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TIDBIT TUEDAY The differences between an em dash, en dash, and a hyphen are subtle but important. Note the size of each dash. Don’t mistake the en dash () for the slightly wider em dash () or the narrower hyphen (-). The en dash is the width as the letter N. (Em dash is the wide of the letter M.) HYPHEN versus EN DASH... The HYPHEN is used to: Combine words such as compounds: Well-being, advanced-level, vice-president, twenty-nine, meta-analysis Separate numbers: Phone numbers, social security numbers EN DASH: Stands in for versus: RoeWade, ClintonTrump Shows a range: e.g., in references Journal of Adolescent Literacy, 50, 824890. 23 weeks 4050 people 1030 kHz 5075 cm Signal a partnership or pairing where both parts are equal: USCanada Free Trade Agreement testretest ChicagoSan Francisco flight malefemale A period of time: 20142017 July 1518, 2016 May 9May 20 Making an en dash: On a Mac: For an en dash (), use Option and - Word: (word) (space) (-) (space) (word) (space) With Num Lock enabled, you can also use the shortcut combination Ctrl+Minus to create an En dash (using the Minus key located on the numeric keypad).

TIDBIT TUESDAY: Dashes Part 1 Em-Dash: The em dash is a very versatile punctuation mark. Depending on the content and the emphasis desired the em dash can take the place of commas or parentheses.... Why is it called an em-dash? The em dash is named after its lengthit’s about the same width as an M. APA tell us that em dashes are used to set off an element added to amplify or to digress from the main clause (p. 97). The em dash draws the reader’s attention, in part because of the physical separation but also their noveltythey appear less frequently than hyphens. Replacing commas: A pair of em dashes can replace of commas to enhance readability. Em dashes are more emphatic than commas. Example: An indicatora flashing light or an alarm signals danger. In place of parentheses: A pair of em dashes can replace a pair of parentheses. Use the em dash if you want to draw attention to the content. If you want to include content in a subtler manner, use parentheses. Example: Upon discovering the errorsall 10 of themthe measurements were redone. Producing the em dash: 1. Word-hyphen-hyphen-word 2. Alt/Option + Shift + - (Mac) 3. Alt + Ctrl + - (Microsoft Word) NEXT WEEKthe difference between em dash and en dash.

TIDBIT TUESDAY: Ellipsis [. . .] The ellipsis, three consecutive periods, is among the most misunderstood punctuation mark in the English language. It is used indiscriminately in text messages, posts, emails, social network posts, blogs, novels, and news stories. The ellipsis is an actual punctuation mark that has a very specific purpose. In writing it is sometimes necessary to omit text from quoted material. Ellipsis are a series of periods with spaces between them that ind...Continue reading

TIDBIT TUESDAY The Oxford comma (also known as the serial comma) is the comma that comes before the word and in a list of three or more terms. While you may not feel that the Oxford comma is necessary, writing style guides such APA, Chicago Style, and MLA do. The primary argument for using the Oxford comma is to reduce ambiguity. Two clarifying examples:...Continue reading

TIDBIT TUESDAY The Abstract is the shortest section of your dissertation but its importance should not be underestimated. A well written abstract can propel a reader to read or not read your work. You’ve done the work and will most certainly want others to read it. A good abstract is a concise summary of your work and is a description of your research not your topic. ... What to consider: 1. Write the abstract last. This way you will know exactly what you need to summarize. 2. Get to the point. Dissertation abstracts are usually less than 250 words. Imagine the abstract as an elevator talk where you have two minutes to convince someone to read your work. What is essential? What can be left in the dissertation for them to read? 3. Brevity, accessibility, and comprehensiveness. Is it short and to the point? Are the text and meaning accessible? Have you provided enough but not too much or too little information (the Goldilocks dilemma)? 4. Be succinct. Don’t be repetitive. 5. Revise, revise, revise. Make each word count. Common examples of too many words include: This paper examines In this dissertation, I address (Jones, 2017; Miller, 2011) Plan the Abstract: Take your time. Plan, write, revise, edit, and repeat until the essentials are clearly covered. Begin with a strong opening statement that grabs the reader’s attention. Does it cover the so what concern? Will it entice the reader to read the entire dissertation? The following questions must be covered: What is your research question? What did you do (methods, data collection, analysis)? What were your results? What is the answer to your research question? What are the consequences/implications of your research?

TIDBIT TUESDAY: Which vs that One of the most common errors made is when to use which versus that. Which and that are not meant to be interchangeable. Let’s clarify ... Restrictive Clause: Tells us something that is very important about the subject of the sentence. Removal of information beyond the modifier (that) changes the subject of the sentence completely. Desserts that contain chocolate make Chris very happy. The placement of that tells us it is chocolate desserts that make Chris happy, not all desserts. Non-restrictive Clause: Information following a non-restrictive modifier (which) is less significant to the overall meaning of a sentence and often serves as little more than background information. Chocolate desserts, which are her favorite, make Chris happy. Here we can take out which are her favorite and the sentence still has the same meaning. Chocolate desserts make Chris happy. Summary: When the information in the relative clause is essential to the meaning of the entire sentence, use that. Conversely, when information following a relative clause can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence, use which and separate it using a comma. Restrictive or non-restrictive clause? The data (that or which) we gathered from the experiment were conclusive. What’s the correct response? The more you practice this grammar concept the easier it becomes. Test your understanding: https://www.quia.com/quiz/1193499.html https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php

The dissertation writing process can be an arduous journey. The formatting of your proposal or dissertation can be one of the most frustrating yet critical and overlooked aspects of the writing process. A uniform style can help your readers find and follow the main points of your paper. Grammatical, lexical, syntactical, citation, and formatting errors can undermine even the strongest of dissertations. Let us help you ensure that your proposal/dissertation truly reflects the... time, effort, and determination it took to do the research, compile/analyze the findings, and write. We offer 5 levels of support: APA formatting, Proofreading, Standard Copy-editing, Advanced Copy-editing, and Substantive Editing. Our goal is getting you to your goal. For more information, we welcome you at PhD-Ready.com

The dissertation writing process can be an arduous journey. The formatting of your proposal or dissertation can be one of the most frustrating yet critical and overlooked aspects of the writing process. A uniform style can help your readers find and follow the main points of your paper. Grammatical, lexical, syntactical, citation, and formatting errors can undermine even the strongest of dissertations. Let us help you ensure that your proposal/dissertation truly reflects the time, effort, and determination it took to do the research, compile/analyze the findings, and write. We offer 5 levels of support: APA formatting, Proofreading, Standard Copy-editing, Advanced Copy-editing, and Substantive Editing. Our goal is getting you to your goal.