Roosevelt University Writing Center Blog

Dustin F. Geranen, Former Writing Center Tutor, talks ESL and the Post-Graduate Life

2011-11-15T17:58:00.001-08:00

My work at the Writing Center was my first step toward a career in ESL teaching and tutoring. I’d read all of the articles Carrie makes new tutors read about ESL tutoring but I still had questions. I sat down with her for nearly an hour during which she talked to me about her own experiences and gave me more reading material. I then spoke with former tutor, Madeline Christensen, who advised me that the tricky part of ESL tutoring was understanding and respecting cultural differences. A student from Asia might be embarrassed to show their grade on an assignment while a student from Russia might feel like your not qualified to tutor them if you aren’t quite blunt.

I wasn’t alone in my trepidation but I decided that the only way to get good at it was to take on as many sessions as possible. I told everyone they could give me their ESL sessions if they were nervous about them and Carrie spread the word to all of the comp teachers that I’d be more than happy to work with ESL students on a regular basis. Soon, teachers began contacting me directly about working with their ESL students.

During my second year at the Writing Center, the ELP department contacted Carrie and asked about setting up a standing appointment for a student from China. She’d worked with an unscrupulous agent who impersonated her on the phone and her English was at quite a low level. She is the main reason I’ve pursued ESL as a career. I worked with her three times a week for a year. I saw her go from a struggling learner relying on nouns and pointing to pictures to a confident student capable of writing meaningful paragraphs and developing a linear essay. The sessions were frustrating and often tiring for both of us but we persevered and her English improved as did my instructional ability.

For a year after graduating from Roosevelt, I worked teaching comp at a couple schools in Chicago—including Roosevelt. My work with my ESL students was always most fulfilling. It’s not just the intricacies of learning how to teach people from radically different cultures, but working with a student who fears she may have made the wrong choice to leave her homeland. With each week of work an ESL student becomes more confident in their ability to be a student and succeed in America.

I answered a craigslist ad for online ESL work thinking I’d pick up some extra cash to supplement my teaching. The ad turned out to be for a position as a language coach at Rosetta Stone. Now I only work for them. I lead 50 minute Totale sessions in which 1-4 learners interact with me via webcam. I show them pictures and play vocabulary-based games with them. I also help teach them about cultural differences relating to language. Additionally, I teach Reflex sessions, which last 5-9 minutes and focus on fast-paced conversations that students will likely encounter such as asking for directions in a city and interacting with a flight attendant when your headset is malfunctioning.

The sessions are quite productive. We don’t focus on written words as much as aural/linguistic association. It’s not enough for them to give me the noun; they must form a sentence that sounds American. This helps shape their thought process when interacting in English because they start to understand how we form our sentences based on our thoughts.

It’s not all business, though. My learners crack me up on a daily basis. I’ve found making jokes about everything helps relax them and gets them to use English more freely. I’ve posted some of my more humorous interactions at a blog:http://charhybdis.blogspot.com

-Dustin F. Geranen

The Indestructible Man by Jake Wrenn

2011-11-14T08:40:00.001-08:00

The Indestructible Man

By Jake Wrenn

A crowd had gatheredaround the stage, and painted clowns began setting up tables. There were itemson the tables. The items were weapons. The clowns were bringing out weapons andplacing them on the tables. The crowd was drawn in by the enigma of it, thestrange.

“Step right up! Comeone come all!” A clown had taken the stage, swinging his arms and keeping hisknees bent. The clown had a white face with red eyes. “Come see the eighthwonder of the world! The scariest of the scaries! The freakiest of the freaks! Theghoulish, the grotesque, the bloodcurdling! Ladies and gentlemen, I present toyou, the Indestructible Man!”

The crowd shifted inrevolt as the man took the stage. He was impossibly large, hands that could crusha skull, his body a hellish façade. He walked the way mountains walk, slow,uncalculated.

The clown continued,pressing the morbid. “I challenge each and every one of you to take but oneswing at death, and to try and kill the man that cannot be killed!”

Spectators began aline near the corner of the stage. They stood with wide-eyed fear, staring atthe man, the thing, this entity. Each took a device from the tables; some triedstabbing him and some tried shooting him, one man tried to choke him and thething laughed, having those hands around his neck. The man swallowed potionsand acids that would burn the body from the inside out, yet there he stood,unscathed.

I wished to participate.

I stood in front ofthe tables, the array of the ghastly pieces; there were knives and guns,chainsaws and swords, strange things I had never seen. Devices all that wouldend the life of a normal man. The knives were rusted, suggesting a lifetime ofuse. I stared at the stage, the Indestructible Man.

Some may criticizemy modest choice of weapons, but the kitchen knife was the only thing I feltfamiliar with. I took the stage. The crowd groaned, seeing many knives come andgo. I stood in front of him, this man, this enigma. He was two heads tallerthan me to be sure and stared down, his hollow, dead eyes, saying nothing,thinking the decrepit. I could feel the grandfather clock tick tick of myheart.

“Go ahead, kid,” aclown whispered behind me, “stab him.”

I felt the knife inmy hand, its rigidity, its decisions, and I felt the man staring down at me. Iflipped the blade in my hand, revealing the handle to the man and the bladepointed toward myself. He reached out, confused, taking the handle of theknife. Silence swept over the crowd as the Indestructible Man fell to thestage.

Jake Wrenn is the winner of this year's Flash Fiction contest! Congratulations, Jake! And congrats to all the other winners!

Home Sweet Home by William Lucio

2011-11-11T07:16:00.001-08:00

Home Sweet Home

By William Lucio

It was a revolting site, the house around the corner. Either chokedwith fear or disturbed by the bloodcurdling screams heard at night, no familyhad ever stayed put for very long. The two-story, 18^th century house,was extremely decrepit. Moss had climbed its way up the walls from the lawnbelow. The house had an interesting enigma to it and no one understood itsmorbidness.

Thehouse’s grotesque and hellish form intrigued my friends and I, so we decided toclown around and enter this known-to-be-haunted home. Within minutes we wishedwe had never entered the wooden doors, which let off ghastly creaks the widerthey opened. Immediately we were overcome with terror. From the potions wefound in the basement, to the skeletons hung in the bedrooms, complete withskulls and all, we decided this house was no longer an object of ourfascinations. Unfortunately for us, once the doors to the front of the housewere closed, they had remained so and we could no longer escape.

Wehad only been trapped inside this ghoulish place for an hour, and my friendswere already dead. I was the sole survivor, and I was scared out of my mind.Tony had been possessed by a strange and demanding entity that forced him topull open a kitchen drawer and stab himself with a rusted knife. He bled out onthe floor. Janet found herself locked in a closet and after a violent spell ofscreaming and pounding, we were finally able to pull the door open only to findher head had been twisted all the way around. An invisible force dragged Kyle intothe fireplace across the hall and I watched him burn alive as the fire lititself into a screaming roar of flames and embers. The revolting smell of hisroasting flesh still lingered in my nostrils as I realized I was the only oneleft.

Then,the tone of the grandfather clock echoed through the hallways and flutteredinto my ears. When I turned toward the sound, I saw a darkened figure, black asnight. It pointed at me and chills ran up my spine. It was then when thememories of the past hour flashed through my mind. Nothing was killing myfriends. There were no evil spirits murdering them one by one. It was me. I wasthe one possessed by the dark being in front of me. I stabbed Tony with theknife and watched him bleed to death. I pulled Janet into the closet andtwisted her neck around. It was me who dragged Kyle to the fireplace andtorched his body. I was now one with this evil monster. The dead should nevercross over to the living realm, but when they do, they’re here to stay. Now Ihaunt this house and wait for new arrivals to dare entry, and when they do, Ikill them and add their souls to my collection.

William Lucio's story won second place!

In the Dark of the Night by Stephanie Khio

2011-11-10T10:09:00.001-08:00

In the Dark ofthe Night

By Stephanie Khio

As the stormintensifies, grotesque shadows lurk in the corners of the room, creatingghastly images. The trees strike the window, giving a hellish laugh in thefierce wind. Its bushy boughs create morbid clown-like shadows, hovering overmy bed. Bloodcurdling chills rattle their way up my legs and disperse to theends of my hair as a lump in my covers travels like a rat crawling under acarpet. Its icy fingers pierce my skin, gnashing onto me with its teeth. As itspoignant tongue trickles up my leg, I jolt out of my bed, the covers snarlingbetween my legs. Dragging my numb feet across the burning cold floor, I fumbleto the door. Feeling an enigmatic wind behind me, the door slams, awakening thehouse. The mirrors and the grandfather's clock fall to the floor in the roomnext door. My hair flies in the raging gust, my face spitting wet from theferocious rain. I ignore my entire surroundings, racing directly to the openwindow, deciphering to escape. The window bangs shut, nearly cracking thedecrepit wood. The spirits revolt against me, locking me inside its starvingjaw. The fickle shadows waltz around the room, an uncanny lullaby replayingitself in the haunted air. I remain standing, facing the window, terrified ofthe leaves slapping the fury wind. I feel a burning heat behind my neck,breathing heavily with an eerie excitement. I turn to face the monster skulkingbehind me, feeling my skin ripping into shreds. It is a man-like figurehovering its shadows over me. His saliva boiled out his mouth, bubbling like apotion. Aware of my terror, he gives a fiendish, laughing shrill, howling at thedark spirits. The walls shake. He notices and gives a morbid grin, grinding histeeth. His ghoulish hair corkscrews out of his skull, and his hands scissor myskin, roughly scratching my cheek. I choke on my spit,gasping and gulping for air, as he yanks my head to his face, almost lifting meoff the ground. His oddly charming teeth suck at my supple neck, blood gushingthrough his teeth as if he bit into a succulent fruit. My eyes water, intenselyenduring the pain. He stops and the storm winds down, like a broken record thatbruises the song to an end. I look into his demonic eyes, blinking into a newworld. The dark sky outside isn't as gloomy, but rich with a cottony ash. Andhis contour has become hearty. Feeling my blood flutter through my veins,exciting my bones, I put his face to mine. Our noses aggressively fondle eachother as I kiss his plump red- almost brown- lips. I savor and swallow hissaliva, being intoxicated with my master's passionate ardor.

Stephanie Khio's story tied for third place!

A Father's Legacy by James Weging

2011-11-10T09:57:00.001-08:00

A Father's Legacy

By James Weging

Jude walkedoff the train. It had been a day full of nerves. At work, he was asked a simple question, “How much money did you lose?” Andyet his answer seemed an enigma to his bosses, “Too Little.” Would they catchon to his scheme? Not, a chance Jude was clever and too quick for them. As heturned the corner onto his block, he was taken back by skulls everywhere. Hismental state had caused him to forget that today was Halloween and soon theblock would be full of revolting looking children and their decrepit parentsleading them around the block. If there was one thing John hated more than richexecutives, it was children on Halloween.

As thenight sky turned from gold to orange to black, Jude had entered his house. His househad all the finest contemporary fixtures: art deco lamps, leather coaches,black marble. The one fixture that stood out of this setting was the old 19^thcentury grandfather clock left to him by his father. Jude’s father had been themost outstanding citizen of Marble Creek. During the day he loaned the peoplemoney out of his Savings and Loans and during the night he was a part timefirefighter. Everyone loved Jude’s father, and the grandfather clock stood as ahellish remembrance of how the two differed.

Jude satdown, took off his coat, and took an apple out of the refrigerator and startedeating. There was no way he was going to give out candy tonight. Not only didhe despise children, but his recent illegal escapades had made him less proneto answer the door. However, no matter how unwelcoming and even revolting toHalloween parents and kids Jude’s door seemed, he heard the bell ring.

Judereluctantly went to the door and swung it open, hoping to give a bloodcurdlingscold to some ghoulish or ghastly child. However there was nothing there. Judesat back down ready to start drinking his nightly potion of rum and coke whenthe bell rang again. Jude went reluctantly again, this time ready to almostphysically harm the parents for coming to his door. However as the door slammedopen again there was no one. The closest children were three clown hobos fivehouses down.

Jude satdown again. It was finally starting to wear on him. He was convinced that itwas a prankster and he swore to himself the next child to ring the bell wouldbe choked. Just as enough time passed to where Jude was feeling at ease again,the shrieking doorbell rang again. He walked to the door with a confident air.He had just stolen a million dollars. He had out tricked one of the richestcompanies in America. He could handle a prankster. He could handle anything. Ashe opened the door, a grotesque voice came from behind him.

“You can’t steal death.”

The grandfather clock morbidly rang and the door slammed.

James Weging tied for third place with this story!

How to Get Over Writer's Block

2011-11-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

We’ve all experienced this at least once in our lives. It’s the moment when you sit down to write something and your mind draws a complete blank. Not a single idea worth writing down comes to mind and you start to panic because you realize the deadline for when it’s due is coming up. Most of the time it happens is because you’re either uninspired, unprepared, or you're just caving into the stress or pressure of getting it done quickly. That’s why I am here to help. Any time you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, refer back to this blog for ideas on how to get over the infamous “writer’s block.”

Top 3 Ideas to Getting over Writer’s Block

1. Move your body. Sitting in front of your computer screen for hours like a zombie is not going to help you whatsoever. You need to step away from the computer altogether and get your blood pumping. Go for a walk or jog around the block. The key is to get your heart pumping, body moving, and then head back to your work space motivated and ready to work.

2. Overcome a fear. If you can get over one of your fears, you can get over writer’s block. Think about what scares you. I mean really scares you. Maybe it’s sky diving, or asking your crush out on a date. Whatever it is, just do it. That mind-boggling rush you get from overcoming that fear is exactly what you need to get your creativity back and ideas flowing into your brain much faster.

3. Change your routine. Whatever your daily routine is, change it! If you’re constantly doing the same thing every day, than your brain is not being very active because it knows what to expect all the time. Start by reading books or magazines that you don’t normally read. Or change the route you normally take to work. Or maybe eat food that you have never tried before. I tried Thai food the other day for the first time, and I never thought I would like it but I do! Surprise yourself, and the ideas will come.

I hope these ideas were helpful! I’d love to hear your feedback on any ideas that have worked for you or didn’t work for you.

-Elizabeth Bassmaji

What to do with writer's block!

2011-10-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

Getting over writer's block in a paper…a couple helpful tips…

Find a new setting! Sometimes just sitting in thesame place writing for a long period of time can be very boring and put up awall in your brain.

You can also try doing some kindof physical activity... jumping jacks are an excellent way to get the blood pumpingand physical activity is good for brain activity, this help your brain stimulate some new ideas!

Take abreak! Maybe just getting a bite to eat of watching a twenty-minute TV showwill give you the mental break you need to really start up again strong withyour piece of writing.

Get out a sheet of paper and just brainstorm! Write downanything you can think of that has to do with your topic, whether you think itis good or not, just putting your ideas out there can help a lot!

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,

Corinna Giacalone

Writing Center

Roosevelt University

Flash Fiction Time

2011-10-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge!

A Blog About Blogging!

2011-09-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

The Daunting Face of THE BLOG

One day, a couple of days ago, Carrie Brecke asked me to start writing for the blog and I asked, “What blog should I start with?”

And she said, “You can start with writing a blog about blogging.”

Immediately intrigued by the meta possibilities of such blogging, I racked my head for days, until today, and I kept asking myself, “How does one write a blog about blogging?” Which the answer came to me, deep in the darkest depths of the night.

You can’t, really.

But you can give suggestions, and that is what I am going to do here, give five suggestions on how to make your blog blogariphic, blogtastic, instead of a blogtastrope (all names copyrighted, Timothy Moore, 2011)!

