The beginning is usually the hardest part. What am I thinking? What do I want to say? Why I am doing this? Do I want hummus or a gyro? Both? These are all questions that go through our heads as we stare at a blank computer screen, but there are ways to combat the frustration of not being able to write.
1) If you're writing a personal essay, sit down with a pen and paper and for 10 minutes write without lifting your pen from the paper. No stopping. This has been lovingly dubbed at JU as "verbal vomit." It's okay if half of the paper is why I am doing this? I hate this. I hate this. I have nothing to say. Stupid. This is so incredibly stupid. Even if you only get a few good ideas down on paper, you still have a few good ideas. Now write.
2) If you're writing a research paper, do your research first. Gather online articles, books, interviews, etc., read through them, highlight when necessary and then do your verbal vomit. Look for themes within that vomit (gross, I know. Just go with it). Is there a specific idea you keep going back to? Now write.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
To Be or Not To Be
"...that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles..." Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, I'll stop. It's very easy for us here at the writing center to go off on quoting tangents. Please feel free to stop us when you see this happening.
Today, it's all about “Be” verbs.
Your “Be” verbs are as follows: am, is, are, was, were, be, been, and being. Say this to yourself like a bagillion times, and you'll be able to say them super fast. So, when people ask you what the "Be" verbs are (and they will) you'll be able to say them like you've known them forever.
"Be" verbs are necessary, but they've now devoured most other verbs. In most cases, "Be" verbs lack clarity and don't show action. They also become very repetitious, and this makes for simple and sloppy writing.
Example:
Sara is sick. She is going to the store to buy some more medicine. She has been sick for awhile, and she is worried she might miss her play tomorrow. This is a role she has been working on for 3 months. Her cast mates are also worried, but the understudy is super ecstatic.
Easy cowboy! That's a lot of "Be" verbs. Let's count 'em folks. 8 "Be" verbs. 8. "Be" verbs should make up roughly 25-35% of all verbs in a paper. So, let's rework this paragraph and bring the "Be" verb usage down a bit.
Better Example:
Because of her sickness, Sarah is going to the store to buy some more medicine. She worries that she might miss her play tomorrow because she has been sick for awhile. This role is 3 months in the making. Her cast mates also worry, but the understudy can’t contain her excitement.
Okay, we've eliminated a lot of "Be" verbs, and we now have them down to 3. Not too shabby. Now, this is important: you need "Be" verbs. Do not completely eliminate them from your writing. Like I mentioned before, they are necessary.
A good way to see if you're using a lot of "Be" verbs is to take a red pen and a paper that you're working on and circle all of the "Be" verbs. You might be very surprised by how much blood, I mean red ink, is on the page. Then, rework the paper where can. Don’t force it, and don't eliminate all of them. That's just ridiculous.
Today, it's all about “Be” verbs.
Your “Be” verbs are as follows: am, is, are, was, were, be, been, and being. Say this to yourself like a bagillion times, and you'll be able to say them super fast. So, when people ask you what the "Be" verbs are (and they will) you'll be able to say them like you've known them forever.
"Be" verbs are necessary, but they've now devoured most other verbs. In most cases, "Be" verbs lack clarity and don't show action. They also become very repetitious, and this makes for simple and sloppy writing.
Example:
Sara is sick. She is going to the store to buy some more medicine. She has been sick for awhile, and she is worried she might miss her play tomorrow. This is a role she has been working on for 3 months. Her cast mates are also worried, but the understudy is super ecstatic.
Easy cowboy! That's a lot of "Be" verbs. Let's count 'em folks. 8 "Be" verbs. 8. "Be" verbs should make up roughly 25-35% of all verbs in a paper. So, let's rework this paragraph and bring the "Be" verb usage down a bit.
Better Example:
Because of her sickness, Sarah is going to the store to buy some more medicine. She worries that she might miss her play tomorrow because she has been sick for awhile. This role is 3 months in the making. Her cast mates also worry, but the understudy can’t contain her excitement.
Okay, we've eliminated a lot of "Be" verbs, and we now have them down to 3. Not too shabby. Now, this is important: you need "Be" verbs. Do not completely eliminate them from your writing. Like I mentioned before, they are necessary.
