Reference Material. Unless there is a legal reason to hang on to something, every scrap in your reference material needs to be scrutinized to see if it still has the right to be part of your life. All in all, I was able to free up half a drawer of reference material. MORE
A number of references to your company, perhaps some LinkedIn answers, a blog comments or two? Did you also find a reference to a site that links directly to your name? MORE
Smaller companies typically have neither the manpower nor the funds to do thorough reference checks, which could cost hundreds of dollars. Conversely, larger companies do reference checks but at varying levels of thoroughness. MORE
All that stands between you and the job you really want and need is a reference check. Many people mistakenly put references directly on their résumés. At the time references are requested, you should provide references from a diverse group of people. MORE
English, the word sidewalk refers to a paved footpath alongside a street or a road. For us, “kerb&# refers specifically to the edge of the pavement (sidewalk), so one might possibly talk about “pavement stalls&# , but it would be odd to use “kerb&# in that way. MORE
An online product review refers to a device having been launched last fall. By the book comes out, the bio’s reference to the writer’s tenure will be outdated. Original Post: Quantify References to Elapsed Time. MORE
E-Mail me or follow me. How to be successful and eco-friendly. Making your small business carbon neutral. Benefits of Online Software for Small Business. Concentrate on your business, not your office. What is Small Business Infrastructure? How to be successful by focusing on your core business. MORE
That being said, cross referencing works for some people and certain fixed types of cross references are easy for anybody to use. Also, the development of tags as metadata for electronic data serves as a type of cross reference. There are Three Basic Ways to Cross References. MORE
One of the oddities of the English language is that though many words have multiple synonyms, and we have words for many things we rarely refer to, one of the most ubiquitous concepts in American society has no name: There’s no ideal term for an unmarried party in a romantic relationship. But this word has no utility outside of references to marital infidelity. Original Post: What’s the Best Way to Refer to a Romantic Partner? MORE
OK, it’s time to conduct an inventory of your reference library to ensure that you have a comprehensive collection at hand. Flip Dictionary, Barbara Ann Kipfer , is the best of the class of reference books known as reverse dictionaries, for when you know how to describe something but can’t think of the word. Original Post: 4 Types of Reference Books You Didn’t Know You Need. MORE
cause célèbre (“celebrated cause”): controversial or emotionally weighted issue—obsolete in French, but originally referred to a sensational or unusual legal decision or trial. en suite (“as a set”): usually refers to a bedroom and bathroom connected to each other—not used as such in French. MORE
Because of the association of the color red with danger and deficits, most idioms that include the word red — for example, “in the red” (meaning “in debt”) “red tape” (referring to bureaucratic complications), and “seeing red” (being so angry that one’s vision is blurred) — have negative associations. Into the wild blue yonder,” meanwhile, refers to a venture into unknown territory.). Original Post: Idioms Referring to Colors of the Rainbow. MORE
Now we’ll take a look at how to apply them to reference material. Simplify Reference Material With the Four Laws of Simplicity. Reference material has a tendency to expand. Divide your reference material into current and archive along these lines. The question for organization is first about how you are going to store your reference material. If you have a physical office where you do most of your work, paper reference material can work for you. MORE
By popular request the first item will be a unique members-only Bioteams Reference Card. If you would like to have one of these Bioteams reference cards please register your email here. MORE
The Simpler Life shares how to manage four of the worst offenders at “Digital Overwhelm: 4 Problems and How to Fix Them&# The web is a great reference tool. MORE
This latest story I did for Gannett/USAToday should open your eyes to the possibility that not all your references have your best interests at heart. a professional reference-checking company. Former colleagues or supervisors can be very vindictive when providing references. "It MORE
Latest blog post: A Different Take on Boxing Day braincutlery 5pts I can totally sympathise with this, particularly the reference to KOTOR (which Im currently replaying on my Mac). Productivityist.com by Mike Vardy Start Here Archives Store Contact The Tower, The Village, The Path, and The Way Posted on 12/21/2012 // 8 Comments One of the best books I read this year didn’t cost me a dime. This book is called The Tower, and it’s written by Chris Guillebeau. MORE
