WPU essays

WPU essays A University should be a place of delight, of liberty, and of learning How could the Seton Hall University help me achieve intellectual independence and assist me in pursuing a life of ideas? Seton Hall University would allow me to fulfill my perfectionist ideals; I would be able to compete with the best and the brightest. Moreover, the non-academic life within a dynamic campus, and a strong sense of community would enhance the challenging courses that the university has to offer. It is not simple to find a distinctive institution with incredible resources as well as personal attention. With a small faculty-to-student ratio in all classes, I could truly have significant interaction with the professors while simultaneously retaining the knowledge Id be acquiring. The hands-on experience with up-to-date equipment would be like a dream come true as Id encompass myself with ubiquitous, influential technology which is taken for granted by the common person. Taking advantage of the broad spectrum of undergraduate programs, I would improve my ability to think quantitatively, solve complicated problems, and apply my knowledge to the real world. Therefore, I have always been interested in the field of buisness, for it embodies my favorite subjects. As my calculus teacher frantically writes the equations of integrals on the board, I jot down the notes with a clear understanding of what the signs stand for and the logic behind them. Business is a major that is expected to continue experiencing growth, especially strong in areas emphasizing technology. Our society is becoming more technologically driven day by day, and is always on the look-out for expansion and increasing efficiency. By choosing Buisness as a profession, I am able to contribute to the well-being of the society as well as rigorously challenging my intellectual abilities. Although both frustration and jubilation will ensue as I endeavor to find creative solutions to d...

How to Calculate Standard Deviation

How to Calculate Standard Deviation Standard deviation (usually denoted by the lowercase Greek letter ÏÆ') is the average or means of all the averages for multiple sets of data. Standard deviation is an important calculation for math and sciences, particularly for lab reports. Scientists and statisticians use standard deviation to determine how closely sets of data are to the mean of all the sets. Fortunately, its an easy calculation to perform. Many calculators have a standard deviation function, however, you can perform the calculation by hand and should understand how to do it. Different Ways to Calculate Standard Deviation There are two main ways to calculate standard deviation: population standard deviation and sample standard deviation. If you collect data from all members of a population or set, you apply the population standard deviation. If you take data that represents a sample of a larger population, you apply the sample standard deviation formula. The equations/calculations are nearly the same with two exceptions: for the population standard deviation, the variance is divided by the number of data points (N), while for the sample ​standard deviation, its divided by the number of data points minus one (N-1, degrees of freedom). Which Equation Do I Use? In general, if youre analyzing data that represents a larger set, choose the sample standard deviation. If you gather data from every member of a set, choose the population standard deviation. Here are some examples: Population Standard Deviation- Analyzing test scores of a class.Population Standard Deviation- Analyzing the age of respondents on a national census.Sample Standard Deviation- Analyzing the effect of caffeine on reaction time on people ages 18 to 25.Sample Standard Deviation- Analyzing the amount of copper in the public water supply. Calculate the Sample Standard Deviation Here are step-by-step instructions for calculating standard deviation by hand: Calculate the mean or average of each data set. To do this, add up all the numbers in a data set and divide by the total number of pieces of data. For example, if you have four numbers in a data set, divide the sum by four. This is the mean of the data set.Subtract the deviance of each piece of data by subtracting the mean from each number. Note that the variance for each piece of data may be a positive or negative number.Square each of the deviations.Add up all of the squared deviations.Divide this number by one less than the number of items in the data set. For example, if you had four numbers, divide by three.Calculate the square root of the resulting value. This is the sample standard deviation. See a worked example of how to calculate sample variance and sample standard deviation. Calculate the Population Standard Deviation Calculate the mean or average of each data set. Add up all the numbers in a data set and divide by the total number of pieces of data. For example, if you have four numbers in a data set, divide the sum by four. This is the mean of the data set.Subtract the deviance of each piece of data by subtracting the mean from each number. Note that the variance for each piece of data may be a positive or negative number.Square each of the deviations.Add up all of the squared deviations.Divide this value by the number of items in the data set. For example, if you had four numbers, divide by four.Calculate the square root of the resulting value. This is the population standard deviation. See an example worked problem for variance and population standard deviation.

