Surfing the Waves of Writing

Imagine That

2012-02-07T15:52:00.002-06:00

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!

It's a Process

2012-01-31T13:51:00.000-06:00

You’ve heard the term Process Writing if you’ve taken English classes in the past few years. What does it mean, though, to call writing a process?

The word “process” is, according to the Microsoft Word sidebar definition, “taking something through an established . . . set of procedures or steps to convert it”; “a systematic series of actions directed to some end”; or “a series of actions, changes, or functions bringing about a result.”

In short, the status quo is not the way to go. Your first ideas, notes, and draft are just a beginning; and your first draft is probably not the paper you should turn in for a grade, even if that’s what you want to do to have it over and done so that you can head to the beach.

Process Writing consists of preliminary work and then more work (brainstorming to get ideas and then several drafts before it’s done). Brainstorming might involve an outline to structure your paper, lists of key points you plan to make, or other notes to guide you through to the completion of your paper. Multiple drafts are also nearly always necessary before the paper is ready for other readers. Few writers manage to produce their best work right off the top of their heads, and fewer still can succeed without revisions.

Like other processes (no need to mention sausage making), one thing follows another as you make changes to achieve your goal, and the process might become a bit messy along the way. You might have to move whole paragraphs to other, more logical, positions in your paper. (Be fearless when copying and pasting paragraphs or sentences, but always save the first and all other drafts as you continue to revise.) Be liberal with highlighting and sidebar notes to yourself.

The main idea behind Process Writing is that it is a work done in stages, a work that takes time, effort, and thought. Systematically reviewing drafts, noting what works - and what doesn’t - is part of the process. You have the time (you did begin the paper early, right?) and the liberty to change your mind as well as your words when you put ideas on the page. Until your instructor has your work in hand, it is totally yours and yours alone to change.

Plan in advance, then, and take some time to think it through before starting. You have probably already guessed that my favorite spot for thinking is on the beach where the sound of the surf and the raucous calls of the gulls inspire me. Your source of inspiration may be different, but to put thoughts upon a page in words requires ideas first and then the systematic work of refining your words to make your ideas clear to potential readers.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Active Learning is the Key

2012-01-24T10:49:00.002-06:00

In science fiction, a student might put on a Golden Knowledge-Transference Helmet and know all there is to know about a subject within an amazingly short time (maybe even without nefarious controllers adding subliminal directives as part of the process).

In the real world, learning takes time and effort, especially when a concept remains unclear, at least for a while. Since our minds are our own and there are no Golden Knowledge-Transference Helmets available, teachers cannot download information into a system for students to retrieve by osmosis. There is no Vulcan mind meld either.

Through tried and true ways, humans share what they know with each other. We tell each other or demonstrate or use symbols of some kind to exchange information. Learning requires our active attention, not a passive expectation that facts, data, or intelligence might be had by other means.

When you get a composition back with a notation that you have a couple of comma splices, it is time to become an independent scholar and do your own investigation so that you can learn exactly what constitutes a comma splice and how to punctuate sentences correctly. All the rules and regulations of English usage are available to you in books, online, from teachers, or from tutors here at the Stone Writing Center. It is still, however, your own labor that makes a difference as you master the formerly mysterious idea of a comma splice (or any other convention of the language).

While a science fiction idea of instantly gaining an education sounds good, too good to be true given the above-mentioned nefarious controllers anyway, there is still joy in how we actually do learn: consciously considering and convincing our minds to comprehend.

As I watch seabirds - gulls, pelicans, cranes - sometimes I want to know more about them, what their lives are like beyond flying over the gulf, walking along the sands, or perching on a pier; but to find out anything at all, I have to do some research. What I then discover means more to me than if somehow or the other the knowledge had just come to me without any effort at all. Actively learning is the key, itself rewarding the work of the mind.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Timing is Everything

2012-01-17T11:09:00.004-06:00

Welcome to a new semester! The excitement of a fresh, new start fills the air here at Del Mar College. As syllabi are being distributed and course calendars reviewed, now is a great time to address the ever-critical aspect of time management, especially in regards to writing assignments.

Lazing a day away at the beach, relaxing without a care in the world, watching the waves and the seabirds, all bring peace to my mind; but not every day can be a timeless one. Life also requires work (which is often quite fun in its own right). Work involves a component of managing time, planning ahead to make sure that what needs to be done is done on time.

