Transcript powerpoint

WRITING SERVICES
at the University Learning Center
Writing Services
The Writing Center
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One-on-one & small group consultations
Schedule appointments 2 weeks – 24 hours in advance
All appointments are scheduled for an hour
Recurring appointments are available
The Writing Lab
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Drop-in lab with a “floating” tutor
For independent writers who want access to resources
OWL (Online Writing & Learning)
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Handouts, writing guides, and useful links
Submit papers for e-response
Writing Services
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All writing tutors are UNCW
students who are faculty recommended and
maintain a minimum GPA.
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All tutors certify through a nationally certified
tutor training program.
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Writing tutors can:
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Help you with any kind of paper
Help you at any stage of the writing process
 brainstorming and planning
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drafting and developing
“cleaning up” and finalizing
Help you learn how to revise and edit
Writing Services
Located in
DePaolo Hall 1003
Sunday
Mon – Thu
Friday
2:00 – 9:00
9:00 – 9:00
9:00 – 5:00
To Make Appointments, go to our website:
www.uncw.edu/ulc/
Or call 910-962-7857
Why this presentation?
You’re taking a “Writing Intensive” course, a
requirement of University Studies, which is:
“designed to help students develop their
writing skills throughout their college careers
by taking upper-level, writing intensive
courses in a range of disciplines, including
their major fields of study”
WI courses will:
“help students understand the importance of
and the requirements for successful
discourse in a variety of subject areas and
recognize that written communication skills
are universally important for excellence in all
fields of study.”
Why this presentation?
WI courses will:
 “foster learning through writing, using written work
to cultivate a complex and in-depth understanding of
course concepts.”
And, WI course Learning Outcomes include:

Locate appropriate sources of information to support written
arguments.
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Evaluate and use evidence to generalize, explain, and interpret
content.
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Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical use and citation of
the ideas of others used as supporting material in written work.
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Demonstrate the ability to write critically, using the conventions of
the discipline covered in the course.
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Analyze and evaluate the claims, arguments, and theories
presented in course materials using appropriate methods (e.g.
analysis).
How to Write
All writers need two things to be successful.
This is true for ALL writers, whether you are a
successful novelist or you are simply writing a
grocery list, whether you are a student or a person
with a career.
 The most important two things writers need are:
A PURPOSE
&
AN AUDIENCE
 Once you have an idea about these, then you just
need to write …
How to Write
This is how people write (for school, work, & life):
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They “brainstorm”
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This is often solitary and usually fast
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This is always informal (lists, short paragraphs, etc)
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They draft
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This is often solitary (though not always) and usually slow
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This is usually the hardest part of writing anything
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They revise
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This is almost always collaborative and usually slow
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This is messy (cutting, adding, moving) and challenging
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They finalize
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This is often collaborative and usually fast
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This is focused and narrow (editing for style, tone, etc)
How to Write
The two ways to draft are:
1. Write to FINISH
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You know exactly what you want to say before
starting
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You revise and edit as you write
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You write in one, long, time-consuming session

