Varying your approach to something you already know can pay off, much like improving balance on solid ground carries over to standing on a moving wave with the idea of remaining upright and afloat fully realized. Once you’ve written a paper, you might consider finding ways to read it in a new way.
The following are some ideas (you may think of others) to read what you have written in a different way, mostly for the purpose of editing:
• Use a larger font size in a draft.
• Change the font to a vibrant color.
• Type each sentence on its own separate line.
• Read the paper from the last sentence to the first sentence written.
Another way to review your paper for correct punctuation and grammar is to read it aloud, using auditory and visual senses simultaneously. For instance, when you pause while reading aloud, an invisible comma seems to hover in the air between words, often but not always a guide to the placement of commas in your writing. You’ll want to make sure a comma is visible on your page if one is necessary.
There is also correlation for those of you whose communication technique is sign language. By signing your paper as you read it, you will notice the same patterns that those reading aloud do. You can note whether an “-ed” ending you’ve signed to indicate past tense is actually on the page or not. Through signing your words or reading them aloud, it is probable that errors – if there are any – will show up as something not the same in the two modes of communication. Then you can reread the sentence with the discrepancy to decide whether what you meant to write is there on the page or not.
Comma splices and run-ons are two particular errors that writers can find more easily when they review their writing in such ways. For those reading aloud, the voice falls into a lower and quicker tone to indication completion of a thought; for those using sign language, a gesture with extra emphasis can indicate the completion of a statement. Knowing where one thought ends and another begins helps you double check for end punctuation (or semicolons) between sentences.
By finding new ways to read and review your paper, you may turn into a better editor of your own work because you see it in a new way, but please don’t forget to turn the large neon pink type back to black before turning in your final draft.
See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Finding Focus
Physicists search for a Unified Theory of Everything, and I wish them much good fortune in finding it. Most of us, however, have to focus on only a few aspects of the universe, not everything that is or isn’t, at least when writing a research paper. Your instructor is likely to tell you to narrow your topic, find a part of the whole and discuss it in detail, showing its relevance to the whole.
It sounds easy to find a singular area of a broad subject to concentrate on and write about it. Sometimes it actually is. Researchers/writers who consider what interests them the most find their focus more rapidly than those who don’t think their way through to find part of a subject that is of concern or interest to them. At first glance, some subjects may seem to be as dry and dull as miles of sand with no ocean next to it, but research does mean to do some searching.
When you are given an assignment, perhaps one issue connected to the broad topic is of greater importance to you than others, or one person involved historically might appeal to you more than others. If your research is on Transcendentalism, for instance, there may be one idea that intrigues you, maybe the Over Soul, or one poet or essayist whose voice resonates with you, Thoreau, Emerson, or a lesser known writer, perhaps.
At times your instructor will be specific and give you instructions to write on one facet, even directing you in the assignment to focus on just that one facet. In such a case, read the assignment carefully to find the specific focus your instructor has given you (and maybe even fake interest if you have none at first). There may also be some leeway with an already focused and specific topic. You might concentrate on meanings and discuss what the one facet of the whole reveals about the rest.
Before beginning your research, ask yourself what you already know about the subject. Even if you don’t know much about it initially, you will probably find that you have some ideas, right or wrong, or some feeling about the subject. Then when you start searching for information, note how you react when reading. Are you interested and concentrating? Are you yawning and thinking of putting your head on the desk for a quick snooze? Pay special attention to anything that catches your attention; but If preliminary research causes only boredom, ask yourself why that is and then see if what fails to hold your attention might lead to something that does.
If I were to write a research paper on any sea bird of the Coastal Bend, I would choose the Brown Pelican because they look prehistoric to me, as if they’ve been around since long before the dinosaurs even. In my research, I might find when they did come to be among the Gulf Coast wildlife –probably somewhat later than the dinosaurs. The point is that of all the sea birds here, Brown Pelicans are the ones I find the most fascinating. My research would be much more fun for me than if I chose a bird that doesn’t seem as remarkable to me as the pelican.