Explaining a Concept Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Explaining a Concept Research Paper - Essay Example Human activities that cause an increase in the amount of green house gases in the atmosphere include: industrial farming, cutting down of trees and burning of fossil fuels. This paper will give an overview of the issue of global warming and will highlight its impacts and measures developed to contain the issue. Green house gases are described as atmospheric gases that absorb and release radiation within the range of the thermal infrared through a process identified as the green house effect (Bhatia 124). The main green house gases in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, ozone and methane. Green house gases tend to increase atmospheric temperatures as they allow incoming solar radiation to get into the atmosphere but they trap the outgoing wave radiation of heat preventing it from escaping. This will cause heating of the atmosphere leading to global warming. Research has been carried out by scientists to determine the effects of global warming which include s ediment research, tree- ring research and ice- core analysis. The sediment research has identified that water levels in the oceans are reducing compared to water levels about 400,000 years ago. The tree ring research, on the other hand, shows the levels of atmospheric precipitation (Siegfried and Avery 128). These researches have provided sufficient evidence to show that global warming has resulted in changes in climate. Researchers have therefore concluded that human activities and unregulated release of green house gases into the atmosphere are the main causes of global warming and climate change. Governments, researchers and conservationists have acknowledged the adverse impacts that global warming may have on the environment if corrective measures are not put into place. Global warming is a serious problem that has adverse impacts on sustainable development of the nation. Adaptation has been identified as a strategy that can be applied to enable the nation to deal with climate c hange. Adaptation will involve making necessary adjustments in the human as well as natural systems in response to expected changes in climate. According to research carried out by scientists, levels of global warming and climate change are highest in temperate and polar regions (Siegfried and Avery 275). The Polar Regions have thick and large masses of slow moving ice known as glaciers. Glaciers cover a significant proportion of the earth surface. Ice carps and valley glaciers found in the Polar Regions contain more than 50 % of the world’s fresh water. Scientists have predicted that the rate of melting of glaciers and ice carps has increased in recent times due to increased global temperatures. The rate of melting is expected to increase in coming years if effective mitigation measures are not initiated to contain global warming. Scientists have also predicted that if the worldwide ‘business as usual’ culture continues, global warming will lead to a rise in the sea levels of approximately 25 inches. Other research shows that sea levels will rise as soon as in 2040. Rising sea levels, however, will rise depending on the rate with which glaciers and ice carps are melting. If the rate of global warming continues to increase, the rates with which glacie

Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Final Project - Essay Example However they soon diversified their portfolio and ventured into selling DVDS, CDs, and MP3 downloads software’s, games, electronics, food, toys, furniture and apparel. They started spreading out from United States and established bases in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and China. A business model is also termed as a business design. It is the way in which a business intends to specify a value proposition for its targeted customers, it’s positioning and it’s financial model. In other words, it is a summary of how the company intends to serve its customers, in what areas does it intend to serve its customers and what would be its product offering. At the Inception of Amazon.com, the delivery of information, services and goods to end customer was employed as its business model. It was called the â€Å"Online Retailer of Physical Good†. Under this model, manufactured products are sold online and there is a lot of dependency on third party providers. Third party providers are needed to maintain a continuous stock of supplies. Of the four types of e-commerce business models out there, Amazon uses the Business to consumer e-commerce (B2C) model. The B2C models focuses on direct selling of