1. Who are YOU?

When I read a blog, I want to know who is writing the blog. That means: personality. That does not mean that I need to know the blogger’s entire backstory, but if they are funny, I’d like to see it in their blog. If they are serious, blog me something serious. Just show me something from you. Goodness! It’s not like an essay, where you must use proper form and lingo, no - you can use slang, you dummy! Write how you talk (as long as we can read and understand what you are saying, you Blogosaur).

2. Shorten Your Blog!

A blog should never be too long because then the person reading your blog will not want to read it. Internet attention spans are much shorter. If you find that your blog is too long, it is because you are not writing a blog, it is because you are writing an essay. There is a difference in length. There is a difference in content. Essays must have many points. Blogs can suffice with one point, will thrive on one point. If you find that your blog is blogging and blogging - then you should just stop that blog and make it many different blogs, like a series of blogs on that one subject. You dig?

3. Put Some Pictures in it, Peeps!

Aw! Cute Dog! What's it have to do with blogging? NOTHING! But it got your attention, didn't it!?

Pictures will liven up your blog and attract viewing eyes! If you want views, put in some pictures! Also, breaking up the blog with some pics will make it seem more manageable and less daunting to read!

Obama! Am I right?

4. If It is Hard for YOU to Write, It will be Hard for US to Read!

Do not write about something that does not interest you! It will be clear from reading that is listless and boring! This is the case for all writing, really. But it’s such an important fact that it should be repeated here. If you are tasked to write something you are not interested in, find something within it that will make you interested! Trust me, there’s always something. There is hope. There is love.

5. Don’t be Mean!

If you are mean or say hateful things, it will come back to you. If you blog those mean or hateful things, they will not just come back to you, they will stay with you FOREVER. They will hound you. They will haunt you in the (darkest depths of the) night! Don’t write anything that you don’t want anyone to know about. Don’t start flame wars. Don’t bash people or races. Or car races. Future employers will Google you. Future grandchildren will Google you in their hover I-Pads. Blog responsibly.

And those are the suggestions! Have a blog day!!

2011 Newsletter!

2011-04-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Staff Tutor, and all around good gal, Katie Kelly, has put together our latest Writing Center Newsletter! Check it out here! This edition includes our staff tutor experiences in the WC, tutor profiles, a letter from the director, and much, much, more! Read it! Love it!

It Makes Me Mad! =)

2011-04-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

I know, the title is a bit deceiving. But, sometimes, that is all it takes! You get angry about something and the cogwheels keep turning. Up until I started at Roosevelt, I tried to avoid writing because talking about issues seems a lot better, and it is! However, there is a lot to say that writing can help organize, when your mind is causing a ruckus.

So, what inspires my writing? Lately, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and discipline policies. I was especially upset today. It was my nephew's report card pick-up day today, and I could not believe the things I was hearing. His history teacher said that she spends the first few minutes of class "getting rid of" students who are being disruptive, and she was OK with that! His sixth and seventh period English teacher said that by that time of the day, there are as little as FIVE students! This is an achievement academy, but how are there so few students in class? What is being done with them? I'll tell you what, they are being suspended OUT OF SCHOOL. Now this really makes me want to rant. True enough, my research paper is all about discipline and possible alternatives.

So, is there a name for all this? Yes. It is called the school to prison pipeline. If you go to Roosevelt University you probably know, or have heard about this. I was very unhappy to hear that students are just pushed out of school. Now, why is it that this school is this way? For starters this is, again, an achievement academy. It is for those who did not pass the eighth grade and are past the age of being in an elementary school any longer. Second, it is the second worst school in the state of Illinois. Third, it is in the South side Bronzeville neighborhoods(Not far from the Greater Grand Boulevard). It is unbelievable that such policies to "deal" with students are being used to "help" other students. The whole school suffers and the student. In the long term, the students' future is lost. These policies do not engage parents or students into solving problems.

Now, I would much rather hold rallies and hunt down CPS representatives than write about it (as bad as that sounds in a blog about writing). I just feel like some ideas need to be HEARD, not written where only a professor will grade it. Nonetheless, I do understand the significance. I really hope one day to bring more people together to solve problems like this because our future depends on it.

And that is what inspires me, very passionately.

::Rebecca::

Ralph: "This is my mad face!"

Flash Poetry Contest. Top 7 Finalists and 1 Especially Unique Entry.

2011-03-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

Below are the 7 Finalists from the Flash Poetry Contest. A huge thank you to those who participated!

Finalist #1:

Persnickety
                    Skeleton
                                     Love
                                                   am Love

Finalist #2:

giant    Dickens
star          want
                     he

Finalist #3:

Pickle psycho-physics
                        Enigma
Superfluous
                                                         Roast beef

Finalist #4:

    budding
Rowboat
what
     Like
         Me

Finalist #5:

A
                              Pining
                   Throbbing

   flibbertigibbet

                      Floating

Finalist #6:

Like
      My
            Butterfly
               moon
      Addiction

Finalist #7:

Franklin D. Roosevelt
       Yearning
        wanting
           Unction
       Would

Unique Entry:

Consequence Intense Friend
she melt(s) My Skeleton
Swim(s) In Darkness Sea
The

Green

Tunnel

Sleeve

(by) Dog Boulder

Good Old American Essay?

2011-02-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

How do you write an essay? Did that grab your attention? Was that a good "attention getter?" I suppose I could have used a quote or a startling statistic, but I went with a question. I hope it went over well.

I can remember sitting in my sixth grade English class, red pencil in hand, listening to Mrs. Hill jabber on about how to write an essay. There was a specific formula we had to follow, and we had to label every last piece of our essay in order to receive full credit.

The first part we had to master was the "attention getter." Mrs. Hill encouraged us to use questions, but allowed us to branch out into using quotations or statistics that stunned the reader. I had no experience writing a structured essay, so I had no reason to question the formula being shoved down my throat.

After we learned to transition to thesis and form a thesis, we learned how to construct a body paragraph. And, of course, there could only be three body paragraphs in this essay. The first sentence of a body paragraph was a topic sentence. These topic sentences normally started with transitions such as "first," "second," "next," or "also." It had to be perfectly clear that something new was being introduced.

The second sentence in a body paragraph was called a "concrete detail," which was a fact that supported the previously stated thesis. Two sentences defined as "commentary" followed. These were meant to expand on the concrete detail and expand upon each other. Each body paragraph had to have three concrete details along with commentary. Repeat these steps two more times.

No worries, you're almost done! We then learned that the basic purpose of a conclusion was to restate your thesis without sounding repetitive. Easy enough, I suppose?

When we wrote essays, Mrs. Hill passed out papers with each part of the essay labeled. Next to each label were two blank lines waiting to be filled with details, commentary and attention getters a plenty!

At some point during our sixth grade year, Mrs. Hill finally allowed us to write our essays on blank pieces of notebook paper--paper free of labels and guidelines. However, when we got to class, essays in hand, Mrs. Hill passed out three different colored highlighters to each person in the class. Details and commentary had to be distinguished with color-coded highlighting.

While the structure she provided us with made it fairly easy to write an essay, Mrs. Hill never taught us how to maintain our unique voices within the essays we wrote.

As I continued my education into high school, and eventually college, I learned how to slip voice within the structure of a traditional essay. Luckily, I no longer adhere to a three-body-paragraph essay when a teacher assigns a 10-page paper. Can you imagine how long those paragraphs would be? Each write has his or her own personal style hidden somewhere beneath the format assigned to a paper. Each person has a unique voice that deserves to be taken seriously. Although structure is almost always a necessity, regurgitating form and style form the past is not. I urge everyone to find ways to allow their voice to be recognized, heard, and taken seriously in any writing assignment.

Natalie Hughes

Using Quotes From Sources: Time Management and Piecing Together The Puzzle

2011-02-05T17:58:00.000-08:00

When writing research papers, I always find that the most time consuming task is typing out all of the quotes from my sources. Like most people I have talked to, I don’t want to be bogged down with my sources when I’m trying to state all of the arguments on my topic. How do I take the stress away from trying to fit all of the appropriate quotes into the related arguments in my paper?

I think of it as a huge jigsaw puzzle. First I figure out what I want to talk about. Then I take each of my outside sources and circle, bracket, and underline potential quotes that I feel will support my discussion. Just like putting together a larger than average-sized jigsaw puzzle, I don’t try to put all the pieces together in one sitting. Otherwise the task becomes tedious. Instead, I give myself at least a two week window.

Like a jigsaw puzzle, I’m going to put together all of the edges first to form my foundation. The foundation in this case involves the potential quotes I’m looking to integrate. I’ll spend one day going through my sources and marking quotes (if they are printed sources rather than online sources). Then I type them out into a word document the next day. If I don’t separate my time into small chunks, then again the process becomes tedious. If my sources are online, I am immediately cutting and pasting the potential quotes into a word document.

Next, I categorize my quotes. I separate them into subtopics, and then I cut and paste each quote into its accompanying subtopic that I created. Now I have some sense of structure. (Sigh of relief!) I take a look at how I categorized my quotes and then I figure out an order to use for my paper. Now I just allowed the pieces of the puzzle to start coming together. I call this the step in which my paper starts to write itself. Then after the aforementioned sigh of relief, I take a break from the paper and return to it either later that day or I may just wait until the next day.

Now I look at my categories of quotes. I go through each category to find that multiple quotes are basically saying the exact same thing. So now I can start to narrow down my quotes before a 5 page paper becomes an 8-9 page paper. Next, I look at the order of my categories. I view it as a group of puzzle pieces that need to be placed together. Do I like the order I put them in, or should I start with the bottom right corner of the puzzle instead of the upper left corner? In other words, does my order make sense to me?

It all made complete sense at the time I assembled it, but it may not make sense today when I have a fresh perspective on things. This is why it is essential to separate the process into several days instead of trying to throw it all together in a short amount of time. When I am pressed for time, it is inevitable that I am going to make mistakes. My quotes will be forced into a paragraph like two pieces of a puzzle that simply aren’t meant to fit together. That’s when the process of writing a research paper gets frustrating.

How do I place a quote into my paper so it doesn’t seem forced? Here's how I go about this: (Remember that everyone has a different approach. This is only a suggestion. Try it and see if it works for you. If not, then try a system that makes you more comfortable).

My sentence before a quote should be an introduction into that quote. When I talk my way out of the quote, I am basically summing up the argument the author stated, but I write it into my own words to move forward and to help transition to the next segment of my discussion. For example:

Chicago has seen several blizzards in the past four decades, but the one that set the precedent was the blizzard of 1967. Andrew L. Wang writes, “All major storms are compared to the record blizzard that paralyzed the area 44 years ago. Over 35 hours on Jan. 26 and 27, 1967, 23 inches of snow fell on Chicago, collapsing roofs, closing businesses and shutting down the city for days” (Wang 4). It is clear that the 1967 storm was detrimental to Chicago commerce, and therefore it is understandable how business owners feared the worst this week.

Next, I would write a sentence that would transition my last statement to my next quote. The direction I am planning to take is to provide evidence about the 55-60 million dollars Chicago businesses lost this week as a result of the blizzard. From that transition, I would use the same pattern as above:

1) Write statement in my own words that introduces an argument I am making about the blizzard.

2) Use a quote from my sources that backs up my statement.

3) Write a sentence in my own words that sums up what my source said while helping me to either continue discussing the topic from the quote OR helping me to transition to the next idea.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you to piece together the puzzle involved in writing a research paper. When using this step-by-step approach, I have more time to shape my discussion around my quotes, and it helps me to make better transitions both into and out of quotes. If you have any questions, please feel free to make an appointment with any staff tutor at the RU Writing Center. We are here to answer your questions, give you suggestions, and to help make the process of writing papers less tedious for you.

Cheers,
Fonda

Writing and Language

2011-02-02T15:42:00.000-08:00

I know the title brings up the word writing first, but let us not get too ahead of ourselves. The topic here is ESL students and their writing. But in order to begin to understand what this means and why it matters, we must consider language.

Language, like writing, is a form of discourse and communication. There are many types and many ways in which one can express themselves. It gives us a sense of commune and understanding because it is learned from a young age and it feels natural. We imitate sounds, and as time progresses speech patterns and their application become clearer.

But when it comes time to attend a university, learning a second language can be quite difficult. A multitude of questions and concerns arise. The unfamiliarity of the many conventions, and grammar can make it very troublesome to start writing papers; this can also make it a bit discouraging to ask a professor what is wrong with the way the paper was written. When students receive a paper marked up with ink, it causes them to make things like grammar become a top priority. Grammar is very fixable and it not being perfect should never be a reason for someone to be discredited.

A classroom setting often cannot provide the individualized attention that ESL students can benefit from. These are students that have unique and diverse voices and ideas. To tackle a new language is very daring and noble because it is a whole new process aside from writing. The best things to do, is to acknowledge the hard work they put into their work, and their dedication to improve!

So now comes the writing part. When a student walks into the writing center the first thing they must know is that we are not there to discourage their grammar, but to establish an understanding. To the writer, their main concern may as well be the spelling and grammar aspects, but ,again, this is not the major part we want them to leave with. We want them to know that it is okay to make mistakes sometimes, and to encourage them to keep working at it. Much more so because at times, we as native English speakers do not know every grammatical rule there is. We must always be open, considerate and patient (especially if it is your first session with an ESL writer). They are very motivated writers and their effort should always be appreciated.

--Rebecca

Online Research: What do you want to know? Part 2: Keywords and Boolean Operators

2010-12-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

The blinking cursor of the search bar may be as intimidating as deciding what topic to research. Typing a general search term, such as literacy, will return thousands upon thousands of results which must be narrowed down. How does one go about sifting through all those results?

In this case, the topic can be further clarified by thinking what about literacy the search is trying to determine — say the paper the writer is working on discusses whether literacy education helps people overcome issues of poverty. From this question the writer can use:

Keywords: literacy, education, poverty

Or phrasing: literacy education overcoming issues of poverty

For either, Boolean operators (which are words algebraic logic operators) can be used to create sets of search results by joining or modifying keywords. Three common Boolean operators familiar to most students are “AND,” “OR,” “NOT.”

The usage of the term AND seems pretty obvious (i.e. this AND that). But its effective use is not quite as simple. If searching for this and that, one merely needs to type – this that – and a search engine will factor in the missing AND in the space between the two words. However, if the search is more complicated (i.e. literacy education overcoming issues of poverty in Chicago housing projects) the term AND can help design sets that might bring back better results.

For example: literacy education AND poverty AND Chicago housing projects

However, this query will still not be quite accurate enough. In fact, unless the person implementing the search uses “quotation marks” to group the words together in the phrased query, the search will return every result that contains at least one of the words in the phrase. In order to narrow the search even further it becomes necessary to group these words together.

For example: “literacy education” AND “poverty” AND “Chicago housing projects”

The search should now only show results that contain these words somewhere in the returned documents.

A quick breakdown of other Boolean operators:

OR: This operator affords for at least one term or phrase to be present in the search, e.g. “literacy education” or “reading education”

NOT: This operator tells the search engine to exclude a term in a search. Also, NOT is often used in conjunction with another operator such as AND, e.g. “Literacy education” AND “poverty” NOT “housing projects”

NEAR: This operator asks the search to find a term near another term (at least within 16 words of the other keyword), e.g. “Literacy education” NEAR “poverty” or if the goal is to find literacy education in Chicago — “Literacy education” NEAR Chicago.

( ) or Nesting: Parentheses are used to clarify conditions in complex searches. The operation requires a keyword or a group of keywords to be searched first before the entire search is completed. For example (“literacy education” NEAR “poverty”) AND (“Cabrini Green” OR “Housing projects”)

*: Asterisk signifies a string; for example if a word has multiple suffixes or the searcher only knows partial spelling of the entire then an asterisk can be used to pull up terms that contain part of that word, e.g. “project*” for projects or project.

