How organize a research project? Students reflect on their personal experience with the subject of the research; see a multi-modal presentation on the subject; consult children’s books on the subject; YA books on the subject; adult books on the subject; knowledgeable people on the subject; Internet info on the subject; prepare a Q &A on the subject; Produce unanswered questions about the subject. Ray (2004), suggested by Sr. P Randle. Elementary English (Jan. 70), 156.
What is “spelling consciousness”? Proposes the concept of “spelling consciousness,” whether students recognize that they have misspelled words. WJ Valmont. “Spelling Consciousness: A Long Neglected Area.” 1219-1221.
How predict spellings that end in “-er” and “-or”? Concrete nouns (water, slipper) tend to end in “-er,” while abstract nouns tend to end in “-or” (humor, flavor), but exceptions are “sugar” and “cellar.” JW Bloodgood & LC Pacifici. Reading Teacher (Nov. 04), 261.
What do we know about having difficulties with spelling? 85% of our words are spelled regularly. The difficulty has risen because the 15% that are spelled irregularly are used 85% of the time. GL Jackson & AM Guber. “The Way Out of the Spelling Labyrinth,” 94.
How teach students to deal with controversial issues in writing? Motivate students to write by raising emotional, controversial issues, but show students how to control their emotions when discussing them and writing about them. J Lindquist. College English (Nov. 04), 187-209.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 33
What should be done about complex usage problems? “If a word is rarely used in spoken English and if the rules that govern its use are so convoluted that they make the average language user beg for mercy, that word should be expelled, excommunicated from the language. Whom is such a word…. There is ample precedent for banishing words from the language. Thee and thou left us years ago, leaving us with only you, an excellent replacement.” D Soles. English Journal (May 05), 34.
What effect does word processing have on students’ writing? Students using word processing made more revisions than students using pencil/pen. A Cook, A Goldberg & M Russell. Research in the Teaching of English (Nov. 04), 202. (abs.)
How succeed in argumentative writing and speaking? “…the good rhetor answers the opponent’s questions even before they’re asked.” WC Booth. College English (Mar. 05), 379.
How learn from other people’s writing? Mary Higgins Clark summarized the first and last paragraphs of each chapter of duMaurier’s Rebecca to see how she created terror or suspense. EM Abbe. The Writer (Dec. 04), 6.
What is the hardest job in having your book published? “When I held the completed manuscript in my hands, little did I know that the hardest jobs—getting the book published and getting it noticed—were still ahead of me.” L Borders [Author of Cloud Cuckoo Land]. The Writer (May 05), 14.
How prepare book proposals? In submitting book proposals, you need to summarize your competition, other books written on your topic, and state why your book is different. Begin with Amazon.com. M Allen. The Writer (Nov. 04), 15-16.
What effect does word processing have on students’ writing? Students using word processing made more revisions than students using pencil/pen. A Cook, A Goldberg & M Russell. Research in the Teaching of English (Nov. 04), 202. (abs.)
How succeed in argumentative writing and speaking? “…the good rhetor answers the opponent’s questions even before they’re asked.” WC Booth. College English (Mar. 05), 379.
How learn from other people’s writing? Mary Higgins Clark summarized the first and last paragraphs of each chapter of duMaurier’s Rebecca to see how she created terror or suspense. EM Abbe. The Writer (Dec. 04), 6.
What is the hardest job in having your book published? “When I held the completed manuscript in my hands, little did I know that the hardest jobs—getting the book published and getting it noticed—were still ahead of me.” L Borders [Author of Cloud Cuckoo Land]. The Writer (May 05), 14.
How prepare book proposals? In submitting book proposals, you need to summarize your competition, other books written on your topic, and state why your book is different. Begin with Amazon.com. M Allen. The Writer (Nov. 04), 15-16.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 32
How long does it take writers to write books? Roald Dahl: “I have written only two long children’s books myself, and for all I know they may be completely worthless…. Each of them took somewhere between eight and nine months to complete, with no time off for other work, and eight or nine months is a big slice out of the life of any writer….” The Writer (Apr. 05), 8.
What don’t standardized writing tests tell us about student writers? “Standardized tests like the SAT II and our own writing placement test, while they do provide some data about student writers, do not capture some of the qualities—like motivation, task persistence, and the metacognitive abilities that allow students to take courses strategically—that count most heavily toward success in the university. (That is why high school GPA remains the most accurate single predictor of success in college.)” S McLeod, H Horn & RH Haswell. College Composition and Communication (June 05), 556-580.
What are the advantages of short courses in writing? “Authors found that the short, 6-week writing course helped students with poor standardized test scores succeed in learning to write because of “immersion.” “We now know that our accelerated courses do not shortchange but actually support student learning: we can now look for ways to offer such ‘immersion’ experiences in other venues….” S McLeod, H Horn & RH Haswell. College Composition and Communication (June 05), 556-580.
How teach students to construct a story? Using 12 shots, students create a photo story with accompanying text on index cards. R Wilder. Class Notes Plus (Aug. 05), 14-15.
How help students learn to write fiction? Each person in a group writes the first paragraph of a story. Then pass to the right. Write second paragraph. Then pass to the right and write the third paragraph. Etc. F Jones. The Writer (May 05), 12.
What don’t standardized writing tests tell us about student writers? “Standardized tests like the SAT II and our own writing placement test, while they do provide some data about student writers, do not capture some of the qualities—like motivation, task persistence, and the metacognitive abilities that allow students to take courses strategically—that count most heavily toward success in the university. (That is why high school GPA remains the most accurate single predictor of success in college.)” S McLeod, H Horn & RH Haswell. College Composition and Communication (June 05), 556-580.
What are the advantages of short courses in writing? “Authors found that the short, 6-week writing course helped students with poor standardized test scores succeed in learning to write because of “immersion.” “We now know that our accelerated courses do not shortchange but actually support student learning: we can now look for ways to offer such ‘immersion’ experiences in other venues….” S McLeod, H Horn & RH Haswell. College Composition and Communication (June 05), 556-580.
How teach students to construct a story? Using 12 shots, students create a photo story with accompanying text on index cards. R Wilder. Class Notes Plus (Aug. 05), 14-15.
How help students learn to write fiction? Each person in a group writes the first paragraph of a story. Then pass to the right. Write second paragraph. Then pass to the right and write the third paragraph. Etc. F Jones. The Writer (May 05), 12.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 31
What is the value of the five-paragraph essay?
Gives students a framework (a model?) for organization. Byung-n-Seo. English Journal (Nov. 07), 15-16.
How prepare writing assignments?
Need to revise once-favorite writing assignments to make them more relevant to today’s students. SA Jolley. English Journal (Nov. 07), 23.
How help students define the writing process?
Ask students to complete the following sentence: “Writing is like….” G van Nest. English Journal (Nov. 07), 98.
How can writing teachers improve relations with the community?
Use our skills in writing and teaching writing by working cooperatively with groups in the community. S Schneider. College English (Nov. 07), 144-167.
What is “voice” in writing?
“Voice” in writing reflects the personality of the writer. P. Elbow. College English (Nov. 07), 168.
Why write memoirs?
Student wrote a memoir as his dissertation. Mother disagreed with the facts of an incident when he was diagnosed with cancer. People might disagree with “what happened” when one writes a memoir, but it doesn’t matter. Facts of incidents may be remembered differently by different people. Although you learn to define yourself by writing memoirs, they are also written for others—a way of participating in the experiences of life. W Bradley. College English (Nov. 07), 202-211.
Gives students a framework (a model?) for organization. Byung-n-Seo. English Journal (Nov. 07), 15-16.
How prepare writing assignments?
Need to revise once-favorite writing assignments to make them more relevant to today’s students. SA Jolley. English Journal (Nov. 07), 23.
How help students define the writing process?
Ask students to complete the following sentence: “Writing is like….” G van Nest. English Journal (Nov. 07), 98.
How can writing teachers improve relations with the community?
Use our skills in writing and teaching writing by working cooperatively with groups in the community. S Schneider. College English (Nov. 07), 144-167.
What is “voice” in writing?
“Voice” in writing reflects the personality of the writer. P. Elbow. College English (Nov. 07), 168.
Why write memoirs?
Student wrote a memoir as his dissertation. Mother disagreed with the facts of an incident when he was diagnosed with cancer. People might disagree with “what happened” when one writes a memoir, but it doesn’t matter. Facts of incidents may be remembered differently by different people. Although you learn to define yourself by writing memoirs, they are also written for others—a way of participating in the experiences of life. W Bradley. College English (Nov. 07), 202-211.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 30
How help law students learn to write in the legal profession? The first communication need for anyone in law is to be able to state precisely…what the law is. DW Stevenson. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 78), 30. The second communication need for anyone in law is to be able to define a problem, or, in their terms, to isolate legal issues. DW Stevenson. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 78), 31. The third communication need for anyone in law is to be able effectively to set forth the facts of a case. DW Stevenson. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 78), 32. The fourth need for anyone in law is [to]…apply general principles of law to particular instances. DW Stevenson. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 78), 33. If lawyers need the power to persuade, however, it is interesting to discover how little training in persuasion they receive. DW Stevenson. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 78), 33. The fifth need for anyone in law is to be able to adapt his or her written discourse on legal issues to communicate to non-lawyers. DW Stevenson. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 78), 33. Of course, I am not suggesting that all legal discourse should be accessible to non-lawyers, but it is certainly true that much legal discourse must be. Surprisingly, though, there is little training given law professionals in this very important professional skill, even though it is clear that those in law understand the need for the skills. DW Stevenson. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 78), 34.
How help children learn to speak and write using the language experience approach [LEA]? Children retell a story they have read or heard read to them. Their re-told story is recorded on chart paper. They then read it aloud. GM Giovannini. Elementary English (Nov. 72), 981-985.
Why teach creative writing? Students engage in creative writing exercises to help them understand the creative techniques used in writing literature. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 77), 72-73.
How use writing in teaching literature? In the last 5 to 10 minutes of class, students write journal entries on the literature being discussed in class. JR Nicholl. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 305-307.
How help students learn different types of essays? Use Montaigne as a model for the personal essay, an alternative to the standard 5-paragraph “essay.” “Meandering thoughts.” RM Palumbo. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 382-384. [Might want to use the “Spectator” and Francis Bacon and more modern essayists as well.]
What do modern writers need to learn? …the biggest problem writers now face: how to present the sophisticated content people need in the simplified formats today’s attention spans require. CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s The Web’s Impact on Writing…. American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 1. [B Ross-Larson]: ‘Attention-sustaining devices….’ CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s The Web’s Impact on Writing…. American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
What should be the writer’s purpose? Louis Sachar: Try to write something really good. Don’t go into it as a money-maker or with the objective to get published. The object is to write something good. And then it probably will get published and might make money. The goal is to write a good book. SM Cindrich. The Writer (Oct. 04), 23.
How help children learn to speak and write using the language experience approach [LEA]? Children retell a story they have read or heard read to them. Their re-told story is recorded on chart paper. They then read it aloud. GM Giovannini. Elementary English (Nov. 72), 981-985.
Why teach creative writing? Students engage in creative writing exercises to help them understand the creative techniques used in writing literature. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 77), 72-73.
How use writing in teaching literature? In the last 5 to 10 minutes of class, students write journal entries on the literature being discussed in class. JR Nicholl. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 305-307.
How help students learn different types of essays? Use Montaigne as a model for the personal essay, an alternative to the standard 5-paragraph “essay.” “Meandering thoughts.” RM Palumbo. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 382-384. [Might want to use the “Spectator” and Francis Bacon and more modern essayists as well.]
What do modern writers need to learn? …the biggest problem writers now face: how to present the sophisticated content people need in the simplified formats today’s attention spans require. CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s The Web’s Impact on Writing…. American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 1. [B Ross-Larson]: ‘Attention-sustaining devices….’ CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s The Web’s Impact on Writing…. American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
What should be the writer’s purpose? Louis Sachar: Try to write something really good. Don’t go into it as a money-maker or with the objective to get published. The object is to write something good. And then it probably will get published and might make money. The goal is to write a good book. SM Cindrich. The Writer (Oct. 04), 23.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 29
What are the steps in the writing process? Divides the composing process into the steps of pre-writing (experiencing the desire to communicate, discovering subject and audience, choosing a form), writing (arranging material, making choices of language, embodying ideas in language), and post-writing (evaluating, editing, proofreading). C Koch & JM Brazil in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 205.
How teach students to organize paragraphs? Given a starter sentence, students try to predict the sentences that will follow. M Donley. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 184. Students begin paragraph with a question instead of a topic sentence. The body of the paragraph answers the question. C Cohan, 1976. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 182.
What do we know about organizing paragraphs? [B Ross-Larson]: It’s true that a single paragraph shouldn’t contain more than one idea; equally true that some ideas deserve more than one paragraph. CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s The Web’s Impact on Writing…. American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
How prepare to write an abstract? …topic sentences need to be weighed heavily [in preparing to construct an abstract]. They are often the first…sentence in a paragraph and carry the main idea. DM Guinn. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 383.
