5 Cases of Too Few or Too Many Hyphens

5 Cases of Too Few or Too Many Hyphens 5 Cases of Too Few or Too Many Hyphens 5 Cases of Too Few or Too Many Hyphens By Mark Nichol When it comes to hyphenation, prose often suffers from the Goldilocks effect: either too much or too little, but seldom just right. Here are some erroneously constructed elements along with repaired revisions that let them eat, sit, or sleep with contentment. 1. â€Å"Scientists have found that a second, as-yet smaller wave of mussel extinctions followed in the late twentieth century.† The key point is not a smaller wave that is as yet that makes no sense. The reference is to a wave that is as yet, or up to now, smaller; it’s an as-yet-smaller wave: â€Å"Scientists have found that a second, as-yet-smaller wave of mussel extinctions followed in the late twentieth century.† 2. â€Å"They criticized the arbitrary measures taken so far on the air-travel security front.† The front in question is not a security front pertaining to air travel; it is a front pertaining to air-travel security. For that reason, security should be linked to â€Å"air travel† to modify front as one unit: â€Å"They criticized the arbitrary measures taken so far on the air-travel-security front.† (The progression is â€Å"air travel† to â€Å"air-travel security† to â€Å" air-travel-security front.†) In order to avoid an adjective stack, a writer could, with slightly more formality, conversely relax the sentence to read, â€Å"They criticized the arbitrary measures taken so far in the area of air-travel security† (or â€Å". . . in the area of security during air travel†). 3. â€Å"We offer an industry leading cloud based property management solution.† This sentence seems to cry out for a handout of hyphens to link pairs of words (â€Å"industry-leading,† â€Å"cloud-based,† â€Å"property-management†). But that solution ignores the fact that with or without the requisite hyphens to link words to form hyphenated compounds, this sentence is an adjective-stacking train wreck. Let’s turn this loco locomotive around: â€Å"We offer a cloud-based solution for property management that leads the industry.† (It’s still empty-headed branding gobbledygook, but it’s relaxed empty-headed branding gobbledygook.) 4. â€Å"That’s enough to power about 90 percent of a 1,500-square foot home.† This sentence is not about the energy needs of a foot home that consists of 1,500 squares; it’s about the energy needs of a home that encompasses 1,500 square feet. Those three words pertaining to horizontal area should all be hyphenated to form a three-car train modifying home: â€Å"That’s enough to power about 90 percent of a 1,500-square-foot home.† 5. â€Å"They are turning a blind eye to what their low and middle ranking members do on the streets.† This writer evidently forgot what he or she had ever learned about suspensive hyphenation and simply omitted any hyphens. One more time: â€Å"low and middle rank members† is slight shorthand for â€Å"low-ranking members† and â€Å"middle-ranking members.† To signal that ranking applies to low as well as middle, low retains a hyphen in spite of the omission of the first iteration of ranking: â€Å"They are turning a blind eye to what their low- and middle-ranking members do on the streets.† (Because â€Å"low-[ranking members]† and â€Å"middle-ranking members† are separate items, â€Å"low-and-middle-ranking members† is wrong.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a SentenceBest Websites to Learn English10 Tips About How to Write a Caption

