The Dutty

1
Transpose names of individuals when filing: last name, first name/initial, middle name/initial.
So, Donna Mae Marks should be filed under Marks, Donna Mae
Mary J. Blige should be filed under Blige, Mary J.Michael B. Jordan should be filed under Jordan, Michael B.

2
Last names that include a prefix such as D’. De, De la, Den, Des, Du, El, Fitz, L’, La, Las, Le, Lo, Los M’, Mac’ Mc, O’, Saint, St., Ste., Te, Ten, Van, Van der, Von, etc. are filed as one word in alpha order.
So, D’ Genoa should be filed under Dgenoa
Da Silva under Dasilva
Van der Poll under Vanderpoll
McKnight under Macknight
Marie under Stmarie

3
If you can’t tell whether you have a first or a last name, file it as written, then file create a cross-reference to the transposed name.
So, Lee Atlas should be filed under Lee Atlas and again under Atlas Lee
Louie Paul under Louie Paul and again under Paul Louie

4
Hyphenated and compound names should be treated as one unit.
So, Camille Rogers-Hinds should be filed under RogersHinds, Camille
Luke Sainte Marie under Saintmarie, Luke

5
When someone’s title is added to the end of the name.
So, Father Geoffrey Thomas gets filed under Thomas, Geoffrey Father
Mayor Jane Mercer under Mercer, Jane Mayor
John Delany, II under Delaney, John II
Lori M. Janeway under Janeway, Lori M
John H. Kendrick, CPA under Kendrick John H. CPA

6
A business name is filed as written.
So, Home Depot gets filed under Home Depot
University of Baltimore under University of Baltimore
Giant Foods under Giant Foods
Apple, Inc. under Apple, Inc.
Coca-Cola Co. under Coca-Cola Co.
Pre-Med Program under Pre-Med Program

7
File names that start with number led under the spelling of the number.
So, 700 Club should be filed under Seven Hundred Club
1000 Apartments of Southside under one Thousand Apartments of Southside

8
With names with an article in front of them, ignore the article.
So, The Big Ice Company should be filed under Big Ice Company, The
The Daniels Group under Daniels Group, The
The LED Studio under LED Studio, The

Let me help you put your best word forward. I am an editor, specializing in academic books, memoirs, and theses. See my work at editsbymarks or send me email at dmariemarks@gmail.com.

“I hate commas; it seems so random the way they are used.”
“It is so hard to know when to use the comma.”
These are common complaints that I’ve heard about this most ubiquitous of punctuation marks.

The comma simply indicates a pause in speech, so if you take a breath in your mind as you read something, put a comma there. In fact, it all started with the oral tradition, when information was passed down by word of mouth. Later, a way was found to immortalize the spoken word. Scribes used symbols to create written words, but with no spaces or definition between each word. Punctuation evolved on the heels of the written word, as a way to sort out the confusion of trying to read something aloud in a way that is easy for the listener to understand and the reader to interpret.

Here are the Basic Ways to Use the Comma

1. Use it to bring two thoughts or sentences together.
   I love ice cream, there is always some in my fridge.
2. Use it to break up a sentence that runs on and on. It is best to break up that sentence into separate clauses and use a comma after each clause.
   So, instead of this:
   The results of the investigation were inconclusive more time was needed to analyze the evidence and the victim died before he could be questioned.
   Write this:
   The results of the investigation were inconclusive, more time was needed to analyze the evidence, and the victim died before he could be questioned.
3. Use it to define a list.
   Either this:
   The colors of the flag are red, blue, and white. (serial comma, with comma before and—my personal favorite, since it prevents ambiguity)
   or this:
   The colors of the flag are red, blue and white. (Associated Press style, with no comma before and)

Once you get into this rhythm of using the comma, you can hardly go wrong.

Let me help you put your best word forward on your documents, books, and theses. Go to my website or send me e-mail at dmariemarks.com. Then, let’s talk!

Use shortcuts and spend less time composing in Microsoft Word and Excel. Some of them you already know. Start using the ones you do not know. Substitute command for ctrl on the Mac.