How good is the quality of writing in papers offered for plagiarism on the Internet? Author goes online and pays for term papers on demand, a healthy chunk of money, too. Gives examples of the quality of writing from the papers—it isn’t good. S Hansen. New York Times (Aug. 22, 04), Internet.
How teach poetry? Display poetic formats in the classroom. M Weiger. Elementary English (Jan. 75), 106. Among all figures of speech, the metaphor and the simile are probably those poets use most often. Each of these figures creates a comparison between things not usually regarded as comparable. In this respect, simile and metaphor are similar. There is an obvious technical difference in their structures, the simile always marked by “as,” “like” or some other word to signal the comparison. And there are some subtle differences in the way the two figures affect meaning and in the impression they make upon the reader. F Trefethen. The Writer (Sept. 73), 21.
How teach students to organize paragraphs? Given a starter sentence, students try to predict the sentences that will follow. M Donley. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 184. Students begin paragraph with a question instead of a topic sentence. The body of the paragraph answers the question. C Cohan, 1976. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 182.
What do we know about organizing paragraphs? [B Ross-Larson]: It’s true that a single paragraph shouldn’t contain more than one idea; equally true that some ideas deserve more than one paragraph. CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s The Web’s Impact on Writing…. American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
How prepare to write an abstract? …topic sentences need to be weighed heavily [in preparing to construct an abstract]. They are often the first…sentence in a paragraph and carry the main idea. DM Guinn. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 383.
How good is the quality of writing in papers offered for plagiarism on the Internet? Author goes online and pays for term papers on demand, a healthy chunk of money, too. Gives examples of the quality of writing from the papers—it isn’t good. S Hansen. New York Times (Aug. 22, 04), Internet.
How teach poetry? Display poetic formats in the classroom. M Weiger. Elementary English (Jan. 75), 106. Among all figures of speech, the metaphor and the simile are probably those poets use most often. Each of these figures creates a comparison between things not usually regarded as comparable. In this respect, simile and metaphor are similar. There is an obvious technical difference in their structures, the simile always marked by “as,” “like” or some other word to signal the comparison. And there are some subtle differences in the way the two figures affect meaning and in the impression they make upon the reader. F Trefethen. The Writer (Sept. 73), 21.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 28
How measure quality in writing? Predictors of quality in writing: density of modification in paragraphs; absence of run-on sentences. P DiStefano & R Marzano in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 200.
How should students prepare for writing? Rhetorical situation: Why are you writing? Who is your audience? What is the occasion? What is your purpose? What is the means of publication? What particular constraints seem to be operating? Students must complete the “rhetorical situation” before turning in papers. LS Ede. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79)
How can teachers help their students learn to write? Teachers should review and comment on preliminary drafts. W U McDonald, Jr. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 167-170.
How should students prepare for writing? Some writers seem to work more in their head, and others more on paper. DM Murray. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 377.
How can students become more conscious of their writing process? Students keep diaries in which they reflect on their writing processes. S Crowley. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 166-169.
How should students prepare for writing? Heuristics are lists of questions about topics that enable students to produce information on the topic and prepare them to write compositions on the topic. JM Lauer. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 268-269.
What are the processes that writers in all fields use in producing their writing? We have interviews with imaginative writers about the writing process, but rarely interviews with science writers, business writers, political writers, journalists, ghost writers, legal writers, medical writers—examples of effective writers who use language to inform and persuade. DM Murray. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 380.
How should students prepare for writing? Rhetorical situation: Why are you writing? Who is your audience? What is the occasion? What is your purpose? What is the means of publication? What particular constraints seem to be operating? Students must complete the “rhetorical situation” before turning in papers. LS Ede. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79)
How can teachers help their students learn to write? Teachers should review and comment on preliminary drafts. W U McDonald, Jr. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 167-170.
How should students prepare for writing? Some writers seem to work more in their head, and others more on paper. DM Murray. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 377.
How can students become more conscious of their writing process? Students keep diaries in which they reflect on their writing processes. S Crowley. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 166-169.
How should students prepare for writing? Heuristics are lists of questions about topics that enable students to produce information on the topic and prepare them to write compositions on the topic. JM Lauer. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 268-269.
What are the processes that writers in all fields use in producing their writing? We have interviews with imaginative writers about the writing process, but rarely interviews with science writers, business writers, political writers, journalists, ghost writers, legal writers, medical writers—examples of effective writers who use language to inform and persuade. DM Murray. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 380.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 27
Writing exercise. Talk to another person for 20 minutes. Then write a portrait of your partner. A Bloom. The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 29.
Pre-writing. Before beginning, decide on where and with whom and how you are going to do your research. S Gruen. The Writer (Apr. 07), pp. 30-33.
Form for writing. There is a difference between reports and stories. RP Clark, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 42.
Organization for writing. Build your work around a key question. RP Clark. The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 44.
Publishing. “In some cases, writing the book is the easy part—selling it is what is truly challenging.” K. James-Enger, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 50.
Teaching writing. Writing can be taught. The desire to write cannot be taught. R Rendell, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 55.
Writing reviews. End a review of a book with the “best line” from the book. J Broderick, The Writer (Apr. 07), pp. 59-61.
How To write. “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all—that’s read a lot and write a lot.” Stephen King, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 60.
Pre-writing. Pay attention to letters to the editor of magazines—they’re your audience. H Hoff, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 63.
Pre-writing. Before beginning, decide on where and with whom and how you are going to do your research. S Gruen. The Writer (Apr. 07), pp. 30-33.
Form for writing. There is a difference between reports and stories. RP Clark, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 42.
Organization for writing. Build your work around a key question. RP Clark. The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 44.
Publishing. “In some cases, writing the book is the easy part—selling it is what is truly challenging.” K. James-Enger, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 50.
Teaching writing. Writing can be taught. The desire to write cannot be taught. R Rendell, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 55.
Writing reviews. End a review of a book with the “best line” from the book. J Broderick, The Writer (Apr. 07), pp. 59-61.
How To write. “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all—that’s read a lot and write a lot.” Stephen King, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 60.
Pre-writing. Pay attention to letters to the editor of magazines—they’re your audience. H Hoff, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 63.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 26
Beginning your writing. “Always begin your story with a short, strong sentence.” WH Hills., The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 8.
Publishing “Then [1887 at the founding of The Writer] as now (alas), few writers got rich off their words.” C Leddy, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 9.
Writer’s Block. Running is a way to generate ideas, according to Malcolm Gladwell of the New Yorker: "I explicitly use this time to work out writing problems.” K. Elde. The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 9.
Ideas for writing. Listen to others’ stories and write them. PM Avery, The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 16.
Writing process Most writers write in order to discover. R Bausch. The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 23.
Audience. “Readers shall take what they will or won’t; I can’t allow myself to worry about it. Truly, it’s just the story, telling the story with as much vividness and exactness and force as I can.” R Bausch. The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 25.
Writer’s block. Try writing a 1,000 word sentence without concern for punctuation, spelling, etc. J McCorkle. The Writer (Apr. 07), p. 28.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 25
What is meant by revising? Students have been so intimidated in their grade-school classrooms by Mrs. Grundy’s standards of neatness that they may interpret our assignments to revise as requests merely to recopy an original to improve the appearance on the page. EP Maimon. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 367.
How teach revision? Give students copies of our own first drafts with revisions so that they can visualize the process of revision. EP Maimon. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 367.
How define revision? …identifies two kinds of revision: external revision (preparing the writing for a reader) and internal revision (discovering meaning, structure, preferred word choices, voice in what one has written). DM Murray in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 208.
How define revision? Revision is usually equated with cleanliness; to revise is to groom, to polish, to order, and to tidy-up one’s writing. The message communicated to students is that revision is the act of cleaning prose of all its linguistic litter. NI Sommers. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 79), 48. [RayS: I define the use of a knowledge of grammar in editing as the process of polishing prose. I define revision as adding, deleting, substituting and moving words, phrases, clauses, sentences and paragraphs.]
How define revision? The use of such temporal phrases as ‘the final aspect of the composing process is revision…’ or ‘after a writer writes, he revises…’ equate revision with an activity that is separate in quality and isolated in time from writing. NI Sommers. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 79), 48. [RayS: In my sequence of the writing process, students, once they have defined their thesis sentence, complete a quick first draft that is then revised and edited. I consider it important to put down a first draft right to the summarizing paragraph—a first draft that is then reworked. Sommers seems to envision a process that begins at the beginning with the introductory material and works steadily through the thesis, the middle paragraphs and the final summarizing paragraph, revising and editing as she goes. That’s not the way I write, but I can understand that once people understand the structure of expository writing, they might prefer to write in that way.]
How teach revision? Give students copies of our own first drafts with revisions so that they can visualize the process of revision. EP Maimon. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 367.
How define revision? …identifies two kinds of revision: external revision (preparing the writing for a reader) and internal revision (discovering meaning, structure, preferred word choices, voice in what one has written). DM Murray in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 208.
How define revision? Revision is usually equated with cleanliness; to revise is to groom, to polish, to order, and to tidy-up one’s writing. The message communicated to students is that revision is the act of cleaning prose of all its linguistic litter. NI Sommers. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 79), 48. [RayS: I define the use of a knowledge of grammar in editing as the process of polishing prose. I define revision as adding, deleting, substituting and moving words, phrases, clauses, sentences and paragraphs.]
How define revision? The use of such temporal phrases as ‘the final aspect of the composing process is revision…’ or ‘after a writer writes, he revises…’ equate revision with an activity that is separate in quality and isolated in time from writing. NI Sommers. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 79), 48. [RayS: In my sequence of the writing process, students, once they have defined their thesis sentence, complete a quick first draft that is then revised and edited. I consider it important to put down a first draft right to the summarizing paragraph—a first draft that is then reworked. Sommers seems to envision a process that begins at the beginning with the introductory material and works steadily through the thesis, the middle paragraphs and the final summarizing paragraph, revising and editing as she goes. That’s not the way I write, but I can understand that once people understand the structure of expository writing, they might prefer to write in that way.]
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 24
In what ways can teachers respond to student writing? 7 methods of responding to student writing: correcting, emoting, describing, questioning, reminding, suggesting, assigning [another paper based on what the student has written]. EO Lees. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 370-374. Use questions in responding to students’ papers. L Odell, 1976. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 189. Give student writers positive encouragement in what they are doing well. EF Haynes in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 203.
How prepare students for peer review? Teachers need to model how to respond to students’ writing in order for their students to respond effectively to other students’ writing. R VanDeWeghe. English Journal (Sept. 04), 95-99.
How can the teacher become a real audience for student writers? The teacher emphasizes that he is a “dumb reader.” Make your writing so clear that even a dumb reader like me will understand it. W Gibson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 192-195.
What are student assumptions about writing? …since very few of our students understand how writers behave, they may initially resent the assignment to write multiple drafts because they believe that good writers get things right the first time. EP Maimon. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 367.
What are the characteristics of good writers? “The ability to reflect on what is being written seems to be the essence of the difference between able and not-so-able writers, from their initial writing experience onward.” [Teach students the habit of reflecting on their writing.] S Pianko. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 277.
How prepare students for peer review? Teachers need to model how to respond to students’ writing in order for their students to respond effectively to other students’ writing. R VanDeWeghe. English Journal (Sept. 04), 95-99.
How can the teacher become a real audience for student writers? The teacher emphasizes that he is a “dumb reader.” Make your writing so clear that even a dumb reader like me will understand it. W Gibson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 192-195.
What are student assumptions about writing? …since very few of our students understand how writers behave, they may initially resent the assignment to write multiple drafts because they believe that good writers get things right the first time. EP Maimon. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 367.
What are the characteristics of good writers? “The ability to reflect on what is being written seems to be the essence of the difference between able and not-so-able writers, from their initial writing experience onward.” [Teach students the habit of reflecting on their writing.] S Pianko. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 277.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 23
How help students simplify technical writing? Students given passage in science. They must replace technical words with common words that explain the technical term. CR Elliott. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 184.
What is style? Emerson in “Poetry and Imagination”: Write, that I may know you. Style betrays you, as your eyes do. We detect at once by it whether the writer has a firm grasp on his fact or thought. Qtd by G Cowan. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 77), 262. [Strunk and White: Style is a matter of attitude.] Strunk and White: Style takes its final shape…more from attitudes of mind than from principles of composition. CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s "The Web’s Impact on Writing…." American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
How help the reader follow the writer’s thought? [B Ross-Larson] favors ‘engaging titles and subtitles,’ powerful section headings. CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s "The Web’s Impact on Writing…." American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
What is the most significant problem in teaching the research paper? “One of the problems with a traditional research paper has been the wedding…of inquiry-based research with thesis-driven persuasive writing.” J Strickland. English Journal (Sept. 04), 23.
What is the role of footnoting in the modern research paper? An agonizing review of the complexities of footnoting and the new edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. [How do modern writers organize their material? The author, who is a regular book reviewer for The New Yorker, has a curious method of organizing his material. He most definitely does not use the “Tell them…” approach to organizing. In this review, he begins with an agonizingly vivid retelling of his experience of typing footnotes on a typewriter, launches into a diatribe against Word for Windows and finishes with his description of the frustrations that await users of the new edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.] L Menand. New Yorker (Oct. 6, 03), 120-126. [File.]
