User:Tony1/Advanced editing exercises: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:11, 17 March 2012

Revision as of 11:25, 17 March 2012

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{{User:Tony1/Writing exercise box}}

Skilled editing is central to achieving high-quality Wikipedia articles. ThisEach isexercise abelow setwill of exercises in whichpresent you are presented with a portion of faulty text. It may contain problems of grammar, logic, cohesion, tone, lexical choice, punctuation or redundant wording. In some cases, there are breaches of Wikipedia's [[Manual of Style|Manual of style]].

Unlike our exercises in eliminating [[User:Tony1/How_to_satisfy_Criterion_1a:_redundancy_exercises|redundant wording]], most of the exercises don't concentrate on a specific aspect of writing or editing; here, you need to be aware of all of the things that can go wrong in constructing text. The challenge is not knowing in advance what has gone wrong. This is more like the real-life situation you face as an editor of Wikipedia articles.

'''"Unfolding" design.''' The exercises are designed to be done in your head, without writing. On purpose, each unfolds in stages: first, the problem text, then usually one or two hints, then a solution, and finally an explanation. You'll get the most out of the exercises by thinking carefully about each stage before clicking on the next one. Expect to stop when you've had enough, and plan to return to take up where you left off. "Distributed" ("spaced out") practice of writing skills, not "massed" (all at once), will have a more powerful effect.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Solution

|2=He was a teen pop idol from '''<font color=darkgreenred><s>1964–1979</s></font> <font color=reddarkgreen>1964 to 1979</font>''', and '''<font color=red><s>since then he</s></font> <font color=darkgreen>has since</font>''' forged a career as an adult contemporary singer.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Solution

|2=The Liberal Party had governed the nation since 1935, <font color=darkgreenred>'''<s>and had</s></font><font color=reddarkgreen> having'''</font> won five consecutive elections.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Possible solution

|2=The Liberals <font color=darkgreenred>'''<s>were generally</s></font><font color=reddarkgreen> had generally been'''</font> successful<font color=darkgreen>''': during their period in office, the nation had prospered and had built a stronger'''</font> welfare state.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Possible solution

|2=His father was a lawyer, judge, and for 31 years a Congressma<font color=reddarkgreen>'''n, w'''</font>ho chaired the House Naval Affairs Committee during the Harding and Coolidge administrations.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Solution

|2=A protest group was formed to resist the proposed construction, <font color=darkgreenred>'''<s>which</s>'''</font> <font color=reddarkgreen>'''and'''</font> attracted support from the botanist and environmental campaigner David Bellamy.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Problem text

|2=Navenby, which has Bronze Age, Roman and Medieval heritage, was made a market -town with charters from Edward the Confessor, William Rufus, and Richard II. However, the market fell into disuse in the early 19th century.

[There's one issue.]

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{{editing exercise

|1=Where is the issue?

|2=Navenby, which has Bronze Age, Roman and Medieval heritage, was made a market -town with charters from Edward the Confessor, William Rufus, and Richard II<font color=red>'''. However,'''</font> the market fell into disuse in the early 19th century.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Solution

|2=Navenby, which has Bronze Age, Roman and Medieval heritage, was made a market -town with charters from Edward the Confessor, William Rufus, and Richard II;<font color=red>''' however,</font><font color=darkgreen> despite this long heritage,'''</font> the market fell into disuse in the early 19th century.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Solution

|2=Montgomery's feat is often described as the most famous save <font color=darkgreen>''of all time in an FA Cup final'''</font>.

*Now try two harder examples from the same Wikipedia article, below.

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{{editing exercise

|1=Where is the issue?

|2=Sunderland required only a draw in their final game against rivals Chelsea, who had another game left to play after this match<font color=reddarkgreen>''', to secure promotion'''</font>.

}}