...Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity in Writing Denise Cook CRT/205 November 18, 2012 Professor Freda Trujillo The first example in which I chose was Example 2, “I was thrown from my truck as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by a flock of wild turkeys.” The first sentence is an example of vagueness because it does not tell us if he had an accident but it tells us enough to make the assumption that there was an accident. The second sentence is an example of ambiguity because it could mean that he was found by a flock of wild turkeys or it could mean that someone found him by a flock of wild turkeys in a ditch. The second example in which I chose was Example 3, “Next Sunday a collection will be taken to help with the cost of the new altar. Anyone wanting to help to do something on the new altar can step forward and let the committee know.” The first sentence is an example of vagueness because it does not tell us how much the new altar will cost or how much of a donation in which they need, but it is enough information given for you to make the assumption that they need money for a new altar. The second sentence is an example ambiguity because it could mean that anyone who wants to help with building the altar can step forward or it could mean anyone who wants to give money to help pay for the new altar can step forward. According to Chapter 3, vagueness plays a very important role in much that we do. Vagueness is often intentional, used as a means...
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...Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity in Writing Holly Minor CRT/205 June 15, 2013 Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity in Writing Vague and ambiguous writing results in misinterpretation of the information within the writing. When writing is unclear, a reader may find difficulty in understanding the intent of the writing. On the other hand, a certain level of vagueness is adequate. “When a claim is not too vague to convey appropriately useful information, its level of vagueness is acceptable.” (Moore & Parker, 2012, p. 73). To illustrate the effect vagueness and ambiguousness has on a written work; two writing examples are deconstructed and analyzed. Example 1 [1]This particular case study will reflect an organization with a van that has undergoing internal conflict. [2]It will also analyze the reason for the conflict and offer positive resolutions of this conflict. [3]The project must first understand that conflict among the membership, its leaders, group or anyone attached did not just show up one day. [4]Conflict has been in existence for a very long time. [5]The religious leaders have a great responsibility to the congregation (and others who look for guidance and direction according to the scriptures). [6]It does not matter what title he or she holds, if they are in a leadership role, they bare responsible and accountable. The writing style in this first example contains both vague and ambiguous writing. The first sentence has both vague and ambiguous...
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...the novelist may be stipulating that the flock of wild turkeys found him lying in a ditch, or maybe that a man had found him in the ditch lying next to the flock of wild turkeys. In the 3rd example, to me this is vague simply I am not quite certain what is being accumulated. It may be a contribution of pieces of merchandise or ready cash. And in the second sentence it is asking if anybody wants to lend a hand by doing something on the altar to let the board know. It is not clear to anyone who reads this as to what the board is asking what needs to be done to the new altar. These sentences are ambiguous simply since while anyone who is reading each example, there is several ways that anyone might clarify their significance. Both vagueness and ambiguity have an effect on understanding the assertions since what the writer is trying to say may not be what the viewers are familiar with. In order for the writer to his or her point through more efficiently the writer has to be certain they are clear in what they are trying to express. In the connection between...
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...Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity in Writing CRT/205 October 3, 2013 Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity in Writing The two examples I chose to analyze were examples two and three. Both of the writing samples were vague and ambiguous leaving questions and curiosity as to what the author was intending. Without the clarity in the writing, the audience is left to assume what the author’s true meaning is, but not ever really knowing if they are correct. In example two the author states, “I was thrown from my truck as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by a flock of wild turkeys.” The vagueness in the writing is found in the first sentence. As the audience, we are unsure if the author meant another person in the vehicle physically threw him out of the truck or if author was involved in a car accident and when truck went off the side of the rode the impact ejected him from the vehicle. With this statement being as vague as it is, the possibility could be either. Ambiguity is present in the second sentence, in particularly the word “by”. The way this sentence is worded, it is possible a flock of wild turkeys were the ones who found him in the ditch, or that someone else found him in a ditch near a flock of turkeys. Since the word “by” could be referring to who found him or in relation to where he was found the author could have intended either. The author states in example three, “Next Sunday a collection will be taken to help with the cost of the new altar. Anyone...