What are some alternatives to the traditional research paper? Students do research but use different genres in reporting on that research. J Conrad. Classroom Notes Plus (Aug. 04), 8-10.
What is style? Emerson in “Poetry and Imagination”: Write, that I may know you. Style betrays you, as your eyes do. We detect at once by it whether the writer has a firm grasp on his fact or thought. Qtd by G Cowan. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 77), 262. [Strunk and White: Style is a matter of attitude.] Strunk and White: Style takes its final shape…more from attitudes of mind than from principles of composition. CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s "The Web’s Impact on Writing…." American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
How help the reader follow the writer’s thought? [B Ross-Larson] favors ‘engaging titles and subtitles,’ powerful section headings. CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s "The Web’s Impact on Writing…." American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
What is the most significant problem in teaching the research paper? “One of the problems with a traditional research paper has been the wedding…of inquiry-based research with thesis-driven persuasive writing.” J Strickland. English Journal (Sept. 04), 23.
What is the role of footnoting in the modern research paper? An agonizing review of the complexities of footnoting and the new edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. [How do modern writers organize their material? The author, who is a regular book reviewer for The New Yorker, has a curious method of organizing his material. He most definitely does not use the “Tell them…” approach to organizing. In this review, he begins with an agonizingly vivid retelling of his experience of typing footnotes on a typewriter, launches into a diatribe against Word for Windows and finishes with his description of the frustrations that await users of the new edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.] L Menand. New Yorker (Oct. 6, 03), 120-126. [File.]
What are some alternatives to the traditional research paper? Students do research but use different genres in reporting on that research. J Conrad. Classroom Notes Plus (Aug. 04), 8-10.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 22
How should teachers respond to students’ errors in writing? See if students’ errors cluster in patterns. Is there an underlying pattern that unites the errors? MP Shaughnessy. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 190-191.
Should English teachers write? “English teachers should write. They should write even when they have papers to correct, lesson plans to make, reading to do, committee meetings to attend, Anacin to buy for their headaches, TV programs to watch, spouses to love, meals to eat, a face to prepare to meet the faces they must meet. Yes, English teachers must write even if there is little time to write. Because writing is important, they must find time to write.” EF Suderman. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 357. When I share with the students my own frustrations and problems in writing, a barrier begins to come down. CA Jacobs. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Sept. 04), 43. Teacher says that to teach writing well, one must write—along with the students—in order to share the experience of the process with them. The teacher becomes a student in her classroom. J Domuragli. English Journal (Sept. 04), 22.
How should teachers give writing assignments? “Some of us would benefit if we adopted the procedure of never assigning a paper which we ourselves have not attempted.” EF Suderman. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 357.
How relate writing and literature? “The teacher [or student] who has tried to write a sonnet can more easily appreciate Shakespeare’s mastery of the form….” EF Suderman. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 357.
What can students learn from analyzing the work of professional writers? Study passages from a particular writer. What rules about writing can be inferred? L Garrigues. English Journal (Sept. 04), 59-65.
Should English teachers write? “English teachers should write. They should write even when they have papers to correct, lesson plans to make, reading to do, committee meetings to attend, Anacin to buy for their headaches, TV programs to watch, spouses to love, meals to eat, a face to prepare to meet the faces they must meet. Yes, English teachers must write even if there is little time to write. Because writing is important, they must find time to write.” EF Suderman. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 357. When I share with the students my own frustrations and problems in writing, a barrier begins to come down. CA Jacobs. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Sept. 04), 43. Teacher says that to teach writing well, one must write—along with the students—in order to share the experience of the process with them. The teacher becomes a student in her classroom. J Domuragli. English Journal (Sept. 04), 22.
How should teachers give writing assignments? “Some of us would benefit if we adopted the procedure of never assigning a paper which we ourselves have not attempted.” EF Suderman. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 357.
How relate writing and literature? “The teacher [or student] who has tried to write a sonnet can more easily appreciate Shakespeare’s mastery of the form….” EF Suderman. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 357.
What can students learn from analyzing the work of professional writers? Study passages from a particular writer. What rules about writing can be inferred? L Garrigues. English Journal (Sept. 04), 59-65.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 21
Is sexist language discriminatory? In the spirit of combating sexism in language, an author named Jones objects to the indiscriminate use of people named “Jones” in examples used by teacher. VH Jones. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 77), 283.
How use the resources of word processing programs to correct mistakes frequently repeated? [B Ross-Larson]: Modify the ‘auto-correct section of your word processor to flag frequent misusages such as ‘media is’ or ‘irregardless.’ CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s The Web’s Impact on Writing…. American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
What type of writing is emphasized in college? Most writing at the college level in all academic courses is expository. Not much use of “expressive” or “creative” writing. AR Gere. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 185.
How do faculty outside of English feel about student errors in writing? “But do we have any evidence to support our assertion that faculty outside the English department are upset by English errors in student writing or that they are even capable of detecting such errors when confronted with them?” GC Klinger. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 343.
How do faculty outside of English feel about student writing? Author sampled college content teachers on “major” errors—those that are particularly irritating. Concludes, “English usage may not have a strong direct bearing on grading outside of English courses, but language errors are clearly distracting…to many instructors. On the other hand, undergraduates who have a firm command of proper English usage and who are skillful in written expression are likely to impress instructors favorably.” GC Klinger. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 247.
How teach students to write professional journal articles? Students in the social studies (history, psychology, criminology, geography and urban studies) learn how to write journal articles in their fields by reading them. EM Hoffman. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 195-197.
How do content teachers use writing in their classes? Concludes that most faculty interviewed have not developed a coherent approach to the role of writing in their classes, are not aware of how to deal with problems in students’ writing and do not see possible connections between writing activities and other ways in which students learn. S Zemelman in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 213.
What is the effect of our oral culture on students’ learning to write? [Ray: They write as they speak? Repetition, conversational vocabulary, i.e., “there,” “this,” “get,” “thing,” “it,” etc.?] Running words together (“alot”); confusion of similar-sounding words (“there/their”); misspelled words [tries, receive, existence, experience, persuade, neither, succeed, necessary, leisure, environment, dying, truly, writing, athlete, embarrass, definite, analyze, similar, disastrous]; sentence fragments; comma faults; omission of terminal “—ed”; proliferation of second-person pronoun; size of vocabulary. Compared 70s- and 50s-era papers. [File.] E Sloan. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 156-160.
How use the resources of word processing programs to correct mistakes frequently repeated? [B Ross-Larson]: Modify the ‘auto-correct section of your word processor to flag frequent misusages such as ‘media is’ or ‘irregardless.’ CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s The Web’s Impact on Writing…. American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 2.
What type of writing is emphasized in college? Most writing at the college level in all academic courses is expository. Not much use of “expressive” or “creative” writing. AR Gere. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 185.
How do faculty outside of English feel about student errors in writing? “But do we have any evidence to support our assertion that faculty outside the English department are upset by English errors in student writing or that they are even capable of detecting such errors when confronted with them?” GC Klinger. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 343.
How do faculty outside of English feel about student writing? Author sampled college content teachers on “major” errors—those that are particularly irritating. Concludes, “English usage may not have a strong direct bearing on grading outside of English courses, but language errors are clearly distracting…to many instructors. On the other hand, undergraduates who have a firm command of proper English usage and who are skillful in written expression are likely to impress instructors favorably.” GC Klinger. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 247.
How teach students to write professional journal articles? Students in the social studies (history, psychology, criminology, geography and urban studies) learn how to write journal articles in their fields by reading them. EM Hoffman. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 195-197.
How do content teachers use writing in their classes? Concludes that most faculty interviewed have not developed a coherent approach to the role of writing in their classes, are not aware of how to deal with problems in students’ writing and do not see possible connections between writing activities and other ways in which students learn. S Zemelman in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 213.
What is the effect of our oral culture on students’ learning to write? [Ray: They write as they speak? Repetition, conversational vocabulary, i.e., “there,” “this,” “get,” “thing,” “it,” etc.?] Running words together (“alot”); confusion of similar-sounding words (“there/their”); misspelled words [tries, receive, existence, experience, persuade, neither, succeed, necessary, leisure, environment, dying, truly, writing, athlete, embarrass, definite, analyze, similar, disastrous]; sentence fragments; comma faults; omission of terminal “—ed”; proliferation of second-person pronoun; size of vocabulary. Compared 70s- and 50s-era papers. [File.] E Sloan. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 156-160.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 20
How deal in public with complex, specialized issues? The key to participating as a citizen when dealing with complex, technical issues is the ability to formulate the right questions. WM Simmons and JT Grabill. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 440.
How deal in public with complex, specialized issues? In order to participate in the decision-making process, we must learn how as non-experts to get the knowledge we need, usually through cooperation with others. WM Simmons and JT Grabill. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 419-448.
What are some issues in teaching writing? “Disconnect” between how scholars see the teaching of writing and how we are teaching the students in front of us every day.” CR Farris. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 465.
How describe the thesis sentence? B. Ross-Larson writes, "Your main message is the one sentence you’d give to your reader if that’s what you’re limited to." CS Stepp in Rev. of B Ross-Larson’s "The Web’s Impact on Writing…." American Journalism. Issue 8, 2002, p. 1.
What is the relationship between writing and thinking? Peter Elbow attacks the rationalist, two-step model of first thinking, then writing and insists that writing is a way of thinking. J Kinney. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 355-356.
What kinds of titles "grab" the reader? …tags like, “The Story of…”; “The Truth about…”; “The Secret of…”; “Facts You Should Know About…”; “How To…”; and “…Made Plain.” L Conger. The Writer (Sept. 73), 10.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 19
What is an interesting introductory writing assignment? First assignment is to interview a classmate and write it up. Diagnostic writing tool. We need to pay more attention to teaching skillful interviewing in class. Interviewing skills are important in many careers. BA Morris. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 287-290.
What are some useful tools for editing? In addition to a class handbook for writing and editing, keep a stock of individual handbooks that have special features helpful for different problems in learning to write. SK Miller-Cochran. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 335.
What are some criticisms of students’ ability to write? “A majority of college students do not speak, write or read their own language well. Graduate instructors who direct master’s essays and doctoral dissertations are shocked at the extent to which they must become teachers of ‘hospital’ English. Yet we are aware that many of the candidates for higher degrees are already engaged in part-time teaching of freshman English. If they cannot recognize and correct their own egregious errors, what is happening to the end-products of their teaching?” Report of the Commission on the Humanities, 1964, p. 138. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 319.
What are some issues in teaching writing? People in the disciplines do not learn to write in their disciplines by any direct instruction, but by accumulating experience within the discipline. People in English writing classes think their writing instruction is generalizable to all disciplines. M Carter. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 385.
How should students learn to write in specialized disciplines? Disciplines have “meta genres,” forms of writing peculiar to the discipline. Professors in the disciplines should define these “meta genres” for their students. M Carter. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 385-418.
What are some useful tools for editing? In addition to a class handbook for writing and editing, keep a stock of individual handbooks that have special features helpful for different problems in learning to write. SK Miller-Cochran. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 335.
What are some criticisms of students’ ability to write? “A majority of college students do not speak, write or read their own language well. Graduate instructors who direct master’s essays and doctoral dissertations are shocked at the extent to which they must become teachers of ‘hospital’ English. Yet we are aware that many of the candidates for higher degrees are already engaged in part-time teaching of freshman English. If they cannot recognize and correct their own egregious errors, what is happening to the end-products of their teaching?” Report of the Commission on the Humanities, 1964, p. 138. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 319.
What are some issues in teaching writing? People in the disciplines do not learn to write in their disciplines by any direct instruction, but by accumulating experience within the discipline. People in English writing classes think their writing instruction is generalizable to all disciplines. M Carter. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 385.
How should students learn to write in specialized disciplines? Disciplines have “meta genres,” forms of writing peculiar to the discipline. Professors in the disciplines should define these “meta genres” for their students. M Carter. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 07), 385-418.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 18
How well do computers evaluate student writing? “How can a computer determine accuracy, originality, valuable elaboration, empty language, language maturity, and a long list of similar qualities that are central to assessing writing? Computers can’t. We must ensure that the human element remains the dominant factor in the assessing of student writing.” PL Thomas. English Journal (May 05), 29.
What are the characteristics of effective op-ed columns? Example of an inquiry project into learning how to write by 5th grade students. KW Ray. Language Arts (Jan. 06), 238-247.
What are some interesting writing assignments? Students complete an “Op-ed” piece. Should include a description of the problem and a solution. K Strasma. Teaching English in a Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 261.
What is an interesting writing assignment? Students view film together, then review it. Note on what they agree and what they don’t. K Strasma. Teaching English in a Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 260.
What is an interesting writing assignment? Students write an essay modeled on Newsweek’s “My Turn.” K Strasma. Teaching English in a Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 258.