-: Minus symbol indicates a similar operator to NOT. For example, the search “Literacy education” AND “poverty” -Chicago would result in searching for literacy education and poverty but exclude any documents that contain the word Chicago.

N.B. Special thanks to Joe Barker of the Teaching Library at The University of California, Berkley. He has created comprehensive PDF explaining Boolean terms with visual aids which readers can find here.

Bernard M. Cox

Online Research: What do you want to know? Part 1: Search Engines and Online Resources

2010-12-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

When embarking on writing a research paper, writers can be stymied by the vast online marketplace of information. Let’s say a writer at least has designed an argument, where is the writer going to find the appropriate information to support this argument? The following is a breakdown of websites that one may choose to start from.

The Roosevelt Library Search Engines: The Roosevelt Library Homepage should be a student writer’s first place to start researching a topic for three main reasons:

1. The library has multiple search engines including for students to use which are often specialized for academic topics and current news sources (For example: Search RU Catalog for University book holdings; Academic Search Premier and LexisNexis Academic Universe for academic journals and news sources)

2. The homepage offers “Research Guides by Subject” in a pull down menu right under “Search RU Catalog.” These research guides are compiled and organized by librarians and professors in an effort to help students more quickly find the information they’re looking for.

3. Two vast interlibrary loan systems: ILLiad and I-Share. I-Share gives students access to over seventy university and college libraries across the state. ILLiad extends that reach to the World Catalog, so if a resource can’t be found locally, ILLiad will find it globally.

Above all, tuition dollars go towards securing these resources for students. Don’t let the money be wasted by avoiding use of these great sources of information.

Google: Google is a wonderful place to start but the main homepage often provides an overwhelming amount of search results. Try clicking on one of the hyperlinks at the top of the page such as “News” or “more.” The “more” hyperlink offers options such as Google Books and Google Scholar, both of which can lead to more academic/peer reviewed information on the subject searched.

Wikipedia: Many professors decry the use of Wikipedia. Most of this criticism stems around the idea that the information on Wikipedia is unreliable. However, this feeling turns out to be often unfounded. A 2005 study published in the academic journal Nature found that Wikipedia was no more or less reliable than the Encyclopedia Britannica when it came to scientific information. Additionally, many of the academic subject areas (science, history, etc.) are reviewed by people who are experts in these particular subjects. This being said, many articles (including those managed by experts) are not peer reviewed in the strictest sense. Furthermore, Wikipedia is an encyclopedia and as such is a popular source of information rather than the academic source that professors are often looking for. It can be a good place to start in order to understand the basics of a topic (and a writer can then use the hyperlinked articles in the “References” or “External Links” sections to read further on the topic), but in most cases it should not be a primary source of information. If you are still not sure about use or want to include the material found in a Wikipedia article, then clarify concerns of use with your professor before citing as a source.

Determining qualified websites can be tricky. Be advised that not all websites contain pertinent or accurate information that one may use in an academic paper. Use the below suffix list as a general rule of thumb.

Often qualify as useable websites for sources:

• .edu (Universities, schools)

• .gov (Governmental agencies)

• Sometimes .net (Usually networks or networked organizations, but not always)

• Sometimes .org (Usually refers to not-for-profit organizations, but not always)

• Very infrequently .com (Companies, commercial websites)

Often do not qualify as useable websites for sources:

· .biz

· Usually .com

· Sometimes .org

· Sometimes .net

Bernard M. Cox

Journal Writing

2010-11-11T15:09:00.000-08:00

As a semi-veteran of journal writing (I've only done it for about the last ten years and I'm 32, which is relatively not that long compared to some), I recommend people writing in a journal. Well, I guess your bedroom wall would work too, but if you rent that could be a problem.

Anyways, the journal is a great storehouse for ideas made flesh in the form of words, instead of the electrical neural firings of one's brain. At least, when we write things down we can look at them and judge whether they are accurate or not. We also get in the practice of putting the brilliant statements we have in our minds, that often come out in conversation, into print. So when we do write a paper, poem, story, or essay for class it is a little easier, because we have become well practiced at translating our thoughts into linguistic signs!

I find, too, that a journal can be a place where, when I am stressed, I can vent and get some perspective on whatever is bothering me. It can also be a place to celebrate, express serenity or content, or to describe something funny or strange you witnessed. All in all, it is a great invention that writers have used generation after generation, and I highly recommend picking one up.

Everybody learns

2010-10-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

When I tell students I learn or relearn things during our sessions, they're always surprised. And that always surprises me!

I think that the standards of MLA, APA, CMS, etc. are very hard to memorize. When I write a paper, I'm constantly looking up specific guidelines to make sure I'm citing/formatting things correctly. I always appreciate the opportunity to talk to other students about these guidelines and how they apply to a paper because it also helps refresh my memory. I'll be honest--I don't really like citing things, because that means I have to do extra work ;). But on the flip side of that, if I ever publish a work that others use as a reference, I would like to be given credit for my work, so I am happy to give others credit for theirs.

I've learned so much this week alone from one student in particular. I always wonder if what I tell students is helpful. Usually a student comes in for a session and that's the first and last time I see him/her. This is either because the student only needed help with one paper, or because they come in during the days or hours that I'm not here. It makes it all the more special when a student actually tries to coordinate his/her schedule just to work with you.

I don't usually get to see what changes students have made to their papers after our sessions. When I work with one student continually, I always get to see those changes--it's so helpful to both of us. I get to see if what I say to the student makes sense, for one. We all learn in different ways--some of us are auditory learners, while others are kinesthetic or visual learners. We all process information differently.

A student came back to work with me this week and showed a pretty major change in his/her writing. I was so proud--I sound like a mother, but I really was so proud. We don't take the easy route in the Writing Center. We don't correct papers with red pen and reword things for students. That only helps the student for that day, for that assignment. We encourage writers that come in to use their own words, so we'll try to lead them somewhere, but trail off so they can finish the thought. This gives the writers a starting point, so that eventually they'll be able to arrive at the middle and the end of the thought...and in time, they'll even create their own starting points. I was never used to this approach when I was going through school...I was used to the red pen, so I've always wondered if what I say helps...and I've received proof that it does.

I started at the very beginning with this student, searching through a short story, figuring out how to identify the important material, how to craft a thesis from what we found, and how to use the examples that we found as information and support within the paper. We made lists, we wrote, we thought, we read....and it was amazing. The student brought his/her paper back in a couple days ago, applying everything we talked about in the previous session--I immediately saw a HUGE difference.

So, to tutors and writers,

There is no shame in starting with the basics (of finding information to use for example). Knowing the basics as best as you can gives you a stronger and stronger foundation.

We all learn from each other, no matter what type of position we're in.

Always make the person that you are working with feel good about themselves. The better they feel, the more they will want to work. When somebody tells me something like "great job on this, keep going!" It makes me want to go home and write and write and write and.....write! Writers, if you think your tutor is doing a good job and you really understand what they're trying to say, let them know! It really makes our day :)...or week...or month!

Something you'll always hear us say in the writing center is that writing is a constant learning process. No matter if you are a student, a teacher or a published author...it's always a learning process. So keep on going, no matter what....we all have good days and bad days, we all start at different places, but we all learn.

-Jillian Smith

TALK about it!

2010-10-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

I’ll be honest when I first heard about the Writing Center I was apprehensive about how useful it may be. I tend to write, as most people, in a silent area with all of my tools spread out on a desk, alone. More often than appropriate I’d type into the wee hours of the night, and then simply press print and go on my way. The key word of all of that is ALONE and maybe procrastination much?... At points I would have others read over my paper and correct some grammar issues and sentence structure but typically I did all of the correcting, or lack of correcting, on my own.

Until I scored this fantastic job as a tutor, I didn’t truly understand the benefits of being a social writer. So what does that even mean, a social writer, it seems to contradict itself. To be a social writer is to be able to talk about your writing. It’s a lot easier than you would think; I mean it’s YOUR writing. And let’s not be modest, we all love to talk about ourselves. It is a lot of fun to hear someone elaborate on their ideas and suggest ways to make their point more clear.

When I re-read my own papers it is easy to think that my point has been clearly addressed. This is because in my mind I have all the extra information that I have used to write the paper and I of course know what I am trying to say. When a fresh mind comes across my paper I may be surprised to find out that they are unable to see my point clearly. Communicating about my paper with someone who does not hold the information I have in their head allows them to be able to address where I may be able to make a point more clear. The beauty of this communication is that the point I was trying to make seems to rise from between the sentences on the page and I am better able to incorporate that point into those sentences.

Although a paper is never truly complete, without these conversations the point of my writing in the first place may never be adequately made. Because I have become open to communicating about my writing I am now unable to turn in a paper without this communication. Even though I still sometimes find myself under the wrath of procrastination, I always find time to read over my paper aloud with someone. Even just ten minutes of this allows me a confidence I have previously lacked in my writing.

I guess the point of this entire thing is to TALK; talk to friends, talk to family members, talk to a woman on the street! Talk to anyone! Just as long as you are not exclusively talking to yourself about your writing, you’re good and the improvement in the quality of your writing will be hard to ignore. Take turns TALKING; chat, communicate, vocalize, speak, argue (kindly of course), verbalize, voice, articulate, put into words… Be redundant, do it and then do it again! It’s fun! So one more time in case I didn’t make it clear enough TALK. I will now ask one of my fellow tutors to TALK about this writing with me to make sure I made my point to TALK clearly. Happy writing! :)

If you have to be agressive do it! Just so long as you talk about it afterwards!
By: Amanda Warren

I borrowed this comic from Hal Mayforth, more of his artwork is available here
-> http://mayforth.com/talk_to_me/ttm_opener.htm

Writing as Voice

2010-10-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

Writing has the ability to give voice to thoughts that might not otherwise be heard. Words and language should be seen as powerful tools, tools that have the power to influence people’s actions. Words have a great affect on my thinking and emotions. Sometimes other people’s words have the ability to affect me even more than their actions.

Writing helps us better understand our own thoughts. By attempting at putting our thoughts on paper, we are able to get a window into the mess of our own brains and thought processes. Through conversation with others, through the exchange of ideas and words, we are better able to understand ourselves and our ideas. Half of our identities consist of how others perceive us, thus, conversation and relationships with others are vital to understanding ourselves. Talking about writing can often give birth to new ideas as well as new ways of expressing these ideas.

I often hate sharing my writing with other people, especially with people who are closest to me. Maybe it’s because my writing, is a window into how I think and perceive the world. But sharing my writing with others is something I know I need to do because writing is something that should be shared and talked about. Without conversation, I will not become a better writer. It’s not fair that I should enjoy other people’s words and language everyday without giving back.

Five Tips for Writing a Great College Paper

2010-10-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

Tip #1 Understand the purpose of the paper
Make sure that you understand the particular type of paper that you are writng (i.e. persuasive, opinion, research) before attempting your first draft.

Tip #2 Don't underestimate the power of research
Completing all of your research before starting your paper will save you time by ensuring that you will do less revisions and it will rid your paper of weak or false claims.

Tip #3 Create an outline
An outline is the road map to your paper. Not only will having an outline make it easier for you to begin your assignment, but you will also have a better grasp on how to organze your ideas and what you want your paper to say.

Tip #4 Don't be afraid to ask for help
Professors have office hours set aside particularly for students-utilize them! Your professor knows the assignment best and will be able to answer all of your questions beautifully.

Tip #5 When in doubt, check us out!
(at the Writing Center, that is.)
Got a question about your paper? Want feedback? Well, the Writing Center can provide that and more; we are a great tool for RU students! We are open Monday thru Thursday from 9am to 6pm. The best part? Our services are free (well, after your tuition pays for it) and awesome!

By. Jerica Hayes

Writing is FUN!

2010-10-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

I think writing is fun because IT IS FUN. That's my one thought to you. Every time I get a paper I have to write, I ask myself: HOW CAN I MAKE THIS PAPER FUN? And then I make it fun and it's fun.

Let me explain: I was told that I should write a blog. I asked myself: what should I write to make this blog fun? I'LL WRITE ABOUT FUN. And now I am and it's fun.

You can make your paper fun too. You will get a prompt from a teacher and be like: man, this is lame! But even the strictest prompts can leave room for fun. And fun doesn't have to even mean, haha funny, but usually it does, 'cause fun is in FUNny, but NO. Fun means writing what you like. Tying things together that you like.

We had a paper that compared education systems. WOW - how can we make THAT fun? Um...EASY. What's the funnest part of fun? Writing about what you like! And what do you like? YOURSELF. Students should tie papers to their own life experinces, because it's fun to talk about yourself, it's fun to tie in knowledge to your personal life - and guess what - it's more fun to read too! Isn't learning about yourself fun? Isn't learning about others fun? Answer: YES.

So, the next time you have a paper you don't want to write, think about how you can make it...well, you know. Be creative. Be specific. Be you.

BE FUN.

-Tim Moore-

Never Give Up.

2010-10-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

People have often told me that starting a paper is the hardest part of writing. Maybe they are right, but I think actually continuing the paper is difficult as well. Once I put that first sentence down, my thoughts get all confused and I have no idea how anything ties together. Writing a thesis is not an option at this point, and usually I just type “enter thesis here” at the end of my first paragraph during this first draft. However, as I progress, the writing becomes easier and honestly, the best advice anyone can give about writing is that you just have to do it.

For some reason, writers think that their first draft needs to be perfect. When writing a draft for the first time, people sometimes focus on their word choice and sounding “smart” instead of just getting their ideas onto paper. In reality, all you can hope to accomplish with a first draft is to form a coherent thought and hopefully find your thesis. Once that first sentence is complete, you have to make yourself keep typing if you ever hope to find an answer.

Using an outline first can help you put your thoughts together. If you outline or brainstorm before, go through your paper and write a paragraph or so for each idea and later you can worry about the transitions and if the points are even relevant. The whole point of a first draft is to draft out your ideas so you can fix them later.

Basically what I’m trying to say is don’t lose hope. All of us have stared at that blank Word document in horror as the deadline for our paper quickly approached. Instead of freaking out and procrastinating in hopes of a miracle, just start your paper the best way that you can. Once you have something written, you will be more relaxed and more able to revise your original draft to a focused paper. Eventually, a presentable paper will emerge and you will wonder where all of that fear had come from. Just don’t give up. :)

Good Luck!
-Demi

Group Work: It's Just How Things Go!

2010-10-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

I am no expert on tutoring and/or the theory behind it, but I will try my best to explain my understanding of it. I ,also, aim to propose some tips to help tutors and tutees. A tutor reading this can gain an understanding of this abstract concept and a student reading can understand the concept of group work from a tutor's perspective.

The purpose of group work is to develop discussion amongst students between one another and the tutor, regarding developing/writing their work. However, group work does not have to always be about developing or revising the students' works. Instead, group work can be a mere brainstorming session where students come in with nothing and leave with an idea of how to approach the assignment at hand.

I offer two very different types of group work activities a tutor can employ,"Getting Started," and "Developmental Writing."

Typically, in the "Getting Started" activities the instructor prompts the tutors on what the class has been working on and what the assignment is. The tutor joins the group to discuss the assignment with the students and what their ideas already are for executing it. An introduction is always needed where a tutor should say their name and go around to each student and let them do the same. Tutors remember to take notes of the students name because it is helpful to address students by their name and not just pronouns. This group work activity revolves around asking open- ended questions about the prompted assignment.

Tutors should keep in mind that the students participating in group work may need to warmed up to the idea of open-ended discussion. To get rid of silence within group work a tutor can ask questions that require a show of hands instead of a verbal response.