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...Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity in Writing: Casey Dougherty CRT/205 December 13, 2012 Casey Thrift Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity in Writing: Example 2 I was thrown from my truck as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by a flock of wild turkeys. Example 3 Next Sunday a collection will be taken to help with the cost of the new altar. Anyone wanting to help to do something on the new altar can step forward and let the committee know. In the example of being thrown from a truck there is vagueness and ambiguity. Vagueness and ambiguity used in writing have an influence on the understanding of the information to the audience. "A word or phrase is vague if the group of things to which it applies has border- line cases," (Moore & Parker, 2012, p. 72). In the second example, the writer provides a vague explanation of being thrown from his truck. The person could have been thrown because of a wreck with another vehicle, or because he was avoiding something in the road, or literally thrown from the vehicle by another person. The writer then says that he found in a ditch by a flock of wild turkeys. This statement is ambiguous because he could have been found actually in a ditch next to a flock of wild turkeys, or it could have been the flock of wild turkeys that found him in the ditch. ." A word, phrase, or sentence is said to be ambiguous when it has more than one meaning," (Moore & Parker, 2012, p. 72). In the example of needing help with...
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...guene Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity Writing Kimberly Williams CRT/206 11/15/2012 University of Phoenix Vagueness, Ambiguity, and Clarity Writing Identify what is vague and what is ambiguous about each? The example that I choose to write about was Example 3 and Example 2. Example 2 I was thrown from my truck as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by a flock of wild turkeys. In example 2 the vague was not really not clear as to what the writer meant by him being thrown off his truck? By being thrown off it could possibly mean that he was ejected from the bed of the truck. Are I think that someone could maybe threw him out of the truck are pushed him out of the truck while it was going. Are it could of also mean that he might of hit something in the road and he hit it so hard that it caused it to ejected him out of it. And on the other sentence it stated that he was he was later found by a flock of wild turkeys. What could the author be saying that the flock of wild turkeys found him lying in a ditch? Or that someone had found him in the ditch next to the flock? In the third example, I think that it is vague because we are not sure what is being collected? To we know that it is donation of material or money. And in the second Sentence it is asking people if there is anyone who wants to help them with the altar to let the committee know, but we are unsure of what they need to be done. So I feel that these sentences are ambiguous because while you are reading...
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...Vagueness, Ambiguity and Clarity in Writing John Mackey The first example that I have chosen to use for this assignment is Example number two; Example 2 I was thrown from my truck as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by a flock of wild turkeys. The vagueness in this example raises the question of why he was thrown from the truck. What caused this to happen? What were the underlying circumstances that ultimately led to being thrown from the truck? Another question that can be asked is where did the wild turkeys come from? There are all these questions that remain to be asked and also later to be answered. For the ambiguous side of the house, Dictionary.com defines ambiguity as doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ambiguity). In this example what is the author’s intent on explaining? It is simply two sentences that very vaguely explain what happened but what is their purpose or intent that they are trying to achieve by saying what they did in the example? I believe that with this example there is more vagueness than there is ambiguity but also that the vagueness does lead to ambiguity. There are several questions left in this example unanswered. Re-Written Example I was thrown from my truck as it left the road because the roads were wet from the rain that had fallen throughout the night and I lost control of my truck. Later when I awoke I found myself lying in a ditch surrounded by a flock...
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...2 of 56 Clear Thinking, Critical Thinking, and Clear Writing Students will learn to … 1. Determine acceptable and unacceptable degrees of vagueness in language 2. Understand and identify types of ambiguity 3. Identify the problems generality causes in language 4. Use definitions to increase precision and clarity and to influence attitudes 5. Understand the types of definitions 6. Acquire skills for writing an effective argumentative essay rom August 1987 until January 2007, Alan Greenspan was chairman of the Federal Reserve Board (“the Fed”). Because any remark he made about U.S. monetary policy could cause markets all over the world to fluctuate wildly, he developed a complicated way of speaking that came to be known as “Fedspeak.” Here’s an example: It is a tricky problem to find the particular calibration in timing that would be appropriate to 2/9/2016 12:17 PM 3 of 56 stem the acceleration in risk premiums created by falling incomes without prematurely aborting the decline in the inflation-generated risk premiums.* Greenspan has admitted that such remarks were not really intended to be understood. Asked to give an example by commenting on the weather, Greenspan replied, I would generally expect that today in Washington, D.C., the probability of changes in the weather is highly uncertain. But we are monitoring the data in such a manner that we will be able to update people on changes that are important.* Page 70 2/9/2016 12:17 PM This tells us nothing about the weather...