Revise each sentence below so that the nouns to which the pronouns refer are obvious. When a sentence does not clearly identify which noun a subsequent pronoun refers to, the error is referred to as an unclear antecedent. Switch there and the noun it refers to. MORE
heads will roll : said in reference to a reckoning, such as a mass firing at a business, alluding to decapitations such as those that occurred during executions by guillotine after the French Revolution. on a roll : a reference to being on a lucky streak. MORE
An ESL speaker has two questions about the following construction: …I was startled to hear a local radio announcer refer to a contest for artists to submit designs to paint “murals” on storm drains. Refer is not inflected because it is not a main verb in this clause. MORE
Original Post: 7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors. What guides and handbooks does a careful writer (or editor) rely on? I’ve consulted many resources, but the ones on this list have pride of place and show the most wear and tear. The Associated Press Stylebook. MORE
Here are three questions about how to treat references to people who have died, and my responses. A widow or widower referring to a deceased spouse, however, gets a lifetime pass.). Original Post: Answers to Questions About Referring to Death. MORE
Small Business Bootstrapping Techniques by Stefan Töpfer on Oct 01, 2007 I often refer to “ bootstrapping “, when I talk about small business, you may very well be asking “ What the hell is bootstrapping?&# E-Mail me or follow me. You ask a question, I answer! MORE
Voiceville have a credible web site, but their references are fraudulent, and I remember the disappointment that AskSunday had with the team supplied of virtual assistants - in the beginning they supplied mature experienced people but later they swapped that maturity for a young inexperienced crew - what a pity, and what a shadow that gives to the Philippine people - I guess their management team were just plain greedy. Catchfriday REFERENCES relationship marketing MORE
In reference to people who are no longer in a particular position or profession, the most common wording, for example, is “former stockbroker John Smith” or “ex-stockbroker John Smith.” Original Post: How to Refer to Former and Future States. MORE
Writers occasionally fall into the trap of inserting too much information between a verb and its object, or introducing a pronoun before the noun it refers to has appeared — in effect, alluding to the point of the sentence before specifying it. MORE
The rules about references to age, and the proper use of hyphens in such references, are simple yet easily misunderstood. Original Post: Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age. MORE
Remind your references of such situations -- they'll appreciate not having to dig through their own memories. Let the reference know the key skills that are being sought in the position, so they can target things like being a team player or being able to work under the pressure of deadlines. MORE
Dwonload the Bioteams Reference Card. MORE
Human resource people tell me a good reference can make or break a job applicant, but many of those vying for jobs seem to give their references little or no consideration. With that in mind, here are some tips for getting the most out of your references: 1. Contact the reference. Make sure you have current addresses, phone numbers and e-mails for each person you give as a reference. If possible, meet with the reference in person. MORE
Finally, do not use forces or troops to refer to individual military service members, as in “Forty-four US forces were hurt in a rocket-propelled grenade attack yesterday” or “Three troops were found guilty in the black market scheme.” Original Post: 3 Types of Awkward References to Numbers. MORE
It’s time to talk about time: specifically, how to write references to units of temporal measurement. Another solution is to write “12 noon” or “12 midnight,” although the latter term could refer to either the very beginning or the very end of a given day. References to dates consisting of the month and day require no comma (“October 10 is tomorrow”), but set off an appended year with commas (“October 10, 1960, dawned clear and bright”). Original Post: How to Refer to Time. MORE
Where do the commas go in references to days, months, years, and time of day? The same form is correct for referring to a holiday during a certain year: “I haven’t seen her since Christmas 2005.” A reference to day, date, and time requires commas between each pair of elements: “The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31, 7-9 p.m.” (And Original Post: How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times. MORE
