Most early theories of race took this stance and Stephen Jay Gould, as recently as 1981, has made similar claims. However, it is impossible to support such a theory on a number of grounds. First, its been scientifically proven that there are more genetic differences between a single race then there are between different races. Second, it doesnt allow for any change ? certain races will always be lower than other races. There are social beliefs which are present today that place social stigmas on people who are affiliated with certain ethnicitys. Yen Le Espiritu puts forth the argument that The exercise of political-economic domination by racial elites always involves attempts to objectify the subordinate group by branding subordinate groups as alternatively inferior, threatening, or praiseworthy. An example that is taking place today is that cosmetic surgery being performed on Asian-American women, as Eugena Kaw points out in her article. In particular they are making changes to their eyes and noses to look more ideal. Is that okay though? Should one groups sense of ideal be forced upon another group? Many of the Asian-American women surveyed said their reason for undergoing cosmetic surgery was to form their own personal form of beauty. But why then did these women all undergo similar surgeries to ? correct how they look? Class is the one social construction that has existed since the beginning of history. There have always been those who oppress and those who are oppressed, from the serfs and lords of the middle ages to the bourgeois and proletariat of today (According to Marx). The distinction of class today is different than its been in the past though. It used to be based on your heritage, but today it is based on capital, the more you have the higher and better you are. Many people feel that cultures that veil women, such as Muslims, make them suffer psychological and socioeconomic consequences. Homa Hoodfar discusses how the west equates veils with ignorance and oppression in her article. But throughout historic time and place, there has been a clear division of labour in the allocation of economic tasks between men and women. This division has always been partly justified in terms of? biological differences. However, many feminists argue that we learn, through culturally specific socialization, how to be masculine and feminine and to assume the identities of men and women. Due to that fact that many societies proclaim masculine characteristics to be more socially ? useful and generally ? more important than feminine ones, a social structure often results where there are highly unequal gender relations. Even if women attain social/political rights equal to those of men its unlikely that all the sources of oppression of women will be removed. How is that fair?! We are more biased today than ever before, at least there was some justification during the middle ages for why women couldnt be knights. But today mental capacity should be the major basis in the workplace. Why are women so under represented in government? Why do they get paid less than 80% of what men get paid to do the same job? Why are women discriminated against today? Essentially, the social constructs of race, gender, ethnicity, and class are all the same thing. They all are ways to divide people and put certain people on top. Not unlike capitalism where someone is on top and others are on the bottom (its also not surprising that the way we view the four social constructs changed around the time that capitalism was being developed). Now that we have this whole in group out group view of society, can we ever go back to being color blind? Can we go back to people being distinguished based on who their allegiances are to or their character? The way we view the social constructs of society need to change. Peoples arbitrary biases shouldnt prevent someone from getting a job! Its ludicrous to assume that because of the color of ones skin, or ones sex that someone is worse and lower than you. The very fact that there are still people today who see the white mans burden shows how backwards we really are, even in todays modern society. We need to stop segregating each and every individual as a collective of whites, blacks, men, women, Jews, Christians, etc. and start living as Americans because thats the only way that social progress will ever be made.