Finally, the activity I call, "Developing Writing's" goal of the session is to discuss the work that has already been done. In the case of this activity, you will not get to go over the whole paper. There is not enough time and energy. A remedy to the limited time is a tutor going over the key points: thesis, support, and intentions behind writing.

-Kara Taylor-

The Second Annual Flash Fiction Contest

2010-10-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

The

Second Annual Halloween

Flash Fiction Contest

is now accepting submissions!

The Rules:

Tell us a story about fear.

Each entry must not exceed 750 words. Only current Roosevelt students and RU Community members may submit their work.

How to Submit:

Bring in a copy of your story to AUD 650 or email it as a “.doc” file to writingcenter@roosevelt.edu. The subject line should read: Flash-Fiction Submission.

Prizes:

The winning story will receive a grand prize and be published, along with the second and third place winners, on the Writing Center official website and Blog. The final three winners will also present their stories at a Reading Event sponsored by the Writing Center.

Deadline:

Friday, October 22, 2010

Winner Announced:

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Myths of the Writing Center

2010-10-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

Myth 1: "I don't need help with my writing."

Truth 1: No one is the perfect writer. It takes a lot of work to create good writing habits that lead to good writing. Regardless of how good of a writer you perceive yourself to be, there is always room for improvement.

Myth 2: "Writing Center tutors are faculty/professionals/English majors."

Truth 2: Tutors at the Writing Center are students, just like the writers who come in. The emphasis of our work at the Writing Center is to create dialogue between students. This dialogue is what we believe leads to better writing.

Also, not all of the tutors are English majors. There are a variety of majors showcased in the Writing Center staff. Each person is, however, trained to be a tutor and trained to help to the best of their ability by providing resources, advice and insight.

Myth 3: "The Writing Center is there to edit my grammar and punctuation line-by-line."

Truth 3: Tutors are happy to point out reoccurring mistakes in grammar or punctuation. The point, however, is to provide the writer with a stronger understanding of the rules so that, in the future, they can catch these mistakes on their own. Tutors are trained to focus on content, organization, the thesis, clarity and focus.

Myth 4: "I can't go in because I need an appointment."
Truth 4: False. We are happy to accept walk-in sessions. Making an appointment, however, will guarantee you time with a tutor. When you walk in, just keep in mind that there may be no tutors available right away.

Myth 5: "I don't have time to go in to the Writing Center, so I can't possibly use their services."

Truth 5: The Roosevelt University Writing Center has resources online that writers can use to answer questions they may have about writing.

Writers who may not have time to visit the Writing Center can also schedule an online appointment. These take place in a chat space provided by Black Board. The tutor and writer meet in the chat space to discuss, in real-time, the issues the writer is facing with the assignment. These are the same discussions that would take place within the Writing Center, just imagine more emoticons being involved. It is awfully hard to convey tone within text. :P

Myth 6: "The people in the Writing Center are boring and I wouldn't go there other than to get help with a paper."

Truth 6: This is so false! We have a lot of personalities running around this place. There is always someone fun and interesting to talk to, so please feel free to stop by! :D I mean, do you see these friendly, inviting, emoticons AND the Pirate Puppy?!

Sam Becker & Natalie Hughes

Baby Tutor

2010-09-29T14:46:00.000-07:00

I, Patrick Garrett, am tutoring for the first time ever. I must say that after only working in the Writing Center for two weeks, I have learned a great deal. So far, I have had the great honor of getting to help more than a few people with their various writing tasks. I was nervous at first, but I was able to use some of the suggestions that were given in the new tutor orientation readings. The readings were quite helpful, I must say. Jerica, another of our brilliant tutors, coached me through a mock tutoring session before I was assigned my first tutee. This practice session allowed me to get a feel for the back and forth that the conversational art of tutoring requires.

Recently, I had a ESL student. This session was quite an eye-opening experience. Reading the student's paper, I realized that I could understand what she was trying to communicate, but that there were just some of the common errors which occur when someone is trying to learn a foreign language. Many of these error related, understandably, to grammar. However, I noticed right away that the essay was organized well and was very engaging and interesting in terms of content. I told the student that her writing reminded me of when I was taking French and had to try to write essays in that language(my writing in French had more errors than this student's writing did, I might add). Then, I directed her to a writer's reference manual, pointing out the different areas of grammar that she was encountering problems with. What an interesting session!

Patrick Garrett

Using Outlines To Organize Research Papers

2010-09-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

My peers and I have often discussed our various methods for writing research papers. It definitely helps to develop a systematic approach that makes you feel comfortable as an individual writer because what works for me does not necessarily work for you, and vice versa. For example, there was a time when I disliked writing outlines. I felt they were a waste of time because I kept changing the content several times during my process of writing the outline. It seemed like I spent too much time on the outline, and it took all of my enthusiasm away from my writing.

Then I decided to omit the outline completely from the process. This resulted in more frustration because I found myself simply cutting and pasting various paragraphs, moving them to different locations in my research paper, and moving them again. My paper became an aggravating, unfocused nightmare. Instead of allowing the paper to write itself, I allowed the paper to become multiple pieces of a puzzle that simply did not fit together.

Q: How do I organize my thoughts?

When I went back to writing outlines, the writing process became much simpler for me. Here’s the process I recommend:

1) I take my list of thoughts and I number them
2) I try to assemble an outline based on my preliminary list
3) I change the order around a few times in the body of my outline to see which order makes the most sense to me
4) I ask a peer for suggestions

Example of an outline I may use:

A. Introduction (Halloween is a holiday rich in traditions such as x, y, and z. This introduction should include a brief history of the holiday and basic information that it is rich in traditions. I don’t need to start with a bunch of details because that is the function of the body of my paper).

B. Body
I. What makes Halloween such an exciting holiday? (Why do people like it so much, why has it stood the test of time, etc.)

II. What are the traditions and how did they become traditions?

III. Some problems that exist with the holiday (kids need to be careful by examining their candy, they should have an adult supervising them, and how the safety of the holiday has changed over the past 30 years.)

C. Conclusion (This culminates the main points in my paper. I want to be careful not to reiterate prior statements, but rather to summarize the main ideas instead. My last sentence is a general remark about Halloween being a holiday that everyone can enjoy.)

Q: But wait! What if I don’t like the way it’s organized after I put in all that work and my paper is now finished? I mean… how many times do I need to keep changing this thing? I want to finish this paper already!

I’ll simply go in and rework the order again and figure out if my transitions between one thought and the next make logical sense. For example, I may want to flip flop #2 in my outline with #3. Will that help my paper to flow better? I’ll look at both ways and see which one I like better.

I may even ask one of my peers to provide feedback if I am feeling unsure about my paper’s ability to flow well. My peer may see something that I missed. What does my peer think about the order of my paper?

I hope my suggestions have been helpful. When you write a paper, remember to take special care in writing your outline first, take your time, don’t get nervous or stressed out, and don’t try to write it all in one sitting. Give yourself enough time to play with the order of your outline before you sit down to write the paper. You don’t want to try and put everything together at the last minute.

Disclaimer: My suggestions are merely examples that can be used as guidelines. They are not the only way to organize your paper. These are simply the methods that have worked for me.
Fonda Ginsburg

Online Tutoring 101

2010-09-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

In addition to live tutoring in the physical Writing Center on the sixth floor of the Auditorium--overlooking the city, el tracks and Wabash traffic below--students can also set up tutoring sessions from the comfort of their own homes. Or from the sandy shores of fair Lake Michigan. Or from the friendly confines of a bohemian cafe bumping with neofolk. No shoes required. (But please, keep your shirt on.)

The Writing Center provides online, real-time tutoring, where tutors provide immediate feedback for students. This setup is ideal for students who can only meet on late nights, early mornings, or over the weekend when the Writing Center is closed.

So how does it work? First, you'd email or call the Writing Center to set up an appointment, at least three days before your intended session. You need to be sure a tutor is available, right?

Once you're connected with a tutor, you'll receive two important emails with instructions of what to do next--sending your paper, filling out a form, familiarizing yourself with the online chat tool we use, that sort of thing. Be sure to confirm with your tutor! And of course, if you have questions, you know... ask them! :D Other tips for writers can be found here.

On the most exciting day of the online tutoring session, you'll meet with your tutor for a classic, 50-minute session where together you might brainstorm, organize, thesisize, and explode with intensity of writing power.

In the mean time, feel free to peruse our tutorial on how to join an online session.

Newsletter!

2010-05-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

Staff Tutor, Bradley Woodrum, has put together our first ever Writing Center Newsletter! Check it out here! This edition includes an online history of the WC, tutor profiles, a student interview, and more!

Haiku!

2010-04-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

The Writing Center's director, Carrie Brecke, teaches ENG 222: Writing About Ideas, at Roosevelt. This course employs a tutoring component in which all enrolled students must work in the Writing Center as a tutor three hours each week. It's always great working with the new writing tutors each semester, seeing their own literary development as they tutor. Often, students become staff tutors in the semesters that follow. recently, Carrie asked the students to write haikus about their tutoring experiences. They were so good she asked me to post them here. Enjoy!

-Dustin M. Flickinger

Uh Oh

He just read out loud

What it was on I know not

Man this will be long

The Power

Writing grows as trees

Plant seeds nurture the process

Stand twenty feet tall

Patience

Tutoring takes time

Like the fish swimming up stream

There will be success

Drafts

A bird sings its song

A female bird comes along

Pause, leave, revision

Unbearable Silence

Like a waterfall

The silent session surrounds

My tutoring fails

Speaking

Tutors and tutees

Require much dialogue

Silent and aloud

A Haiku Void of Nature

Communication

And also patience are the

Principal virtues

Please Visit Us

Free tea and coffee

Really comfy couches too

Yet no one comes here

Thesis

There is no A. C.

Tutoring sessions are long

Write a thesis long

Treading Water

A lake without breeze

Surface like silence

Upon dialogue

Peer Tutoring Dialogue and a Tree

“My paper needs work”

“I won’t tell you what to do”

“We’ll help us learn” tree

Tao This

Writer wants your help

You teach writer by talking

Writer gets self help

Confidence

To speak with meaning

To communicate strength

There is your success

What is You Us

Equality is

A child’s laughter on paper

Written, spoken, found

Determination

Writing can be hard

However, getting help is not.

Go ahead, improve.

Learn

Tutoring is good

Tutoring helps others learn

Tutoring helps you

Lost:

I’m way too confused

I’m not quite sure where to go

Can you help me please?

Off to the Writing Center

The sun shines outside

I look at my blank paper

I put on my shoes

Honesty is the Key for Success

Tutoring for me

Tutoring for you as well

Your paper needs work

Perfect Punctuation: Our Comrade the Comma (Pt. 3)

2010-04-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Interested readers can find part 1 here and part 2 here.

Continuing our extrapolation of OWL's Quick Guide to Commas, we now find ourselves with the final five comma comments:

7. Use a comma near the end of a sentence to separate contrasted coordinate elements or to indicate a distinct pause or shift.

Pretty much anytime we use an "-ing" verb (a present progressive verb) near the end of a sentence, we should have a comma handy:

Cats love to loathe others, silently ridiculing their owners with spiteful feline thoughts.

Also, when we want to contrast something, a comma helps here too;

Cats tolerate their owners, not the other way around.

8. Use commas to set off phrases at the end of the sentence that refer back to the beginning or middle of the sentence. Such phrases are free modifiers that can be placed anywhere in the sentence without causing confusion.

The difference between free and bound modifiers is simple. If we have a clause that pertains to a specific person or noun in a sentence, we need to ensure that modifier stays nearby:

Incorrect: Robert the human glared at Ramble the cat, thinking many distrustful thoughts.

The above sentence relies on readers to guess as to who is having the distrustful thoughts. Our own experience tells us that cats are, by nature, not to be trusted; however, what if Ramble was secretly a human, dressed in a creative cat disguise? Then the situation becomes much more confusing. Instead, let us write it like this:

Robert the human glared at Ramble the cat, who was thinking distrustful thoughts.

Now it is plainly clear that Ramble is thinking the distrustful thoughts.

9. Use commas to set off all geographical names, items in dates (except the month and day), addresses (except the street number and name), and titles in names.

Tragically, this is where comma guides transform into comma rules. Here are the most important ones:

Addresses:
Sentence City, State, more sentence.

Sentence Street Address, City, State, more sentence.

Titles:
Name, Title, sentence.

For example: Ramble Cat, MD, was the first housecat to ever receive a medical degree.

10. Use a comma to shift between the main discourse and a quotation.

This one is easy:

Dr. Ramble Cat glanced at my charts and then, furrowing his fuzzy brow, said, "Meow meow meow meow. Meow."

11. Use commas wherever necessary to prevent possible confusion or misreading.

This last rule encompasses a lot of potential comma situations. Basically, it's important to remember that the comma, like any other piece of punctuation, is meant to help the reader, not trouble them. Commas serve very valuable and helpful purposes, but a writer can survive without them. The life without the comma, however, is full of misinterpretation and ambiguous phrasing.

Remember, the comma is not our enemy; it is our comrade.

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats and is very careful with his commas.

Let's Practice Writing, Right Now

2010-04-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

Hey! Look at that! One of our writing tutors recently made an appearence in the Huffington Posts' coverage of a recent Tea Party rally. Look for our collegue, Ramon, peaking riotously from behind his green sign!

Writer's Digest has a section in their "Write Better" tab which offers a variety of writing prompts. Every now and then, I like to peruse the prompts, looking for one that might catch my fancy. Well, this one did:

One week after attending the funeral of a close friend, you receive a postcard in the mail with the words, "I'm not dead. Meet me tonight at Guido's Pizzeria. Tell no one."

The only rule: 750 words or less. So, right now, write now! Take a moment to let your mind explore this topic like an eerie alleyway, and then reread what's written. We don't have to share what we write; we could write a little poem, burn it up, and then eat the ashes. (This will probably make us only stronger, if the ashes don't kill us.) Practice is all that matters.

For kicks and giggles, I've supplied my own version below the jump. Enjoy!

***

I sat low in the driver’s seat, peaking over the steering wheel at the dimly lit entrance. Glancing down at the postcard in my hand, I reread the hastily scrawled words: “I'm not dead. Meet me tonight at Guido's Pizzeria. Tell no one.”

Flipping the card over in my hand, I looked at the glossy faces of tourists smiling on some unknown Florida beach, some painted paradise. A woman walked through the door with a warm box of pizza, her husband following closely with a sleeping child in his arms. I sat up a little at their sudden appearance and tossed the postcard on the seat next to me. The wife looked my way, or at least I think she did, and then said something to her husband. He muttered a reply and glanced my way. I slouched deeper in the driver’s seat and lowered my head.

After they left, I looked in my mirrors, behind and to the sides. I leaned over the hood and peaked down the parking lot. Without looking, I clicked the radio on and listened to Bing Crosby softly crooning over some broad. Guido's Pizzeria. There’s no way that Denton would know it, but this is the place that I saw Robby mug that old guy. He just trotted over to him, and we all watched in some lost amusement.

“Does Robby know that guy?” someone asked.

“I guess so,” I said. Then Robby pushed him and he fell, his head hitting the dumpster.

“What are looking at?” Robby had said, climbing into the car, stuffing a sweaty wad of bills into his pocket. I don’t think Denton knew.

A rumbling motorcycle rolled into the parking lot. Its engine loudly growling as it pulled to a stop in front of the pizzeria door. The rider swung his leg over the motorcycle and, unzipping his dull black leather jacket, pushed open the door.

