Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Help us to help you

Don't forget to visit the Owl, Possum and Kiwi Helpnest to post your grammar question.   However, we have a curly one up there at the moment, and would really like some help.

Rajagond asks 'when to use to before you?'.   Can anyone attempt an answer or add some context so that we might help Rajagond?


9 comments:

Perry said...

I would like to talk (to) you.

raza said...

i would seek help from you when needed

Andrea Duff said...

Well done, Perry and Raza. Keep the suggestions coming.

Maribel said...

I gave it to you...for instance.

Bertie said...

"Toot-toot to you, too!"

roshan said...

i would like some suggestion about my thesis abstract ,could you please help me to in prove my English writing.

Mobile Biometric Challenge Recording Interface
In computer network, authentication is the process of attempting to verify the digital identity through the use of login passwords. Knowledge of the passwords is assumed to guarantee that the user is authentic. Likewise, Users may biometrically authenticate via their fingerprint, voice, face, or using provided hardware and password in order to confirm the operation. However, when a large number of users are involved this type of authentication is not suitable because this solution may become too slow and relatively expensive. In brief, successful distribution of a biometric authentication system needs careful deliberation of many factors (PBworks, 2007).
My thesis core will be to study different biometric authentication techniques, derive requirements from these for a mobile interface, and implement and refine an interface prototype.
When a biometric sample or trait is acquired, such as a video or a voice sample, the captured data goes through some amount of processing to prepare it for the extraction of a relatively small set of numbers, which represent the most unique aspects of the data. This extracted set of data in record called a recording template. However, to prepare this recording optimally for biometric algorithms several measures already have to be taken on the phone.
There are two basic usage scenarios for biometrics, known as verification and identification.
Verification is the scenario where a newly created template is compared with only one other template in a database, which is described as a one-to-one comparison. The second biometric usage scenario is called identification, which is used when it is necessary to compare a newly created template to many enrolled templates, which is described as a one-to-many comparison. Both scenarios have to be supported by such a recording interface.



PBworks. 2007. Authentication technologies. Biometrics. [Online] 2007. [Cited: 30 3 2012.] http://biometrics.pbworks.com/w/page/14811351/Authentication%20technologies.

Andrea Duff said...

Hi Roshan
Ordinarily, I would suggest this one be published to the Owl and Possum Helpnest, but I am happy to publish it here and make some comment.

I will start with the macro (big picture) level.

Overall, the abstract looks as though it is coming ahead. You start with a definition of terms, which is an appropriate way to start.

I would be wary about using a reference in a thesis abstract. I would also be very careful about using one which appears - at a glance - to not be terribly scholarly. PB Works?

Also, although you talk about the thesis study, you do not talk about the rationale for your investigation terribly clearly.

I would prefer to see something like:

The rationale for this research is to... This thesis presents a study of...

I would also like to see a concluding sentence which leads the reader into the actual work.

It may be that you reorganise the paragraphs and end with 'this thesis will examine...'.

Now I will say one or two things about the grammar.

My first comment would be to attend to the use of articles and proofread carefully to make sure singular nouns have this (for example 'In a computer network'). A way around this is to use the plural (In computer networks...'.

Secondly (and linked to the above) where the plural is used you do not need to use an article (for example 'Knowledge of passwords' where 'the' can be omitted).

Thirdly, do avoid using first person (eg 'my thesis).

This resource on writing abstracts provied by the University of South Australia may be of some use.

http://resource.unisa.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=27447

We would welcome other readers to respond to Roshan's query.

Andrea Duff said...

Let me just say two more things, Roshan. The abstrct should be a snapshot of your thesis. Each paragraph introducing (very briefly)each section as it appears.

Another golden rule is that an abstract should be NO MORE than half a page long (I think you are well within this).

Good luck.

Monique Miller said...

Grammar is really an important part of any writing. It could help avoid misspelling mistake and avoid confusion of word. If you think that you don’t know how to check grammar, it would be a good idea to get some thesis help. It would be easy to get someone to proofread the paper for you.