Shortcuts without using your mouse:

Style Options:

Do you have any favorite shortcuts you love to use? Tell me about them. I will share them in the near future.

Let me help you put your best word forward. Give me a shout at dmariemarks@gmail.com; and take a look at my website.

The possessive: Joe’s heart belongs to me.
One of the main functions of the apostrophe is to indicate the possessive.

Mastering the possessive is often a slippery proposition for many writers. Rules for using the apostrophe tend to get murky and your final choices require review before you send your writing on its way to your readers. Be mindful of these basic rules as you review your work.

Basics—singular and plural

• If the word is singular, add ’s to make the word possessive
  So: Mina’s jewelry (the jewelry that belongs to Mina) was stolen from her purse.
• Add ’s, even when the word ends in ‘s
  So: Amos’s book is in the kitchen.
  –UPS’s trucks are brown.

• If the word is plural and ends in s, just add the apostrophe after the
  So: The suspects’ car was parked on the lawn.

• If the word is plural and does not end in s, add ’s.
  So: The children’s bus arrives at 8 every morning.
  –The United States’ representative at the games.

Special Use—Two or more nouns and the possessive

Ask yourself, “If the item belongs to two or more people, is shared among them or is it separate?”

• Shared: Only the final noun takes the possessive.
  So: My mother and father’s business is doing well.
  –WMATA operates Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia’s commuter rail system.
  –Peter, Ty, and Jamal’s room is upstairs.
• Separate: Each noun takes the possessive.
  So: My mother’s and father’s cars are in the garage.
  Zoya’s and Jason’s parents attended the school concert.
  The hamster’s and the mouse’s food is in the corner of the cage

Let me help you put your best word forward. Contact dmariemarks@gmail.com or visit editsbymarks.com.

Automatic hyphenation is a feature of all word processing programs used today. When this feature is on, the program consults its own dictionary to select word breaks. However, follow these tips to present a well-written, credible document.

Proofreading

After completing your draft of a report or business correspondence, your review should include proofreading with the following in mind:

• A hyphen may appear at the end of no more than two consecutive lines.
• The last word in a paragraph should not be broken. If the break is unavoidable, then carry the entire word to the next line.

Rules for breaking words

• Keep proper names together on the same line; and do not separate a person’s initials or an abbreviated title or part of a name (such as , Dr., III, or Jr).
  The whole name should be on the same line.
• Short words (those of five letters or fewer) should not be broken.
• When possible, divide words after prefixes and at the natural breaking point for solid words (pre-cursor, lumber-yard, hand-kerchief).
• Hyphenated words should be broken only at the hyphen.
• Always check the dictionary to verify if a compound word should be hyphenated.
• Words ending in “ing” are divided on the base word (sing-ing, writ-ing), except when the final consonant is doubled to form a participle
  (refer-ring, admit-ting).

Let me help you put your best word forward.
Link me at dmariemarks@gmail.com and check out my website editsbymarks.com

A new museum (yes, another one) is coming to Washington, D.C. and will open December 2019. It promises to immerse visitors in the wonders and rewards of words and language arts. It’s called Planet Word. And, its mission is to inspire a love of language in all its forms. Here’s what it has to offer, according to the website.

We’ll take our guests on an immersive journey that will awaken a love of language that will last a lifetime! We’ll show every visitor the fun of words and language everywhere they look – from the menu in the café to the walls in the bathrooms to the floors and the stairwells. And by welcoming readers of all ages and at all language levels, including non-English speakers, Planet Word is truly for everyone.

This is a welcome treat to those of us who love language and reading, and it just might encourage those who are not fond of language to get on board. It purports to promote the power of words and the adage that the pen is more powerful than the sword.

You will find Planet Word at 1300 I Street, NW, Washington, D.C. (in the old Franklin School building). It is a must-see destination for me and I will share my experience with you after I check it out. In the meantime, explore the website along with me here. #PlanetWordDC.

Let me help you put your best word forward–contact dmariemarks@gmail.com or editsbymarks.com.