I began to fiddle with the knife in my pocket, gently clicking it open and snapping it shut. After a several clicks and snaps, the motorcyclist reappeared from the front door, looking left and right. He drew a cigar from his pocket and began flicking his lighter underneath it. Suddenly I recognized his gray hair and athletic frame.

“What the hell is going on!?” I yelled, marching towards Denton. I flipped the knife out of my pocket and pointed it at his throat. “Who are you?”

“I’m Ronald Denton,” he said, his hands in the air, his eyes fixed on the knife.

“Like hell you are,” I said, stepping towards his motorcycle. I flipped open the saddle bags, but both sides were empty. There was no tag on the motorcycle either.

“Listen, fella, let me get outta your hair,” Denton said, slowly reaching to his mouth to grab his cigar.

“What?”

“Look, I don’t want any trouble,” he said. “If you want the motorcycle you can have it.”

“What are talking about?” I said, my voice cracking. “You—you sent for me! I've been waiting here for years!”

“Uh sure, pal,” he said, pulling keys from his pocket. “I wanted to, uh—to give this. Here, take it. It’s yours.”

I slapped the keys from his hand and reached the knife back towards him. “What’s going on?!” I strained to say, gritting my teeth to keep from crying. “You’re dead. I saw you dead.”

I heard Denton swear under his breath and begin to back away. “Look, guy, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I lowered the knife and felt tears dripping off my chin. Seeing the knife at my side, Denton snatched the keys from the ground and kicked his motorcycle into life.

“Look,” he said over the roar of the motorcycle. “I don’t know if this means anything to you, but I was told to come here, um, to come here to—ha, there's no way to say this! They said I left my soul here?”

Laughing nervously at his own words, he cranked the engine and shook his head. His bright red taillights cut through the darkness of the night, and I watched him slowly disappear through an eternity of space, wandering through the darkness like a lost and dying star.

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats and has never been on a motorcycle.

ESL....AAAAAHHHH!!!!

2010-04-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

One of the most challenging experiences a tutor will ever have is working with an ESL student. On any given day a student will walk in to the Writing Center and sit down to fill out their tutoring form and wait for their tutor to engage them. The student slides the form over to the tutor who looks down in horror to see the scariest letters in the tutoring world: ESL! If the tutor hasn't run screaming into the night they begin what could be the most difficult tutoring session of their career.

Ok, it's not all that scary. For those who don't know, ESL means "English as a Second Language." These sessions aren't necessarily difficult because of a communication barrier but because of any one of myriad factors that work against the forward motion of a session. I've never had all that much trouble communicating with an ESL student. Even when a student struggles to communicate verbally it's clear what the student wants is to strengthen their own literacy skills in English. Even if all that is accomplished in the session is that the tutor helps the student communicate their issues with writing effectively then the session is a success. ESL sessions are not quick fix sessions—if such a thing even really exists in the Writing Center Universe.

Often ESL students from foreign countries—and there are plenty that aren't—want to make their papers sound American. This is the challenging part of the session. Their papers won't sound American because they haven't developed their literacy autobiography in an American setting. The references and allusions they reach for will feel different and may even be confusing upon an initial read but they are just as valid as those produced by an American upbringing. When in sessions with ESL students I try my best to help them preserve their unique points of view while still crafting an essay appropriate for their college endeavor. Roosevelt's compositional point of view is grounded in hermeneutics and often ESL students structure their work in dialogic and reflexive ways as a result of their cultural conditioning. However, they feel they need to produce a more rhetorical essay in keeping with what they see as a typical American piece of writing. Unfortunately the hermeneutites (hermeneuphradites?) are in the minority and are often used as positions to be argued against. But, if you're a rhetor then you've got to argue with something! An ESL student's explorative essay, riddled with rich cultural capital provides an avenue for literary self-actualization—the telos of which I and so many writers dream!

Another positive aspect of ESL sessions seems to be the lack of worry about grammar. An ESL student will more or less assume the grammatical issues will be addressed throughout the paper. And, I do address them very openly with ESL students! For whatever reason I can work with an ESL student and help them write a grammatically correct sentence and they don't fetishize it and refuse to alter their work. I can simply ask, "is this the best place for this? is this sentence really needed?" And often before I finish speaking they've begun crafting a replacement. At risk of writing a novel on the subject, which I may just do one day, I'll leave off saying that working with ESL is the most challenging and rewarding experience I've had at Roosevelt University's Writing Center.

The kitten and the ducks may seem different... but they can communicate just fine!

-Dustin M. Flickinger

Project Gutenberg: Enabling Us to Read Good $#!@

2010-04-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

The venerable Mark Twain (source: Wiki Commons).

Writing well is undeniably a product of reading well. Knowing what stuff to read, however, can prove a significant and laborious task on its own. And once we do find some good literature, we have to drop an Andrew Jackson or two for just the soft back edition.

No more. I present Project Gutenberg:

Our books are free in the United States because their copyright has expired.

Free book texts. Free ebooks. Free audio recordings of classics.

Have a hankerin' for some satire and southern accents? Try a little Mark Twain. Wondering what you should call Ishmael? Let someone read the answer to you. Want to find out what was bothering Hamlet? Bill has the answers, and they're free. I dare you to read a little, and then to stop. It is impossible. Bill spun words like a potter:

What art thou, that usurp’st this time of night,
Together with that fair and warlike form
In which the majesty of buried Denmark
Did sometimes march? By heaven I charge thee, speak!

Project Gutenberg not only offers books for free, but it offers great books for free. Because they can only upload books with expired copyrights, these tend to be old books (100 years old, at least); and because there are zillions of possible books they could on the site, only the BEST and GREATEST literature tends to make it. In other words, they only carry the good stuff.

Go to Gutenberg and get some smarts.

To write like Alexander Pope -- which is to sing, mock, or accuse like Alexander Pope -- we must read some Alexander Pope:

How happy is the blameless Vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot:
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each prayer accepted, and each wish resign'd...

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats and enjoys reading anything Mark, Herman, or Bill wrote.

Who Just Said That!?

2010-04-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Many students enter the collegiate realm with little experience in writing college-level papers. Frankly, most undergraduate papers give their teachers headaches and drinking problems. "Almost 85% of all college professors think their students must learn better writing skills before entering their respective fields." Whoa! Who said that? Where are you?

"I can see you."

WTF?! Get away from me!? Who are you!? "I'm the Quote Phantom! I surprise professors and tutors, and I excel at confusing readers and murdering paragraphs!"

I'll get you yet, Quote Phantom!

*sounds of a struggle*

Hi, my name is Bradley Woodrum. You may remember me from such hits as "Learning to Love the OWL" and my ex-poh-zei on econocats, "Dreams with Cats with Jobs." I have killed many grammar beasts in the past, but the Quote Phantom never seems to die. Maybe it is because teachers ask us to fill quote quotas, or maybe it's because the phantom is technically already dead, but almost every paper that reaches the Writing Center has a quote without explanation.

Instead of just warning the reader, "Hey! This next quote is from Shakespeare," we slap a copy of the line into the paper, squeeze some punctuation around it, and then high-five ourselves for not plagarizing. BUT IT'S WRONG!

"Don't begin paragraphs with quotes, unless you are willing to explain them within that same sentence," Bradley said, loading comma bullets into his shotgun. Bradley also believed that long quotes deserve full sentences before them:

By leading into a long quote with a full sentence, we prep the reader for the coming content. Essentially, we should just summarize the quote.

Some may ask, "Why quote at all then?" Excellent question! Only quote when the author has said something so perfectly, or so authoritatively, that it loses is power if said any other way.

If we are not sure whether our quote is long or not, then we must treat it with caution and use a lead-in sentence anyway. Bradley believes a paper can never have too many colons: "If you are using colons (the two dot things ':'), it means you are explaining stuff. Which is good."

Just: BEWARE THE QUOTE PHANTOM!

Source.

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats and enjoys watching Ghost Hunters more than he probably should.

Grammar isn't not important!

2010-04-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, grammar matters but it is not all that important in terms of developing your writing. Many students come in to the Writing Center with concerns about their grammar and want to focus solely on correcting their work. A tutoring session does not correct a student’s paper any more than it remedies bad writing. I want to write this blog post because there has been a flood of grammar related topics dominating this forum. Grammatical issues are very difficult to master and the article on this blog provide an excellent resource for refining your papers, but I want to let you all in a secret…grammar is the least of your worries. No really! If all that needs to be done to fine tune your paper is correct the grammar then you have done something that I—a graduate MFA-writing student in his final semester—has never been able to accomplish. You have written a perfect paper! Wait, don’t get excited. Alas, I fear that you may be celebrating prematurely because there is no such thing as a perfect paper. There can always be more and you can always write more.

My background is in film and I had a professor once who told me something about documentary filmmakers. He said, “documentaries don’t end, their directors give up.” I feel the same about academic papers and even short stories and novels. A writer is never truly done with his work when he is invested in it. There is always another connection to be made, another point of view to address, and another conclusion that can be drawn. At the Writing Center we help you find those connections and address those points of view and make those conclusions in order to help you become a better writer. That is the Writing Center’s main focus. We are not here to help produce better papers but better writers. If that was our goal then you would be able to hand us your work and we would rewrite it then hand it back. While this may sound appealing to someone struggling through a composition class, it would be an extreme hindrance to that student’s overall college experience. If you cannot intelligently express yourself through an academic paper you will not be able to excel in your college career. You will be able to coast through but you coasted through high school and now you are here to do something different and reinvent yourself as the student you have always wanted to be.

A typical tutoring session at the Writing Center would proceed thusly: a student comes in for help on his paper. He says he needs help starting and he has only his teacher’s instructions or he says he wants another set of eyes to look over his final draft. He could also say he needs a million other things from us. We sit down with him, just one tutor and one student—unless it is a group project—and we talk about his paper. We ask him about what he is trying to convey and how he could make his point of view stronger. We suggest structural changes and work with him to use our excellent resources such as grammar guides and APA handbooks. In the last ten minutes of the session we go through and discuss grammar-related issues we have noticed throughout his work and make certain that he not only corrects the grammatical problems but that he understands why they are problems so that he will not make the same mistakes again. Think about getting ready in the morning. Let’s say that grammar is like brushing your teeth. It’s more important to take a shower, shave, have coffee—always coffee—get your homework together, feed your cat, get all your belongings that you need for the day and then you brush your teeth and leave. You have to brush your teeth. You don’t want coffee breath…or Spanish omelet breath or whatever. But, if you had to skip something…well, it’s more important to put on your pants than to freshen your breath. Sorry for the extended metaphor…here’s a picture of some cute kittens. And remember, content is everything! (and so is coffee!)

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

-Dustin M. Flickinger

PS. The subject of this post is intentionally grammatically incorrect.

Read It Out Loud

2010-04-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Flossing is one of those tasks we all need to do, but most of us fail to do. It is an irrational decision on our part because the benefits (a mouth full of healthy teeth) far outweigh the costs (a little bit of time and maybe some bloody gums). The two main reasons I fail to floss come down to these:

1. I'm convinced I brushed well enough to clean my teeth sufficiently.

2. I'm lazy.

Consider what the late Mitch Hedberg said:

People who smoke cigarettes, they say "You don't know how hard it is to quit smoking." Yes I do. It's as hard as it is it to start flossiling.

Most likely, the majority of people who read the preceding quote will not notice the typos I have inserted. Sure, it's probably easier to noticed that mispelling of the last word, but the extra it? Not likely.

Proofreading is much like flossing (not at all like flossiling, though). It is something we must do, but irrationally decide not to do.

The only way to proofread, and proofread well, is to simply get in a habit of doing it! I have reached a point now where I feel compelled to proofread my text messages, my emails, and my bathroom stall graffiti. Once I started re-reading the small stuff, re-reading the big stuff became easy, if not compulsory!

If we ever want to have our written words demand respect (or, likewise, demand good grades), we MUST proofread. And if we're going to proofread we should do so OUT LOUD!

The above Hedberg quote, even on a second read, proves a tricky proofreading task. If we read it in our head only, we are likely to entirely miss the extra it, though we may notice the misspelling; yet few readers would not notice the extra it when reading aloud!

Unfortunately, reading out loud takes a little bit longer than reading in our head. However, I promise it’s generally worth it because reading aloud is equal to reading internally twice yet takes less time. Therefore:

Proofread! Proofread out loud!

You will be surprised at the changes you need to make.

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats and enjoys wistfully looking at pictures of free cats on Craigslist.

The Delicate Balance

2010-04-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

In my last groundbreaking article on writing habits, I encounraged writers -- specifically those who struggle writing discernable sentences -- to explain things to our new friend Bunce the bunny.

HOWEVER: This prescription is not always the right one! Some writers fall to the other end of the spectrum, the dreaded...

Write-Like-a-Text-Message Side!

ZOMG! srsly! ur graed may b on teh line!1!!!1!!eleventy!!!

As much as I love lolspeak, I’m sad to say that neither the academic nor business community have accepted that beautiful dialect. Therefore, we must persevere in our own, proper tongue: English!

The Write-Like-a-Text-Message Side of our writing spectrum rarely appears as dramatically as lolspeak, but I have seen definitive incarnations of near-text message style writing in my years as a tutor. Here are some handy rules for those who may write too casually:

No Contractions
This is a pretty sound and universal rule. The only places for contractions (e.g. I’m, wanna, can’t, and won’t) include: dialogue, informal emails, blog posts, and ransom notes. In other words, no contractions in essays, no contractions in reports, no contractions in applications, and no contractions in anything important.*

Controlled Abbreviations
We must resist the urge to write OK instead of okay. We must -- AT ALL COSTS -- avoid writing lol, omg, and even wrt (which means with respect to). Acceptable abbreviations include: titles (e.g. Mr. or Dr.), organizations (e.g. IMF, PETA, or EU), or other well-known acronyms or abbreviations (e.g. USA or i.e. or e.g.). Some writers -- me included – subscribe to the school of thought that a proper paper should not contain Latin abbreviations (which includes e.g. and i.e.).**

Controlled Interjections
Sometimes when I write a paper, you know, I end up putting all these, like, interjections in it, and they only make it kind of like harder to read. The paper sounds HIGHLY conversational and makes the reader/teacher/grader/boss convinced that there is no base of effort or knowledge behind the writing. We must judiciously employ interjections and completely avoid: you know, kind of, sort of, and unnecessary use of like.

No You
There are few grammatical conventions that I hate more the than the second person, the awful you. As a reader, it makes me defensive and confused: At first, I assume the speaker or writer is accusing me of being a certain way (I’ve read papers that started “You never know what to expect when…” and come away thinking -- like I hell I didn’t know what to expect! I knew exactly how this or that was going to be!). The second reaction is likely confusion because -- at some point -- I may notice that I’m not the target audience (Such as papers that have told me “…the best way to take care of your kids.” Well, I’m sorry paper, but unless you count three video game consoles and two computers offspring, then I am childless.)

Writing can be much like driving: If we drive to slow, or write too lackadaisically, we risk trouble just as much as if we drive too fast, or write too “scientifically.” Instead, we must strike a balance between these twin dangers and achieve the delicate balance.

Here's a pitcherr of a cat that the Writing Center shood bai:

Source.

*It should be understood that I am not attempting to imply that I do not care about this blog post. I care deeply for anything my favorite writer, me, writes.

**Readers would be wise to note that this blog post is not a proper piece of writing.

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats and enjoys inventing words like "muscley."

That Damned First Line

2010-04-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

We’ve all experienced it; you are reading a book that someone – perhaps a teacher or a good friend – has recommended to you, but even before the first paragraph has finished your eyes are already wandering down the page, looking for some line of dialogue to break the mundane description, hoping that the story will eventually get exciting. It doesn’t matter that the novel has discovered the universal truth of all humanity; if the writing is not engaging, if it does not grab your attention from the very beginning, you probably won’t read it.