goods and services to the customer. This is done via online catalogs and shopping cart transaction systems. Amazon uses the virtual market place, a subtype of B2C model. Amazon became known for its feel-friendly culture when it was first launched. It was keen on recruiting the brightest, versatile and most intelligent people on the block. Its leaders tried to inculcate the same vision that they had for Amazon in the minds of their employees too. They believed in sharing hard work and fun at work. While employees were paid less than the market rates, they were given enough empowerment to feel happy and wanted at Amazon. Under its cost leadership strategy Amazon has stood out by offering rock-bottom prices. It provides good

Case Study Of The Three Gorges Dam

Case Study Of The Three Gorges Dam The following case study on the Three Gorges Dam illustrates the pros and cons of concrete gravity dam construction and is an excellent complement to the material discussed in the technical paper. Chinas Three Gorges Dam (TGD) is the largest power generating plant in the world. The TGD is a hydroelectric concrete gravity dam that spans the Yangtze River, in Hubei province.5 It is located in the Xilingxia gorge which is one of the three gorges of this river.5 Costing a total of over 30 billion US dollars 6, the TGD project was put in place for several reasons including flood protection, energy production, increased navigability throughout the Yangtze River and access to fresh water for the citizens. 3 The construction of this dam is having a major impact on Chinas national economy, and its performance is critical to the large population living in Three Gorges region. 3 Upon its completion, the dam will measure 2.6 kilometres in length, 186 meters in height and it will form a 645 kilometre long reservoir in the midsection of the Yangtze. 3 The dam is designed to generate an output of 17680MW which includes 26 generators at 680 MW per unit. 3 The following figure shows the exact location of Three Gorges dam. Figure 3: Map of the Three Gorges Dam In terms of construction, the dam will be composed of 32 primary generators which will allow the dam to reach its maximum power output capacity. 26 generators are found on the dam itself while the remaining are built below a neighbouring mountain.6. Furthermore, a ship lift capable of vertically transporting ships (weighing as much as 3000 tons) from one water level to another will be built on the north side of the Three Gorges Dam.6. Other than the ship lift, a series of locks have been installed designed for boats weighing up to 10 000 tons; approximately four hours are needed for transit of these vessels. 6. The ship lifts and locks constructed as part of the TGD are very beneficial aspects as they promote increased navigability throughout the Yangtze River. By transporting more freight on the river, a reduction in emissions caused by the trucking industry is predicted,6 which is beneficial to the environment. The following table shows a summary of several specifications of the da m: Table 3: TGD Physical Summary (http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12142004-125131/unrestricted/SAllin_010304.pdf) Location Dam Site Sandouping, Hubei Province, China Dam Crest 185 meters Dam Length 2,000 meters Reservoir Specifications Normal Pool Level 175 meters Flood Control Level 145 meters Total Storage Capacity 39.3 billion cubic meters Flood Control Storage 22.1 billion cubic meters Power Generation Installed Capacity 17,680 MW Unit Capacity 26 units, 680 MW/unit Inundation Land 632 km-long, 19 cities, 326 towns Arable Land 30,000 hectares Population 1,980,000 people As mentioned previously, prevention or mitigation of the effects of floods is one of the primary reasons for the construction of the Three Gorges Dam since Chinese records show that about one major flood per decade occurs in the area, some killing over 300 000 people. 3 The TGD which has a total of 22 billion cubic meters of capacity destined to flood control will allow China to control some major floods which also have a great impact on the economy.3 Energy production is also a major benefit involved in the construction of the dam. In fact, with its output of 18 million KW, the TGD is worlds most powerful plant. It was found that the TGD would produce a total of nearly 10% of the available energy in China.3 A third reason for the construction of the dam would be for consistent access to fresh water for consumption or agricultural use. In fact, it is known that the Yangtze Rivers water level fluctuates significantly which could affect the amount of water available for use; the TGD wi ll be able to supply this water consistently, mitigating the effects of these fluctuations in the water level of the river. 