What is an interesting writing assignment? “Trendsetter’s Composition.” Students report on a trend they have observed, with examples. K Strasma. Teaching English in a Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 259.
What are the characteristics of effective op-ed columns? Example of an inquiry project into learning how to write by 5th grade students. KW Ray. Language Arts (Jan. 06), 238-247.
What are some interesting writing assignments? Students complete an “Op-ed” piece. Should include a description of the problem and a solution. K Strasma. Teaching English in a Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 261.
What is an interesting writing assignment? Students view film together, then review it. Note on what they agree and what they don’t. K Strasma. Teaching English in a Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 260.
What is an interesting writing assignment? Students write an essay modeled on Newsweek’s “My Turn.” K Strasma. Teaching English in a Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 258.
What is an interesting writing assignment? “Trendsetter’s Composition.” Students report on a trend they have observed, with examples. K Strasma. Teaching English in a Two-Year College (Mar. 07), 259.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 17
How teach children to write poetry? Introduce children to writing poetry by using patterns, including free verse, Haiku, cinquain, the diamante, septolet, quinzaine, quintain. IM Tiedt. “Exploring Poetry Patterns,” Elementary English. 1082-1084.
How teach children to write stories? Before writing stories, children should tell them orally. MJ Tingle. Elementary English (Jan. 70), 73.
How teach creative writing? After reading a particular work in a genre, students formulate the “rules” for writing in this genre. TF Haffner. Notes Plus (Oct. 04), 3-4.
How teach students to create character? Exercises in creating character. 300-word sketch involving character’s thoughts who cares passionately about something and then 300-word sketch involving character’s thoughts who feels the opposite. Write letter in which writer describes meeting you—and does not like you—and then letter from someone who likes you. G Godwin. The Writer (Dec. 04), 8. [originally, Dec. 1979.]
How teach argumentative writing? “Kaspar asked her students to write a letter to the person with whom they most disagreed on an issue and to present their arguments against his or her position….” LF Kaspar and ST Weiss. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Mar. 05), 286.
What is wrong with teaching the five-paragraph essay? The belief that asking students to write within a prescribed form (the 5-paragraph essay) suffocates their creativity. Assumes that students will write what is safe and correct at the expense of writing what they really want to express. That never happened in my experience. The students began with their self-selected topics, used their personal experiences and shaped their personal messages in the format of “Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them.” In addition, students often expanded the parts of the 5-paragraph essay to go well beyond 5 paragraphs. The introduction could go on for several paragraphs. The thesis sentence could be expanded into several sentences or even a paragraph as happens in many published writings. Details were expanded into several paragraphs albeit with a single topic sentence or a topic paragraph. The summary paragraph was usually just that—a single paragraph. Ray 11/04.
How teach children to write stories? Before writing stories, children should tell them orally. MJ Tingle. Elementary English (Jan. 70), 73.
How teach creative writing? After reading a particular work in a genre, students formulate the “rules” for writing in this genre. TF Haffner. Notes Plus (Oct. 04), 3-4.
How teach students to create character? Exercises in creating character. 300-word sketch involving character’s thoughts who cares passionately about something and then 300-word sketch involving character’s thoughts who feels the opposite. Write letter in which writer describes meeting you—and does not like you—and then letter from someone who likes you. G Godwin. The Writer (Dec. 04), 8. [originally, Dec. 1979.]
How teach argumentative writing? “Kaspar asked her students to write a letter to the person with whom they most disagreed on an issue and to present their arguments against his or her position….” LF Kaspar and ST Weiss. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Mar. 05), 286.
What is wrong with teaching the five-paragraph essay? The belief that asking students to write within a prescribed form (the 5-paragraph essay) suffocates their creativity. Assumes that students will write what is safe and correct at the expense of writing what they really want to express. That never happened in my experience. The students began with their self-selected topics, used their personal experiences and shaped their personal messages in the format of “Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them.” In addition, students often expanded the parts of the 5-paragraph essay to go well beyond 5 paragraphs. The introduction could go on for several paragraphs. The thesis sentence could be expanded into several sentences or even a paragraph as happens in many published writings. Details were expanded into several paragraphs albeit with a single topic sentence or a topic paragraph. The summary paragraph was usually just that—a single paragraph. Ray 11/04.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 16
What are some effective methods for helping students improve their writing? Finds that both teacher correction and simple underlining of errors are superior to labeling the type of error, even with underlining, for reducing long-term error. Teacher correction results in the most accurate revisions and is preferred by students for its efficiency, but students indicate that they learn more from self-correction based on teacher underlining of errors, which also requires less teacher time. Chandler. Research in the Teaching of English (Nov. 04), 205. (abs.) Students make fewer errors if they learn to find their own errors and make their own corrections rather than having their errors corrected by the teacher. [How help students to “find” their own errors? Ray. ] DR Ferris. Research in the Teaching of English (Nov. 04), 204. (abs.)
How do students’ timed essays differ from their untimed essays? Compare timed essays with students’ untimed essays. Y Cho. Research in the Teaching of English (Nov. 04), 205. (abs.) [RayS: Many years ago, a father told me that when his son went through all the steps in the writing process, his grade was lower than when he dashed off his essay five minutes before catching the school bus.]
What are some challenges in teaching writing? Identify and describe a level of competence expected of students completing our writing courses. JF Kobler. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 78), 264-266.
How help students identify and solve problems in writing? Give students a monthly calendar. Each day of the calendar has a problem in sentence structure, usage or punctuation. Mathematics Teacher (March 05), 480-481. [Reaction: Take the problems from grammar texts or SAT prep materials. Put them in the form of the SAT objective writing questions. You could use the same problem for a week, maybe for the entire month, like passive/active voice. A way of highlighting the kinds of problems that will appear on the SAT writing section.]
Are grammar and composition the same? “For years we have taught grammar and usage, thinking that we were teaching composition, but the kind of mental activity required for grammatical analysis is not the same as that required for composing….” RL Graves. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 78), 227.
How give effective writing assignments? Students need to understand clearly the purpose of a writing assignment. A Beaufort. Research in the Teaching of English (Nov. 04), 162. (abs.)
How distinguish between an amateur and a professional writer? “The amateur wants to be a writer. The professional wants to write.” BJ Chute. The Writer (May 1950). [Wrt (May 05), 8.]
What are ideal conditions in which to write? “Don’t look for ideal writing conditions. They don’t exist. Work where you are and with what you have.” BJ Chute. The Writer (May 1950). [The Writer (May 05), 8.]
How do students’ timed essays differ from their untimed essays? Compare timed essays with students’ untimed essays. Y Cho. Research in the Teaching of English (Nov. 04), 205. (abs.) [RayS: Many years ago, a father told me that when his son went through all the steps in the writing process, his grade was lower than when he dashed off his essay five minutes before catching the school bus.]
What are some challenges in teaching writing? Identify and describe a level of competence expected of students completing our writing courses. JF Kobler. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 78), 264-266.
How help students identify and solve problems in writing? Give students a monthly calendar. Each day of the calendar has a problem in sentence structure, usage or punctuation. Mathematics Teacher (March 05), 480-481. [Reaction: Take the problems from grammar texts or SAT prep materials. Put them in the form of the SAT objective writing questions. You could use the same problem for a week, maybe for the entire month, like passive/active voice. A way of highlighting the kinds of problems that will appear on the SAT writing section.]
Are grammar and composition the same? “For years we have taught grammar and usage, thinking that we were teaching composition, but the kind of mental activity required for grammatical analysis is not the same as that required for composing….” RL Graves. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 78), 227.
How give effective writing assignments? Students need to understand clearly the purpose of a writing assignment. A Beaufort. Research in the Teaching of English (Nov. 04), 162. (abs.)
How distinguish between an amateur and a professional writer? “The amateur wants to be a writer. The professional wants to write.” BJ Chute. The Writer (May 1950). [Wrt (May 05), 8.]
What are ideal conditions in which to write? “Don’t look for ideal writing conditions. They don’t exist. Work where you are and with what you have.” BJ Chute. The Writer (May 1950). [The Writer (May 05), 8.]
Friday, November 16, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 15
How effective are student comments on peers’ papers? Author finds that student comments on their peers’ papers are superficial, that the student writers do not revise along the lines suggested by their peers and that student comments are not as valuable as the teacher’s. The students say they like peer response groups but she, the teacher, is skeptical. ME Casey. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Mar. 05), 278.
What are some techniques for teaching students how to write poetry? Students underline words and phrases on a page torn out of an old book; or in books they are reading. Arrange the words and phrases into a poem. I tried it. Here’s mine, taken from several pages in Schlesinger’s Robert Kennedy and His Times: “A profound emotion—the dread of war;/ Unrelenting antagonisms lead to the end of everything;/ The only victor—compulsive gloom.” L Gajdostik. Classroom Notes Plus (Apr. 05), 7-8.
How prepare students for writing? One way of preparing to write an essay: Summarize what happens in the beginning, in the middle and end of your essay. List 3 words or phrases that summarize the contents of your essay. HE Ollmann. Notes Plus (Oct. 04), 8-10. Begin by outlining your article or book. C Willis. The Writer (Nov. 04), 27. How to get ideas for stories. Look for things that leave you with lingering questions. Write the story to answer those questions. T Bailey. The Writer (May 05), 13. Read the obituaries and find stories in the gaps—what’s missing from the person’s life record. L Batt. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. Tell the story behind a photograph. L Batt. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. Listen to stories friends, relatives and strangers tell you. L Batt. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. With a few minutes to go in class, someone said, “Red” and everyone began to write. L Batt. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. Start with a setting with enough detail that it can’t be mistaken for someplace else. Then let people loose in that place. L Bat. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. Write regularly, but not always for publication. P Campbell. The Writer (Jan. 05), 34. Write something different from your preferred, habitual genre. P Campbell. The Writer (Jan. 05), 35. In ten words write the purpose of your piece. Begin with, “The purpose of this is….” P Campbell. The Writer (Jan. 05), 36. Develop a specialty. P Campbell. The Writer . (Jan. 05), 36. Write for increasing amounts of time, 5, 10, 15 minutes, using a timer. Introduce the topic and write. BD Barrett. The Writer (Jan. 050, 39-40. In the first draft write what you know and what you need to know about the topic. M Anderson. The Writer (Nov. 04), 22-23. Begin article with a single sentence that summarizes the article succinctly. Suggested by AV Manzo.How help students gain insight into how writers write? Share with students quotes, articles, etc. that reveal how professional writers write. Also, survey the faculty and community to learn how people who write prepare for, organize and revise their writing. Suggested by JS Damico. Reading Teacher (Apr. 05), 644-652.
When is conscious use of “mistakes” effective in writing? Author points out that many common “errors” [sentence fragments; “they” instead of “he,” and beginning sentences with coordinating conjunctions] when used purposely can be very effective stylistically and are so used in published materials. [The problem is to make sure the students are using them stylistically, not making mistakes they don’t recognize.] D Gorrell. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (May 05), 393-402.
How can teachers of writing improve their teaching? Teachers meet to evaluate their students’ writing samples together. Enables them to identify problems that need to be addressed. D Fisher, et al. Reading Teacher (Apr. 05), 656-666.
What are some techniques for teaching students how to write poetry? Students underline words and phrases on a page torn out of an old book; or in books they are reading. Arrange the words and phrases into a poem. I tried it. Here’s mine, taken from several pages in Schlesinger’s Robert Kennedy and His Times: “A profound emotion—the dread of war;/ Unrelenting antagonisms lead to the end of everything;/ The only victor—compulsive gloom.” L Gajdostik. Classroom Notes Plus (Apr. 05), 7-8.
How prepare students for writing? One way of preparing to write an essay: Summarize what happens in the beginning, in the middle and end of your essay. List 3 words or phrases that summarize the contents of your essay. HE Ollmann. Notes Plus (Oct. 04), 8-10. Begin by outlining your article or book. C Willis. The Writer (Nov. 04), 27. How to get ideas for stories. Look for things that leave you with lingering questions. Write the story to answer those questions. T Bailey. The Writer (May 05), 13. Read the obituaries and find stories in the gaps—what’s missing from the person’s life record. L Batt. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. Tell the story behind a photograph. L Batt. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. Listen to stories friends, relatives and strangers tell you. L Batt. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. With a few minutes to go in class, someone said, “Red” and everyone began to write. L Batt. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. Start with a setting with enough detail that it can’t be mistaken for someplace else. Then let people loose in that place. L Bat. The Writer (Jan. 05), 29. Write regularly, but not always for publication. P Campbell. The Writer (Jan. 05), 34. Write something different from your preferred, habitual genre. P Campbell. The Writer (Jan. 05), 35. In ten words write the purpose of your piece. Begin with, “The purpose of this is….” P Campbell. The Writer (Jan. 05), 36. Develop a specialty. P Campbell. The Writer . (Jan. 05), 36. Write for increasing amounts of time, 5, 10, 15 minutes, using a timer. Introduce the topic and write. BD Barrett. The Writer (Jan. 050, 39-40. In the first draft write what you know and what you need to know about the topic. M Anderson. The Writer (Nov. 04), 22-23. Begin article with a single sentence that summarizes the article succinctly. Suggested by AV Manzo.How help students gain insight into how writers write? Share with students quotes, articles, etc. that reveal how professional writers write. Also, survey the faculty and community to learn how people who write prepare for, organize and revise their writing. Suggested by JS Damico. Reading Teacher (Apr. 05), 644-652.
