STYLE MANUAL
A Short List of Style
Manuals
By Ismael K.
Isikel
Matheson
Library
PNG
University of Technology
Style Manual
A style manual is a writing guide for those who are writing
including the student and researcher. It
specifies the style of writing that a writer should follow. A style manual
helps the writer with grammar, sentence structure, paraphrasing, summarizing,
quotation, compiling a bibliography and other communication skills. It
requires conformity in acknowledgement for using other writers’ ideas.
These style manuals are held in Matheson Library, PNG
University of Technology, and may be found under the Dewey Decimal Classification number starting at 808.00 at the Main Collection or
at the Special Reserve Collection. The Main Collection is located on the first
floor and the Special Reserve Collection is Located behind the Circulation desk
on the ground floor.
Some disciplines around the world have their own
guides to aid students and researchers within their disciplines to communicate in a standard manner. For example, the American Psychological
Association (APA) has one that is titled The
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. A pocket-size
version of this is also available and is titled Pocket Guide to APA Style. Some academic departments find this
useful and have recommended to the students and staff. The Communication for Development Studies Department recommends APA for use by staff and students.
There are four sources of style manuals that I have been pointing out to
students and these are: 1. Turabian; 2. APA, 3. MLA; and 4. Citation Machine. The
Citation Machine is available on the Internet (www.citationmachine.net/ ) and incorporates other style
manuals including APA and MLA.
List of Style Manuals
Here is a short list of annotated style manuals held in the Matheson Library. The annotation includes their usefulness and where they may be located
in the Library. Useful excerpts from the
books are also included.
Turabian, Kate L.
1987. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 5th
edition. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Turabian provides good guides for in-text citation including
rules and examples on how to write citations and how to compile your
bibliography or reference list.
The 1982 edition is also available in the Library, but it is
recommended that the 1987 edition is used. It is commonly known as Turabian
following the author’s name.
Location: SR 808.066
T929
Achtert, S. Walter;
Gibaldi, Joseph. 1985. The MLA Style Manual. The Modern Language Association of
America, New York.
MLA is similar in reputation to The Chicago Style Manual and
Turabian. MLA provides useful discussion and guidance on various writing skills
which include:
- Selecting appropriate language and style
- How to avoid plagiarism
- Standards for the mechanics of writing (punctuation, capitalization, quotations, transliterations and romanization
- The types of scholarly manuscripts
- Formal preparation of a manuscript
- Analysis of the stages in submitting and publishing manuscripts
- Relationship between authors and publishers, author’s contracts and copyright law
The University of
Chicago. 1982. The Chicago Manual of Style for Authors, Editors and
Copywriters. Thirteenth Edition, Revised and Expanded, University of Chicago
Press, Chicago.
The Chicago Manual has been a standard reference for
writers, editors, copywriters and proofreaders for well over seventy years.
Part 2 of this style manual (pages 131 – 511) clearly explains the use of
various writing skills such as Punctuation, Spelling and Distinctive Treatments
of Words, Names and Terms and Quotations. A detail explanation of the proper
use of Quotation is given from pages 281 to 302. Page 286 gives guidance with
examples on how to begin a quotation and recommends the use of a colon (:) when
starting a quotation.
Location: SR 808.02
C532
Paguarek,
Joyce. 1984. Writing Workshop: Paragraph and Sentence Practice. Newbury
House Publishers, Massachusetts.
Writing
Workshop: Paragraph and Sentence Practice may not be appealing to the reader in the
first instance because it requires the reader to spend time going through the
course work. You are not obliged to do the exercises. A quick review of the book will refresh your
paragraph writing skills. Chapter 1 deals with constructing sentences beginning
with the topic sentence, developing the paragraph and ending the paragraph with
a concluding sentence. Chapter 7 is helpful to those who are writing a paper
involving discussion on causes and results.
Many useful phrases (adverbial connectives) are provided and include as a result, therefore, hence and consequently.
It advises that so is used in
informal writing and speech. Use hence
and consequently instead.
Location: 808.042 P139
Dod, Janet S. (ed.) 1986. The ACS Style Guide:
A Manual for Authors and Editors. American Chemical Society, Washington DC.
ACS Style is more for the researcher
than the undergraduate. However, it does not mean that an undergraduate should
not consult this handbook. Students in Applied Science will find this guide
helpful. Chapter 1 discusses a scientific paper: what is a scientific paper and
the format in which the scientific paper is laid out. Included in the chapter
are the following advice on writing a paper based on research and experiment:
·
Avoid slang and jargon.