A good way to see if you're using a lot of "Be" verbs is to take a red pen and a paper that you're working on and circle all of the "Be" verbs. You might be very surprised by how much blood, I mean red ink, is on the page. Then, rework the paper where can. Don’t force it, and don't eliminate all of them. That's just ridiculous.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Happy Holidays!
Unfortunately, there will be no updating on this blog for the next month. Why? It's holiday break! So, join in on the cheer, have a great New Year, and we'll be back mid-January.
http://www.savagechickens.com/images/chickenghost.jpgThursday, December 3, 2009
Sources and Such
We all know we should do it. You know, the ol' adages, "Give credit where credit is due" and "A bird in the hand is worth more than a monkey in the bush." Okay, I'm not so sure about the second one, but the whole idea of giving credit to those who deserve it is important. Not doing so can lead to bad grades, expulsion, or law suits. So, as Nike says, just do it.
But when writing a paper, you want to look for quality sources. Let's review some excellent examples:
1. Books written by a subject's expert
2. Newspaper articles
3. Online references from credible databases (your online school library should have links)
However, when writing a paper that is to be turned in to be graded, do not (hold on, let's capitalize that for extra emphasis) DO NOT include sources from "those" websites. Come on, we all know what I'm referring to:
1. Wiki-pedia
2. Answers.com
3. ehow.com
These sites are the first ones to usually appear in a Google search, and there's no way to verify their credibility other than to find the information somewhere else. So, use those other sources! Now, if you're not sure what to write, and you're looking for ideas, those sites can be a good place to start. However, once you have an idea, exit immediately. Do some real research. Dig deep. Find the experts. Not only will your professors appreciate your thoroughness, but you might actually learn something.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Email Etiquette
Email etiquette is necessary, especially when communicating with professors, colleagues, and your boss. Although as a society we've shorted words and phrases to mere letters (lol - laughing out loud, ttyl - talk to you later, or wdteg - where did the elephant go), they have no place in an email. Emails appear to be informal, but that informal email can be forwarded to every single person with an account at the click of a button. Therefore, you need to make sure it is well composed. Who wants to be known for bad writing on an already scandalous email (I'm just assuming it's scandalous if it's good enough to be forwarded to everyone)?
When writing an email, start with a greeting. It does not need to be super formal, but here are a few examples:
Professors - "Dr. Smith," or "Prof. Smith," if you are unsure if they have a doctorate.
Boss - "Mrs. Courtney,"
Colleague - "WASSUP CASEY!" Okay, bad example. Try, "Hey Casey,"
Then include a body of well-constructed sentences. Example:
"I was reviewing my notes from your Monday and Wednesday American literature class, and I still don't understand why Ginsberg was HOWLing?"
Make sure to use capitalization and punctuation. Also, use the spell check. Nothing looks worse than a person who doesn't spend the extra 10 seconds to double check their work.
And always end with your name:
"Thanks,
Johnny Doe"
Before you hit send, read your email again. These guidelines are simple and easy to follow, but they'll take you a long way. You can talk to your friends however you want, but when you're in a professional setting, you want to be professional.
Purdue's OWL (online writing lab) has a great page with tons of information concerning other aspects of email etiquette.
When writing an email, start with a greeting. It does not need to be super formal, but here are a few examples:
Professors - "Dr. Smith," or "Prof. Smith," if you are unsure if they have a doctorate.
Boss - "Mrs. Courtney,"
Colleague - "WASSUP CASEY!" Okay, bad example. Try, "Hey Casey,"
Then include a body of well-constructed sentences. Example:
"I was reviewing my notes from your Monday and Wednesday American literature class, and I still don't understand why Ginsberg was HOWLing?"
Make sure to use capitalization and punctuation. Also, use the spell check. Nothing looks worse than a person who doesn't spend the extra 10 seconds to double check their work.
And always end with your name:
"Thanks,
Johnny Doe"
Before you hit send, read your email again. These guidelines are simple and easy to follow, but they'll take you a long way. You can talk to your friends however you want, but when you're in a professional setting, you want to be professional.
