LET'S COMMUNICATE
Agriculture Communication Newsletter
March 2003, No. 87

CONTENTS

WRITE THE RIGHT WORD
E-MAIL NETIQUETTE
VIEWING ON THE WEB
IN THE STAFF RESOURCE LIBRARY

 

WRITE THE RIGHT WORD

This probably sounds crazy to you, but six others and I got absolutely giddy sharing grammar tips at last week's Fargo- Moorhead Professional Communicators meeting. We had to stop a retired NDSU mass communications professor when she started in on transitive verbs and essential clauses. We wanted the down- and-dirty quick fixes.

Here are a few tips that I'll use:

* A vs. an -- Which to use depends on how the following word sounds, not necessarily on if it begins with a vowel or consonant. An NDSU professor... (sounds like vowel E) A United States flag... (sounds like Y) A one-year term... (sounds like W) An honorable man... (sounds like O) A historic event... (sounds like H) An 1890 land-grant university... (sounds like A)

* Lend vs. loan -- Lend is a verb, and loan is a noun. You lend someone money; you don't loan someone money. And you never borrow me some money -- unless you're co-signing a loan, I guess.

* Its vs. their -- Don't use "their" when referring to anything besides people. The team played its final game; not the team played their final game.

* Compliment vs. complement -- I received a compliment. A person gives or receives the compliment, so remember "I" and the letter I in compliment. Complement denotes completeness or supplementing something. The tie complements his suit.

* Stationery vs. stationary -- Letters (with two E's) are written on stationery (with an E, not A). Stationary means to stand still.

* Effect vs. affect -- Effect is almost always a noun that means result, so the word "the" (which ends in the letter E) can be used in front of effect (which begins with the letter E). Affect is a verb that means to influence.

* Farther vs. further -- Farther is a physical distance, but further refers to an extension of time or degree. He drove the truck farther into the field. She will study the question further.

So the cat's now out of the bag. We communicators can't always explain the technical reasons for grammar decisions, but we have some tricks and tips -- plus our handy "Associated Press Stylebook" to look up the answers.

E-MAIL NETIQUETTE

We all know not to write messages in all caps, but here are a few other things to consider before hitting send:

* When forwarding a message, delete other people's e-mail addresses inside the message first. They don't want their addresses forwarded to strangers, plus it increases their chances of receiving spam and viruses. In fact, delete as much of the message as possible, leaving only the main ideas you want to communicate. Your readers are busy people who don't want to wade through extra verbage.

* Really think about who you message is going to before hitting send. For example, does your message truly apply to all 800 people across the state on the all-ag@ndsuext.nodak.edu list? Use the group e-mails at http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/directory/emailist.htm  to target your messages. Same goes with copying. Staff are overwhelmed with e- mail. Do they really need a copy of something that doesn't directly apply to them?

VIEWING ON THE WEB

Research shows that reading onscreen is three times easier when the copy is a sans serif font, such as Arial or Helvetica, rather than a serif font, such as Times Roman.

If a Web page was created without a specified text font and it defaults to serif, you can view it in sans serif by changing your screen preferences.

* In Netscape, select Edit, then Preferences. Under Appearance and Fonts, select a sans serif typeface such as Arial for your Proportional or Variable Width Font. You can also choose the font size here.

* In Internet Explorer, under Tools, click on Internet Options. On the General tab, click Fonts. For your Web Page Font, select a san serf font such as Arial.

IN THE STAFF RESOURCE LIBRARY

Due to the popularity of the original "Fish! Catch the Energy, Release the Potential" videotape, we can no longer allow NDSU staff to loan it to outside groups. The videotape will only be checked out to NDSU staff who are using it themselves to present an educational program. Remember, this is the Staff Resource Library, not a public library.

Fish! Catch the Energy, Release the Potential Charthouse Learning, 1999 17-minute Videotape with Facilitator's Guide and Workbook Seattle's World Famous Pike Place Fish is an otherwise ordinary fish market that's extraordinarily successful. The work is hard and the hours are long � yet these employees make a personal choice to bring amazing passion, playfulness, commitment and a positive attitude to work every day.

Fish! Sticks: Keeping the Vision Alive Charthouse Learning, 1999 17-minute Videotape with Facilitator's Guide and Workbook How can an organization keep from losing sight of its vision? "Fish! Sticks" takes you to a workplace where every employee assumes personal responsibility for maintaining the company's vision of service, passion and fun. By using the three points of the film -- commit, be it, coach it -- your organization can make sure its vision sticks. "Fish! Sticks" proves that keeping your vision alive is not only possible -- it's the whole point of having a vision in the first place.

Fish! Tales: Bite-size Stories, Unlimited Possibilities Charthouse Learning, 2000 18-minute Videotape "Fish! Tales" show how organizations that have nothing in common with a fish market are creating more energy, fun and effectiveness through the Fish! Philosophy. These short films answer the question, "What can I throw at work?" When you watch the rejuvenated organizations in "Fish! Tales," you'll see how to throw the same kind of teamwork, service, attentiveness and commitment in your workplace.

Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World (Second Edition) Margaret J. Wheatley, 1999 175-page Book Wheatley describes how the new science radically alters our understanding of the world, and how it can teach us to live and work well together in these chaotic times. You'll learn that: * Relationships, not lone individuals, are the basic organizing unit of life * Chaos and change are the only route to transformation * Participation and cooperation are essential to our survival in this interconnected world * Order is natural but not available through traditional methods of control.

Many other audio cassettes, books and videos are in the Staff Resource Library listing at http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/staffres/library/contents.htm . You're also welcome to stop by the Distribution Center in Morrill 10 to browse the shelves. Contact the Distribution Center at dctr@ndsuext.nodak.edu or call 231-7882 to check out materials.

Doing some spring cleaning at home or the office? Consider donating staff development books, audiotapes and videos to the Staff Resource Library.