Use Basic Sentences – Translation software typically tries to translate whole sentences rather than translating word-by-word. SOLUTION: USE SIMPLER SENTENCES. Use Standard Punctuation – Periods, commas, and question marks are fine. Try to use less ellipses, dashes, colons, and semicolons. Using these will create difficulties for the translation software. Use Consistent Words – In texts that will be translated, use the same word to mean the same thing. For example, if you called something an “animal” earlier in a document, you should avoid calling it a “mammal” or “critter.” Avoid Metaphors, Sayings, and Cliques – These kinds of words require knowledge of the culture of the source of language. Example: The homework was a breeze. (This implies that the homework was very easy to do.) The translation software will come back with some very strange results. Back Translate All Text - After you translate something, have the software translate it back into English. This helps identify and signal the places where the translation software completely missed the mark.

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Paragraphs Contain:  Transitive sentence  Topic sentence  Detail sentences (support sentences)  Concluding sentence (point sentence)

A transition sentence is optional and it should be used at the beginning of a paragraph. The purpose of any transition sentence is to show how the previous paragraph will influence on the following paragraph Example of a transition sentence: Paragraph A: Points that support that a new government is very democratic Paragraph A: Points that support that a new government is very democratic Transition: Despite the previous arguments, there are many reasons to think that the new government in not as democratic as typically believed. Paragraph B: Points that contradict the idea that the new government is very democratic

A topic sentence is about introducing the main idea of the paragraph, not to give great detail or show a chronology of whatever the topic is. The topic sentence doesn’t have to be the first sentence in a paragraph, in fact it should be situated as the second or third.

The body of a paragraph is made up of support sentences. These sentences support the main idea of the paragraph. Support sentences contain: Examples Examples Reasoning Reasoning Facts Facts Data Data Anecdotes Anecdotes Definitions Definitions descriptions descriptions

A concluding sentence will restate the paragraph’s topic sentence using different words. It is recommended to have concluding sentences at the end of a long paragraph in order to refresh the reader’s mind about the original topic of the paragraph.

From the four types of sentences discussed before, only the topic and support sentences are required to construct a good paragraph. There must be from three to five support sentences in a paragraph. A transition sentence is only needed to show a logical relation between two paragraphs and a conclusion sentence is only needed to leave in the reader’s mind a final statement of the paragraph’s main idea.

Example on how to use the different types of sentences in a paragraph, “Technical Communication Today, p217”: How can we accomplish these five goals (transition sentence)? Universities need to study their core mission to determine whether distance education is a viable alternative to the traditional classroom (topic sentence). If universities can maintain their current standards when moving their courses online, then distance education may provide a new medium through which nontraditional students can take classes and perhaps earn a degree (support sentence). Utah State, for example, is reporting that students enrolled in its online courses have met or exceeded the expectations of their professors (support sentence). If, however, standards cannot be maintained, we may find ourselves returning to the traditional on-campus model of education (support sentence). In sum, the ability to meet a university’s core mission is the litmus test to measure whether distance education will work (point sentence).

Refers to how one sentence should lead naturally and smoothly into the next one. The reader should be able to see how a point or piece of information made in one sentence relates to a point or piece of information in the next sentence. The best way to achieve this is to try not to change your subject with every new sentence.

Describes the importance of comparing new information to information already known by reader, this will make the material easier to be understood. Example “Technical communication today, p219” 10a. Santa Fe has many beautiful places. Artists choose to strike off into the mountains to work, while others enjoy working in local studios. The landscapes are wonderful in the area. 10b. Santa Fe offers many beautiful places for artists to work. Some artists choose to strike off into the mountains to work, while others enjoy working in local studios. Both the mountains and the studios offer places to savor the wonderful landscapes in the area.