·
Use strong verbs because they are essential to
clear and concise writing
·
Use the active voice whenever possible. It is
usually less wordy and unambiguous.
Example:
Poor sentence
The fact that such processes
are under strict stereoelectronic control is demonstrated by work in this area.
Better sentence
Our work in this area
demonstrates that such processes are under strict stereoelectronic control.
·
First person is perfectly acceptable where it
keeps your meaning clear.
Example:
Jones reported xyz, but we
found…
Our recent work demonstrated…
For these reasons, we began a
study of…
It goes on to point out that phrases
like “we believe”, “we feel”, “we concluded”, and “we can see” are unnecessary,
as are personal opinion.
You will also find guidance on the use of verb
tenses in this book.
Location:
808.066 54 A187
Perrin,
Robert. 2004. A Pocket Guide to APA Style. Houghton Mifflin, Boston.
Communication for Development Studies at The PNG University of Technology
recommends this style manual for students. It is similar to Turabian and
provides guidance on how to do citation from various sources of information.
There is also guidance on how to compile your bibliography.
Location:
SR 808
Snooks
& Co. 2002. Style Manual: For authors, editors and printers 6th
edition. John Wiley, Australia.
Snooks & Co is another comprehensive style manual and provides
guidance on:
·
Structuring documents for readers
·
Effective and inclusive language
·
Grammar
·
Spelling
·
word punctuation
·
Capital letters
·
Textual contrast
·
Shortened forms
·
Numbers and measurement
·
Methods of citation
·
The components of citation
·
Editing and proofreading
Location:
808.027 S938
Lindsay,
David. 1995. A Guide to Scientific Writing, 2nd Edition. Addison
Wesley Longman, Australia.
This edition includes practical examples that writers, and
students, may follow when writing. It is helpful because it features writing by
scientists for non-scientists. Methods of presenting tables and improving
fluency of writing are provided in the guide. Examples of referencing
(citation) are presented in page 52 with guidance on smooth flow of sentences.
Most of its coverage are on preparing reviews and more advanced forms of
scientific writing.
Location:
SR 808.0666 L748
Stapleton, Paul; Youdeowel,
Anthony; Mukanyange, Joy et al. 1995. Scientific Writing for Agricultural
Scientists: a training reference manual. West Africa Rice Development
Association, Cote d’Ivore.
The guide follows the procedures for citing references specified
in the revised Council of Biology Editors manual, Scientific Style and Format
published in 1994. It is intended for young agricultural scientists.
Location:
SR 808.0665 S794
Trzeciak,
John and Mackay, S. E. 1994. Study Skills for Academic Writing: Student’s Book.
English for Academic Study Series. Longman, UK.
This book is a useful guide for referencing, note-taking and
summarising, incorporating data from textual sources, avoiding plagiarism,
organizing extended writing passages.
Those who need help with note-taking and summarising will find
help in pages 26 to 55. In page 39, for example, it gives the following
summarising steps:
·
Read the text once or twice before writing
anything down
·
Copy important sentences
·
Ask questions about when the text was written
and for what purpose in order to get a more independent (detached) perspective
on it
·
Find the main idea(s)
·
Take notes (or make a mind map)
·
When writing your summary, put aside the
original text and work from your notes, putting information into complete
sentences in your own words.
Location: SR
808.042 T876
Strunck, William
Jr. 2000. The Elements of Style, 4th
Edition. Allyn and Bacon, Boston.
The first chapter of Strunck’s pocket size guide begins
with rules of usage and includes when to
use a comma, the use of parentheses,
and sentence structure. The next
chapter is on principles of composition followed by matters of form. Chapter 4 presents
guidance on words and expressions
commonly misused. The final chapter
guides the reader on the process of writing. The book also contains a useful glossary of writing skills terms.
McArthur, Tom.
1984. The Written Word: A Course in Written Composition, Book1 & 2. Oxford
University Press, UK.
The Written Word comprises two books (Book1 and Book 2)
providing guides on what is acceptable written English that helps the student to
develop a clear, logical and personal style. The Written Word is designed as an
English composition course and contains exercises on writing and editing.
Answers to the exercises are found at the end of each book. You are not obliged
to do the course. Take time to read over to get help on spotting errors of
style, grammar and punctuation.