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...Vagueness, Ambiguity and Clarity Critical Thinking CRT205 In the first example the organization is not named, the type of van is not named, and the conflict going on is not named, to say the least, the entire section is very vague and does not refer or mention any one thing that is going on. The second example does not mention who, how or what was thrown out of the truck, why the truck went off the road. The first example states "this particular case study will reflect an organization with a van that has undergoing internal conflict. It will also analyze the reason for the conflict and offer positive resolutions of this conflict. The project must first understand that conflict among the membership, its leaders, group or anyone attached did not just show up one day. Conflict has been in existence for a very long time. The religious leaders have a great responsibility to the congregation (and others who look for guidance and direction according to the scriptures). It does not matter what title he or she holds, if they are in a leadership role, they bare responsible and accountable." Being vague in the first example influences understanding because not one person that is reading it would know anything about what is going on with the organization. There is no who, what, where or how stated in any part of the example. How would anyone understand what the organization is, what van is being talked about, what the conflict is, and why religious leaders are involved. The second...
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...Devry Phil 447 Final Exam IF You Want To Purchase A+ Work then Click The Link Below For Instant Down Load http://www.hwspeed.com/Devry-Phil-447-Final-Exam-0404044480.htm?categoryId=-1 IF You Face Any Problem Then E Mail Us At JOHNMATE1122@GMAIL.COM Question Page 1 Question 1.1. (TCO 1) "Thinking about thinking" is the definition of what? (Points : 4) Development of arguments Measure of good sense Development of critical skills Writing for clarity Critical thinking Question 2.2. (TCO 1, 2, 4) What is the principle concern when handling an issue? (Points : 4) Whether a given claim is true or not Whether the claim at issue attaches to the conclusion or not Whether the claim at issue is clearly understood Whether the claim is not ambiguous Whether the claim at issue is open for discussion and resolution Question 3.3. (TCO 1, 2, 3) What are the two conditions needed for a premise to offer support for a conclusion? (Points : 4) It is ethical and justifies an action It provides knowledge and defines terms It provides reasons and analyzes data It specifies what caused something and how it works It is true and relevant to the conclusion Question 4.4. (TCOs 2, 3) For inductive arguments, how do we measure their quality as stronger or weaker? (Points : 4) Based on how much support their premises provide for the conclusion Based on requiring little translation into syllogistic form Based on their appearing in a standard form Based on the clear...
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...living languages are continually changing over the course of time due to social, cultural, environmental, historical and linguistic factors. Semantic change is one of the major phenomenon of language change. Basically, semantic change deals with the change of the original meaning of a word as well as the development of a new word which is reflected in the way the words are being used. This paper mainly puts an insight to the major causes of semantic change as well as trace the traditional classification made by various scholars. According to Varshney, “The main factors responsible for semantic change are vagueness in meaning, loss of motivation, polysemy, ambiguous contexts and the structure of the vocabulary”. (p. 284). Over the passage of time, people use words in a new context. Hence the meanings of the words are changing gradually, often to the point that the new meaning is radically different from the original usage. For instance, the word ‘awful’ originally meant ‘awe-inspiring, filling someone with deep awe’, as in the awful majesty of the Creator. At some point it becomes something ‘extremely bad’, as in ‘an awfully bad performance’, but now the intensity of the expression has lessened and the word is now used informally to just mean ‘very bad’, as in an awful mess. Some words also change semantically, not in their original meanings but change...