However, capitalizing Sixties creates an inconsistency if, in the same document or in other issues of the same publication, other single-word references to decades are correctly treated generically, with no contextual emphasis: “The people who became prominent in this era were born during the forties.” But most writers and editors — including me — would accept adjacent references to “the Roaring Twenties” and “the thirties” without question, so this style is my preference. MORE
For each pair of sentences below, choose the one that correctly inserts or omits a hyphen in a reference to a numerical quantity or proportion. Original post: Punctuation Quiz #19: Hyphenation in References to Numbers. MORE
Climbing Mount Whitney It’s been a good second day. I started out with another 3.5 mile walk with the dogs and my daypack. I’d loaded the pack up to 11 lbs. yesterday with my camelback filled, a two-way radio and extra batteries along with my cell phone and some snacks. MORE
Some departments are also recognized by their initials (DOJ for “Department of Justice,” for example), though abbreviations should be used only on second reference (an editing term that actually means “all subsequent references”), after the name is spelled out the first time it is used. Original Post: How to Refer to Governmental Administrative Bodies. Nomenclature for US government entities can be complicated. MORE
actualize : Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge came up with this verb form of actual to refer to realizing a goal; self-actualization came much later. butterfingers : Dickens was also responsible for this evocative reference to clumsiness, though he hyphenated it. MORE
A unique reference card for printing on 2-sided A4 (Landscape) which folds into 6 sections showing the key priorities and resources in developing The Networked Enterprise through its 7 maturity stages with the 8 key techniques and their checklists. Download the TNE Reference Card. MORE
Reference Related Topics On The Job
JANUARY 26, 2012
This latest story I did for Gannett/USAToday should open your eyes to the possibility that not all your references have your best interests at heart. a professional reference-checking company. Former colleagues or supervisors can be very vindictive when providing references. "It
Daily Writing Tips
AUGUST 18, 2013
An online product review refers to a device having been launched last fall. By the book comes out, the bio’s reference to the writer’s tenure will be outdated. Original Post: Quantify References to Elapsed Time.
Daily Writing Tips
OCTOBER 8, 2013
Finally, do not use forces or troops to refer to individual military service members, as in “Forty-four US forces were hurt in a rocket-propelled grenade attack yesterday” or “Three troops were found guilty in the black market scheme.” Original Post: 3 Types of Awkward References to Numbers.
Daily Writing Tips
NOVEMBER 29, 2012
Original Post: 7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors. What guides and handbooks does a careful writer (or editor) rely on? I’ve consulted many resources, but the ones on this list have pride of place and show the most wear and tear. The Associated Press Stylebook.
Daily Writing Tips
JULY 5, 2017
For each pair of sentences below, choose the one that correctly inserts or omits a hyphen in a reference to a numerical quantity or proportion. Original post: Punctuation Quiz #19: Hyphenation in References to Numbers.
Daily Writing Tips
JULY 21, 2013
In reference to people who are no longer in a particular position or profession, the most common wording, for example, is “former stockbroker John Smith” or “ex-stockbroker John Smith.” Original Post: How to Refer to Former and Future States.
Daily Writing Tips
JULY 4, 2011
Some departments are also recognized by their initials (DOJ for “Department of Justice,” for example), though abbreviations should be used only on second reference (an editing term that actually means “all subsequent references”), after the name is spelled out the first time it is used. Original Post: How to Refer to Governmental Administrative Bodies. Nomenclature for US government entities can be complicated.
Daily Writing Tips
FEBRUARY 5, 2013
Writers occasionally fall into the trap of inserting too much information between a verb and its object, or introducing a pronoun before the noun it refers to has appeared — in effect, alluding to the point of the sentence before specifying it.
Daily Writing Tips
MAY 10, 2013
One of the oddities of the English language is that though many words have multiple synonyms, and we have words for many things we rarely refer to, one of the most ubiquitous concepts in American society has no name: There’s no ideal term for an unmarried party in a romantic relationship. But this word has no utility outside of references to marital infidelity. Original Post: What’s the Best Way to Refer to a Romantic Partner?
Daily Writing Tips
JULY 18, 2013
Here are three questions about how to treat references to people who have died, and my responses. A widow or widower referring to a deceased spouse, however, gets a lifetime pass.). Original Post: Answers to Questions About Referring to Death.