Purdue's OWL (online writing lab) has a great page with tons of information concerning other aspects of email etiquette.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
How To Use Your Writing Center
We here at the Writing Center love to help. We love discussing comma splices, gerunds, and split infinitives, but, most of all, we love helping you. You are what we're here for. However, over the years, we've discovered (or uncovered?) the best ways to utilize us a tool to improve your writing and your GPA.
1. DO NOT come in 5 – 30 minutes before your paper is due. Don’t even come in that day. Please make an appointment, and come in a few days or a week before it’s due. We might give you ideas on how to strengthen and develop your paper, and we’d probably like to see you again before it’s due.
2. DO NOT text, browse the internet, or talk on your phone while you’re with us. You might miss something very important to the paper or your own writing (plus – it’s just rude people).
3. DO have questions. Not only are your questions answered when you ask, but it makes us feel smart when we answer them.
4. DO make an appointment if you can. The JU Writing Center prioritizes by appointments and then it’s first come, first serve.
5. REALIZE that we might not catch every mistake in your paper, but if you listen to what we have to say when we point out areas you need to work on and give you tips on how to catch your own errors (like reading your paper aloud – it works!) then you can catch them on your own.
6. DO come in.
7. DO come often.
1. DO NOT come in 5 – 30 minutes before your paper is due. Don’t even come in that day. Please make an appointment, and come in a few days or a week before it’s due. We might give you ideas on how to strengthen and develop your paper, and we’d probably like to see you again before it’s due.
2. DO NOT text, browse the internet, or talk on your phone while you’re with us. You might miss something very important to the paper or your own writing (plus – it’s just rude people).
3. DO have questions. Not only are your questions answered when you ask, but it makes us feel smart when we answer them.
4. DO make an appointment if you can. The JU Writing Center prioritizes by appointments and then it’s first come, first serve.
5. REALIZE that we might not catch every mistake in your paper, but if you listen to what we have to say when we point out areas you need to work on and give you tips on how to catch your own errors (like reading your paper aloud – it works!) then you can catch them on your own.
6. DO come in.
7. DO come often.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Use Adverbs Cautiously
Adverbs are snobs; they only hang out with -ly. This is how I remember adverbs, but, like most rules in the English language, there are exceptions, but we're not here to talk about that. If you are interested, there are many online listings of adverbs.
For those in need of a quick reminder, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Also, adverbs answer questions such as "when," "where," "how," and "how much."
Here are some examples, and the adverbs are bold.
He boldly told that elephant not to fly to Alaska.
She sat quietly as the doctors explained that she had grown a third arm.
He ran down quickly to the witches' cottage in the Forgotten Forrest.
Writers be wary. Although adverbs can be colorful and very useful to your reader, you do not want to drown them in adverbs.
While limping lazily through the meadow with surprisingly high grass, our hero, the hopelessly romantic Lorenzo, thought of his beautifully tall new wife.
Writing with too many adverbs can easily become messy and wordy, making it difficult for readers to get to the meaning of your words. Remember, Natalie Goldberg's book is "Writing Down the Bones", not "Writing Down the Fat, Muscle, and Meat on the Bones."
Use adverbs to enhance a sentence, not overpower it.
For those in need of a quick reminder, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Also, adverbs answer questions such as "when," "where," "how," and "how much."
Here are some examples, and the adverbs are bold.
He boldly told that elephant not to fly to Alaska.
She sat quietly as the doctors explained that she had grown a third arm.
He ran down quickly to the witches' cottage in the Forgotten Forrest.
Writers be wary. Although adverbs can be colorful and very useful to your reader, you do not want to drown them in adverbs.
While limping lazily through the meadow with surprisingly high grass, our hero, the hopelessly romantic Lorenzo, thought of his beautifully tall new wife.
Writing with too many adverbs can easily become messy and wordy, making it difficult for readers to get to the meaning of your words. Remember, Natalie Goldberg's book is "Writing Down the Bones", not "Writing Down the Fat, Muscle, and Meat on the Bones."
Use adverbs to enhance a sentence, not overpower it.
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