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...Ministry of Education of the Republic of Moldova State Pedagogical University “Ion Creangă” Foreign Languages and Literature Faculty English Philology Department DIPLOMA PAPER Figurative Language, Language Shaped by Imagination in Katherine Mansfield’s Short Stories Submitted by: the 4th year student Paşcaneanu Mariana Group 404 Scientific adviser: Tataru Nina Senior Lecturer Chişinău 2012 Contents INTRODUCTION 2 CHAPTER I: SHORT STORY AS A FORM OF FICTION 5 I.1.Common Characteristics of a Short Story as a Form of Fiction. Its Plot and Structure. 5 I.2. Figurative Language. Definition. Function. 9 I.3. Imagery – Language that Appeals to the Senses 11 I.3.1. Simile, Metaphor and Personification. 13 1.3.2. Symbol and Symbolism. 26 I.3.3 Allegory. 30 CHAPTER II: LANGUAGE SHAPED BY IMAGINATION IN K. MANSFIELD’S SHORT STORIES 36 II.1. Figurative Language, Symbolism and Theme in "Her First Ball": 37 II.2. Katherine Mansfield – Techniques and Effects in A Cup of Tea. 41 II.3. Literary Colloquial Style in “Miss Brill” by K. Mansfield. 49 II.3.1. Lexical features—Vague Words and Expressions 49 II.3.2 Syntactical and Morphological Features 52 II.3.3 Phonological Schemes of the Figures of Speech 55 II.4. Simplifying Figurative Language in K.Mansfield’s Short Stories 60 CONCLUSION 64 BIBLIOGRAPHY 66 APPENDIX 70 INTRODUCTION Figurative Language is the use of words that...
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...Business (Report) Writing Clear Technical Writing provides a step-by-step process for designing and writing a clear technical document, whether it be an engineering, email or scientific report. You will learn by doing, the only legitimate way to improve writing skills! The training involves writing, revising, and editing exercises; critiquing documents; games; and lecture. You will walk away with confidence in writing and editing skills and a consciousness about international writing. Top of ClearTop of ClearTop Key Topics Plan a complete and accurate document in minutes Organize ideas for readability Reach your audience Write using plain English Avoid ambiguity and unprofessional tone Trim the fat Revise for style to maintain reader interest Activate active voice Polish with parallelism Write grammatically Punctuate properly Send focused e-mail Format technical reports Write clear processes and procedures Top of ClearTop of ClearTop |Effective Report Writing | Report writing is one of the most critical stages of many endeavours in the business world as well as the academic world. All the efforts that one has undertaken are finally translated into a report. It is going to be the face of the project and people are going to judge the project based on the reports given to them. Reports also form a very important tool for decision making...
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...not in any way that suggests that the book Logical Reasoning or its author endorse you or your use of the work). (2) Noncommercial You may not use this work for commercial purposes (for example, by inserting passages into a book that is sold to students). (3) No Derivative Works You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work. An earlier version of the book was published by Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, California USA in 1993 with ISBN number 0-534-17688-7. When Wadsworth decided no longer to print the book, they returned their publishing rights to the original author, Bradley Dowden. The current version has been significantly revised. If you would like to suggest changes to the text, the author would appreciate your writing to him at dowden@csus.edu. iv Praise Comments on the earlier 1993 edition, published by Wadsworth Publishing Company, which is owned by Cengage Learning: "There is a great deal of coherence. The chapters build on one another. The organization is sound and the author does a superior job of presenting the structure of arguments. " David M. Adams, California State Polytechnic University "These examples work quite well. Their diversity, literacy, ethnic...
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...Quotations Whoever desires for his writings or himself, what none can reasonably condemn,the favor of mankind, must add grace to strength, and make his thoughts agreeable as well as useful. Many complain of neglect who never tried to attract regard. It cannot be expected that the patrons of science or virtue should be solicitous to discover excellencies which they who possess them shade and disguise. Few have abilities so much needed by the rest of the world as to be caressed on their own terms; and he that will not condescend to recommend himself by external embellishments must submit to the fate of just sentiments meanly expressed, and be ridiculed and forgotten before he is understood. --Samuel Johnson Men must be taught as if you taught them not; And things unknown propos'd as things forgot. --Alexander Pope Style in painting is the same as in writing, a power over materials, whether words or colors, by which conceptions or sentiments are conveyed. --Sir Joshua Reynolds Whereas, if after some preparatory grounds of speech by their certain forms got into memory, they were led to the praxis thereof in some chosen short book lessoned thoroughly to them, they might then forthwith proceed to learn the substance of good things, and arts in due order, which would bring the whole language quickly into their power. --John Milton Introduction Good writing depends upon more than making a collection of statements worthy of belief, because writing is intended to be read by others...
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