3. Finally, increased navigability in the river is another benefit related to the construction of this dam. The Three Gorges Dam allows for a direct access from the Pacific Ocean into mainland China, which in turn promotes increased trade in the cities; in the end, increased navigability will create new job, new markets will emerge, and there will be a better economic vitality in general.3 It is clear that there are significant benefits to the construction of this dam, as it will not only have a positive impact on the Chinese economy, but it will also increase the quality of life of Chinese citizens and contribute to human development. Unfortunately, some argue that the environmental and social price to be paid with respect to the construction of the Three Gorges dam outweighs its benefits to society. In fact, the environmental impacts including effects on biodiversity, emissions, erosion and sedimentation as well as waste, and the social effect of relocation of millions of citizens causes great harm to the Chinese population. The following information on the environmental and social effects of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam is written with the help from a report from Samuel Robert Fishleigh Allin which will be listed in the references used for this technical paper. Environmental effects The construction of dams definitely has a detrimental impact on the environment. Some of the impacts involved are greenhouse gas emission, loss of aquatic biodiversity, loss of water quality, loss of wildlife, and creation of wetlands. The construction of the dam negatively alters the composition of the water in the Yangtze River, already one of the most polluted rivers in the world due mainly to coal shipping. First, the dust resulting from the construction itself will enter and pollute the water. It is found that the oxygen levels as well as the temperature of the water, which affects fish downstream, are also altered upon the dams completion. Furthermore, greenhouse gases are released from the breakdown of vegetation and silt, which lowers the surrounding air quality. Also, a silt build-up in the river could possibly affect the reservoirs of the dams increasing the possibility of floods, upstream from the dam. The flow of silt throughout the river is very crucial to aquatic wildli fe; without it in proper quantities, the organisms can be deprived of a sufficient quantity of nutrients. Moreover, the Three Gorges Dam affects the stream flow of the River and this disrupts the aquatic ecosystems which are very dependent on the timing of the water level fluctuations. Finally, one more aspect that is more related to the health and safety of the population is the fact that the TGD was built near a fault line and the magnitude and force that this dam exerts on the ground can increase the chances that an earthquake occurs. Social effects It is important to account for the different negative social impacts before launching the construction of a large dam. The most significant social implication related to the Three Gorges Dam is the fact that over one million people living near the reservoir area had to be relocated, many already living in severe poverty, while the compensation for relocation was often inadequate. Water from the Three Gorges Dam is expected to flood 13 cities and over 100 000 acres of farmland which really disturbs the people`s everyday life as it results in loss of jobs and well being. Some of the difficulties involved in the resettlement process include medical services, schools, drinking water and food as well as electricity. Also, another social impact is the fact that some of the archaeological sites near the dam including historical artefacts will become inaccessible due to the construction of the dam. On the other hand, one social benefit of the TGD is flood control provided by the dam will sav e people from disasters in the future as the frequency of a major flood is expected to be at 1 in 100 years frequency. To end the section on social impacts a figure of the scope of the resettlement area caused by the construction of the TGD is shown: http://www.ctgpc.com/benefifs/images/06.jpg In conclusion, although the construction of the Three Gorges Dam is great for the development of the Yangtze River, contributes to the Chinese economy, and presents benefits such as flood control, energy production, increased navigability and access to fresh water, it is clear that the negative social and environmental price to pay to sustain these benefits is a major cause of concern for the future.