When is conscious use of “mistakes” effective in writing? Author points out that many common “errors” [sentence fragments; “they” instead of “he,” and beginning sentences with coordinating conjunctions] when used purposely can be very effective stylistically and are so used in published materials. [The problem is to make sure the students are using them stylistically, not making mistakes they don’t recognize.] D Gorrell. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (May 05), 393-402.
How can teachers of writing improve their teaching? Teachers meet to evaluate their students’ writing samples together. Enables them to identify problems that need to be addressed. D Fisher, et al. Reading Teacher (Apr. 05), 656-666.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 14
How do teachers learn to teach writing? “Teachers become effective mentors of writing when they live through the process themselves, reflect on their experiences and explore instructional implications.” P Whitin. English Education (Jan 06), 128.
How can young students learn to spell when they write? Word wall. Young students search the “word wall” for words spelled similarly to the word the children want to spell: “could,” “should,” etc. C Williams and RP Lundstrom. Reading Teacher (Nov. 07), 204-212.
How can students learn to expand their vocabulary of verbs? Give students sentences without verbs. They supply the verb based on the context. Compare to the actual verb used. A way to expand the vocabulary of verbs. SC Greenwood and K Flanigan. Reading Teacher (Nov. 07), 249-254.
What is the politics of college writing courses? Why do college teachers teach writing? “So it’s become clear that several of the graduate students placed under your charge are either unready to teach writing or cynically indifferent to the work? Too bad, you’re struck with them for the remaining years of their fellowships. Those part-timers still Xeroxing course materials composed on manual typewriters? Or the perpetual ABD’s? Well, they’ve all been around so long they’ve accrued a kind of de facto tenure, so there’s not much you can do about them either. And the same goes for the spouse of that powerful faculty member, and the really good local poet who needs health insurance, and the technical writer who’s an awfully nice person and really not such a bad teacher, and of course all those recent PhD’s produced by the graduate program who didn’t find jobs in their fields but who are willing to take on a couple of sections of comp while they work on their manuscripts and look for something better. Any time a writing director is asked to hire someone for such reasons—that is, for any reason other than that she or he is a good teacher—then she or he is being urged to set some other set of interests above those of undergraduates.” J Harris. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 06), 541. Never hire any teachers of writing for any reason than that they are very good at teaching writing. J Harris. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 06), 535-541.
What should the introduction of a composition do? “A properly constructed introduction provides a general context that either implies a thesis for the essay or leads to an explicit declaration of it.” J T Crow. English Journal (Mar. 05), 48.
What are some alternative methods for writing in journals? Write a journal, using the form of letters to someone. "Letter Journaling." K Campbell. The Writer (May 05), 15.
How can young students learn to spell when they write? Word wall. Young students search the “word wall” for words spelled similarly to the word the children want to spell: “could,” “should,” etc. C Williams and RP Lundstrom. Reading Teacher (Nov. 07), 204-212.
How can students learn to expand their vocabulary of verbs? Give students sentences without verbs. They supply the verb based on the context. Compare to the actual verb used. A way to expand the vocabulary of verbs. SC Greenwood and K Flanigan. Reading Teacher (Nov. 07), 249-254.
What is the politics of college writing courses? Why do college teachers teach writing? “So it’s become clear that several of the graduate students placed under your charge are either unready to teach writing or cynically indifferent to the work? Too bad, you’re struck with them for the remaining years of their fellowships. Those part-timers still Xeroxing course materials composed on manual typewriters? Or the perpetual ABD’s? Well, they’ve all been around so long they’ve accrued a kind of de facto tenure, so there’s not much you can do about them either. And the same goes for the spouse of that powerful faculty member, and the really good local poet who needs health insurance, and the technical writer who’s an awfully nice person and really not such a bad teacher, and of course all those recent PhD’s produced by the graduate program who didn’t find jobs in their fields but who are willing to take on a couple of sections of comp while they work on their manuscripts and look for something better. Any time a writing director is asked to hire someone for such reasons—that is, for any reason other than that she or he is a good teacher—then she or he is being urged to set some other set of interests above those of undergraduates.” J Harris. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 06), 541. Never hire any teachers of writing for any reason than that they are very good at teaching writing. J Harris. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 06), 535-541.
What should the introduction of a composition do? “A properly constructed introduction provides a general context that either implies a thesis for the essay or leads to an explicit declaration of it.” J T Crow. English Journal (Mar. 05), 48.
What are some alternative methods for writing in journals? Write a journal, using the form of letters to someone. "Letter Journaling." K Campbell. The Writer (May 05), 15.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 13
How write vivid descriptions? Using smells in describing: “Smell is our most primal sense and is easily overlooked in writing; smell can take us back to our early memories or evoke strong feelings and associations…. Remember the way the house smells on a holiday when someone’s been cooking all day or the smell of the school cafeteria in the ninth grade when it was spaghetti day.” E DeMarco-Barrett. The Writer (Mar. 06), 12.
How deal with rejection? Author kept getting the same rejection notes when sending poems to Southern Poetry Review. Finally, sent a collage of these rejection notes. Received a different rejection note. Advice: concentrate on your writing, not on being successful.” J Goldman. The Writer. (Mar. 06), 14. [RayS: I’ve often seen similar advice. Don’t write to publish everything. Just write for the sake of writing. When it’s good enough, try to publish.]
How will you know that you used the right punctuation? “You will know you are using the best possible punctuation when, ironically, you don’t even know it is there.” N Lukeman. The Writer. (Mar. 06), 26. [RayS: Once again, I have seen similar advice and it makes sense. The problem with mistakes is that they distract readers from your meaning. When punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, etc., are correct, readers concentrate on meaning because they are not distracted by mistakes.]
What is the most important part of your writing? Writing and reading begin with the first paragraph. Make it good. S Breen. The Writer. (Mar. 06), 41.
How can writers deal with rejection? Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times before finding a publisher. J Reich. The Writer (Dec. 07), 6.
How keep track of your novel as you write it? Keep an idea book. Keep a daily log to track your progress. Make scene cards. Use chapter file folders. Use a loose-leaf binder. Use character lists. Keep a running synopsis. K Davis. The Writer (Dec. 07), 26-27.
How deal with rejection? Author kept getting the same rejection notes when sending poems to Southern Poetry Review. Finally, sent a collage of these rejection notes. Received a different rejection note. Advice: concentrate on your writing, not on being successful.” J Goldman. The Writer. (Mar. 06), 14. [RayS: I’ve often seen similar advice. Don’t write to publish everything. Just write for the sake of writing. When it’s good enough, try to publish.]
How will you know that you used the right punctuation? “You will know you are using the best possible punctuation when, ironically, you don’t even know it is there.” N Lukeman. The Writer. (Mar. 06), 26. [RayS: Once again, I have seen similar advice and it makes sense. The problem with mistakes is that they distract readers from your meaning. When punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, etc., are correct, readers concentrate on meaning because they are not distracted by mistakes.]
What is the most important part of your writing? Writing and reading begin with the first paragraph. Make it good. S Breen. The Writer. (Mar. 06), 41.
How can writers deal with rejection? Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times before finding a publisher. J Reich. The Writer (Dec. 07), 6.
How keep track of your novel as you write it? Keep an idea book. Keep a daily log to track your progress. Make scene cards. Use chapter file folders. Use a loose-leaf binder. Use character lists. Keep a running synopsis. K Davis. The Writer (Dec. 07), 26-27.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 12
How prepare students for writing a research paper? Author suggests substituting the familiar FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) format--questions followed by answers--for the traditional research paper. Suggests FAQ format also as a method for introducing students to the research process with students' questions anticipated and then answered in writing. J Strickland. English Journal (Sept. 04), 23-28.
How construct a book proposal? Elements of a book proposal: title; content; rationale; competition; format (# of words, charts, illustrations, appendices, glossary, sidebars); how market; chapter-by-chapter summary; credentials; sample chapters. M Allen. The Writer (Sept. 04), 34-37.
How construct a book proposal? A good book proposal tells publishers the things they most need to know: what your book is about, why it's important, and to whom it's important. Perhaps the best way to approach your proposal is to ask those questions of yourself--not as a writer, but as a reader. What would persuade you to pick this book from the shelf? What would make you want to buy it? The answers just might be the arguments you need to make a sale. M Allen. The Writer (Sept. 04), 34-37.
How teach persuasion and argumentation? George Pierce Baker emphasized varied audiences when writing argumentation and persuasion. S Borderlon. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 06), 416-441.
Why make use of writing as the writer speaks? I assume that “diversity writing” allows students to write as they naturally speak. To what purpose? To focus on content as opposed to skills without content? PP Marzluf. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 06), 503-522.
How construct a book proposal? Elements of a book proposal: title; content; rationale; competition; format (# of words, charts, illustrations, appendices, glossary, sidebars); how market; chapter-by-chapter summary; credentials; sample chapters. M Allen. The Writer (Sept. 04), 34-37.
How construct a book proposal? A good book proposal tells publishers the things they most need to know: what your book is about, why it's important, and to whom it's important. Perhaps the best way to approach your proposal is to ask those questions of yourself--not as a writer, but as a reader. What would persuade you to pick this book from the shelf? What would make you want to buy it? The answers just might be the arguments you need to make a sale. M Allen. The Writer (Sept. 04), 34-37.
How teach persuasion and argumentation? George Pierce Baker emphasized varied audiences when writing argumentation and persuasion. S Borderlon. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 06), 416-441.
Why make use of writing as the writer speaks? I assume that “diversity writing” allows students to write as they naturally speak. To what purpose? To focus on content as opposed to skills without content? PP Marzluf. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 06), 503-522.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 11
How improve your teaching of writing? Keep a journal describing and reflecting on the process of teaching, noting problems, questions, possible answers, etc. D Gorman. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy (Mar. 98), 434-442.
How demonstrate long-term planning to students? “The best way to demonstrate the value of long-term planning is to plan all the work which the class will do, to explain the plan to them, to make sure that they keep it in mind, and after the work has been completed to look back over it and sum it up; the young have very little ability to make long-term plans; they live from day to day, or at least from one Saturday to another.” Highet, The Art of Teaching, p. 69.
What is the formula for writing nonfiction? 1. Tell them what you’re going to tell them; 2. Tell them; And 3. Tell them what you told them. D Greenburg. The Writer (June 04), 32.
How can writers get started on a writing career? Become an expert on something and then write about it. K. James-Enger. The Writer (Sept. 04), 18-19.
What do writers need to know about publishing? "Nowadays, writers largely have to edit themselves. The better you can make your manuscript before submitting it to a publisher, the greater your chances of getting published." C Leddy. The Writer (Sept. 04), 41.
How demonstrate long-term planning to students? “The best way to demonstrate the value of long-term planning is to plan all the work which the class will do, to explain the plan to them, to make sure that they keep it in mind, and after the work has been completed to look back over it and sum it up; the young have very little ability to make long-term plans; they live from day to day, or at least from one Saturday to another.” Highet, The Art of Teaching, p. 69.
What is the formula for writing nonfiction? 1. Tell them what you’re going to tell them; 2. Tell them; And 3. Tell them what you told them. D Greenburg. The Writer (June 04), 32.
How can writers get started on a writing career? Become an expert on something and then write about it. K. James-Enger. The Writer (Sept. 04), 18-19.
What do writers need to know about publishing? "Nowadays, writers largely have to edit themselves. The better you can make your manuscript before submitting it to a publisher, the greater your chances of getting published." C Leddy. The Writer (Sept. 04), 41.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 10
How introduce students to writing in the workplace? Devote an entire unit to using models of different kinds of genre that might be used on the job. Bring in people who have to use those genres, lawyer’s briefs, etc. [Source Unknown]
How use stories in writing? “...are woven through my arguments, persuasion and analysis. Stories help me to make abstractions clear, help me explain what I mean, provide...specificity to concepts.” The Writer Qtd. By KR Morgan (Nov. 02), 111.
How can teachers “model” writing? Teachers first have to think of themselves as writers—reflect on their own writing processes—before they can teach writing by modeling their processes. CR Frank. Language Arts (Mar. 03), 185-195.
What are some interesting writing assignments? Students use the New Yorker types of writing as models—”Talk of the Town,” “Profiles,” “Reviews,” “Letter from….” PL Martin. Classroom Notes Plus (Oct. 02), 8-9.
How can you check the organization of your writing? Put your topic sentences individually on separate index cards. Mix them up. Partner tries to put them in order. Check if the partner’s order is your order. J Gritter. Ideas Plus #20. (2002), 11-12.
How use stories in writing? “...are woven through my arguments, persuasion and analysis. Stories help me to make abstractions clear, help me explain what I mean, provide...specificity to concepts.” The Writer Qtd. By KR Morgan (Nov. 02), 111.