South Africa :: essays research papers

The amazing thing as you fly into Hoedspruit from Jo’burg is seeing the walls of the canyon from the air, and how the ‘highveld’ drops horizontally more than 1000 metres into a vast, flat expanse known as the ‘lowveld.’ As we drove from the airport to the Blyde River Canyon Natural Reserve, we saw how the flatness of the ‘bush’ was framed by the huge red cliff walls of the canyon. The Reserve is at the bottom of the canyon, right by its mouth. The house was surrounded by a natural ampitheatre made of the beautiful rock faces of the canyon walls. It really is a majestic and amazing place. Wherever you look, you always have a choice of beautiful mountains to look at. Right in the reserve, stands a conical mountain called Modimule. It is a strangely pointed, stand-alone mountain at the mouth of the canyon, surrounded by all the enormous cliffs. The local people have always believed Modimule is the origin of the world and modern science has proved it has the oldest rocks anywhere in the planet other than Australia. The Blyde River Canyon is the third biggest canyon in the world and it is truly imposing. The natural reserve has all types of animals and happily for us since we always walked to and from the lodge for lunches and dinners, no predators. So the animals seemed more curious about us and it was possible to have close encounters with them. My first sight when we arrived was of beautiful zebras standing by the shade of the walls to avoid the hot sun. On the first morning, as we had breakfast outside, looking at the mountains, a plethora of birds came to say hello and entertained us with their melodies. On the second day, as we had lunch in the lodge, we saw a bunch of baboons moroding and trying to break into a house and steal food. They were so funny, walking one after the other in a straight line - oblivious to us. We also learnt that they can be pretty destructive if they get into a house, as it happened to our neighbours. She described it as being the worse scenario you could ever imagine, as she entered her home and found that the baboons had paid a visit through an opened window and gone around destroying, playing and marking territory all around the house.

What Would You Do?

Incredulous, you replied, â€Å"You stopped? How many billions of dollars did It cost to build brand loyalty around the Taurus name? Well, you've got until tomorrow to find a vehicle to put the Taurus name on. Then, you have two years to make a new Taurus which had better be the coolest vehicle that you can possibly make. † So, in less than four hours, you made your first billion-dollar decision. It wouldn't be your last. With billions of dollars in losses, you eliminated 46,000 Jobs, sold off Gaston Martin, Jaguar, and Land Rover, and cut truck and SUB production by 40 percent.Despite these drastic moves. Ford still lost SSL 2. 6 billion your second year and $2. 7 billion your third. With losses still mounting, the first major issue you need to address is vehicle customization, that is, maximizing consumer choice by producing different cars with different parts for different world markets. Vehicle customization originated in 1967 when Ford's European operations were created t o design and manufacture cars Just for Europe. Consequently, when Ford attempted to cut costs by creating a common â€Å"world car† to be sold In Europe and the united States, It failed.The resulting cars (yes, â€Å"cars†), one designed In Detroit and the other In Germany, were completely different except for two shared parts. The second major issue is that Ford's management teams have difficulty staying on target and tracking company performance. Even with downsizing, Ford is a complex company with 205,000 employees, multiple product lines, and international operations on four continents. Surprisingly, Ford's managers only stay in their Jobs a few years. And, If you're off to your next Job and don't have to live with the consequences of your decisions, why are about whether you meet your department's or division's goals?The final Issue Is that contentious relationships between Ford's divisions have produced dysfunctional decision making. Different geographic regions and functional divisions, such as engineering, production, and sales, are more interested in doing what they want than what is best for Ford as a whole. Feelings on this issue are so strong that your management team pleaded with you to remove Fords blue logo from one of your Powering presentations so as not to â€Å"alienate† those who worked for Ford's Volvo, Jaguar, and Lincoln divisions.At the time you agreed, but now realize it was a mistake. Three years ago, you arranged for $23 billion in loans to get the company through tough times. And with Chrysler and GM in bankruptcy, and industry sales off 35 percent, you've needed every dime. But, you're 65 percent through those funds, so you've got to address these key Issues. Ford's survival depends on it. If you were the CEO AT For a, want would you 00? Questions 1 . Should Ford continue to make different cars for Europe and the United States? If so, how do you lower expenses?If not, then how do you get the company to produce the â€Å"world cars,† when it has failed to do so before? What should Ford's strategic objective be here? 2. Beyond making managers stay longer in their Jobs, which won't be popular, how will you change Ford's culture so that managers pay attention to company plans and feel accountable for meeting performance targets? 3. Finally, what will you do to address the dysfunctional way in which decisions are made, where different departments and units care more about their issues than the company's issues? Sources: M. Dolan, J. Stool, and N.