This occurrence, unfortunately, also applies to our own writing. For anything you could ever write – an essay, a short story, a novel, your grandmother’s eulogy – the first paragraph must do everything in its power to force the reader to keep reading. The first sentence can thus be considered the most important sentence of your entire story, more important even than the final sentence. The first sentence must be engaging, but not overpowering; it must be simple, but not mundane. Ultimately, it must perk the interest of the reader and make them want to know more about your story and characters. By the first line they should be asking what Colonel Aureliano Buendía did to merit a firing squad and what was so significant about the discovering of ice with his father (Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude)*. Your first line needs to act as the swirling vortex that sucks your readers in and spits them out only after they’ve been imprisoned for a number of hours and the hunger pains have begun to set in (don’t lie; we all know what it is like to be abducted by a good book). Like the beginning of Beethoven’s Fifth, everything else flows from your first sentence.

The trickiest part of this is that while there is so much weighing on the first line, your reader should never know. A common pitfall of many authors is attempting to accomplish too much in the first line, resulting in the reader being overwhelmed by a tactless pummel of information. Instead, the first line should be so smooth that one doesn’t have time to stop and think about what they’ve read; one just keeps reading. The first line doesn’t need to be about anything extraordinary; a casual statement will do just fine so long as the paragraph backs it up. Below is a perfect example of a bad first line that simply says too much:

Thanks to the adrenaline pumping through his veins Thomas couldn’t feel the bullet passing through his skin, though in his heart he knew that without care he would soon bleed out before getting a chance to see his lovely Josaline again, waiting all alone for him to return to the States at the end of his tour.

Just writing that sentence hurt! Don’t over exert yourself; give your story – and your readers – some room to breathe. Most of the time a simple statement will do more for your story than a poor attempt to astound the audience.

Ultimately, your first line should accomplish two things: it ought to grab the attention of your readers, and set the tone for the rest of the story. By tone, I mean the mood that you wish to begin the story with. If your story is about a single mom bathing her child, the mood will probably be more calm and lethargic than quick and suspenseful. Similarly, if you are writing about a funeral, the tone will probably not be the happiest. Think about where you want to go with your story and how your main character is feeling at the beginning of the scene, this will help you to establish the proper mood from the very beginning. Whether you are writing a short story, a song, a novel, or even a term paper, the mood should be obvious throughout the story; and it all begins with that first line.

Many people fall into the misunderstanding that in order to grab the reader’s attention, they must begin the story with a good action-packed scene. DO NOT DO THIS. If done improperly (and more often than not it will be) it will only confuse the reader, to the point where they may not want to continue reading. Instead, if you have a great character, introduce him to the audience, or if you are confident that you can describe the setting without being a bore, do so. Both of these techniques will not only grab your reader’s attention, but they are also good ways to establish the proper mood. Once you have gotten the reader attached to your well-thought out character, the plot will fall in line behind him.

To recap, the first line must be simple, it must be engaging, and it must establish the mood for the rest of the story. If you need some help, try to remember some of your favorite books and their first lines. Or, try browsing through this list of 100 best first lines as decided by the American Book Review.

Now, before you begin to agonize about how your first line is not the way you want it, remember that it is only one line, and can always be rewritten.

* The first line of One Hundred Years of Solitude reads: “Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.”

Online Tutoring!

2010-03-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

It seems that for every student who makes it into The Writing Center, there are more that simply do not. Perhaps our hours are not conducive to their schedules, or maybe they go to a different campus. Still, there is an increasing population of students who are taking their classes online—so they could be in the suburbs, or even in another state! The only way to make certain that every student has access to the assistance that The Writing Center gives is to bring online tutoring into the equation.

Here are the logistics of online tutoring: It’s a real time conversation between a student writer and a tutor, quite similar to an instant message session. The tutor and the student agree on a day/time to meet and they go over the paper together, just like in a face-to-face session that occurs in The Writing Center. It can happen anytime and any place—just as long as the two parties are able to meet.

So why do I do it?

I love talking with family and friends online—sometimes I feel like I can articulate my thoughts more coherently when I’m typing them, rather than when I’m speaking. When I converse in this manner, I feel I have more control over my language—especially since I have a “delete” key. ☺

Another reason I enjoy online tutoring is because it goes along with Roosevelt University’s Mission Statement:

Roosevelt University will be a vibrant living and learning community both during the day and in the evening, and will link the academic and service resources of its multiple locations through the effective use of personnel, facilities and state-of-the-art technology.

Because online tutoring is available to every student and alumni, there is no reason why you should ever have to feel alone when writing papers, personal statements, and even resumes! And this is not something that you have to pay for! When a writer does not have access to tutoring (be it online or face-to-face), she or he must pay for an editor to look it over--sometimes that can cost a minimum for $100 for the editor to simply sit down to review the document. Can you put a price on that kind of value? I suppose you can, especially when it comes to what your writing can do for you: grades, jobs, etc. We never promise grades here at The Writing Center--how can we? We're students ourselves. But more times than not, a student who is continually tutored through The Writing Center will improve their writing, as well as be more confident in their papers!

If you are interested in learning more about online tutoring, email us at writingcenter@roosevelt.edu

Stop! Now Tell Me What You're Trying to Say.

2010-03-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

Many times, when a classmate and I are looking through a paper, we will encounter a sentence that befuddles the mind and warps the senses. The reader (usually one of us reads out loud) will begin to slosh through the words, having lost sight of the meaning of the sentence. At this point, I slap my hand onto the sentence and yell:

"Stop! Now tell me what you're trying to say with this sentence."

Years of experience have taught me the writer's eyes will instinctively shoot down to the paper, looking to reread the sentence that had been read aloud only moments prior. But alas! They cannot see it through my muscley hand and must confront their great trouble: trying to say too much too quick.

Yes, dear readers, this is a struggle for each of us. Whether it is an impending deadline or a lack of interest that has warped our fragile minds, we must nonetheless battle this desire to cram information. Instead we must let it breathe.

How do we do this? Simply: say what we mean. If we encounter a section where the words just don't make sense and the paragraphs cause compasses to spin wildly, then we must rephrase it -- we must say it like we would to a friend. We must stop and talk -- out loud if necessary -- to our invisible friends and explain to them -- in simple and concise terms -- what we are saying.

If it helps, imagine a furry woodland creature. Great. Now explain everything in detail to this creature. Here's a visual aid for the imagination impaired:

I have named the preceding bunny "Bunce." In explaining Japanese-Sino government-business relations to Bunce, I understand that he may not know of the complex and violent history Japan and China share. So I use simple sentences and easy, logical connections when going from subject to subject. I do this for the sake of Bunce, but in truth, I'm also helping myself a great deal because I'm slowing down and deliberately picking words and sentences.

Even if it turns out that Bunce has a degree in International Business from Hong Kong University, he'll still likely appreciate a clear and simple explanation of the context. It helps him to understand the writer's intention and overall argument (that is, our intentions and overall arguments)!

So next time we cross a sentence that blinds us with boring confusion, that floors us with choppy and frightening syntax, let's: Stop! And tell Bunce what we're saying.

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats and enjoys inventing words like "muscley."

Perfect Punctuation: Our Comrade the Comma (pt. 2)

2010-03-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

I Googled "Comma Kitty" and got this image. Courtesy of Flickr.

In our previous romp through the oft-trodden Comma Land, we examined OWL's first three quick and easy comma rules:

1. Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.

2. Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause.

3. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause.

Now, let us continue this essential examination of practical punctuation with the next three rules:

4. Do not use commas to set off essential elements of the sentence, such as clauses beginning with that (relative clauses)...

This is our first "do not" rule. Now we must resist that chocolate-like temptation of slinging commas wildly throughout a sentence. Generally, if we write the word that, then we must refrain from putting a comma as its neighbor. For instance:

WRONG: I want a cat, that is bigger than me.

The above comma creates this weird, robotic break in the flow of the sentence. The that is referring directly to the cat right next to it and does not need a comma:

RIGHT: I want a cat that is bigger than me.

This can be kind of difficult because a lot of times which and that are interchangeable, but different rules can apply to which. For instance:

RIGHT: I want a cat which is bigger than me.

...Is still correct, but if the target of which switches to something else, the sentece becomes incorrect:

WRONG: I want a cat which might conflict with my wife's allergies.

Now it sounds like I am deliberately trying to sabotage my dear wife's immune system. Instead, I want which to target the verb want rather than cat, so I add a comma:

RIGHT: I want a cat, which might conflict with my wife's allergies.

Now the which clause becomes an afterthought, and the sentence now correctly indicates that I want a cat, but it might conflict with my wife's allergies.

5. Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series.

Lists! Everyone should have a good idea about this rule. Basically, if we list three or more things, we need commas like so:

I will name my cats Ramble, Xerxes, and McTavish.

Some people may be more comfortable leaving out the Oxford comma, the last comma before the and, but I prefer using the Oxford comma because: (a) Vampire Weekend has a song about it and (b) it helps clarify lists like this:

Great band names include Peanut Butter and Jello, Sunny and Share, and Jose and the Pushy Cats.

Without the Oxford comma, we have serious trouble identifying where Sunny and Share ends and Jose and the Pushy Cats ends.

6. Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun. Be sure never to add an extra comma between the final adjective and the noun itself or to use commas with non-coordinate adjectives.

This is fancy lawyer talk for the simple rule: If we can put and there, then we can put a comma there. Examples:

My wise and chubby cat greeted me with a mystically small and gray hairball.

...Can be written:

My wise, chubby cat greeted me with a mystically small, gray hairball.

Note how there is no comma needed between mystically and small because mystically is describing the word small and not the hairball. Because these sentences are fun to write, here is one more:

My timely, fat cat waddled into the kitchen just as I retrieved the steaming, savory turkey from the oven.

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats.

Suspicious Citations

2010-03-11T14:43:00.000-08:00

We feel like pioneers -- don't we? -- when we reach the end a paper. We stand from our computer chairs, kick over the stacks of books around us, and brazenly give the syllabus the bird. But what's that sound? It sounds like an electronic-type laughter! We spin around to see our computer mocking us with a cold, binary grin. The Works Cited page stares nakedly at us!

"I know!" we yell, our faces turning a sly-writer's grin. "I shall have the Inter-lines tend to my biddings!" And so our fingers rattle along the keyboard for a minute or two, we Google "citation machine," tap our temples in momentary thought, and then -- Ka-Bam! -- all finished!

"And my professor," we say, cradling the paper near our heart, "will never be the wiser! MUAHAHAHA!"

Instead: the paper returns, bruised with red ink and little professor-notes that translate: "WTF?" What has happened to our devious plan? Where did we go wrong? The answer:

SUSPICIOUS CITATIONS

The best way, I assert, to build a works cited or reference page is to start early. Don't wait until everything is done and we've kicked over the stacks of books. We need to -- from the moment we find the article or the website or book -- keep a word document that contains the necessary information. What is that? I'm glad you asked, but so-help-me-God if you interrupt me again.

Necessary, critical information includes:

1) The title of the piece and the name of the journal, magazine, or website (url) it came from.

2) The authors of the piece. Some pieces have no authors. Don't stress if this is the case.

3) The year of publication.

If we keep just these few things handy as soon as we find them, then gathering the rest of the necessary information will be no problem (a Google away!).

Now, we must begin the actual construction of the citations. For full disclosure’s sake, I will admit that I am a Third Degree Master of the APA Style, with +6 Charisma skill. So, for me, making the citations is rather easy and almost sexy. But for someone unfamiliar with a particular citation style (or any at all!), this can be a daunting task.

For those in this proverbial boat of frustration, I suggest -- first and foremost -- going to OWL, where APA answers, MLA answers, and all other answers lay.

However, if we're crunched for time or don't have a desire of learning all the nuances of citation (shame on us!), then we can tepidly use a Citation Machine.

BE WARNED: This is where we cross into dangerous territory! This is the point of no return. This is where begins SUSPICIOUS CITATIONS!

In an effort to better prepare citation hurry-ers, I prescreened several ciation-machine sites because I have seen the products of these citation-spitters; I have had fellows students look me in the face and insist their faulty citation was correct all because they got in online. (Needless to say, these students are no more... Oh, uh, no more under that impression.)

For the purpose of this excersize, I used several top Google results to produce citations for a book aptly named The Book (side note: this is one of the greatest baseball statistics books ever written; pick up a copy if you are mathematically or athletically inclined).

The first site I went to, AMACite.com, did no have The Book in their lists of ISBNs. Wow. Okay, onto the next.

Then I went to Landmark's Son of Citation Machine(tm). Again, this was one that merely required the ISBN and then could spit out my preferred citation style. "Wuh-ell," said I, pulling up my suspenders. "Don't mind iffado!" This was the result:

Tango, Tom, Lichtman, Mitchel, Dolphin, Andrew, & Palmer, Pete. (2007). The Book. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books.

SUSPICIOUS CITATIONS! First of all: APA Style prides itself in being gender neutral. That means no first names in text or in the citations! [Strike 1]

Also, Pete Palmer wrote the forward! In no way, shape, or form should Palmer receive credit for writing the book -- although it is indeed a good foreword. [Strike 2]

Palmer also appears in their in-text citation suggestion:

(Tango, Lichtman, Dolphin, & Palmer, 2007)

Strike 3. Struck out swinging.

Next I went to The Citation Center and KnightCite. These two machines require detailed entries (remember the information I suggested we write down before?). In my experience, this is: a) where most students mess up and b) more time consuming than writing the citation without the machine (I again refer you to OWL). If everything is input correctly -- and since I'm a citation master, this was no difficulty -- then we receive the correct citation:

Tango, T. M., Lichtman, M. G., & Dolphin, A. E. (2007). The Book. Dulles, VA: Potomac Books.

Hooray!

So what is the lesson we learn here? Simple:

1) Go to OWL and learn how to cite.

2) If all else fails, use a citation machine.

3) Don't use a simple ISBN machine.

4) Consider using both The Citation Center and KnightCite to be certain the citation is correct.

This was the first result when I Googled "Citation Kitten."

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats.

Applications for Writers

2010-03-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

If you are a frequenter of the Writing Center Blog, you should know that one of the more prevalent techniques for writing that we stress is simply writing often. It doesn't matter how much you write, or even how good you write; writing everyday will do more than improve your writing, it will also cause you to be more confident about writing, and when you do finally get a good idea you will spend less time staring at a blank screen.

I know, we are only human, and many times even when you have a plan to write at a given time every day something will come up, or you simply won't feel inspired. That's why I am writing this blog to inform you of the many useful applications I have found that help me greatly in keeping up a schedule.

The first is a small downloadable program that was given to me as a gift last Christmas. Write or Die is a program that allows you to set a specific word and time goal, then lets you write until either you meet your goal or your time runs out. There are other settings one can choose as well, including how much of a grace period the program gives, and the difficulty level. For those new to the program, I suggest beginning on gentle. For more experienced players, the normal mode will force you to write while playing an annoying sound, and kamikaze mode will actually eat your words if you stop writing for more than a few seconds. On the desktop edition, you can also set it to keep the Write or Die window at the front of your screen and disable saving until the word goal is met. Warning: This program has the potential to give your inner editor a heart attack. When I first played Write or Die, my inner editor's comments changed from "You call that syntax?" to "You missed a - wait, no, you don't have time to go back! Write something, anything, oh my god you're almost out of time! Write!" One last perk: if you are the type of person that enjoys competition, the desktop edition allows you to compete in word wars with other players; the person with the most words after a set amount of time wins. Ultimately, Write or Die can be a very useful resource - while being slightly sadistic - to get one out of the habit of overanalyzing each individual sentence, and into the habit of simply writing.