Doctor Faustus as a Play Essay

1. Characters The main characters are the Faustus, the protagonist, Mphistophilis, the villain. Apart from this we have Wagner, Good angel, evil angle, Lucifer as major characters. Chorus, Pope, The Emperor of Germany, Raymond king of Hungary, Duke of Saxony, Bruno, Duke of Vanholt, Duchess of Vanholt, Martino, Frederic, Benvolio, Valdes, Cornelius, Clown, Rogin, Dick, Vintner, Horse-course, Carter, Old Man, Scholar, Cardinals, Archbishop of Rheims, Bishops, Monks, Friars, Soldiers, Belzibub, The seven deadly sins, Devils, Spirits in the shapes of Alexander The great, of his Paramour, of Darius, and of Helen in the list of minor characters. 2. Dialogue The play was written well ahead 1830, so the colloquial prose is automatically eliminated. The dialogue in the play, Dr Faustus, is more of the thoughts of the characters instead of their actual words. For example, Faustus says, â€Å"Faustus, begin thine incantations, And try if devils will obey thy hest, Seeing thou hast pray’d and sacrific’d to them.† Here, he is alone on stage, and is talking to himself. Usually we don’t see people talking to themselves while they’re alone. However, Marlowe uses this so time of solitude as a time to tell us what Faustus is doing, which keeps up informed. Those words seems to be less natural because they sound like Faustus’ thoughts instead of his actual dialogue. An example of stage direction within the dialogue is when Mephistophilis says, ‘Faustus, thou shatl: then kneel down presently, Whilst on thy head I lay my hand, And charm thee with this magic wand.’ 3. Plot The play, Doctor Faustus, is all about Faustus, an erudite man in medicine and other knowledge known to man. However, disgruntled Faustus, not knowing where his life is heading, calls upon Lucifer and his accomplice, Mephistophilis, to instruct him the ways of magic. But they agree to be his mentors only if Faustus would sell his soul to Lucifer and be his after 24 years. Faustus agrees. He goes through trying times while he is unsure of his decision and considers repenting. But then he’s persuaded over and over again to the magic powers of the devil that were far more satisfying than the powers of heaven. 4. Conflict The conflict in Doctor Faustus is within Faustus himself, who is personified in two angles – good and evil – each trying to pull Faustus in their opposite paths. Hence, we often see that Faustus repents following the good advice of the good angle. However, the evil angle again scores its victory by infusing fear into Faustus’s heart. In the penultimate scene, Faustus is tested to give into the temptations of the seven deadly sins. We find him deceived by ‘lust’, one of the deadly sins, as he yields to the beauty of Helen, despite the advice of the old man. Even in the last scene, Faustus is spooked by the power of evil than the trust in God. His so called ‘repentance’ is the mere voice of fear than a firm prayer to God. Thus we find the prevalence of free-will and willful submission to the fears of his mind. 5. Settings Doctor Faustus stand on the verge of two eras – the Renaissance and the Middle Ages. Some aspects of the setting are distinctly medieval. For example, the world of Doctor Faustus includes heaven and hell, as did the religious dramas of the medieval period. The play, is often, lined up with supernatural characters – angels and demons, who might have stepped onstage right out of a cathedral. Like in the plays of Middle Ages, few of the background characters are in fiery pursuit of salvation. But, the setting of Doctor Faustus is also a Renaissance period – the period of European history at the close of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world – that gave rise to a cultural rebirth through the 14th to the middle of the 17th centuries. The atmosphere of the play is speculative. People are often asking question never dreamed of in the Middle Ages. For example, people are asking, ‘Is ther a hell?’ Faustus himself is seized by worldly ambitions. He is far more concerned about luxurious silk gowns and powerful war-machines than saving his soul. Was there a dividing line between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance ? The answer is there wasn’t. Both old and new ways of thinking existed side by side as people lived through a long period of transition. Transition is the key to the setting of the play. 6. Stage Direction Most of the stage direction are written within the dialogue of the script. Only few stage directions in parenthetical are the entrances, exits. â€Å"Damn’d be his soul for ever for this deed! [Exeunt all except Faustus  and Mephistopheles† Occasionally, especially during the scene involving the Pope, we find the occasional â€Å"I pledge your grace. [Snatches the cup.]†. and â€Å"Nay, then, take that. [Strikes the POPE.]† Each of these types of stage direction helps us to better understand of the action of the play. If the stage direction is in the direction, the audience not only hears what the action is about but they also get to see it. Likewise, if the stage direction is in parenthetical, then the director knows what Marlowe wants the scene to look like. 7. Scenes Allowances must be made for the shattered form in which Doctor Faustus survives. Originally, the play may have had the loose five-act structure suggested by the 1616 text. Or it may simply have been a collection of scenes or movements, as in the shorter version of 1604. In fact, the act divisions in ‘Doctor Faustus’ are the additions of later editors. Scholars have made their own decisions about the play’s probable cut-off points. That’s why no two editions of Doctor Faustus have identical act and scene numbers. 8. Theme A study in ambition, Dr. Faustus is someone who is an ‘overreacher’, a man who strives against human limitations. Faustus tries to do more than is humanly possible. He seeks to know, possess, and experience everything under the sun. There are two ways to read Doctor Faustus: First, the play glorifies ambition. Though Faustus is finally undone, his dreams emerge larger than the forces that defeat him. Second, the play criticizes ambition. Faustus falls to great depths from lofty heights. What’s more, his larger-than-life dreams are cut down to size by the pointed ironies of Mephistophilis. Thus we can say that Doctor Faustus is a great play of all the times.