No matter what the general area of discussion, a bit of reflection and preliminary research should guide you to the part of it that you find of more interest than any other, which is the key to making research enjoyable – and the paper you write more enthralling for the reader.
See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!
It sounds easy to find a singular area of a broad subject to concentrate on and write about it. Sometimes it actually is. Researchers/writers who consider what interests them the most find their focus more rapidly than those who don’t think their way through to find part of a subject that is of concern or interest to them. At first glance, some subjects may seem to be as dry and dull as miles of sand with no ocean next to it, but research does mean to do some searching.
When you are given an assignment, perhaps one issue connected to the broad topic is of greater importance to you than others, or one person involved historically might appeal to you more than others. If your research is on Transcendentalism, for instance, there may be one idea that intrigues you, maybe the Over Soul, or one poet or essayist whose voice resonates with you, Thoreau, Emerson, or a lesser known writer, perhaps.
At times your instructor will be specific and give you instructions to write on one facet, even directing you in the assignment to focus on just that one facet. In such a case, read the assignment carefully to find the specific focus your instructor has given you (and maybe even fake interest if you have none at first). There may also be some leeway with an already focused and specific topic. You might concentrate on meanings and discuss what the one facet of the whole reveals about the rest.
Before beginning your research, ask yourself what you already know about the subject. Even if you don’t know much about it initially, you will probably find that you have some ideas, right or wrong, or some feeling about the subject. Then when you start searching for information, note how you react when reading. Are you interested and concentrating? Are you yawning and thinking of putting your head on the desk for a quick snooze? Pay special attention to anything that catches your attention; but If preliminary research causes only boredom, ask yourself why that is and then see if what fails to hold your attention might lead to something that does.
If I were to write a research paper on any sea bird of the Coastal Bend, I would choose the Brown Pelican because they look prehistoric to me, as if they’ve been around since long before the dinosaurs even. In my research, I might find when they did come to be among the Gulf Coast wildlife –probably somewhat later than the dinosaurs. The point is that of all the sea birds here, Brown Pelicans are the ones I find the most fascinating. My research would be much more fun for me than if I chose a bird that doesn’t seem as remarkable to me as the pelican.
No matter what the general area of discussion, a bit of reflection and preliminary research should guide you to the part of it that you find of more interest than any other, which is the key to making research enjoyable – and the paper you write more enthralling for the reader.
See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Winging It!
“Pop! Pop test? Uh, oh…oh, no!”
Silverwind Seagull knew her egg group had told her to expect it, but it still came as a jolt when Ms. Kananduz, her teacher, told her the time had come for her to condense what she had studied and repeat it in a logical and convincing manner.
Silverwind felt anxious, close to panic, and wished she’d not been quite as blithe in spirit after her lessons had taken place. Always, she’d been eager to fly away to enjoy the strength of her wings, soaring with her egg group, the 2011s, instead of stopping to consider her teacher’s words after each class.
A verbal pop essay test, but nothing popped into Silverwind’s mind as her teacher stood on one leg, regarding her pupil. Ms. Kananduz was looking a bit impatient. She had, in fact, just spotted her favorite old couple driving up in their vintage VW van, the couple who always had plenty of chips to toss to the air and into her beak.
As her teacher waited, Silverwind shifted from one leg to another, wishing the post on the pier was a bit more comfortable and wishing more that she could remember anything at all that she’d been taught over the last few weeks. There wasn’t much time either. She at least recalled that the verbal pop essay test had to be done as soon as the teacher called for it, not later after she’d had time to talk to her egg group about it again or after she’d flown somewhere alone to sort out her thoughts.
Finally, however, after her teacher had waited and waited some more - while Silverwind sounded only a few feeble squawks that went nowhere toward the synopsis of her lessons - Ms. Kananduz, hoping for at least some time left to see about the special old couple and a few remaining chips, decided to help her student.