Job Advice Blog
JULY 31, 2010
Smaller companies typically have neither the manpower nor the funds to do thorough reference checks, which could cost hundreds of dollars. Conversely, larger companies do reference checks but at varying levels of thoroughness.
Business Writing
MARCH 9, 2017
When I talked about the rules of writing to a group of professional communicators, the first question they raised was this: Is it acceptable to use both who and that to refer to people, or is only who correct?
Daily Writing Tips
JUNE 26, 2012
However, capitalizing Sixties creates an inconsistency if, in the same document or in other issues of the same publication, other single-word references to decades are correctly treated generically, with no contextual emphasis: “The people who became prominent in this era were born during the forties.” But most writers and editors — including me — would accept adjacent references to “the Roaring Twenties” and “the thirties” without question, so this style is my preference.
Job Advice Blog
OCTOBER 6, 2010
All that stands between you and the job you really want and need is a reference check. Many people mistakenly put references directly on their résumés. At the time references are requested, you should provide references from a diverse group of people.
Simple Productivity Blog
APRIL 6, 2011
Reference Material. Unless there is a legal reason to hang on to something, every scrap in your reference material needs to be scrutinized to see if it still has the right to be part of your life. All in all, I was able to free up half a drawer of reference material.
Simple Productivity Blog
JULY 10, 2013
Now we’ll take a look at how to apply them to reference material. Simplify Reference Material With the Four Laws of Simplicity. Reference material has a tendency to expand. Divide your reference material into current and archive along these lines. The question for organization is first about how you are going to store your reference material. If you have a physical office where you do most of your work, paper reference material can work for you.
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 1, 2007
Small Business Bootstrapping Techniques by Stefan Töpfer on Oct 01, 2007 I often refer to “ bootstrapping “, when I talk about small business, you may very well be asking “ What the hell is bootstrapping?&# E-Mail me or follow me. You ask a question, I answer!
BioTeams
JANUARY 12, 2009
By popular request the first item will be a unique members-only Bioteams Reference Card. If you would like to have one of these Bioteams reference cards please register your email here.
The Marq
JULY 17, 2011
Climbing Mount Whitney It’s been a good second day. I started out with another 3.5 mile walk with the dogs and my daypack. I’d loaded the pack up to 11 lbs. yesterday with my camelback filled, a two-way radio and extra batteries along with my cell phone and some snacks.
Daily Writing Tips
SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
Because of the association of the color red with danger and deficits, most idioms that include the word red — for example, “in the red” (meaning “in debt”) “red tape” (referring to bureaucratic complications), and “seeing red” (being so angry that one’s vision is blurred) — have negative associations. Into the wild blue yonder,” meanwhile, refers to a venture into unknown territory.). Original Post: Idioms Referring to Colors of the Rainbow.
Productivityist
DECEMBER 21, 2012
Latest blog post: A Different Take on Boxing Day braincutlery 5pts I can totally sympathise with this, particularly the reference to KOTOR (which Im currently replaying on my Mac). Productivityist.com by Mike Vardy Start Here Archives Store Contact The Tower, The Village, The Path, and The Way Posted on 12/21/2012 // 8 Comments One of the best books I read this year didn’t cost me a dime. This book is called The Tower, and it’s written by Chris Guillebeau.
BioTeams
FEBRUARY 16, 2010
A unique reference card for printing on 2-sided A4 (Landscape) which folds into 6 sections showing the key priorities and resources in developing The Networked Enterprise through its 7 maturity stages with the 8 key techniques and their checklists. Download the TNE Reference Card.
Catch Friday
FEBRUARY 13, 2011
Voiceville have a credible web site, but their references are fraudulent, and I remember the disappointment that AskSunday had with the team supplied of virtual assistants - in the beginning they supplied mature experienced people but later they swapped that maturity for a young inexperienced crew - what a pity, and what a shadow that gives to the Philippine people - I guess their management team were just plain greedy. Catchfriday REFERENCES relationship marketing
Business Writing
OCTOBER 13, 2015
In the past week, two clients have written to ask whether they should refer to their company or division using the singular it or a plural pronoun.