How can teachers “model” writing? Teachers first have to think of themselves as writers—reflect on their own writing processes—before they can teach writing by modeling their processes. CR Frank. Language Arts (Mar. 03), 185-195.
What are some interesting writing assignments? Students use the New Yorker types of writing as models—”Talk of the Town,” “Profiles,” “Reviews,” “Letter from….” PL Martin. Classroom Notes Plus (Oct. 02), 8-9.
How can you check the organization of your writing? Put your topic sentences individually on separate index cards. Mix them up. Partner tries to put them in order. Check if the partner’s order is your order. J Gritter. Ideas Plus #20. (2002), 11-12.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 09
How emphasize the importance of sentences? Students look for significant sentences in the literature and books they read. When students read their compositions aloud, they listen for and record the significant sentences from their colleagues’ papers. The teacher records the significant sentences in students papers. PM Holloway. Classroom Notes Plus (Jan. 02), 2.
How organize writing? Introduce it, lay it out, sum it up. William Safire in Safire and Safir. Good Advice on Writing, 1992, p. 238.
How organize writing? “I like to get to the point without too much horsing around.” English Journal (Jun. 76), 23-25.
How organize writing? “The basic structure of an article: you must catch the reader’s interest in the introduction; in the next section identify your topic; in the body of the piece, present your material; and close by drawing a conclusion or repeating a key point.” R Berman. The Writer’s Handbook, 2001, 306-311.
What is the purpose of the first sentence in a paragraph? “The first sentence of a paragraph may look backward to the preceding paragraph, but its most important function is to point forward—to begin a kind of mental ‘action,’ to generate in the reader some expectations about what is to follow, and thereby to establish a point of reference that will guide the interpretation of succeeding sentences.” RL Larson, College Composition and Communication (Feb. 67), 21
How long should paragraphs be? “No one can say how long a paragraph should be; subject, purpose, audience, editorial fashion and individual preference all affect the length and complexity of paragraphs; numerous brief paragraphs are likely to be disjointed and underdeveloped; great long ones fatigue readers; an occasional short paragraph of 15 to 20 words may work very well; so may an occasional long one of 300. TS Kane in Safire and Safir, Good Advice on Writing, 1992, 169.
How organize writing? Introduce it, lay it out, sum it up. William Safire in Safire and Safir. Good Advice on Writing, 1992, p. 238.
How organize writing? “I like to get to the point without too much horsing around.” English Journal (Jun. 76), 23-25.
How organize writing? “The basic structure of an article: you must catch the reader’s interest in the introduction; in the next section identify your topic; in the body of the piece, present your material; and close by drawing a conclusion or repeating a key point.” R Berman. The Writer’s Handbook, 2001, 306-311.
What is the purpose of the first sentence in a paragraph? “The first sentence of a paragraph may look backward to the preceding paragraph, but its most important function is to point forward—to begin a kind of mental ‘action,’ to generate in the reader some expectations about what is to follow, and thereby to establish a point of reference that will guide the interpretation of succeeding sentences.” RL Larson, College Composition and Communication (Feb. 67), 21
How long should paragraphs be? “No one can say how long a paragraph should be; subject, purpose, audience, editorial fashion and individual preference all affect the length and complexity of paragraphs; numerous brief paragraphs are likely to be disjointed and underdeveloped; great long ones fatigue readers; an occasional short paragraph of 15 to 20 words may work very well; so may an occasional long one of 300. TS Kane in Safire and Safir, Good Advice on Writing, 1992, 169.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 08
Do students understand teachers’ comments on their writing? Knoblauch and Barnnon: “The depressing trouble is, we have scarcely a shred of empirical evidence to show that students typically even comprehend our responses to their writing, let alone use them purposefully to modify their practice.” RS sprinkle. Teaching English in the Two-Year College(Mar. 04), 273.
How make sure that students understand teachers’ comments on their writing? Ask students as part of turning in the revised paper how helpful your comments on their writing were. A. Edgington. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Mar. 04), 287.
How do parents feel about teaching the basics in writing? In an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Monday, May 24, 2004, p. B2, Nick O’Dell says, “I knew we were in trouble some years ago when my 10th-grade son brought home an essay for which he had received an A+, and it contained numerous spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors, none of which had been corrected. At a parent/teacher conference I was told: ‘We don’t want to stifle a child’s creativity by being over (sic) concerned about technicalities.’ I then gave the analogy of an architect designing a beautiful building that fell down because he hadn’t bothered with technicalities like material strengths—and it fell on deaf ears.”
What is one method for avoiding plagiarism in research assignment? Students construct annotated bibliographies on their topics BEFORE writing the research paper. Classroom Notes Plus (Jan. 04), 16.
Why is standard English important? “Children need to perfect or acquire the prestige dialect—not because standard English is correct or superior in itself but because society exacts severe penalties from those who do not speak [or write] it. Unless they can learn to use standard English, many pupils will be denied access to economic opportunities or entrance to social groups. W Loban. Elementary English (May 68), 693.
How make sure that students understand teachers’ comments on their writing? Ask students as part of turning in the revised paper how helpful your comments on their writing were. A. Edgington. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Mar. 04), 287.
How do parents feel about teaching the basics in writing? In an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Monday, May 24, 2004, p. B2, Nick O’Dell says, “I knew we were in trouble some years ago when my 10th-grade son brought home an essay for which he had received an A+, and it contained numerous spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors, none of which had been corrected. At a parent/teacher conference I was told: ‘We don’t want to stifle a child’s creativity by being over (sic) concerned about technicalities.’ I then gave the analogy of an architect designing a beautiful building that fell down because he hadn’t bothered with technicalities like material strengths—and it fell on deaf ears.”
What is one method for avoiding plagiarism in research assignment? Students construct annotated bibliographies on their topics BEFORE writing the research paper. Classroom Notes Plus (Jan. 04), 16.
Why is standard English important? “Children need to perfect or acquire the prestige dialect—not because standard English is correct or superior in itself but because society exacts severe penalties from those who do not speak [or write] it. Unless they can learn to use standard English, many pupils will be denied access to economic opportunities or entrance to social groups. W Loban. Elementary English (May 68), 693.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 07
What is the typical experience of students in completing research papers? If anything characterized my elementary and secondary school years, I suppose, that was it. Go to the library and do a report on Lincoln! Oh, it wasn’t necessarily Lincoln. Sometimes it was Washington. Or Jefferson. Or my favorite, George Washington Carver. Whatever the report, the routine was the same. Go to the library. Find the World Book Encyclopedia. Look for the first letter of the last name of the man (generally it was a man) that you were studying. Grab the volume you need. Thumb through the pages. Find the entry you want. And then—copy. Word for word. Line for line. Period for period. After all, the assignment was to get it done—and quickly. Besides, for your final copy, you could change some words, add a quote or two, slap on a cover and hand it in. Sound familiar? That existed throughout my entire public school career. D Gallo. English Journal (Nov. 03), 91.
How help students understand plagiarism? Encourage students to ask questions about plagiarism. M Price. College Composition and Communication (Sept. 02), 105.
What should a query letter consist of? The purpose of a query letter is to see if editors are interested in publishing an article you have written or are writing. State the basic idea of your book or article in its briefest possible form—preferably in a single sentence. M Gunther. The Writer (Sept. 72, 15.
How write an article on a technique you use in teaching? Submitting techniques for publication in professional journals: Goals? Reason for using the technique? How introduce the technique? How involve students? What is the progression in implementing the technique? How encourage student reflection on the technique? How judge effectiveness of the technique? Changes in using the technique in the future? Classroom Notes Plus (Aug. 99). [RayS: This series of steps makes sense, but better read the journal in which the technique will be published. I have noticed some changes in format for brief articles on techniques, most notably the need to cite prior research related to the technique. To find that research go to http://www.eric.ed.gov/ ]
What is the meaning of revision? Lovitt (1975) noted that many writers consider revision as simply changing punctuation marks and misspellings. To move beyond this limited concept of proofreading, students must be taught specific steps to follow in revising their own written work. EA Polloway, et al. Focus on Exceptional Children. (Nov. 81), 6.
How help students understand plagiarism? Encourage students to ask questions about plagiarism. M Price. College Composition and Communication (Sept. 02), 105.
What should a query letter consist of? The purpose of a query letter is to see if editors are interested in publishing an article you have written or are writing. State the basic idea of your book or article in its briefest possible form—preferably in a single sentence. M Gunther. The Writer (Sept. 72, 15.
How write an article on a technique you use in teaching? Submitting techniques for publication in professional journals: Goals? Reason for using the technique? How introduce the technique? How involve students? What is the progression in implementing the technique? How encourage student reflection on the technique? How judge effectiveness of the technique? Changes in using the technique in the future? Classroom Notes Plus (Aug. 99). [RayS: This series of steps makes sense, but better read the journal in which the technique will be published. I have noticed some changes in format for brief articles on techniques, most notably the need to cite prior research related to the technique. To find that research go to http://www.eric.ed.gov/ ]
What is the meaning of revision? Lovitt (1975) noted that many writers consider revision as simply changing punctuation marks and misspellings. To move beyond this limited concept of proofreading, students must be taught specific steps to follow in revising their own written work. EA Polloway, et al. Focus on Exceptional Children. (Nov. 81), 6.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 06
How long should a letter be?. Never write any letter that is longer than one page. Nobody in the world wants to read a letter from you that is longer than one page, not even your mother. D Greenburg. The Writer (June 04), 32.
How does one learn to spell? Primary grade child: “When I see a word in a book, my brain takes a picture of it and when I need to write it, I know how to spell it.” KL Dahl, et al. The Reading Teacher (Dec. 03/Jan. 04), 319.
How can students practice interviews? Students interview older relatives about their memories of historical events. M Faust. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy (Apr. 04), 572.
How prepare students for reading their assignments?. Teacher distributes sentences from text they are about to read. From the single sentences, students in writing try to predict what will happen in the text. RH Yopp & HK Yopp. The Reading Teacher (Nov. 03), 284.
What are “nonstandard quotes”? The author refers to phrases like “personal potential” and “to be all that you can be” as “nonstandard quotes.” Students use them, put them in quotes because they have been used elsewhere, but do not attribute. She cites the “to be all that you can be” as part of a U.S. Army recruiting ad—but fails to note that the coach in the movie Hoosiers uses the same phrase, antedating the Army ad—and the Army ad didn’t attribute either. In addition, I have seen the same phrase in many, many educational journal articles . In the long run, a great many phrases we use tend to be “nonstandard quotes.” Maybe we need to show students how to “write around” nonstandard quotes. Suggested by B Schneider. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 02), 188-207.
How does one learn to spell? Primary grade child: “When I see a word in a book, my brain takes a picture of it and when I need to write it, I know how to spell it.” KL Dahl, et al. The Reading Teacher (Dec. 03/Jan. 04), 319.
How can students practice interviews? Students interview older relatives about their memories of historical events. M Faust. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy (Apr. 04), 572.
How prepare students for reading their assignments?. Teacher distributes sentences from text they are about to read. From the single sentences, students in writing try to predict what will happen in the text. RH Yopp & HK Yopp. The Reading Teacher (Nov. 03), 284.
What are “nonstandard quotes”? The author refers to phrases like “personal potential” and “to be all that you can be” as “nonstandard quotes.” Students use them, put them in quotes because they have been used elsewhere, but do not attribute. She cites the “to be all that you can be” as part of a U.S. Army recruiting ad—but fails to note that the coach in the movie Hoosiers uses the same phrase, antedating the Army ad—and the Army ad didn’t attribute either. In addition, I have seen the same phrase in many, many educational journal articles . In the long run, a great many phrases we use tend to be “nonstandard quotes.” Maybe we need to show students how to “write around” nonstandard quotes. Suggested by B Schneider. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 02), 188-207.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 05
What is meant by “correcting” writing? RayS: I think most writing teachers label [“awk.” “Not clear.” “subjunctive,”etc.], rather than actually correcting errors, requiring students themselves to figure out how to correct. Since students don’t understand what the labels mean, they do not know how to begin to correct the problems themselves.
How are the four traditional modes of writing used in the real world? Advertisers use the four traditional modes of discourse: descriptive, narration, exposition and argumentation. FJ D’Angelo. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 356-361.
What is Rogerian argumentation? State the issue objectively; summary of the other people's point of view, showing that you understand their point of view; statement of your point of view with reasons; statement of what the differing opinions have in common; proposal to resolve the differences in a way that injures neither party. AA Lunsford. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 147.
How prepare students to write argumentation? Prepare for writing argumentative papers by writing dialogue. L Rockas in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 209
How approach grammar as science? Another reason for teaching grammar may be that the study of grammar can help students discover how to collect data, formulate and test hypotheses, draw generalizations—in short, it can help students learn to approach grammar as the scientist does. C Weaver. Grammar for Teachers. NCTE/ 1979, 89.
How can students practice writing? Students watch a scene in a movie. They then describe the scene—re-create it in writing. H Hoffner. Reading Teacher (Sept. 03), 788-80.
