Hit 'Enter' Key to make Paragraphs! (Then I can read your allnurses posts!)

[FireStarterRN]

You know what I'd like to see here at allnurses? I'd love to see a campaign to encourage paragraph usage in posts. I was reading at another forum a thread started by forum host declaring "The first annual paragraph day" of the forum. It had specific intructions as well as rationale!

So, to recap, hit the enter key to make a space between paragraphs to separate your posts into readable parts. When a post all runs together, it's hard to read. Don't indent to make a paragraph, it won't work on this format. If you don't know when to make a new paragraph, make one anyway every 5 or 6 sentences!!

[MiaKeaRN]

thanks for a great topic!!

i am so busy with my classes that when i come online i often skip over the posts that are too long (one big paragraph) because it's just not "easy" reading. i'm certainly not nitpicking at anyone, but it just makes things easier to read & understand when things aren't all clumped together.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

thanks for a great topic!!

i am so busy with my classes that when i come online i often skip over the posts that are too long (one big paragraph) because it's just not "easy" reading. i'm certainly not nitpicking at anyone, but it just makes things easier to read & understand when things aren't all clumped together.

if it's work to try to understand your post, i won't bother. spelling, punctuation, grammar all count. paragraph breaks count. capitalization counts.

one more thing. if you're complaining about what a good nurse you are and how everyone is picking on you for no reason, but your spelling and grammar are horrible -- i have to wonder. maybe you're not as good as you think you are. maybe all those folks who are picking on you have a reason, or at least a point. maybe your nursing care is as sloppy as your writing. it does make me wonder.

[flashpoint]

Here's another tip: If you make a post and you see that some words have turned into asterisks, that's a word you should probably go back and change. There are lots of ways to make your point without profanity. A word to the wise.

Very good point...and something I have been guilty of more than once (except I put the asterisks in myself)...either way not appropriate and a violation of TOS. I apologize to anyone I have offended.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

if it's work to try to understand your post, i won't bother. spelling, punctuation, grammar all count. paragraph breaks count. capitalization counts.

one more thing. if you're complaining about what a good nurse you are and how everyone is picking on you for no reason, but your spelling and grammar are horrible -- i have to wonder. maybe you're not as good as you think you are. maybe all those folks who are picking on you have a reason, or at least a point. maybe your nursing care is as sloppy as your writing. it does make me wonder.

my thoughts exactly.

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

The other (totally non-nursing related) board that I frequent actually enforces rules of grammar and to a lesser extent spelling. Now, I get that I'm a big freak about usage rules. However, we are all supposed to be educated professionals, right? We complain quite a bit about how docs and the general public don't show us the respect we feel we deserve. While of course I understand that for many of the posters here (and many nurses) English is not the first language, for those of us who did grow up speaking/writing it, why is it suddenly okay to completely discard all of its rules? Because it's the internet? We are reminded all the time by mods and other posters that this is a public board, so we should be careful of the content of our posts. Shouldn't we also be concerned with the way in which we write them?

Call me an elitist if you like; I've been called worse. But I cringe every time I read a post that I can't comprehend, or is written in (shudder) 733t-speak. I'm not talking about spelling mistakes, or even its/it's your/you're kind of stuff, even though those are pet peeves of mine. I mean posts that read like lolcats. Those are really funny, but the writing style doesn't belong on a message board for, and I say again, educated professionals.

[SICU Queen]

Nurses are supposed to be educated people. Whether you're an LPN, RN ADN, RN BSN, or higher, ALL of us should have an extensive grasp of proper sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Period. How on earth can we expect to be respected and taken seriously if we can't form a proper sentence or write a pararaph? Honestly, after reading some of the posts around here sometimes, I have to wonder how these idiots managed to claw their way through nursing school, and I shudder to think of them caring for patients.

[Jo Dirt]

I don't read them, rither. I also avoid badly punctuated and capitalized posts simply because they are difficult to read.

Also, all the posts with bolded text--too hard on the eyes. And posts with too many slang terms ("coz" is the one I hate the most, ugh!)

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

Here's another tip: If you make a post and you see that some words have turned into asterisks, that's a word you should probably go back and change. There are lots of ways to make your point without profanity. A word to the wise.

Sometimes profanity has its place.(obviously, never in front of a patient or family) I really don't have a problem with someone substituting asterisks for a naughty word. Doctors are educated professionals as well and they've got some of the biggest potty mouths out there. They also tell some of the best dirty jokes, but that's another topic.

I know what you mean, but sometimes regular language is not going to cut it. I'm not going to get all upset because someone used a disguised swear word. I wouldn't do it on here because it is a violation of TOS, but IMHO, I think that particular policy is a little overboard and kind of prissy. I am a grammar hound though and hate how good, concise writing has fallen by the wayside..

[anonymurse]

Here's another tip: If you make a post and you see that some words have turned into asterisks, that's a word you should probably go back and change. There are lots of ways to make your point without profanity. A word to the wise.

I dunno. I used a common military abbreviation (sounds like foo bar) and it got starred, whereas other things I think impolite don't get starred. Beats me how the software's rule works.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Hey, I've gotten my wrist slapped for things that don't get starred.

[leslie :-D]

agree, the reading needs to be easy and flowing.

certain posts i don't give the time of day.

but even when it's in good form, if a post is too long, (those that run on and on and on...), i sometimes skim, but most times, skip over it.

don't have the patience.

leslie

[leslie :-D]

Hey, I've gotten my wrist slapped for things that don't get starred.

tell me about it.

leslie