This document provides a summary of three short writing tutorials presented by Elizabeth Wilcox. Lesson 1 covers writing effective stem sentences and identifying nonconforming examples. Lesson 2 addresses avoiding comma misuse and splices by reviewing proper comma usage. Lesson 3 teaches the difference between particles and prepositions in phrasal verbs and applying the concepts. Resources mentioned include the SymTOP Help database and Purdue OWL site for additional grammar guidance. An evaluation section solicits feedback on the value of the training.

1. Three Short Writing Tutorials
Presented by Elizabeth Wilcox

2. Introduction
• This is a series of short tutorials about topics that are
relevant to Symantec information developers.
• You will have a chance to practice the topics presented in
each tutorial.

3. Training Outline
 Lesson 1: Writing effective stem sentences.
Identify and correct nonconforming stem sentences so
that they will pass acrocheck (and facilitate machine
translation of your documentation).
 Lesson 2: Avoiding comma misuse, including
splices.
Review when to (and not to) use commas.
 Lesson 3: Using phrasal verbs correctly.
Learn the difference between particles and prepositions, and
apply what you have learned.

4. Lesson 1: Objectives
• Spot nonconforming stem sentences.
• Correct your own (or others’) stem sentences.

5. Lesson 1: Presentation. Introducing
bulleted lists
From SymTOP Help:
Introduce every bulleted list that appears in body text in
one of the following ways:
– You can create resource associations in
the following ways:
– Install the software as follows:
– Choose from the following options:

6. Lesson 1: Practice. Do these stem
sentences conform?
Circle the bullet next to any stem
sentence that conforms to the standard.
•Here is an example:
•These are some of your options:
•On the Users page, enter this information
for each user:
•There are two ways to configure the
server:

7. Lesson 1: Corrected stems
•Here is an example:
•These are some of
your options:
•Enter this
information for
each user:
•There are two ways
to configure the
server:
•Refer to the
following example:
•Choose from the
following options:
•Enter the following
information about
each user:
•You can configure
the server in the
following ways:

8. Lesson 1: Wrap-up notes
 The goal of stem sentences and bulleted lists:
To make nonprocedural, nonsequential items easy to scan
(from “About bulleted lists,” SymTOP Help).
 Simplify the user’s cognitive task by introducing bulleted
lists in a consistent manner throughout the
documentation.
 Simplify your writing tasks by writing conforming stem
sentences that pass acrocheck.

9. Lesson 2: Objectives
• Recognize comma misuse, including splices, in your own or
peers’ writing.
• Correct common comma errors.

10. Lesson 2: Presentation. Using commas
correctly
 Separators set off two
independent clauses
(complete sentences).
 Introducers separate
a dependent clause
(DC) from the
following independent
clause (IC). (Omit the
comma if the IC
precedes the DC.)
 Inserters set off
nonessential sentence
elements.
 Serial commas
separate items in a
series.
 I set up the system,
and he is doing the
installation.
 Even though this list is
incomplete, you will
have a good idea of
how to use commas in
specific instances.
 The user, however,
defines organizational
groups.
 Set up, install, and
then test your site
servers.

11. Lesson 2: Practice. Correct these common
comma errors
 Comma between two nouns or
noun phrases in a compound
object
 Comma between two verbs or
verb phrases in a compound
predicate
 Comma splice (when a
comma is used in place of a
stronger break)
 X: Make sure that the cables
are connected, and that the
computer is turned on.
Solution?
_________________________
_________________________
____________________
 X: Package services run on
site servers, and offload
programming from the
primary platform server.
Solution?
_________________________
_________________________
_______________________
 X: Install the server, check
the installation
Solution?
_________________________
_________________________
________________________

12. Lesson 2: Wrap-up notes
• Use commas on purpose (not out of habit).
• If you do not know why you need a comma or cannot
explain why it should be there, it probably does not belong.

13. Lesson 3: Objectives
• Recognize phrasal verbs.
• Use phrasal verbs correctly by not combining the particle
with a following preposition.

14. Lesson 3: Presentation
 Phrasal verbs are those that are composed of two words.
Look at the following examples:
◦ Log on to the server.
◦ Turn in your status report.
◦ Can you break it down?
◦ Turn the volume up.
 Phrasal verbs contain a main verb and a particle (the small
word), as in “log on” and “break down.”
 The particle in a phrasal verb is not a preposition, even
though in some phrasal verbs it may look like one (for
example, “in” or “on”).

15. Lesson 3: Practice. Circle the correct use
in each pair.
oLog on to the server.
Turn your status
report in to your
supervisor.
 Can you break down
the problem?
Shutdown the server.
oLog onto the server.
Turn your status
report into your
supervisor.
 Breakdown the
problem.
Shut down the
server.

16. Lesson 3: Review
• Just because two words next to each other (such as “on”
and “to”) sometimes function as one (“onto”) does not
mean that they should be run together as one in every
instance. Evaluate each instance, and distinguish particles
from prepositions.
 Test it: Can you insert a pronoun between the alleged verb
and its particle and retain a logical sentence? If so, you
are likely looking at a phrasal verb. In that case, keep the
preposition separate from the verb’s particle.
◦ Log her on to the server. (The verb is phrasal: log on.)
◦ Turn it in to your manager. (The verb is phrasal: turn in.)

17. Summary
• Lesson 1: Follow the SymTOP guidelines to write conforming stem
sentences.
• Lesson 2: Use commas on purpose. If you cannot see the purpose for
inserting a comma, omit it or ask an editor for help.
• Lesson 3: Separate particles (“on,” “in”) from prepositions (“to”).
• Resources
– In Vasont, click SymTOP Help. Search for “stem sentences” and other topics.
– Source: See “The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)” site at
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/ for excellent information
about commas, pronouns, and other tricky topics.

18. Evaluation
Please evaluate the value of this training or future,
similar training.
 Did this short training help alert you to any potential
trouble spots (or do you already watch out for these)?
 Do you want additional training about any of the tutorial
topics? If so, please notify Liz.