The second application I would like to mention is a small website I recently discovered called 750words. This website is almost like a blog, except that it is completely private. It was created to encourage people to write at least 750 words every day. Not only will this site keep track of your daily writings, it will also analyze them using two text analysis programs: Regressive Imagery Dictionary (for emotions) and the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count. The site organizes the results of that analysis into easy-to-read graphs and charts, and gives comparison charts of what the average writer scores. The site offers monthly contests to see who can actually keep up their word count (750 words a day) for an entire month. I should mention that the idea behind this site is not to write brilliant prose; it encourages you to vomit thoughts onto the screen and clear your subconscious of what may be hiding inside, so that for the rest of the day you are more clear-headed and have already gotten the creative juices flowing. Finally, to add more of a fun, game-feel to the site and encourage continued use, you will be awarded a specific number of points per day depending on how much you write. These points are used to collect achievement buttons - sort of like the achievements one can unlock in Xbox360 games.

Of course, these are only programs that have helped me get into the habit of writing. If they don't work for you, that is fine, I have also found a list of 100 Free and Useful Web Apps for Writers that you may want to dig through. Unfortunately, none of these programs can force you to write, that motivation needs to come from you. They can, however, make writing every day more enjoyable. So check them out, you may find you enjoy the intensity and high-stress of Write or Die, or perhaps you prefer a simple online blog that you can keep completely private - either way, it never hurts to try.

- Michelle

Writers on the Web

2010-03-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

My sources inform me that "teh internet" is an excellent source for writing advice and suggestions. However, it's important to know what sources are credible and good. WAIT! Don't go to Google just yet! I've already done the footwork for you. Some notable notes from around the web:

Writer's Digest blogger, Brian Klems, defends the M-dash, in turn becoming our hero. Fans of the RU Writing Center Blog will recall my previous examination of the M-dash which simply sums the potent punctuation line as follows:

When in doubt, use a dash!

Our collegues at Michigan State University took some time to examine what prevents student from coming to the Writing Center. Allow me to stress to our readers:

WE TUTORS ARE NICE PEOPLE AND LOVE TALKING ABOUT WRITING.

Anyone, and I mean anyone, can benefit from our Writing Center. We aren't intimidating -- okay, well moustache is intimidating, but my demeanor is pleasant -- and we really love seeing writers improve. Even I, the world's premier writer in cat-related false histories of economics, have benefited from the tutors here. Whenever I feel uncomfortable with something I've written, I turn to the writers here.

Come to the Writing Center. We will help you.

Meanwhile, Amanda, of the WVU Writing Blog, offered us a top ten rules for writing. I enjoyed the rules so much, I'm republishing them after the jump!
***

1. No internet while writing. Facebook is way too tempting!

2. Have a relaxing spot to sit in, but don't let it be in front of the TV.

3. When writing fiction, remember that the most important part of your story is the characters. Even if you have the best plot or the best writing, it won't matter if the characters are flat and lifeless.

4. When writing any kind of non-fiction, remember who your audience is. Your tone of voice is everything.

5. Edit after you've finished your first draft. Then read it aloud, edit, have someone else read it, edit again. Lather, rinse, repeat. Every sentence, no matter how good, can still be written better.

6. Write in a journal, everyday if you can. You might find yourself writing things you never thought you would, with beautiful phrasing.

7. Write when you feel inspired, and write even when you don't.

8. Write.

9. Write some more.

10. I'm being serious! Writing well is the most important skill you will ever learn. Even if you don't think you're going to use it often. Having the ability to write well gives you the ability to speak coherently and professionally and to know how to read other people when in conversation (re: audience).

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats.

Perfect Punctuation: The Simple Semicolon

2010-03-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

I Googled "punctuation kitten," and this came up.

We don't see a whole lot of semicolons these days, and there's a reason for that. Frankly, it doesn't have too many uses. On the much touted OWL site, we cannot even find a section for the semicolon! We do see some clues in the section entitled "Sentence Punctuation Patterns":

Independent clause [ ; ] independent clause [ . ]

And here:

Independent clause [ ; ] independent marker [ , ] independent clause [ . ]

This is the first basic use of the semicolon: a fast period. I call it fast because readers typically read semicolons as quickly as commas, but know that they have the same power as a period (they can separate two complete sentences). For instance:

James likes to write poetry. His work tends to really annoy me.

Would be read more quickly and rapid-fire with a semicolon:

James likes to write poetry; his work tends to really annoy me.

If we're feeling frisky, we can throw that independent marker in there:

James likes to write poetry; however, his work tends to really annoy me.

The second significant use for the semicolon is as a super comma! Sometimes our sentences get gummed up with all sorts of clauses and commas, so a semicolon can help us separate items in a big list, or keep separate complex independent clauses. Here's the big list use:

I have seen the Cubs, Rays, Braves, and Angels play baseball; the Colts, Jaguars, and Bears play football; and the Bulls, Rockets, and Nets play basketball.

...and here's an example of two super clauses:

I used to live, before moving here, in Florida, where it was either raining hard or not at all; but then I moved to Chicago, where rain seems to sneak in and out of town over the course of 48 hours.

Few people misuse the semicolon; it's kind of beautiful like that. Still, I think more writers could use more semicolons (or mystical em-dashes) to help break up their writing and make it more readable. So, next time we write something, let's ask ourselves: "Does this need our friend, the simple semicolon?"

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats.

Clear and Concise Gets Point Across

2010-02-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

Hello, Followers!

This is my first post on the Writing Center blog, and as the only aspiring journalist among its ranks, I thought I would share some writing tips that are followed by writers in print media.

In studying, I found there are parallels between academic writing and journalistic writing. The most important of these similarities is writing clear and concise sentences. In journalism, we are writing for the public and use a more conversational writing style, while in academia there is pressure to use complex vocabulary, but this is not necessary. Fellow blogger Mario Perez recently wrote an entry about just that. As long as the main point of the piece is conveyed to the reader, the prose seems to fall to the wayside. Stay within your comfort zone when writing and it should go smoothly.

Revisions are also a very important in the success of a piece of writing. The finished product should be polished, excluding unnecessary words and sentences. Successful writing is all about precision. Mark Twain said, “The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” Some easy ways of catching errors in your writing are to step away for a while and come back with a fresh set of eyes; read your paper aloud; or ask someone else to read your paper. We use all of these strategies in the Writing Center, and I know I have had success in the past using these same techniques.

Write in a way that is comfortable to you. Use your own voice and don’t feel pressured to impress a reader using words you are not familiar with. If the writing is clear and precise, the reader should leave informed, with a clear idea of what you were talking about.

--Natalie Hughes

Good Writing Watch!

2010-02-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

Sing it, Robin. Sing it.

Perhaps the most essential key to writing well is simply reading well. Almost all successful or excellent writers surround themselves with good writing. Thankfully, this is not a very hard task -- even for those of us too busy to thumb through a 300 page novel. Today, let's take a look at three writers who we can listen to, rather than read!

WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD!

Colin Meloy of The Decemeberists
Fans of indie rock are no strangers to the Decemberists. They are quite possibly the most lyrically innovative band in the last twenty years. Led by Writing Degree holding Colin Meloy, the Decemeberists fearlessly sing about topics from the common (falling in love) to the absurd (falling into the belly of a whale with the man who killed your mother), all the while telling stories in completely unique tongues, sometimes whipping out some Shakespearian nouns and medieval verbs.

Let's take a look at one of their songs from the album Picaresque, "Of Angels and Angles:"

There are angels in your angles
There's a low moon caught in your tangles
There's a ticking at the sill
There's a purr of a pigeon to break the still of day

As on we go drowning
Down we go away
And darling, we go a-drowning
Down we go away
Away

There's a tough word on your crossword
There's a bed bug nipping a finger
There's a swallow, there's a calm
Here's a hand to lay on your open palm today

[CHORUS]

There are angels in your angles
There's a low moon caught in your tangles

What the hell is Meloy singing about here? It sure seems like a typical love song until we hit the second verses. What does "There's a bed bug nipping a finger" mean?

Well, the fact that it's not obvious is a good sign. Songs that simply tell us "She move her body like a cyclone" or "I've got that boom boom pow" take us for a fools; they believe to be us too dumb to interpret a story or see through an analogy.

Meloy gives credit to his readers' intellect. He could have said: "Life is really painful and stupid on a day-to-day basis, but it's nice to have someone with which to go through the painful and stupid stuff together."

Instead, he says:

There's a swallow, there's a calm
Here's a hand to lay on your open palm today

Eminem
Yeah, our parents were wrong -- for the most part -- about Eminem. He's actually a surprisingly profound writer -- though often offensive in the things he says. The content he conveys -- which ranges from profound to disgusting to stupid -- does not lessen his talent at conveying it. Let's look at the first portion of one of my favorite Eminem songs, "Stan":

Dear Slim, I wrote but you still ain't callin
I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom
I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not-a got 'em
There probably was a problem at the post office or something
Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot 'em
but anyways; f*** it, what's been up? Man how's your daughter?
My girlfriend's pregnant too, I'm bout to be a father
...
Anyways, I hope you get this man, hit me back,
just to chat, truly yours, your biggest fan
This is Stan

The venerable Eminem is employing some very fun writing techniques in this song. First, he's using a "speaker." Most of the audio-trash wafting through our airwaves and into our skulls is written in the first person and actually represents the singers' (often shallow) feelings. They're directly telling us their opinions via song: "I wanna buy you a drank" or "Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah... I want your love." It leaves no room for interpretation and it tells us very little. By employing a speaker, Eminem is able to convey more with less.

In addition to using a speaker, Eminem is actually using what we call an unreliable speaker -- we can't really trust Stan (especially when the song is heard: Eminem does not an excellent job of using his voice to imply frustration in Stan's voice -- even though he's kind of yelling the words in typical Eminem fashion). Our distrust of Stan grows in the second stanza:

Dear Slim, you still ain't called or wrote, I hope you have a chance
I ain't mad - I just think it's F***** UP you don't answer fans
If you didn't wanna talk to me outside your concert
you didn't have to, but you coulda signed an autograph for Matthew
That's my little brother man, he's only six years old
We waited in the blistering cold for you,
four hours and you just said, "No."
That's pretty sh***y man - you're like his f***ing idol
He wants to be just like you man, he likes you more than I do
I ain't that mad though, I just don't like being lied to
Remember when we met in Denver - you said if I'd write you
you would write back - see I'm just like you in a way
I never knew my father neither;
he used to always cheat on my mom and beat her
I can relate to what you're saying in your songs
...

Note here how Stan's character begins waffling back and forth between angry and in love with our dear Slim Shady. At the risk of spoiling this story's conclusion (imagine that! -- storytelling in a song!), I will go ahead tell you, dear reader, that Stan drives off a bridge with his girlfriend and unborn child -- all because of the grief of not having talked with his idol. Then, in a sort of epilogue, Eminem finally responds to our protagonist:

Dear Stan, I meant to write you sooner but I just been busy
You said your girlfriend's pregnant now, how far along is she?
...
I'm sorry I didn't see you at the show, I musta missed you
Don't think I did that sh** intentionally just to diss you
But what's this sh** you said about you like to cut your wrists too?
I say that sh** just clowning dog,
c'mon - how f***ed up is you?
You got some issues Stan, I think you need some counseling
to help your a** from bouncing off the walls when you get down some
And what's this sh** about us meant to be together?
That type of sh**'ll make me not want us to meet each other
I really think you and your girlfriend need each other
or maybe you just need to treat her better
I hope you get to read this letter, I just hope it reaches you in time
before you hurt yourself, I think that you'll be doin just fine
if you relax a little, I'm glad I inspire you but Stan
why are you so mad? Try to understand, that I do want you as a fan
I just don't want you to do some crazy sh**
I seen this one sh** on the news a couple weeks ago that made me sick
Some dude was drunk and drove his car over a bridge
and had his girlfriend in the trunk, and she was pregnant with his kid
and in the car they found a tape, but they didn't say who it was to
Come to think about, his name was.. it was you
D***!

Personally, I find the ending a little over-indulgent, but the story is nonetheless troubling and authentic. Even though much of the song is told from the perspective of a crazed fan, Eminem is able to give the reader of great deal of insight into his own world: the pressure of being idolized, the trouble in balancing life and work (his inability to recognize Stan at the concert, his inability to answer the letters sooner), and his frustration with being misunderstood ("I say that sh** just clowning dog") -- and all of this without looking directly at us and saying, "It is hard to have fans. Some fans are crazy."

Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes, another indie-rock band like the Decemberists, but with far more yelling, really burst onto the music scene 2009 with haunting and energetic songs like "Blue Ridge Mountains" and "White Winter Hymnal." The Seattle-based Fleet Foxes sing across many topics, ranging from Moses-esque river adoptions ("Oliver James") to (possibly) a Geek-god-alluding intervention ("Mykonos"). Let's take a look at "Ragged Wood":

Whoa-oh-oh

Come down from the mountain, you have been gone too long
The spring is upon us, follow my only song
Settle down with me by the fire of my yearning
You should come back home, back on your own now

The world is alive now, in and outside our home
You run through the forest, settle before the sun
Darling, I can barely remember you beside me
You should come back home, back on your own now

In the evening light, when the woman of the woods came by
To give to you the word of the old man
In the morning tide, when the sparrow and the seagull fly
And Johnathan and Evelyn get tired

Lie to me if you will at the top of Barringer Hill
Tell me anything you want, any old lie will do
Call me back to you

Back to you

There's a very good chance this song is based, in part, on William Butler Yeats' poem of the same name, but -- honestly -- there's not enough time or space on the Internets to unpack that here.

Instead, let's look at the elements in this song that speak more simply and universally to us. Clearly there is a rift between the speaker and the person of his desire: "you have been gone too long... You should come back home, back on your own..." It is unclear whether or not this rift is physical or metaphorical -- but, unlike what Cher or Nelly or Nickelback may have us believe, unclear is okay, if not good. This song, like many Fleet Foxes songs, is open to a variety of reader/listener interpretations.

Interestingly, many of Pecknold's songs seem to revolve around the speaker's brother or general brotherly relations. With this insight, one could imply that "Ragged Wood" concerns two brothers who, under some circumstance, have parted on bad terms. Or, it could be plea from the perspective of a father who has upset his daughter. Or, the song could be about lovers who have grown apart over time (the use of the term "Darling" lends to this possibility). Interestingly, many misleading details exist ("Johnathan and Evelyn" and "Barringer Hill" -- a hill in Texas, but the band is from Seattle...), details that appear to add special meaning to the author, but not really anything consistent to the reader.

Also of interest is the fact that Fleet Foxes has never released an official set of lyrics for their albums. This results in many different versions (online) of their lyrics, many of which are debatable. Personally, I feel the third line ("Settle down with me by the fire of my yearning") does not say "yearning," but perhaps "early year." This leads me to my final point: vague interpretations.

Being told exactly what is happening is never really fun. Too many "is" and "has" makes a song/poem/story just boring. By using imagery, allusion, basic action verbs, and even hard-to-hear lyrics, Pecknold is able to convey multiple layers of knowledge and emotion without relying on just his (albeit incredible) voice or driving beats. So, in turn, his songs grow and change in meaning and value to each reader. Like impressionist paintings, Meloy and Pecknold's songs take on different lifes for each listener.

If there's something I got egregiously wrong, or perhaps there's a modern author or musician you think I examine, let me know in the comments (or in person at the Writing Center)!

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats.

Perfect Punctuation: Our Comrade the Comma

2010-02-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

Perk up, Persian Cat, commas aren't so cruel!