Daily Writing Tips
MAY 21, 2011
OK, it’s time to conduct an inventory of your reference library to ensure that you have a comprehensive collection at hand. Flip Dictionary, Barbara Ann Kipfer , is the best of the class of reference books known as reverse dictionaries, for when you know how to describe something but can’t think of the word. Original Post: 4 Types of Reference Books You Didn’t Know You Need.
Make or Break Moments
JUNE 4, 2010
A number of references to your company, perhaps some LinkedIn answers, a blog comments or two? Did you also find a reference to a site that links directly to your name?
Daily Writing Tips
DECEMBER 27, 2016
actualize : Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge came up with this verb form of actual to refer to realizing a goal; self-actualization came much later. butterfingers : Dickens was also responsible for this evocative reference to clumsiness, though he hyphenated it.
Daily Writing Tips
JULY 6, 2010
English, the word sidewalk refers to a paved footpath alongside a street or a road. For us, “kerb&# refers specifically to the edge of the pavement (sidewalk), so one might possibly talk about “pavement stalls&# , but it would be odd to use “kerb&# in that way.
Ian's Messy Desk
FEBRUARY 21, 2012
That being said, cross referencing works for some people and certain fixed types of cross references are easy for anybody to use. Also, the development of tags as metadata for electronic data serves as a type of cross reference. There are Three Basic Ways to Cross References.
Daily Writing Tips
AUGUST 16, 2017
cause célèbre (“celebrated cause”): controversial or emotionally weighted issue—obsolete in French, but originally referred to a sensational or unusual legal decision or trial. en suite (“as a set”): usually refers to a bedroom and bathroom connected to each other—not used as such in French.
The Small Business Blog
MAY 29, 2012
If the title of this blog leaves you imagining a high street full of Harrison Fords then ladies of a certain age can calm down now and gentleman of the same age need not feel so threatened: when I refer to Indies I am actually referring to Independent Retailers!
Daily Writing Tips
FEBRUARY 15, 2015
An ESL speaker has two questions about the following construction: …I was startled to hear a local radio announcer refer to a contest for artists to submit designs to paint “murals” on storm drains. Refer is not inflected because it is not a main verb in this clause.
Daily Writing Tips
FEBRUARY 23, 2017
heads will roll : said in reference to a reckoning, such as a mass firing at a business, alluding to decapitations such as those that occurred during executions by guillotine after the French Revolution. on a roll : a reference to being on a lucky streak.
Simple Productivity Blog
AUGUST 31, 2010
The Simpler Life shares how to manage four of the worst offenders at “Digital Overwhelm: 4 Problems and How to Fix Them&# The web is a great reference tool.
Daily Writing Tips
JUNE 14, 2017
Revise each sentence below so that the nouns to which the pronouns refer are obvious. When a sentence does not clearly identify which noun a subsequent pronoun refers to, the error is referred to as an unclear antecedent. Switch there and the noun it refers to.
On The Job
MAY 8, 2017
Remind your references of such situations -- they'll appreciate not having to dig through their own memories. Let the reference know the key skills that are being sought in the position, so they can target things like being a team player or being able to work under the pressure of deadlines.
The Small Business Blog
DECEMBER 18, 2009
E-Mail me or follow me. How to be successful and eco-friendly. Making your small business carbon neutral. Benefits of Online Software for Small Business. Concentrate on your business, not your office. What is Small Business Infrastructure? How to be successful by focusing on your core business.
On The Job
APRIL 9, 2008
Human resource people tell me a good reference can make or break a job applicant, but many of those vying for jobs seem to give their references little or no consideration. With that in mind, here are some tips for getting the most out of your references: 1. Contact the reference. Make sure you have current addresses, phone numbers and e-mails for each person you give as a reference. If possible, meet with the reference in person.
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