How to Choose a Thesis Topic

How to Choose a Thesis Topic How to Choose a Thesis Topic Writing a thesis is an exciting part of your academic career. Not only is it an opportunity for you to display your mastery of the field, it’s also a chance to contribute to the knowledge of the topic in your discipline. Choosing your thesis topic is the first major step in your journey as a researcher. A well-chosen topic often leads to a study that is timely, relevant, and meaningful. Here are some tips to keep in mind when coming up with your thesis topic. Start with a broad idea When brainstorming on your thesis topic, start with a general idea of what you want to cover. Think of a particular topic in your field that interests you and best suits your field of study. Read on relevant literature Once you’ve selected a topic, collect articles relating to that topic. Read up on these articles and take notes. One expert note-taking process consists of: Creating a table with four columns. In the first column, write down all the main ideas relevant to the topic you chose. In the second column, list down all of the supporting ideas of each main idea. In the third column, list the original references or citations used by the article you are reading. In the last column, list your remarks or notes regarding the main idea. Determine gaps in all available literature While you’re going through articles of related literature, you may begin to notice topics that no other researcher has examined. A thesis paper is basically about â€Å"filling in the gaps of the literature† in your field. These gaps may include a certain group that has not been studied, or variables that may not have been previously considered. You can also find gaps in literature by reading the recommendation section of other research papers. Narrow down your topic Once you’ve determined possible gaps in the available literature of your chosen topic, decide which gaps you’d like to include in your own thesis topic. The topic you ultimately choose must possess the following qualities: It must be timely and address relevant issues that your field is currently facing. It is based on a logical rationale that is tied to an established theory. The variables are clearly stated. It must contribute to the existing body of knowledge available in your field. Choosing your thesis topic is only the first step of the journey. Writing your thesis can be a challenging journey, with many ups and downs throughout the process. Everything from the introduction to the conclusion of your paper must be well-written and grounded, producing a strong piece that is valuable to your chosen discipline. If you have made the first step in choosing your topic, but require assistance with writing your thesis, call . You can reach us at (647) 436-7280 for our Toronto and GTA location, (587) 880-4707 for our Calgary location, and (604) 245-5865 for our Vancouver location. You can also reach us toll-free at 1-800-573-0840.

MBA Math Skills Every Business Student Needs

MBA Math Skills Every Business Student Needs While some math requirements will vary by program, there are several MBA math skills that every business student needs to succeed. These skills can be obtained (or brushed up on) online, as part of a GMAT prep program or in a math refresher course, such as the pre-MBA math boot camps offered by many business schools. Some of the most important MBA math skills involve basic number sense, algebra, calculus, statistics, and probability. Basic Number Sense Basic number sense may seem elementary, but it is important because it is the foundation for all of the business math you will do in an MBA program. You should be able to understand symbolic representation (i.e. the different ways numbers can be represented), how numbers relate to each other, and how numbers can be used in real-world situations. More specifically, you should be able to: Represent numbers as percents, fractions and decimalsPerform conversions on percents, fractions and decimalsSolve problems using percents, decimals, fractions and mixed numbersSimplify mathematical expressions using the appropriate order of operations Algebra for Business Reviewing all the algebra you learned in high school is a must. Algebra is used constantly in business math, particularly in economics, finance, and statistics courses. You can start your preparation by reviewing the definitions of key terms like variable, constant, exponent and operator. After that, you should practice simplifying algebraic expressions, evaluating algebraic expressions with multiple variables, and expanding algebraic expressions using the distributive property. Finally, take time to learn how to: Solve linear equationsSolve systems of linear equationsSolve quadratics by factoringSimplify and solve binomialsSimplify and solve polynomials Calculus for Business Most business school professors will help you understand the calculus you need to know as you go through the curriculum, but if you spend all your time learning the math while youre in a program, youll get a lot less out of most courses than you should. Its a good idea to master a few essential calculus skills prior to the start of your program. Here are specific concepts to know before you go: Function composition and graphingFunction operationsLimits of functionsSlopes and rates of changeDerivatives and differentiationMinimum and maximum valuesExponentials and logarithmsDefinite and indefinite integrals Statistics for Business Statistical analysis is a common task in many MBA courses.  It is important to understand key measures, such as measures of central tendency and measures of spread or dispersion, as well as key properties of populations and samples. Brushing up on the following statistics concepts will help you ace your coursework: Calculate mean, median, mode and rangeCalculate the standard deviationCalculate normal distributionIdentify shifts in the meanCalculate statistical significanceInterpret sampling distributionEstimate sample and population variance Probability for Business When it comes to MBA math, knowing how to calculate probabilities is helpful but not absolutely essential. However, it is important to know how to use numerical probabilities to interpret scenarios, clarify information in uncertain scenarios, and communicate the probability of certain events occurring. You should know how to define all of the following terms: Dependent eventIndependent eventSimple eventCompound eventComplementary eventMutually exclusive eventNon-mutually exclusive eventConditional probability Math for Finance Every MBA student  takes at least one finance class. If youre specializing in a finance-related track, youll take quite a few finance classes. The curriculum will be much easier to navigate if you are familiar with finance mathematics. Some of the specific topics youll want to study before heading off to business school include the time value of money, rates of return and interest formulas. You should be able to calculate: Present and future valuesRequired rate of returnSimple rate of returnModified rate of returnInternal rate of returnSimple interest and compound interest Math for Accounting Like finance classes, accounting classes are practically  inevitable in an MBA program. Youll spend a lot of time working with financial statements, which means you need to be comfortable with common financial ratios. Understanding these ratios will help you analyze trends and perform ratio analysis. You should learn how to calculate: Liquidity ratiosFinancial leverage ratiosProfitability ratiosAsset turnover ratiosDividend policy ratios