As a student, you know the difference between time that you can call completely your own and time that has to be used to get work done for a class. One way to avoid a sudden and hideously hopeless realization that you’ve got a paper due NOW is to write down what work the instructor expects you to complete as soon as you know what the class requirements are.

At the beginning of a semester, usually on the first day of class, most instructors provide an overview of the course with calendar dates that list upcoming assignments. Their hope, actually their expectation, is that students who know in advance when work is due will manage their time effectively, a practical and worthwhile goal, one that practically assures success in the course.

Along with noting what work is due and when it is due, estimating how long each assignment will probably take makes sense. A research paper takes much longer to write than a paragraph or a one-page summary. Some assigned reading also involves more time than others, an article vs. a whole book, for instance. You know from previous experience what you can accomplish fairly quickly and what will take extra time.

Even if you enjoy living on the edge - the very brink of disaster - and think your best work happens at the last minute because fear and pressure inspire you, the reality is that advance planning remains the wiser course. In fact, getting the work done before the due date, a few days in advance, is even wiser than just planning to start before the deadline. (Your paper may possibly need a bit of revision, something you definitely don’t want to do right before the very minute it is due.)

The final advantage of advance planning and getting work done in a timely fashion is that you wind up with extra time, time to call your own, free time with nothing to do but what you choose. Like me, you might enjoy a pleasant trip to the bay front to watch the waves, pick up shells along the beach, and let the soothing sounds of the surf bring you peace of mind.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

In Retrospect

2011-12-13T09:47:00.003-06:00

As the semester draws to a close, I thought I would leave you with a bit of advice about the papers you’ve written over the last few months.

Hindsight is said to be 20/20. We all ask ourselves what we might have done if we had do overs in life. One good idea for writers, no matter where along the way they are, is to keep all the essays, poems, notes, letters, etc., that they write. Once a paper has been handed in, graded and returned, and the process is considered to be over, there is still a reason to keep what you have written. Even if you don’t look at it again for decades, it is worth saving as part of your personal history.

Old papers sometimes do come in handy for new courses. While it is probable that yesterday’s writing will not meet present requirements, there may be parts of it that can be renewed and used (you can’t plagiarize yourself). Sometimes an idea from your old paper can generate more ideas for your new assignment. Sometimes it is just fun to read what you wrote a year or so ago.

Down the road, what you write today may become even more valuable to you, a way to recall your college years and the important work you did to earn your degree. Finding a place to save your work will keep you from wishing later on that you had kept it - for remembering, for revisiting an earlier time, for reminding yourself of yourself as a writer then and now.

This will be my last blog for 2011, but I’ll be back in January to kick off a new year of writing tips. On behalf of the Stone Writing Center, happy holidays!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

When Mistakes Happen

2011-12-06T09:52:00.004-06:00

Mistakes: we all make them now and then.

Last week was one of those weeks, a time in which I caught (too late) at least two mistakes in emails I sent. One email was to a co-worker; I typed and sent “This look great.” I might have taken the time to proofread before I hit the “send” button, but that didn’t happen. Subjects and verbs should be in agreement, especially in work-related messages.

That week, too, right as I pressed “send” for another email, my eye landed on a word I’d used incorrectly – it’s instead of its. At the moment I saw the error, the email was probably already in his inbox (too late again).

While it is nice that I, eventually, found my errors, I needed some way to prevent them. The situation had to be improved. A resolve to reread emails (like proofreading or editing an essay) before sending seemed logical enough. Then I thought about other ways to come closer to impeccable grammar, a personal goal. That’s when a memory surfaced.

I was eight or nine years old and in elementary school. The teacher was concentrating on grammar. What I did then was try to incorporate the lessons she taught into my everyday life each time I learned a new rule. Without really knowing what I was doing, other than being determined to get an A, I was reinforcing the right way each time I used a new rule correctly at home or on the playground. It is possible that my spoken words might have become somewhat odd then, maybe even stilted on occasion; but using what I learned paid off in time, most of the time anyway, even if not last week when I was sending emails.

Repetition of correct usage makes a major difference. By the time a writer has discovered and corrected several of the same type of grammatical errors, it’s probable that the original tendency to err will have been replaced by a tendency to use the right grammatical construction in the first place.