Location: 808 M116
Stanton, W. 1989.
Making Things Clear: A Guide to Effective Written and Oral Communication. The
Parthenon Publishing Group, UK.
Making Things Clear
consists of three sections. Section 1 is titled Preparing the Ground and is aimed at ensuring that the writer or
speaker begins clearly with a purpose and uses the appropriate material.
Transferring ideas to paper is the focus of Section 2. Section 3
concentrates more on public speaking –
preparation and presentation.
Location: 808 793m
The Economist.
1986. The Economist Pocket Style Book. The Economist Publications, London.
You will find in the beginning the following basic rules:
·
Never use a metaphor, simile or figure of speech
which you are used to seeing in print
·
Never use a long word where a short word will do
·
If it is possible to cut a word, always cut it
out
·
Never use the passive where you can use the
active
·
Never use a foreign phrase, scientific word or
jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
It continues by pointing out that if you want to capture
your reader’s attention:
·
Do not be stuffy or pompous
·
Do not be hectoring or arrogant
·
D not be too pleased with yourself
·
Do not be too chatty
·
Do not be too free with slang
·
Do not be sloppy in the construction of your
sentences and paragraph
It first appeared to me that the rules contain too many
“Do nots” and would seem to be negative. If the student thinks over these rules,
they are good and practical advice for writing a good presentable paper.
The main part of the style manual is alphabetically
arranged. It makes it easier for the reader to quickly find the information. A begins with explanation of Abbreviations and usage. Similarly, if
you look under S, you will find a
guide on the use of semi-colons.
Location: 808
G865e
Dwight A, John and
Speer, Dana C. 1979. How to write a
Research Paper. Learning Concepts, Ohio.
Dwight and Dana warn the writer that plagiarism is literary theft and offer the following guide to avoid plagiarism:
·
Introduce the quotation or paraphrase with the name
of the author who said it. For example, Harold
Herber stated that…or the conclusions
drawn by Dr.Von Braun indicate…
·
Enclose all quoted information within double
quotation marks
·
Footnote all factual information.
·
Remember that even though you will be
interpreting facts and opinions, you must document the fact or opinion that is
being discussed
Note that when you are using double quotes, a quotation
within a quotation will then use single quotes. Remember also that footnotes
are placed below the margin. Another option is to list them in the order they
appear before the bibliography.
Library research guidance is also provided and includes
explanation on using a card catalogue. You should be aware by now that the card
catalogue is no longer used in our University Library. The library system has an OPAC. If it is really necessary that you use a card
catalogue, consult chapter 6.
Location: SR
808.02 D992
Fowler, H. Ramsey.
1980. The Little, Brown Handbook.
Little, Brown and Company, Boston.
The Whole Paper and Paragraphs is the focus of chapter 1
and treats skills such as developing an essay, writing and revising, composing
good paragraphs, and convincing the reader. Chapter 2 treats grammatical
sentences including understanding sentence grammar and case of nouns and
pronouns. All other chapters deal with
other guides on various writing skills.
Fowler gives the following advice on jargon:
Jargon is the special vocabulary of any group; medical
and economic terms are examples. But jargon is also commonly used to describe
any vague, inflated language that states relatively simple ideas in
unnecessarily complicated ways. The directions for using a shower head tell us
that the nozzles with which this spray
system is equipped will allow the user to reduce the mean diameter of the spray
spectrum instead of simply saying that this
nozzle will concentrate the spray. Jargon often sound as if the writer had
studied all guidelines for being exact and concise and then set out to violate
everyone.
Examples of jargon and translations are presented as
well in the book and two examples are given here:
Example 1
Jargon The
necessity for the individual to become a separate entity in his own right may
impel a child to engage in open rebelliousness against parental authority or
against sibling influence, with resultant confusion on the part of those being
rebelled against.
Translation A
child’s natural desire to become himself may make him rebel against bewildered
parents or siblings.
Example 2
Jargon Please
interface with employees by spending time on the floor for information getting
and listening to employees’ inputs and feedbacks as they offer the same.
Translation
Spend time with employees and listen to their complaints and
suggestions.
The examples show us to eliminate jargon by cutting
unneeded or repeated words and by simplifying both words and grammatical
structures.
Note that the translated sentences in the examples above are concise than the original sentences.
Location: 808.042
F786L
There you are! It is a quick synoptic guide.
There you are! It is a quick synoptic guide.