“Relax, Silverwind. Be calm. To remember, it helps if you picture yourself back in time, the very time when your studies began. Imagine that you are now hearing what I said then and what we discussed. If you can find one part of the instruction in your mind, that one part will soon lead to the rest of the lore that you have learned. Remember now that you did pay attention, and you do know the material.”
The breeze ruffled her feathers, the sun shone high above the pier, the water glistened in the bay, and Silverwind concentrated. She thought back to discussions with her egg group. She remembered how blue was the sky the very day the class began. She concentrated harder, and soon a few of Ms. Kananduz’s words came back to her: “Watch for the special ones that have been here before.” Now she remembered the main idea of the lessons!
As soon as she reviewed how Ms. Kananduz had phrased the question to verify exactly what her teacher was asking her to do, Silverwind spoke her synopsis, clearly and concisely. Ms. Kananduz nodded, pleased, but did not linger for further talk before taking to the air fast, as if she had somewhere she just had to be as soon as she could be there.
With cheerful cries, the 2011s congratulated Silverwind when she told them she’d passed, too. Whirling in the air to return to the pier, the entire egg group arrived just in time to see Ms. Kananduz expertly catching the very last chip thrown to the air before two old humans, regular visitors, strolled back to their van.
Ms. Kananduz surely was one smart seagull, all right, one whose lessons on humans and how to catch chips were well worth remembering.
See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!
Silverwind Seagull knew her egg group had told her to expect it, but it still came as a jolt when Ms. Kananduz, her teacher, told her the time had come for her to condense what she had studied and repeat it in a logical and convincing manner.
Silverwind felt anxious, close to panic, and wished she’d not been quite as blithe in spirit after her lessons had taken place. Always, she’d been eager to fly away to enjoy the strength of her wings, soaring with her egg group, the 2011s, instead of stopping to consider her teacher’s words after each class.
A verbal pop essay test, but nothing popped into Silverwind’s mind as her teacher stood on one leg, regarding her pupil. Ms. Kananduz was looking a bit impatient. She had, in fact, just spotted her favorite old couple driving up in their vintage VW van, the couple who always had plenty of chips to toss to the air and into her beak.
As her teacher waited, Silverwind shifted from one leg to another, wishing the post on the pier was a bit more comfortable and wishing more that she could remember anything at all that she’d been taught over the last few weeks. There wasn’t much time either. She at least recalled that the verbal pop essay test had to be done as soon as the teacher called for it, not later after she’d had time to talk to her egg group about it again or after she’d flown somewhere alone to sort out her thoughts.
Finally, however, after her teacher had waited and waited some more - while Silverwind sounded only a few feeble squawks that went nowhere toward the synopsis of her lessons - Ms. Kananduz, hoping for at least some time left to see about the special old couple and a few remaining chips, decided to help her student.
“Relax, Silverwind. Be calm. To remember, it helps if you picture yourself back in time, the very time when your studies began. Imagine that you are now hearing what I said then and what we discussed. If you can find one part of the instruction in your mind, that one part will soon lead to the rest of the lore that you have learned. Remember now that you did pay attention, and you do know the material.”
The breeze ruffled her feathers, the sun shone high above the pier, the water glistened in the bay, and Silverwind concentrated. She thought back to discussions with her egg group. She remembered how blue was the sky the very day the class began. She concentrated harder, and soon a few of Ms. Kananduz’s words came back to her: “Watch for the special ones that have been here before.” Now she remembered the main idea of the lessons!
As soon as she reviewed how Ms. Kananduz had phrased the question to verify exactly what her teacher was asking her to do, Silverwind spoke her synopsis, clearly and concisely. Ms. Kananduz nodded, pleased, but did not linger for further talk before taking to the air fast, as if she had somewhere she just had to be as soon as she could be there.
With cheerful cries, the 2011s congratulated Silverwind when she told them she’d passed, too. Whirling in the air to return to the pier, the entire egg group arrived just in time to see Ms. Kananduz expertly catching the very last chip thrown to the air before two old humans, regular visitors, strolled back to their van.