How are the four traditional modes of writing used in the real world? Advertisers use the four traditional modes of discourse: descriptive, narration, exposition and argumentation. FJ D’Angelo. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 356-361.
What is Rogerian argumentation? State the issue objectively; summary of the other people's point of view, showing that you understand their point of view; statement of your point of view with reasons; statement of what the differing opinions have in common; proposal to resolve the differences in a way that injures neither party. AA Lunsford. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 147.
How prepare students to write argumentation? Prepare for writing argumentative papers by writing dialogue. L Rockas in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 209
How approach grammar as science? Another reason for teaching grammar may be that the study of grammar can help students discover how to collect data, formulate and test hypotheses, draw generalizations—in short, it can help students learn to approach grammar as the scientist does. C Weaver. Grammar for Teachers. NCTE/ 1979, 89.
How can students practice writing? Students watch a scene in a movie. They then describe the scene—re-create it in writing. H Hoffner. Reading Teacher (Sept. 03), 788-80.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 04
What are some criticisms of writing in education? Laments a company official in a recent study on education in industry by the Conference Board in New York: “We’re doing what the educators ought to be doing. College graduates can’t write reports; high school graduates can’t read, spell or write…and they all have poor vocabularies. Twelve years is a long time to spend in school and not come away with the basics.” U.S. News and World Report (Jul. 16, 79), 70. Robt. Craig of the American Society for Training and Development: Engineers and managers need to be taught how to write and speak and how to hold meetings. U.S. News and World Report (Jul. 16, 79), 70.
How consistently and accurately do teachers correct students’ papers? Author inherited a collection of papers corrected by different teachers. These corrections showed arbitrary correction of punctuation, involved grammatical mistakes in the teachers’ corrections, unnecessary and stilted rewriting of the student’s expression and revelation of the teachers’ biases in response to student’s thoughts. G Sloan. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 370-373.
What are the characteristics of good and poor writing? Judgments of quality in writing. Identifies sophistication in handling modifiers, particularly final, free modifiers [RayS: which I call “afterthoughts”] as a feature associated with judgments of quality; negatively, the frequent use of modal auxiliaries [“would,” “should,” “could,” “might”] and of “be” and “have” as auxiliaries and a limited range of verbs (possibly signifying a limited vocabulary) as features associated negatively with judgments of quality. EW Nold in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 208.
What are some interesting writing assignments? Students write and illustrate a “How To….” on some topic about which they have knowledge and then on a topic about which they have little knowledge. J Savory. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 197-198. Students engage in an oral history project. LS Ede. CCC (Dec. 77), 380-382. Have students research and try to resolve a community problem. JM Palmer. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Sept. 04), 106-112. Students take photographs and then write about them. JK Ligerman. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 174-178. Try to engage students in real writing assignments for real audiences with real outcomes. K Lindblom. English Journal (Sept. 04), 104-108.
What are some suggestions for effective conferences with student writers? Try to get students to identify problems with their writing. Isolate the most serious problem. Teacher and student agree to work on the problem together. Articulate clearly what the students must do to resolve the problem. R Arbur. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 338-342.
How consistently and accurately do teachers correct students’ papers? Author inherited a collection of papers corrected by different teachers. These corrections showed arbitrary correction of punctuation, involved grammatical mistakes in the teachers’ corrections, unnecessary and stilted rewriting of the student’s expression and revelation of the teachers’ biases in response to student’s thoughts. G Sloan. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 370-373.
What are the characteristics of good and poor writing? Judgments of quality in writing. Identifies sophistication in handling modifiers, particularly final, free modifiers [RayS: which I call “afterthoughts”] as a feature associated with judgments of quality; negatively, the frequent use of modal auxiliaries [“would,” “should,” “could,” “might”] and of “be” and “have” as auxiliaries and a limited range of verbs (possibly signifying a limited vocabulary) as features associated negatively with judgments of quality. EW Nold in RL Larson. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 208.
What are some interesting writing assignments? Students write and illustrate a “How To….” on some topic about which they have knowledge and then on a topic about which they have little knowledge. J Savory. College Composition and Communication (May 78), 197-198. Students engage in an oral history project. LS Ede. CCC (Dec. 77), 380-382. Have students research and try to resolve a community problem. JM Palmer. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (Sept. 04), 106-112. Students take photographs and then write about them. JK Ligerman. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 174-178. Try to engage students in real writing assignments for real audiences with real outcomes. K Lindblom. English Journal (Sept. 04), 104-108.
What are some suggestions for effective conferences with student writers? Try to get students to identify problems with their writing. Isolate the most serious problem. Teacher and student agree to work on the problem together. Articulate clearly what the students must do to resolve the problem. R Arbur. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 338-342.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 03
Question: What can be learned from professional educational journals about teaching and learning to write?
Answer. Note from RayS: I will shift my Q & A on Writing column to summarizing the more interesting ideas from professional educational journals on the teaching of writing. While these articles will be primarily of interest to teachers from kindergarten through college, they might also be useful for the general reader.
What are the differences between writing and speaking? 1. Writing is learned behavior; talking is natural behavior. 2. Writing is an artificial process. 3. Writing is a technological device; talking is organic. 4. Most writing is slower than talking. 5. Writing is stark, barren, naked; talking is rich, inherently redundant. 6. Talking is based on environment; writing must provide its own context. 7. With writing the audience is absent; with talking the listener is present. 8. Writing produces a visible product; talking does not. 9. Because writing produces a product, writing is more responsible and committed than talking. 10. The written word is permanent; talking is ephemeral. 11. Writing is a source of learning with its product; talking is easily forgotten. J Emig. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 123-124.
…people read about twice as fast as they speak, which means that you can read something in about half the time it will take a speaker to tell you the same thing. TM Sawyer. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 77), 45.
How do writing and speaking to an audience differ? “The speaker can relate to the audience with a fairly certain knowledge of its response, while the writer can never know for sure what his or her readers are like or what they next expect.” RJ Connors. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 286.
Thomas Sawyer points out that ‘because the listening audience is sure to miss portions of live speech and cannot preserve it for review…communication must be redundant—repetitious—to be memorable.’ RJ Connors. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 288.
Writing also has the advantage over speech in the precision it allows in word structure…. RJ Connors. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 289.
What should we look for when revising? We’re all guilty of padding (“at this point in time” vs. “now”). Each of us uses certain phrases without thinking. The trick is to identify them so we can eliminate them. Start by searching your copy…. Once you know your pet phrases, get into the habit of using your computer’s “find-and-replace” function to eliminate them. GA Workman. The Writer (Sept. 04), 10.
Answer. Note from RayS: I will shift my Q & A on Writing column to summarizing the more interesting ideas from professional educational journals on the teaching of writing. While these articles will be primarily of interest to teachers from kindergarten through college, they might also be useful for the general reader.
What are the differences between writing and speaking? 1. Writing is learned behavior; talking is natural behavior. 2. Writing is an artificial process. 3. Writing is a technological device; talking is organic. 4. Most writing is slower than talking. 5. Writing is stark, barren, naked; talking is rich, inherently redundant. 6. Talking is based on environment; writing must provide its own context. 7. With writing the audience is absent; with talking the listener is present. 8. Writing produces a visible product; talking does not. 9. Because writing produces a product, writing is more responsible and committed than talking. 10. The written word is permanent; talking is ephemeral. 11. Writing is a source of learning with its product; talking is easily forgotten. J Emig. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 123-124.
…people read about twice as fast as they speak, which means that you can read something in about half the time it will take a speaker to tell you the same thing. TM Sawyer. College Composition and Communication (Feb. 77), 45.
How do writing and speaking to an audience differ? “The speaker can relate to the audience with a fairly certain knowledge of its response, while the writer can never know for sure what his or her readers are like or what they next expect.” RJ Connors. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 286.
Thomas Sawyer points out that ‘because the listening audience is sure to miss portions of live speech and cannot preserve it for review…communication must be redundant—repetitious—to be memorable.’ RJ Connors. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 288.
Writing also has the advantage over speech in the precision it allows in word structure…. RJ Connors. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 289.
What should we look for when revising? We’re all guilty of padding (“at this point in time” vs. “now”). Each of us uses certain phrases without thinking. The trick is to identify them so we can eliminate them. Start by searching your copy…. Once you know your pet phrases, get into the habit of using your computer’s “find-and-replace” function to eliminate them. GA Workman. The Writer (Sept. 04), 10.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 02
Question: What can be learned from professional educational journals about teaching and learning to write?
Answer. Note from RayS: I will shift my Q & A on Writing column to summarizing the more interesting ideas from professional educational journals on the teaching of writing. While these articles will be primarily of interest to teachers from kindergarten through college, they might also be useful for the general reader.
What is the difference between a synopsis and an abstract? Synopsis defined: chronologically ordered summary of the main events of a novel, short story or play. DM Guinn. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 380. Abstract defined: Summarizing a sequence of ideas. Two types: descriptive and informative. Descriptive concentrates on topics covered by the writer. Informative concentrates on what the original says. DM Guinn. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 380-381.
How help students develop sentence variety? Have students select individual sentences from their writing and try to reorder the words in them in a more interesting way. R deBeaugrande. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 77), 240-246.
Why teach grammar? The goal then of learning the rules is to render them invisible. A reader does not see correct punctuation; only mistakes show. Correct spelling is an invisible conduit through which the writer’s point of view flows to the reader…. A misspelled word, rendered visible, draws attention to itself, invites a judgment and distracts the reader from the writer’s point of view…. I tell my students…I want you to know that I lost sight of your point of view because what I was seeing was the errors in spelling. If it’s OK with you that your point of view goes down the drain…. If it’s not all right with you, then in your next paper do whatever you have to do in order to make your spelling invisible and thereby supportive of what you wish to communicate. BJ Mandel. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 368.
What does research tell us about teaching grammar? Reports of grammar’s uselessness in improving writing are based on research that is neither thorough nor completely convincing, with generalizations usually drawn from one study—the Harris study in 1962. The Elly study (1976) draws the conclusion that the study of grammar does not help students in editing, an interpretation that goes beyond the data. Suggests that maybe one valid conclusion from the Elly study might be that grammar should be introduced at the later junior and high school levels. J Neuleib. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 77), 247-250.
How practice sentence combining? Students “deconstruct” professionally written sentences as they would for sentence combining, then reconstruct them. J W Ney, 1976. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 189.
Answer. Note from RayS: I will shift my Q & A on Writing column to summarizing the more interesting ideas from professional educational journals on the teaching of writing. While these articles will be primarily of interest to teachers from kindergarten through college, they might also be useful for the general reader.
What is the difference between a synopsis and an abstract? Synopsis defined: chronologically ordered summary of the main events of a novel, short story or play. DM Guinn. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 380. Abstract defined: Summarizing a sequence of ideas. Two types: descriptive and informative. Descriptive concentrates on topics covered by the writer. Informative concentrates on what the original says. DM Guinn. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 79), 380-381.
How help students develop sentence variety? Have students select individual sentences from their writing and try to reorder the words in them in a more interesting way. R deBeaugrande. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 77), 240-246.
Why teach grammar? The goal then of learning the rules is to render them invisible. A reader does not see correct punctuation; only mistakes show. Correct spelling is an invisible conduit through which the writer’s point of view flows to the reader…. A misspelled word, rendered visible, draws attention to itself, invites a judgment and distracts the reader from the writer’s point of view…. I tell my students…I want you to know that I lost sight of your point of view because what I was seeing was the errors in spelling. If it’s OK with you that your point of view goes down the drain…. If it’s not all right with you, then in your next paper do whatever you have to do in order to make your spelling invisible and thereby supportive of what you wish to communicate. BJ Mandel. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 78), 368.
What does research tell us about teaching grammar? Reports of grammar’s uselessness in improving writing are based on research that is neither thorough nor completely convincing, with generalizations usually drawn from one study—the Harris study in 1962. The Elly study (1976) draws the conclusion that the study of grammar does not help students in editing, an interpretation that goes beyond the data. Suggests that maybe one valid conclusion from the Elly study might be that grammar should be introduced at the later junior and high school levels. J Neuleib. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 77), 247-250.
How practice sentence combining? Students “deconstruct” professionally written sentences as they would for sentence combining, then reconstruct them. J W Ney, 1976. College Composition and Communication (May 77), 189.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Professional Journals on Writing 01
Question: What can be learned from professional educational journals about teaching and learning to write?
Answer. Note from RayS: I will shift my Q & A on Writing column to summarizing the more interesting ideas from professional educational journals on the teaching of writing. While these articles will be primarily of interest to teachers from kindergarten through college, they might also be useful for the general reader.
How help students become better interviewers? Interviewing influences improvement of oral expression through formulating worthwhile questions; speaking in a clear and easily understood voice; developing listening skills; expressing appreciation for the information given; developing poise and self-confidence; summarizing what was learned. EG Cowe. Language Arts (Sept. 76), 633.
Why do teachers give the grades in writing that they do? The most significant influence proved to be the strength of the content of the essay. The second most important influence proved to be the strength of the organization of that content. The third significant influence was the strength of the mechanics. SW Freedman. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 163.