Definition and Examples of Conciseness in Writing

In speech or writing, the term conciseness refers to language thats brief and to the point. To be effective, concise writing must deliver a clear message using an economy of words. Concise writing doesnt waste time with  circumlocution, padding, or verbosity. Repetition, unnecessary jargon, and needless details are to be avoided. When you minimize clutter, readers are more likely to remain engaged, understand and remember your message—and even act on it, should that be your goal. Before You Start Writing Whether youre tackling an article, essay, report, composition, or something in a fiction genre, such as a story or novel, the task of writing concisely begins as soon as your project starts. You must first narrow down your topic to bare bones in order to create whats known as a thesis statement. This is a brief explanation that encapsulates the information, theme, or message youre hoping to convey. Even for fiction, having a clear statement of purpose can help keep you focused. The second step prior to beginning your first draft is to flesh out your thesis with any necessary avenues of research or your story arc in the form of an organized outline. Once youve got that, prioritize it by the most pertinent points and prune out anything thats not vital. By keeping only the most important ideas, youll be able to target your writing and not waste time going off on unnecessary tangents. However, you may wish to keep deleted material for future reference. The First Drafting Your priority in writing a first draft should be to get through it from start to finish. You should have already highlighted points you want to cover during the research and outlining phases. You dont have to write your draft in a linear format from beginning to end. Sometimes its easier to start in the middle and then work your way back to the introduction. Some writers even start at the conclusion. Just remember that editing clutter  should be an ongoing process judiciously employed throughout the first draft—and beyond. Once youve covered the main ground, review the draft to add in pertinent quotes, citations, or dialogue as needed. While the perfect quote from an article, essay, or other published work can save time when composing your narrative, you must be mindful of the ratio of quoted material or paraphrased sources to your own writing. For maximum impact, use only the most relevant quotes. When possible, summarize and paraphrase your research, always taking care to use proper source citations. At the end of the day, the piece must be in your own words. Plagiarism is easily detected—especially in the digital age. You should also be aware that some editors and teachers will not include extensively quoted material in a final word count. That means if you have an assignment of 1,000 words, all but a very small percentage of those words must be original material. After the First Draft When youre satisfied with the draft, take a break. Youve accomplished something significant. And yes, the break is necessary because youll need to come back to the piece with fresh eyes to see what can still be cut or if the work requires restructuring. Author Elie Wiesel describes the process this way: Writing is not like painting where you add. It is not what you put on the canvas that the reader sees. Writing is more like a sculpture where you remove, you eliminate in order to make the work visible. Even those pages you remove somehow remain. There is a difference between a book of two hundred pages from the very beginning, and a book of two hundred pages, which is the result of an original eight hundred pages. The six hundred pages are there. Only you don’t see them. Big-Picture Revision How much revision youll need to do will depend on the length of your work and how closely you were able to follow your outline. Before making changes, take a step back and compare your thesis statement and outline to the draft, always keeping in mind the old adage, when it comes to concise writing, less is more. Dont use any extra words. A sentence is like a machine; it has a job to do. An extra word in a sentence is like a sock in a machine.—From Notes for Young Writers by Annie Dillard Ask yourself if you have sections, points, examples, or paragraphs that stray from your topic. If you do, does this material move the information or story forward? Will the reader still understand the point youre attempting to make if you delete it? For longer works, large-scale trimming of sections or chapters may be necessary. If youre lucky, however, youll be able to start at the paragraph or sentence level. Cutting on a large scale is something may writers have a problem with. As mentioned for the outline, it can be helpful to keep deleted material in a separate document that you can later refer to should the need arise. The excess material might even form the basis of a future piece of writing. [B]egin by pruning the big limbs. You can shake out the dead leaves later...Cut any passage that does not support your focus...Cut the weakest  quotations,  anecdotes, and scenes to give greater power to the strongest...Cut any passage you have written to satisfy a tough teacher or editor rather than the common reader...Dont invite others to cut. You know the work better. Mark optional trims. Then decide whether they should become actual cuts.