Table of Contents of THINK READER
Preface - i
Chapter 1 - On The Role of Memory and Attention in Reading Successes and Failures - 11
Memory - 2
Memory’s mode of action - 2
Memory’s drawbacks and limitations - 6
Attention - 10
Attention’s mode of action - 10
Attention’s drawbacks and limitations - 11
Optional Readings on the Brain Chemistry Behind Memory and Attention - 15
The Brain Chemistry Behind Memory - 15
The Brain Chemistry Behind Attention- 16
The physiology of attention - 17
Chapter 2 - Modeling Reading - 18
Reading Model Inputs - 19
Reading Model Outputs - 20
Limited Brain Resources - 21
Memory - 21
Attention - 22
Knowledge - 23
External Constraints - 24
Model Optimization - 27
Chapter 3 - Designing Memory-Friendly Writing - 29
Memory-hostile Writing - 30
1. All glued up - The case with long and abstract words - 30
2. Facing the unknown - The case of the new word - 33
3. Stacking the deck - The case with compound nouns - 35
4. Pepping the preps - The case with overly abundant prepositions - 39
5. Who’s on first - The case with ambiguous pronouns - 45
6. Dissing dittos - The case with synonyms - 49
7. OMG - The case with abbreviations and acronyms - 52
8. Falling for the serpentine - The case with long sentences - 55
9. Caving under caveats - The case with uncertainty - 58
10. Breaking bad - the case of split attention/memory - 62
11. Nays for naughts - The case with negative passive sentences - 64
Memory-friendly Writing - 67
1. Repeat again? - The case with repetition - 67
2. Going duo - The case with attention and memory - 69
3. Paint over the grey with colorful such as - The case with examples - 69
4. Coat hangers and Signposts - The case with headings - 71
Chapter 4 - Designing Writing That Sustains Reader Attention - 73
Ways to Lose Reader Attention - 74
1. Misguide and distract - 74
2. Misspell and miswrite - 77
3. Emphasize all - 79
4. Front-load the background - 83
5. Bore - 85
6. De-energize - 90
Ways to Gain Reader Attention - 96
1. Grab by the eye-balls - 96
2. Ignite curiosity - 97
3. Plant visible inserts - 101
4. Shock with numbers - 102
5. Impress with figures of speech - 104
Chapter 5 - Designing Writing That Considers Reader Knowledge - 107
Knowledge Transfer - A misnomer - 108
From Thoughts to Words - A refining process - 110
From Words to Thoughts - A rebuilding process - 111
From Precise to Generic - Addressing the quandary - 113
From Unknown to Known - Building the net - 116
From Ignorant to Savant- Pegging the reader’s knowledge at the right level - 120
Write sections differently to adjust to reader profile and need - 122
Pander to a shallower way of gathering knowledge? - 123
Chapter 6 - Designing Writing That Raises Reader Expectations - 125
Reader Expectations - 127
The predictive role of expectations in reading - 127
The alerting role of expectations in reading - 129
The connective role of expectations in reading - 129
Raising Expectations - 131
Class 1 - topic-based expectations - 131
Class 2 - sequence-based expectations - 136
Class 3 - other expectation-generating schemes - 142
Managing Expectations - 150
The role of the topic sentence - 150
The role of the tugboat phrase or clause - 152
The role of hedging - 155
The role of the structure - 160
Breaking Expectations - 166
The good - 166
The bad - 167
Chapter 7 - Designing Writing That Persuades Through Grammar and Style - 171
Grammar - the Unexpected Persuasion Tool - 172
Style - Hedging & Empathy - 178
Hedging - 178
Empathy with the reader - 182
Other Persuasion Techniques - 184
Imagery - 184
Repetition - 185
Figures of speech - 186
Long-short arrangements - 187
Credibility enhancers - 188
Using Persuasion for the Benefit of the Reader - 190
Chapter 8 - Writing Tools - 191
Tools to Bring Structure To Your Writing - 192
Tools to Assess the Clarity of Your Writing - 194
Microsoft Word - 194
R koRpus Package - 198
Hemingway - 199
SWAN - 200
Tools To Assess Your Writing Style - 201
Tool To Assess The Fluidity of Your Writing - 205
Chapter 9 - Text as Consumable Intellectual Product - 207
Product for the Brain - 208
Unpacking and Sampling - 210
Rummaging the contents - 210
Nibbling allowed! - 211
Consuming Text - 213
Reader-Writer gaps - 213
Testing text readability - 216
Chapter 10 - Visuals as Consumable Intellectual Products - 218
Entering a Visual - 220
Consuming a Visual Product - 225
What elements of a visual delay understanding or mislead? - 227
How can the writer guide the reader inside a visual? - 229
Chapter 11 - Stories from Vladimir and Ruslana - Our typical readers - 236
Agile - 237
Viktor - 248
Piotr and the Grammar Renderer - 241
Le Bazaar - 243
Of Books and Jelly Beans - 245
Of Phrases and Clauses - 247
Chapter 12 - Exercises - 249
Exercises for Chapter 1 - 250
Exercises for Chapter 2 - 251
Exercises for Chapter 3 - 252
Exercises for Chapter 4 - 255
Exercises for Chapter 5 - 256
Exercises for Chapter 6 - 257
Exercises for Chapter 7 - 260
Exercises for Chapter 8 - 265
Exercises for Chapter 9 - 267