How teach formal expression to students? Give students exercises to help them translate spoken dialect into formal writing. P Silber. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 294-300.
How cut your word count—and improve your writing?
1. Outline your article—preferably before and after your first draft. 2. Examine the length of your lead. Excessively long leads can cause readers to lose interest. 3. Is all your background material really needed? 4. See if you can lose some summary or description. 5. Study your transitions. 6. Save only the best anecdotes and quotes. 7. Go sentence by sentence. 8. Assign priorities. JK Borchardt. The Writer (Apr. 06), 36-38.
How teach students to write letters of application? Letters of application are often written for jobs that do not clearly match the educational background of the student. Students must be shown how to relate the job to the educational background and personal experience of the applicant. EM Walsh. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 375.
Answer. Note from RayS: I will shift my Q & A on Writing column to summarizing the more interesting ideas from professional educational journals on the teaching of writing. While these articles will be primarily of interest to teachers from kindergarten through college, they might also be useful for the general reader.
How help students become better interviewers? Interviewing influences improvement of oral expression through formulating worthwhile questions; speaking in a clear and easily understood voice; developing listening skills; expressing appreciation for the information given; developing poise and self-confidence; summarizing what was learned. EG Cowe. Language Arts (Sept. 76), 633.
Why do teachers give the grades in writing that they do? The most significant influence proved to be the strength of the content of the essay. The second most important influence proved to be the strength of the organization of that content. The third significant influence was the strength of the mechanics. SW Freedman. College Composition and Communication (May 79), 163.
How teach formal expression to students? Give students exercises to help them translate spoken dialect into formal writing. P Silber. College Composition and Communication (Oct. 79), 294-300.
How cut your word count—and improve your writing?
1. Outline your article—preferably before and after your first draft. 2. Examine the length of your lead. Excessively long leads can cause readers to lose interest. 3. Is all your background material really needed? 4. See if you can lose some summary or description. 5. Study your transitions. 6. Save only the best anecdotes and quotes. 7. Go sentence by sentence. 8. Assign priorities. JK Borchardt. The Writer (Apr. 06), 36-38.
How teach students to write letters of application? Letters of application are often written for jobs that do not clearly match the educational background of the student. Students must be shown how to relate the job to the educational background and personal experience of the applicant. EM Walsh. College Composition and Communication (Dec. 77), 375.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Web Picks on Writing 07: Business Letters
Question: How should I organize a business letter?
Answer: Written by Kenneth Beare for people whose English is a second language. However, even native speakers will appreciate the concise outline of the basic parts of business letters and the styles needed for different purposes, with key words to establish tone. I think this Web site is well worth reviewing. The URL is listed below. RayS.
http://esl.about.com/cs/onthejobenglish/a/a_basbletter.htm
Answer: Written by Kenneth Beare for people whose English is a second language. However, even native speakers will appreciate the concise outline of the basic parts of business letters and the styles needed for different purposes, with key words to establish tone. I think this Web site is well worth reviewing. The URL is listed below. RayS.
http://esl.about.com/cs/onthejobenglish/a/a_basbletter.htm
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Web Picks on Writing 06: Business Writing Q & A.
Question: Where can you find good information on business writing?
Answer: RayS: An excellent resource on the Internet is Lynn Gaertner-Johntson’s Q & A on business writing. She’s good. In this collection of newsletters, she answers questions about how to write clear, concise FAQ’s with good examples. Should you or shouldn’t you send e-mails ending in quotations? The uses of verb tenses in “minutes,” that is for meetings. Communicating with customers on airline flights to make them most comfortable. The principles are the same for all your customers. Don’t use emoticons—do use written expressions of emotion; includes many examples. Use the expression “sweating bullets”? Yes, if the reader is a native speaker of English. No, if the e-mail will be read by a person in a foreign country who will not understand its literal meaning. Capitalize “sales department”? Reflections on how she writes her column. Capitalizing salutations. A list of questions she has answered. Response to an intrusive question—how to frame the question tactfully. And all written in clear, smooth English. A good business writing Web site. The URL is listed below.
http://www.businesswritingblog.com/
Answer: RayS: An excellent resource on the Internet is Lynn Gaertner-Johntson’s Q & A on business writing. She’s good. In this collection of newsletters, she answers questions about how to write clear, concise FAQ’s with good examples. Should you or shouldn’t you send e-mails ending in quotations? The uses of verb tenses in “minutes,” that is for meetings. Communicating with customers on airline flights to make them most comfortable. The principles are the same for all your customers. Don’t use emoticons—do use written expressions of emotion; includes many examples. Use the expression “sweating bullets”? Yes, if the reader is a native speaker of English. No, if the e-mail will be read by a person in a foreign country who will not understand its literal meaning. Capitalize “sales department”? Reflections on how she writes her column. Capitalizing salutations. A list of questions she has answered. Response to an intrusive question—how to frame the question tactfully. And all written in clear, smooth English. A good business writing Web site. The URL is listed below.
http://www.businesswritingblog.com/
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Web Picks on Writing 05: Revising Business English
Question: What should I look for when I revise?
Answer: The writing lab at Purdue University discusses how to revise business correspondence, beginning with establishing purpose for writing and expectations of readers, avoiding wordiness, using tact and concluding with a review of organization and the mistakes you are most likely to make in grammar. Fundamental stuff with good reminders for how to polish your business writing. The URL is listed below. RayS.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/648/02/
Answer: The writing lab at Purdue University discusses how to revise business correspondence, beginning with establishing purpose for writing and expectations of readers, avoiding wordiness, using tact and concluding with a review of organization and the mistakes you are most likely to make in grammar. Fundamental stuff with good reminders for how to polish your business writing. The URL is listed below. RayS.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/648/02/
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Web Picks on Writing 04: Myths about Writing
Question: What are some myths about writing and teaching writing?
Answer: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE): Ten Myths about Writing.
RayS: My reaction to these 10 myths about writing is that they are half-truths. It’s true that kids have interesting ideas. It’s also true that some kids at some time run dry and have no ideas that strike them as interesting. It’s also true that real writers most of the time do not get it right the first time. But in writing memos, for example, they often do. They have a mental formula for what they want to say and they say it without spending a whole lot of time revising. So check out these myths about writing. What do you think? For me, every statement of a myth required a counter statement contradicting it. The URL is listed below.
http://www.ncte.org/prog/writing/updates/115419.htm.
Answer: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE): Ten Myths about Writing.
RayS: My reaction to these 10 myths about writing is that they are half-truths. It’s true that kids have interesting ideas. It’s also true that some kids at some time run dry and have no ideas that strike them as interesting. It’s also true that real writers most of the time do not get it right the first time. But in writing memos, for example, they often do. They have a mental formula for what they want to say and they say it without spending a whole lot of time revising. So check out these myths about writing. What do you think? For me, every statement of a myth required a counter statement contradicting it. The URL is listed below.
http://www.ncte.org/prog/writing/updates/115419.htm.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Web Picks on Writing 03: Powerpoint Presentations
Question: What can I learn on the Internet about Writing?
Answer: OWL Powerpoint Presentations on Writing.
RayS. These Powerpoint presentations from the Purdue University Writing Lab cover a wide range of topics on writing. I skipped immediately to “Writing Business Messages.” The presentation was clear. Reminded me of things I had forgotten or paid no attention to and added some helpful information. Presentations also deal with writing résumés and cover letters for employment. Try a couple of these Powerpoint presentations on topics of interest. I think you will find them to be worthwhile. URL is listed below.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/index.html#business.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Web Picks on Writing 02: Students Practice Writing
Question: How can I help high school and college students practice their writing?
Answer: Suggestions from Kim Jackson, Assistant Director of the City College Writing Center on how to help students practice their writing:
Give students five to ten minutes at the end of class to summarize the day's lesson. Have students use five to ten minutes at the beginning of class to respond to a question introducing the day's discussion topic or to the previous session's activities. Assign individual students (one or more for each session) to write up the "minutes" of the previous class session and then distribute/review them with the rest of the class at the start of the next session. Ask students to keep "facing-page" notes: notes on the left, questions and comments on the right. URL is listed below.
http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/ctl/handbook/jackson.html.
Answer: Suggestions from Kim Jackson, Assistant Director of the City College Writing Center on how to help students practice their writing:
Give students five to ten minutes at the end of class to summarize the day's lesson. Have students use five to ten minutes at the beginning of class to respond to a question introducing the day's discussion topic or to the previous session's activities. Assign individual students (one or more for each session) to write up the "minutes" of the previous class session and then distribute/review them with the rest of the class at the start of the next session. Ask students to keep "facing-page" notes: notes on the left, questions and comments on the right. URL is listed below.
http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/ctl/handbook/jackson.html.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Web Picks on Writing 01: Scientific Writing
Question: How do I write for a scientific journal?
Answer: How to Write a Paper in Scientific Journal Style and Format. Bates College.
Introduction to Scientific Writing. A Strategy for Writing the Paper. Other Useful References. Revising Your Paper. Journal Style Format: Abstract. Introduction. Methods. Results. Discussion. Acknowledgments. Appendices. Tables and Figures. Reporting statistics. Citing References. Abbreviations. The URL is listed below.
http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWtoc.html.
Answer: How to Write a Paper in Scientific Journal Style and Format. Bates College.
Introduction to Scientific Writing. A Strategy for Writing the Paper. Other Useful References. Revising Your Paper. Journal Style Format: Abstract. Introduction. Methods. Results. Discussion. Acknowledgments. Appendices. Tables and Figures. Reporting statistics. Citing References. Abbreviations. The URL is listed below.
http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWtoc.html.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Ideas to Write About
Question: How can I find ideas to write about?
Answer: The following ideas are by Barbara A. Tyler in The Writer (January 2007), pp. 32-33. Tyler alphabetizes 26 sources of ideas, an "Idea Generator."
Anniversaries: Pick an unusual holiday and brainstorm related stories.
Breakthroughs: Medical, technical and scientific breakthroughs make great stories.
Cultural explorations: What are the festivals, holidays, etc., of different cultures?
Dust off the old: Update or expand old ideas.
Experts: Know somebody who is an expert in a field? Interview them.
Fads: Look for new trends. Research old fads.
Government: Explore government publications.
How To....: How do you do what others find difficult?
Idea book: Jot down ideas wherever you go in a notebook you always have with you.
Junk mail: Don't junk it until you have gone through it for possible ideas.
Keep file: Keep newspaper clippings.
Learn something new: Take a seminar on something entirely new to you.
Market: Go to the library and read a year's issues of a magazine you would like to write for.
Numbers: Make lists of 10, 12, 15, 20 dealing with a topic.
Opinion: What burns you up? What makes you want to cheer?
Phone friends: Brainstorm with them for ideas on topics.
Quotations: You'll find them all over the Internet.
Read something new.
Subscribe: To publications new this week at www.lii.org for new publications on unusual topics.
Tour your town: What's new? What's old? Who can tell you about it?
University: Check university Web pages.
Visit: The nonfiction section of your library where you will find books on topics you never imagined. Check "Nonfiction" on the Internet.
Write: Outside your comfort zone. Try some different form of writing that you have not tried before.
X = 10: Write 10 topics. Then under each topic, write 10 subtopics.
Yellow pages: Find unusual occupations and trades.
Zone out: Try not thinking about topics at all. You'll be surprised how your relaxed frame of mind suggests topics to write about.
Answer: The following ideas are by Barbara A. Tyler in The Writer (January 2007), pp. 32-33. Tyler alphabetizes 26 sources of ideas, an "Idea Generator."
Anniversaries: Pick an unusual holiday and brainstorm related stories.
Breakthroughs: Medical, technical and scientific breakthroughs make great stories.
Cultural explorations: What are the festivals, holidays, etc., of different cultures?
Dust off the old: Update or expand old ideas.
Experts: Know somebody who is an expert in a field? Interview them.
Fads: Look for new trends. Research old fads.
Government: Explore government publications.
How To....: How do you do what others find difficult?
Idea book: Jot down ideas wherever you go in a notebook you always have with you.
Junk mail: Don't junk it until you have gone through it for possible ideas.
Keep file: Keep newspaper clippings.
Learn something new: Take a seminar on something entirely new to you.
Market: Go to the library and read a year's issues of a magazine you would like to write for.
Numbers: Make lists of 10, 12, 15, 20 dealing with a topic.
Opinion: What burns you up? What makes you want to cheer?
Phone friends: Brainstorm with them for ideas on topics.
Quotations: You'll find them all over the Internet.
Read something new.
Subscribe: To publications new this week at www.lii.org for new publications on unusual topics.
Tour your town: What's new? What's old? Who can tell you about it?
University: Check university Web pages.
Visit: The nonfiction section of your library where you will find books on topics you never imagined. Check "Nonfiction" on the Internet.
Write: Outside your comfort zone. Try some different form of writing that you have not tried before.
X = 10: Write 10 topics. Then under each topic, write 10 subtopics.
Yellow pages: Find unusual occupations and trades.
Zone out: Try not thinking about topics at all. You'll be surprised how your relaxed frame of mind suggests topics to write about.
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