—From Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark Reducing Redundancy and Repetition Once youve honed your message, you reach sentence-level editing. This is where the scissors and scalpel come in—and the hatchet goes back in the closet. Review each paragraph for instances in which youve said the same thing in multiple ways. This occurs fairly often when something has a difficult or explanation. The solution is either to combine the best parts of redundant sentences or to start over and clarify the point youre trying to make. Dont be afraid to restructure sentences or to condense ideas. The more clearly and cleanly you write, the better your readers will comprehend your message. Look at the following example for reference: Redundant: The ability of different bird species to eat nuts and larger seeds depends on their beak style and shape. The form of the beak dictates function. The beaks of nut-eating birds must be powerful enough to break hulls and shaped to hold the food as the bird eats. Birds that eat mainly fruit or leaves may not be able to eat nuts due to their beaks being smaller and less forceful.Revision: Some birds can eat nuts and seeds, others cant. The deciding factor is the size and shape of their beaks. Nut- and seed-eating birds have powerful, curved beaks to hold food and crush hulls. Species that eat mainly fruit or leaves have smaller, weaker beaks. Fast Facts: 4 Rules for Concise Writing Avoid jargon.  Keep it simple. The less flowery your prose, the more accessible will be. Use shorter words instead of long ones when appropriate. Edit out  empty phrases  and  delete common redundancies.   More Ways to Cut Wordiness One red flag for redundancy is sentences that are overly long. If you suspect somethings overwritten, try reading it out loud. Does it sound awkward to the ear? Do you have to pause to take a breath? Does your meaning go off track? If the answer is yes, there are some things you can do to separate the wheat from the chaff: Can your sentence be understood without excess adjectives and adverbs? If so, delete them.  Changing a verb can create a stronger image.Qualifiers and intensifiers—such as very and extremely—are usually just filler.While sometimes its better to spell it all out, use contractions when you can. It sounds more conversational and less stilted. Thats just the way it is is preferable to That is just the way it is.Rephrase passive there is/are constructions. Eliminating to be verbs will make your sentences stronger.Cut extraneous instances of there is and that. For example: There is a rule on the books to cover appropriate fence styles for the homeowners association is not as clear or concise as The homeowners association rulebook covers appropriate fence styles.Review anything in parentheses or between dashes, which can sometimes send a reader off on a winding path. When possible, let the phrases stand alone as sentences.Break sentences of more than 25–30 words into smaller sentences.While there are exceptions, as a general rule, avoid using the passive voice.   Look at the following example to see how some of these rules can be applied: Wordy:  Following the author’s study of The Naval Chronicle (which goes into detail on the wars with Napoleon), a trip aboard a freighter from California to Central America, and his trip back home to England, the first book in the series was plotted.Revision: After studying The Naval Chronicle, which details the Napoleonic Wars, the author took a freighter voyage from California to Central America. He plotted the first book in the series upon returning home to England. Note that this extra-long sentence is bogged down with a parenthetical phrase in the middle of a series of items. Its also guilty of passive voice, consecutive prepositional phrases, and excessive verbiage. The information reads more clearly and is more easily understood when written as two sentences. Sources Elie Wiesel: Conversations. Edited by Robert Franciosi. University Press of Mississippi, 2002Dillard, Annie. Notes for Young Writers. Katharsis. August 4, 2013Clark, Roy Peter. Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer. Little, Brown Spark, 2006; Hachette, 2016