You are exhausted at the end of your writing
session, but …

You are often ready to turn in your final draft with
minor editing.
This approach is great for procrastinators (all of us,
sometimes, right?).
How to Write
The two ways to draft are:
2. Write to START
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You start writing to figure out what you want to say
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You save revising and editing for later
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You write in several, short sessions over several days
or longer
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You are usually energized after each short writing
session
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You revise and edit in short sessions too, so you
have to plan for time to do that
This approach produces the strongest writing, but
requires good time management.
How to Write
Some revising tips:
1. “Revise” means to see again (with a fresh perspective), so
plan on time between drafting and revising if possible.
2. Find a good, critical outside reader.
3. Identify topic sentences and modes of support for each
paragraph and idea – develop support where needed.
4. Create an outline of your draft using those topic sentences
– ensure your points are in a reasonable order.
5. Read just your introduction and conclusion. Does the
conclusion “answer” the problem posed in the intro?
6. Schedule an appointment at the Writing Center.
How to Write
Some editing tips:
1.
Read aloud with a pencil in hand – make corrections
as you go.
2.
Read your draft backwards, line by line. Make sure
each sentence makes sense.
3.
Eliminate extra words.
4.
Identify all transition terms – check placement and
effectiveness.
5.
Use spell-check and grammar-check, even though
they don’t catch every mistake.
6.
Find a good, careful outside reader.
How to Write
Formal Academic Research Papers can have
SEVEN parts:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
An Abstract
Introduction
Background, History, Literature Review OR
Methods
Results
Argument, Critique, OR Discussion
Conclusion
Works Cited, References, OR End Notes
Check out this handout.
How to Write
Formal Academic Research Papers must follow the
guidelines and format recommended by the style
guide used in the field. Here are some style guides
used at UNCW:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
AAA (American Anthropological Association)
AIP (American Institute of Physics)
AP (Associated Press)
APA (American Psychological Association)
APSA (American Political Science Association)
ASA (American Statistical Association)
Chicago/Turabian
CSE (Council of Science Editors)
IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics
Engineers)
10. MLA (Modern Language Association)
Edit for a formal tone/style
Formal writing, whether academic or professional,
should be:
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Clear and “plain.”
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Do not try to impress with “big” words or
“flowery” language.
Consistent and concise.
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Use terms common in your field; reuse them
as appropriate.
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Get to the point and stay there.
Easy to read.
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Vary your sentence and paragraph length for
an easier reading experience.
Smooth to read.
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Use transition terms between and within
paragraphs so the reader isn’t distracted by
topic shifts.
Edit for a formal tone/style
Avoid the following:
 Clichés (e.g., “crystal clear,” “selling like
hotcakes”)
 Slang (e.g., “amaze-balls”, “that’s how I
roll”)
 Colloquialisms or regional language (e.g.,
“y’all,” “you betcha”)
 Contractions (e.g. “don’t” = “do not”)
 Useless qualifiers (e.g., really, very, amazingly,
extremely, basically)
 Text terms (e.g. “LOL,” “U2,” “@”)
Edit for a formal tone/style
Avoid all forms of the verb “to be.”
This includes: be, is, am, are, was, were, being, and been.
Removing this verb will help you:
 Avoid passive construction
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NO:
YES:
JFK was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald.
Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK.
 Edit out wordy writing
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NO:

YES:
There are many students who are struggling to
pay for overpriced textbooks.
Many students struggle to pay for overpriced
textbooks.
 Strengthen the force and liveliness of your writing.
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NO:

YES:
It was last week when Lauren was running in the
park and was attacked by a skunk that was rabid.
Last week, a rabid skunk attacked Lauren as
she ran in the park.
Edit for a formal tone/style
Use consistent tenses.
1.
For most formal documents, use present tense.
This is because most of this writing refers to what you are
doing now or secondary sources, which you are reading now.
Ex. “Forbes estimates that Rowling is a billionaire.”
2.
For some academic papers, use past tense.
This is true when referring to historical events, past
experiments, or personal reflections.
Ex. “Rowling was jobless and on social security when she
wrote Harry Potter.”
3.
Use future tense when making predictions.
This can happen when discussing future experiments or
conditions to come.
Ex. “Rowling will publish her first book for adults later
this year.”
MOST IMPORTANT: remain as consistent as possible! If you have
to use another tense, return to the primary tense ASAP.
Edit for a formal tone/style
Some other things to remember …
 Never refer to an author by their first name!
 Don’t use personal pronouns (I, we, our, etc) or
“you”; write in the third-person point-of-view.
 Avoid using too many rhetorical questions:
Should we care about the homeless? Is Congress
avoiding the issue? Can we ignore the increasing
number of people on the streets? Are we afraid
our taxes will increase if we build more homeless
shelters? Can the reader feel more overwhelmed
by unanswered questions?
Edit for usage
DO NOT CONFUSE THESE WORDS!
To/too/two
To: a preposition meaning toward
Too: means also (“After she spoke, I spoke too.”);
or excessive amount (“I ate too much.”)
Two: the number 2
Their/there/they’re
Their (possessive): They took off their coats.
There (place): She put the book over there.
They’re (“they are”): They’re having a good time.
Then/than
Then refers to time (I did it then) or transition (Then I
went to the store).
Than refers to comparison. “I received a worse grade
than Henry on the biology midterm.”
Edit for usage
DO NOT CONFUSE THESE WORDS EITHER!
Your/you’re
Your (possessive): It is your coat, not mine.
You’re (“you are”): You’re the best friend I have ever had.
Its/it’s
Its (possessive): This shirt looks weird. Its collar is too tight.
It’s (“it is”): Where is the book? It’s on the bookcase.
Affect/effect
Affect (verb): The death of my dog deeply affected me.
Effect (noun): The death of my dog had a deep effect on me.
Who/Whom
Who (refers to subject): Who loves you? I love you.
Whom (refers to object): Whom do I love? I love you.
Edit for usage
OH, AND DO NOT CONFUSE THESE WORDS
EITHER!
Weather/Whether
“Weather” refers to climate conditions (like rain or
snow).
“Whether” is a conjunction suggesting an alternative.
Definitely/Defiantly
The first is synonymous with “absolutely.”
The second is how you behave when you defy
authority.
Edit for usage
Avoid vague pronoun usage:
NO:
Jones is sometimes compared with Smith, but
he is quite different
YES: Jones is sometimes compared to Smith, but
Smith is quite different.
NO:
Jody found the hammer in the car that her
uncle had used.
YES: In the car, Jody found the hammer that her
uncle had used.
NO:
In the average television drama they present a
false picture of life.
YES: The average television drama presents a false
picture of life.
Edit for usage
Some other things to remember …
 “A lot” is two words. “Cannot” is one word.
 “Should of” is wrong; it’s “should have” (or “would
have” or “could have”).
 Don’t use archaic terms. No one says “thus”? Or
“alas”? So don’t use these words in your paper.
 You can ask someone to spend the night. Not “Knight.”
Definitely not “nite.”
 You might lose your wallet if your pants are too loose.
Edit for grammar and punctuation
Run-ons consist of two or more independent clauses
that are run together without proper punctuation.
There are two types of run-ons.
1. A fused sentence incorrectly joins or fuses together two
independent clauses without any punctuation:
 The sun is shining we are going to the beach.
 I enjoy going home my family is glad to see me.
1. A comma splice incorrectly joins or splices together two
independent clauses with only a comma:
 The sun is shining, we are going to the beach.
 I enjoy going home, my family is glad to see me.
Edit for grammar and punctuation
Five ways to fix a run-on:
1.
Separate the independent clauses into two sentences
1.
2.
2.
Join the two independent clauses with a comma and a
coordinating conjunction.
1.
2.
3.
The sun is shining, we are going to the beach.
 The sun is shining; therefore, we are going to the beach.
Join the two independent clauses with a semicolon.
1.
2.
5.
The sun is shining, we are going to the beach.
 The sun is shining, so we are going to the beach.
Join the two independent clauses with a semicolon, a
transitional expression, and a comma.
1.
2.
4.
The sun is shining, we are going to the beach.
 The sun is shining. We are going to the beach.
The sun is shining, we are going to the beach.
 The sun is shining; we are going to the beach.
Join two independent clauses with a subordinating
conjunction.
1.
2.
The sun is shining, we are going to the beach.
 Because the sun is shining, we are going to the beach.
Edit for grammar and punctuation
Colons: What comes to the left of the colon must be a
complete sentence.
Ex: There are three colors on our flag: red, white,
and blue.
Semicolons: What comes to the left and to the right
of the semicolon has to be a complete sentence.
Ex: There are three colors on our flag; those
colors are red, white, and blue.
Edit for grammar and punctuation
More help with grammar and punctuation:
Commas
Dangling Modifiers
Split Infinitives
Active Voice
Parallel Sentence Structure
Confused Punctuation
Final Words
Remember:
PURPOSE and AUDIENCE
Also:
We are here to help you at Writing Services
at the University Learning Center.
Schedule an appointment, drop-in,
or submit your paper online.
DE 1003 - 910-962-7857
www.uncw.edu/ulc/writing
References
Fogarty, Mignon. Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for
Better Writing. MacMillan Holdings. Web.
Fussell, Laura. Punctuation. PowerPoint Presentation. 2012.
Lunsford, Andrea. Easy Writer: A Pocket Reference. 3rd Ed.
Boston: Beford/St. Martin’s, 2006. Print.
Robitaille, Julie, Robert Connelly, and Sheila Allen. Bridges
and Banks. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning, 2009.
Print.