Our readers will recall how I revealed, last December, the mysterious and troubling powers of the dash. Now, we shall continue this Perfect Punctuation series with many writers' greatest hurdle: the comma!

Countless people feel as though comma rules are endless and uncertain, arcane and imperfect. To these writers, I implore greater punctuation patience. Instead of surrendering to comma catastrophes, let's just learn a little at time. Today, we're going to start with three easy comma rules from OWL:

Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.

Many grammar-nerds such as myself refer to these coordinating conjunctions as the FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so! The beauty of coordinating conjunctions is that, when paired with a comma, they are as powerful as a period! So, I could say:

I love cats. They really don't care about me.

...Or...

I love cats, yet they really don't care about me.

However, if the subject is the same on both sides (i.e. you don't have two independent sentences) then a comma is unnecessary:

I love cats fur. I really like how they generally disdain human interaction.

...If we combine them...

I love cats fur and really like how they generally disdain human interaction.

You see? No comma needed. That comma + FANBOYS tells the reader to expect a new subject (i.e. a new sentence). The exception to this rule is if the subsequent sentence is sufficiently short, like: "I like my wife and she likes me."

As the sentences grow in complexity and length, the necessity of that clarifying comma increases.

Follow the jump and watch your knowledge grow!
Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause.

The only exception to this rule is when we start a sentence with a simple, obvious time setting, such as "yesterday." Observe the different situations and the correct comma placements:

Now I'm much happier.

Last week, I watched my neighbor's cat rolling around on the balcony.

Not unlike many times before, I found myself scheming ways to capture that cat.

Lifting with all of my strength, I slung the window open.

As I pulled that grappling gun up to my shoulder, the police knocked on my door.

Note how the first sentence doesn't need a comma, but it would make just as much sense if it had one.

Those of us who can identify prepositional phrases are at an advantage here because we have the benefit of a more concrete rule: any time a prepositional phrase begins a sentence ("As before," "In my head," "Of these choices," etc.) a comma must follow.

Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause.

To this day, I struggle with these. Oftentimes, I will add the second comma (the "...one at the end to indicate the end of the pause") yet miss the first comma entirely. However, you, humble reader, would never know because I am the most adept of proofreaders -- when I want to be. So, let us continue our examination of examples:

The police, knowing my dastardly history, did not hesitate to draw their firearms.

I did not lower my grappling gun because I, on the other hand, had nothing to lose.

And, yes, I am just crazy enough to chance the fall.

Notice how these interjection clauses can come in many forms: present progressive verbs (-ing), prepositional phrases, and even emotion-conveying words like "yes" in sentence three.

What happens if we forget or dismiss these comma rules?

Rule 1:

You will look stupid. It honestly won't be too much less readable, but your professors and employers and coworkers and cell-mates will think you received your education in a barn. A barn of foolishness.

Rule 2:

Words will blend together and become unclear:

Tracking and capturing cats can it by any more fun?

The common reader will see "Tracking and capturing cats can..." and assume "Tracking and capturing cats" to be the subject. This, however, is tragically false.

Rule 3:

Like Rule 2, these commas help us understand the flow of the sentence and keep disparate ideas from blending together:

My neighbor familiar with my intentions to take his cat and the police had both seen me toting about my grappling gun earlier that day.

Whoa! Who am I kidnapping in that sentence? Well, I certainly don't think I intended to kidnap the police, but that's how the sentence reads on the first glance.

If these explanations and examples prove helpful, then give me a little meow in the comments section or, better yet, just use these comma rules when writing, and I will no doubt sleep better at night.

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats.

Learning to Love the OWL

2010-02-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

DISCLAIMER: Nothing available online is a legitimate substitute for actually coming to the Writing Center and getting some one-on-one help. The writing center tutors are knowledgeable and friendly, and could save most students a lot of time and anguish, answering unique questions or offering special suggestions that would be otherwise difficult -- if not impossible -- to find online.

That being said: If you need an answer to a writing question, the absolute best source on the web is the Purdue Online Writing Lab, or the OWL. I utilized this resource as an undergraduate -- for both my majors, economics and English -- and I have pointed many other writers and students to OWL as a writing tutor for the last five years. My professors suggest it, my colleagues swear by it, and Google results it (go ahead, google "owl" -- that's right, it's more popular than Wikipedia's owl entry).

Want to know how to write a good cover letter for your next job application?

OWL has it.

Want to know about commas and lists?

OWL will explain it, and then explain it more -- Oxford comma style.

Can't understand APA citation rules?

OWL knows that answer too, and will tell it for free.

Want to know the exact day and time in which you will Understand?

OWL knows this too, but has told only me.

In short, the OWL website is the best thing to come out of Purdue since Kyle Orton, zing, and is a viable resource for EVERY writer -- from an economics graduate student like myself to an avid blogger just trying to figure out some handy grammar rules. Use it!

Bradley Woodrum also writes for Homebody and Woman and Cubs Stats.

When to Use a Word

2010-02-11T12:45:00.000-08:00

When writing, one is always compelled by the nagging urge to expound their vocabulary exponentially instead of allow more natural language to suffice. By using words which resemble "academic" language in order to achieve an illusion of intellect, one sacrifices clarity for a flowery mess. Just because you use four syllable words doesn’t mean you will get that A. You merely need to display your ability to be concise and focused. By attempting to utilize words you are unfamiliar with, you are placing your work in the hands of the facade you endorse instead of your piece as a whole. Why sacrifice precision for quality? A teacher will more than likely commend you for a focused concrete essay than one which was fluttered with incomprehensible language. It's like sailing out to sea before you learned to swim. Yeah, it is brave, but also rather stupid. That is not to say you shouldn’t try to broaden your lexical belt, but do it with caution. If you’re comfortable with a word, go for it. Hold your chin high and proud as you exploit your linguistic excellence. Yet, if you are not that sure, stick to what you know. Clarity is all they really ask for. You can't argue against clarity. If you’re spouting words that make no sense while you are unaware they make no sense, then how could that help? Simple is sometimes best. Keep it simple and concise.

-Mario Perez

Setting Goals and Writing Often

2010-02-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

E-Dawg did not let even his love for the bottle get in the way of writing.

From Ernest Hemingway's habit of writing 500 words each morning to J. K. Rowling's writing only a single hour if she must, good writers know they need routine. And this doesn't apply to just novelists and essayists; anyone who wants to improve his or her writing simply must write often.

Improved writing ability means a lot of things. It means that writing emails comes more naturally, that our papers (and even text messages) can say more with less and better convey what we want to say, that our cover letters set us apart from other applicants, and that we spend less time in front of a white screen, watching our cursor slowly blinking. Therefore it's important to find ways to improve our writing, and the simplist way to do this is forming writing habits.

These habits can look a lot of different ways: keeping a journal or diary, maintaining a blog, writing (or editing) a poem every weekday, or even writing to a "pen pal" (this, I'm told, involves something called "mail," which is apparently not the same thing as email -- to this day, I'm still not sure how this works).

These are good pretty good methods of practicing, but we need to personalize them if we want to succeed. Consider something like these: keeping a journal or diary of your dreams, maintaining a blog containing fake stories about your mafia neighbors, writing (or editing) a poem that you print on a tortilla and eat every weekday, or even writing to a "pen pal" that you try to convince doesn't exist. I have dibbs on the last one (and Russell, if you're reading this, you only prove your dis-existence even more), but feel free to take or change any of these already perfect suggestions.

Consider this analogy: a marathon runner must prepare to run the grueling 26-some miles by running much shorter distances almost every day. In the same way, our classes, our jobs, and our passions require us to write quite more than for what we may have prepared. In other words, we need to write a little everyday to ready ourselves for everything else! Interestingly, my friend Kendall is actually putting both analogy elements into practice, writing a daily blog while training for a marathon! Good for her!

If you want some more suggestions about forming writing habits, consider reading Academiblog's great entry on writing habits:

Forming the Daily Writing Habit

...Or, maybe use the Writer's Digest's list of writing prompts to write a bunch of fun short stories!

No matter what method we choose, the key is simply: WRITE!

-Bradley Woodrum

Around the Internet

2009-12-10T09:21:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays! A quick post to keep us aware of the Internet is trying to tell us:

My colleagues and friends over at Jacksonville University's writing blog had a great and quick post about using sources in college papers. The summary:

Use:

1. Books written by a subject's expert
2. Newspaper articles
3. Online references from credible databases

Don't use:

1. Wiki-pedia
2. Answers.com
3. ehow.com

Hopefully, most collegiate writers know this already. Although, I think it's worth noting that blogs have become increasingly credible sources -- assuming the author is well-known or considered an authority.

Also, continuing a theme I've espoused here and here, I would like to point out a recent interview on the Writer's Digest website. The article, which interviews acclaimed author Mitch Albom (Tuesdays With Morrie), focuses around the idea of story-telling. Here's perhaps the best part:

Albom claims [writing successfully across genres] takes just one skill: storytelling. “I always tell people I learned to be a writer at the kitchen table,” he says. “We had a big family. You got to tell a story for about two seconds, and if you were boring, someone else just started talking right over you.” This ability to interest others in his characters—fictional or real—is central to every word he writes.

What's interesting about Albom is how he not only writes memoirs -- which naturally allow for story-telling -- but he also writes novels, screen adaptations, and has "maintained an active sportswriting career." That's a pretty impressive feet.

-Bradley Woodrum

Perfect Punctuation: The Incredible Indelible Dash

2009-12-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

Punctuation, for many — many — writers, represents a reprehensible beast, a monster with which grade school teachers tortured us, an entity of pure enmity — a featureless creature of ambiguous utility. Why do we need to learn this — asked we — Can't people still understand it without that comma?

If this is you, then behold: the em dash — the great weapon of Emily Dickinson's (right) affection, the very needle-tool of James Joyce's yarn spool!

Em dashes — which are the width of the letter 'm' and not found on your keyboard — "are used to set off or emphasize the content enclosed within dashes or the content that follows a dash," according to Purdue's excellent OWL site. In this definition, note carefully the uncertain term "to set off." This definition rightly implies that the dash — our mysterious friend — is capable of many things:

Create Appositives

A dash can redefine something, such as Will Smith — the greatest hip-hop actor alive — or even Mark Wahlberg — the most handsome hip-hop actor.

Create Interjectory Clauses

It can add an emphasis at the end of a sentence — much like this! It can interrupt — like right now — a sentence. Hell — it can even start a sentence.

Replace a Colon

A dash can also begin lists — grocery lists, to-do lists, and even "people to avenge" lists

Replace a Semi-Colon

A dash can also join together two similar sentences — it can bridge a gap like a semicolon!

Interrupt a Thought or Sentence

A dash can help me change my mind: Shahrukh Khan is the sexiest — er, I mean funniest — actor in Bollywood Cinema.

Other Capacities

Experimental writers of the Modernist Period — such as James Joyce — often felt compelled to stretch the bounds of the reader's ability to discern thought from dialogue. Joyce toyed with readers by starting paragraphs with an em dash to indicate some dialogue was about to follow, but didn't always tell the reader where the dialogue ended. For instance:

—It's a stinking mean thing, that's what it is, said Fleming in the corridor as the classes were passing out in file to the refectory, to pandy a fellow for what is not his fault. (A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce)

Note how he blends his dialogue with narrative. Of course, I'm not encouraging anyone to write like James Joyce, but I do think it is fun to stretch the bounds of a reader's ability to understand the written word.

In summary: When in doubt, use a dash!

--Bradley Woodrum

Telling Stories, Part 2

2009-11-17T11:14:00.000-08:00

The Scientific Assignment

Some worry their paper is inappropriate for story-telling; perhaps their professor doesn't want to see "I" or "we." Well, in my opinion, that simply affects the degree of story telling. Consider (the aforementioned) Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat and Hot, Flat, and Crowded, among others. He writes about economics -- one of the most dreaded subjects of all students and bookworms alike -- yet his books are bestsellers and easy reads. How does he do that? Well, great researching, for one, but also, he tells stories. He doesn't just inform me: "America is capable of innovating in high tech, green industries." No, he tells me the story of a plant in Pennsylvania that has just built a super-efficient train engine. He quotes some workers, he describes (briefly) the little town they call home -- and, in doing so, he shows me that, indeed, America is capable of innovating in high tech, green industries.

Of course, in papers presenting research and/or recent findings in a scientific field, story-telling plays a much smaller role. It must give homage to statistical evidence and quantitative results. However, the explaining of these findings -- the claims or conclusions -- requires story telling.

***

As an undergrad, I wrote a thesis concerning state-sponsored lottery programs with respect to non-scholarship spending. Real tedious stuff. So, to make the paper interesting and effective, I needed to examine the stories behind the facts and data: "why did the state adopt a lottery program, and who made it happen?" (introduction); "how have particular school, cities, and counties profited from these programs and what do these profits look like?" (body); and "where can we go from here, knowing the total benefits of lottery programs?" (conclusion)?

Granted, the bulk of my paper was statistical analysis, charts, and graphs, but these little stories added value and readability to the paper.

So, when writing a paper about -- say -- biology: draw a picture of the species in its environment. If, for instance, the paper is about the effects of captivity on certain species of elephants, then describe their day-to-day, and do it near the beginning: "A territorial species by nature, the [something] elephants adapt very well to captivity. Tori, the [something] elephant at the Jacksonville Zoo, has even adopted a family cranes, which she fiercely protects from the zoo staff. She sees these fellow-inhabitant cranes as partners in her territory, as members of her pack. In many ways, Tori represents..."

When writing about about finance, there is almost always a story to tell. For instance, if assigned to study recent financial innovations, one must present the backdrop: "In 1982, Congress passed the Garn–St. Germain Depository Institutions Act, a bill meant to reconstitute a stalling housing market during Ronald Reagan's deregulation-administration. Congress wanted house-buyers to have more loans and loan styles to choose from. This seemingly innocuous event led to the eventual creation of adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), one of the severely predatory financial innovations that caused the Great Recession in 2008. Therefore, modern American financial innovation must conform to the federal government's new-found distrust against the development of new tools..."

This finance paper can extend or alter in many ways. Rather than focus on the historical narrative, the paper could examine the major players: which members of Congress pushed this bill (i.e. Garn and St. Germain) and why, which bank CFOs first employed ARMs, which states used ARMs first, or what have people in power now said about financial innovation?

Telling stories, cannot be the meat of a scientific paper, but it can be the potatoes.

What do I mean? Well, statistics, documented research, and analysis must be the core of the paper; however, stories can help to explain these. In Tom Tango, Mitchel Lichtman, and Andrew Dolphin's book, The Book, they examine baseball theories through advanced statistics. Throughout the course of their book, they wisely provide examples, real life stories, to compliment their statistical findings. The authors begin The Book, in its preface, by telling a true story to legitimize their purpose:

The biggest player on the field makes the slow walk from the on-deck circle to the batter's box. The left fielder shouts out something, and the pitcher turns around. Four fingers. The left fielder, who also happens to be the coach of the team, is holding out four fingers. Half of the players on the fielding team have their mouths agape, and the other half nod approvingly. There's a man on second base and one out, after all. The inning ends with three runs scoring, including the batter who was intentionally walked...

With this opening, they present not only a memorable story, but the inherent flaws of the previously accepted norm -- that walking excellent batters intentionally is the best move. Later in The Book, they certainly refrain from such ambitious story-telling, but stay true to the need for historical or hypothetical stories -- a tactic we can all learn to love to mimic.

-Bradley Woodrum

Question, comments, complaints? Please feel free to express yourself in the comments section. Silence shall be interpreted to mean utter and blind acceptance, as well as possible Brad-worship.