John Ericsson - Designer of the USS Monitor

John Ericsson - Designer of the USS Monitor John Ericsson invented an early locomotive, the Ericsson hot-air engine, an improved screw propeller, the gun turret, and a deep-sea sounding device. He also designed ships and submarines, most notably the USS Monitor. Early Life of John Ericsson in Sweden John (originally Johan) Ericsson was born on July 31, 1803, in Vrmland, Sweden. His father, Olof Ericsson, was superintendent of a mine and taught John and his brother Nils the skills of mechanics. They received little formal education but showed their talent early. The boys learned to draw maps and finish off mechanical drawings when their father was director of blastings on the  Gà ¶ta Canal  project. They became cadets in the Swedish Navy at ages 11 and 12 and learned from instructors in the Swedish Corps of Mechanical Engineers. Nils went on to be a prominent canal and railway builder in Sweden. By age 14, John was working as a surveyor. He  joined the Swedish Army at age 17 and worked as a surveyor and was noted for his mapmaking skill. He began constructing a heat engine in his spare time, which used the heat and fumes of fire rather than steam. Move to England He decided to seek his fortune in England and moved there in 1826 at the age of 23. The railroad industry was hungry for talent and innovation. He continued to design engines that used airflow to provide more heat, and his locomotive design  Novelty  was barely beaten by the Rocket designed by George and Robert Stephenson in the Rainhill Trials. Other projects in England included the use of screw propellers on ships, a fire engine design, large guns,and a steam condenser that provided fresh water for ships. American Naval Designs of John Ericsson Ericssons work on twin screw propellers attracted the attention Robert F. Stockton, an influential and progressive U.S. Navy officer, who encouraged him to relocate to the United States. They worked together in New York to design a twin screw-propelled warship. The USS Princeton was commissioned in 1843. It was armed with a heavy gun 12-inch gun on a revolving pedestal that Ericsson designed. Stockton worked to get the most credit for these designs and designed and installed a second gun, which exploded and killed eight men, including Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur and Secretary of the Navy Thomas Gilmer. When Stockton shifted the blame to Ericsson and blocked his pay, Ericsson resentfully but successfully moved on to civilian work. Designing the USS Monitor In 1861, the Navy needed an ironclad to match the Confederate USS Merrimack and the Secretary of the Navy convinced Ericsson to submit a design. He presented them with designs for the USS Monitor, an armored ship with guns on a rotating turret. The Merrimack had been rechristened the USS Virginia and the two ironclad ships did battle in 1862 to a stalemate that nonetheless aved the Union fleet. This success made Ericsson hero and many Monitor-type turret ships were built during the rest of the war. After the Civil War, Ericsson continued his work, producing ships for foreign navies and experimenting with submarines, self-propelled torpedoes, and heavy ordnance. He died in New York City on March 8, 1889 and his body was returned to Sweden on the cruiser Baltimore. Three U.S. Navy ships have been named in honor of John Ericsson: the torpedo boat Ericsson (Torpedo Boat # 2), 1897-1912; and the destroyers Ericsson (DD-56), 1915-1934; and Ericsson (DD-440), 1941-1970. Partial List of John Ericssons Patents U.S. #588   for a Screw Propeller patented February 1, 1838.U.S. #1847 for a Mode of Providing Steam Power to Locomotives patented November 5, 1840. Source: Information and photos provided by U.S. Naval Historical Center