Ms. Kananduz surely was one smart seagull, all right, one whose lessons on humans and how to catch chips were well worth remembering.
See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Imagine That
Sometimes it happens - you read a part of a book or an article, see every word along the way, and come to the end of the paragraph or passage with no clue what it said.
Most of us have had the same frustrating experience. If you are a student and know you’ll be tested on the content, you’ll probably read it again, furrowing your brow, concentrating as hard as you can. Usually, focusing attention makes the meaning clear, but now and then, the words just refuse to make sense. There are no quick and easy solutions to the problem, but there are ways to increase the ability to read and retain a memory of what you read.
Pictures are the key, the mental images that people have when they read, how they imagine a room or character might look when they read a description. If forming an image in the mind does not come naturally to you, it is a skill that can be developed by deciding that some image will appear and then working to imagine it.
If you are reading a long and detail-filled passage about troop movements in the Civil War, stop for a moment and try to “see” a Confederate or Union soldier. The colors of their uniforms, blue or gray, would be a start. If you’ve seen a photo of either uniform, use the remembered image. Even if all that comes to your mind is a vague recall of the colors blue and gray, it’s a start. You don’t need a fully-detailed hallucination, not at all, just a sense of the form.
Pick another word or two from the text and connect it to a mental image before you resume reading. You will most likely find that you already understand more, partly because you’ve given your mind a specific job to do – to picture an object, activity, or person the words symbolize.
If the attempt fails, take some time and draw a quick picture of something mentioned in the passage. A simple line drawing or a more complex one will work to make your mind pay attention to the text. For instance, I could draw a picture of the brain (mind) to remember this paragraph, or I could draw a pencil to represent a tool used to draw.
When I am reading about the habitats of Coastal Bend seabirds, it is fun for me to imagine gulls and cranes and pelicans. Seeing them in my mind as I read makes the text come alive for me, engages my mind, and helps me to comprehend and remember what I read. I can picture a crane standing on one leg as it looks across the water, a white gull whirling in the blue sky, or a brown pelican intently following a fishing boat. Mental images enhance comprehension, and forming pictures in your mind will make everything you read more interesting as well.
See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!
Most of us have had the same frustrating experience. If you are a student and know you’ll be tested on the content, you’ll probably read it again, furrowing your brow, concentrating as hard as you can. Usually, focusing attention makes the meaning clear, but now and then, the words just refuse to make sense. There are no quick and easy solutions to the problem, but there are ways to increase the ability to read and retain a memory of what you read.
Pictures are the key, the mental images that people have when they read, how they imagine a room or character might look when they read a description. If forming an image in the mind does not come naturally to you, it is a skill that can be developed by deciding that some image will appear and then working to imagine it.
If you are reading a long and detail-filled passage about troop movements in the Civil War, stop for a moment and try to “see” a Confederate or Union soldier. The colors of their uniforms, blue or gray, would be a start. If you’ve seen a photo of either uniform, use the remembered image. Even if all that comes to your mind is a vague recall of the colors blue and gray, it’s a start. You don’t need a fully-detailed hallucination, not at all, just a sense of the form.
Pick another word or two from the text and connect it to a mental image before you resume reading. You will most likely find that you already understand more, partly because you’ve given your mind a specific job to do – to picture an object, activity, or person the words symbolize.
If the attempt fails, take some time and draw a quick picture of something mentioned in the passage. A simple line drawing or a more complex one will work to make your mind pay attention to the text. For instance, I could draw a picture of the brain (mind) to remember this paragraph, or I could draw a pencil to represent a tool used to draw.
When I am reading about the habitats of Coastal Bend seabirds, it is fun for me to imagine gulls and cranes and pelicans. Seeing them in my mind as I read makes the text come alive for me, engages my mind, and helps me to comprehend and remember what I read. I can picture a crane standing on one leg as it looks across the water, a white gull whirling in the blue sky, or a brown pelican intently following a fishing boat. Mental images enhance comprehension, and forming pictures in your mind will make everything you read more interesting as well.
See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)