No one truly loves to be criticized or corrected; but when I really think about it, any time someone does legitimately correct my grammar, I’m given a chance to know and subsequently use the right form. I can convince myself to use corrections and try to be thankful for them, even though finding out I’ve made mistakes isn’t exactly as much fun as watching perfect waves roll onto the shore on a sunny day when grammar concerns are far, far away.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Punctuation's Odd Cousin: the Semicolon

2011-11-29T10:59:00.000-06:00

Semicolons do look strange - a dot with a comma right underneath it, like a hybrid or a mutant punctuation mark. Odd looking or not, the semicolon can be useful. One of its main functions is to separate independent clauses (sentences), especially when the ideas are closely related. The first use of a semicolon is diagramed below:

Sentence (Independent clause) ; sentence (Independent clause).

You might have noticed that the second “sentence,” the one following the semicolon, begins with a lower case letter. Unless the second independent clause begins with a proper noun, a name or title like Captain Seafar, capital letters are not used. It seems at first to be another somewhat weird part of the use of the semicolon; however, the reason probably has to do with considering two independent clauses joined by a semicolon as one sentence.

Another main use of a semicolon is to clarify lists when they contain additional information set off by commas. A list of cities and states, for instance, needs semicolons to separate the items on the list: Corpus Christi, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Other lists may include extra, non-essential information. For example, a few of the many good aspects of life are the beach, especially on sunny days; a surf board; and a perfect wave. Only one item on the list includes a comma, but the whole list is separated by semicolons for absolute clarity. When a list is long and complex, semicolons make a huge difference in understanding exactly what the separate items on the list are.

Writers who just like the looks of semicolons might be tempted to over use them. Mostly, though, the funny-looking semicolon serves writers well for the two reasons discussed above.

Now it’s time for me to head out to the beach, perhaps to find the perfect wave; consequently, semicolons used with conjunctive adverbs must wait for another blog.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Me, Myself & I

2011-11-22T10:16:00.001-06:00

Most people try not to use the word “I” frequently, not even the most egocentric or egotistical. If your assignment is to write about yourself, however, you’ll need to find a solution to the problem of writing a paper filled with the ubiquitous word “I.” You might ask yourself, “How am I to refer to myself without using the previously mentioned one-letter word?”

One way to manage the difficulty is to discuss events or ideas with the events or ideas as the subjects. For instance, instead of saying “I surfed at Mustang Island, and I had a great day,” or saying “I think my day of surfing at Mustang Island was great,” you can say “Surfing at Mustang Island that day was great” or “The day of surfing at Mustang Island was great.”

By changing the subject, you minimize the number of times you use the word “I,” but there is no reason to take it completely out of a paper when the paper is all about you. You should not even try to totally eradicate the word “I.” It is sometimes best to just limit how often it appears.

One note of caution is that it is better by far to go ahead and use the word “I” than to wind up with an awkward or stilted sentence. Using your own judgment and being aware that there is a way to get around repeatedly saying the word “I” should give you at least an idea of how to write about yourself, your own experiences or thoughts, without the one-letter word being the subject of all your sentences.

I like the idea, even if I do say so myself.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Can I Say That?

2011-11-15T10:39:00.002-06:00

Among the many advantages of living in America, freedom of speech constitutes one of the finest. I certainly enjoy the right to say just about anything I choose. To answer the grammatically suspect question that serves as the title of the present blog, yes, I may say that, but I have to be reasonable about when, where, and how I do. Audience, circumstance, time, and place - all require consideration before I speak or write.

What students say and how they say it also changes, depending on their situations or assignments. College writing in particular often means paying attention to potential readers, primarily the instructor and, on occasion, classmates, as well. In addition, instructors generally limit the area of discussion for their students. Such limitations won’t stifle creativity at all; on the contrary, instead of mentally casting about in the entire universe for any idea whatsoever to discuss, students are given the basic subject area: a story, an article, or a specific question, in fact, a definite context for their papers.

Having limits and using them advantageously often liberates writers. Limits can direct and focus ideas, just as stars and compasses once kept old-timey sailing vessels on course. Assignments provide guidance systems for students navigating the open waters of liberty to say what they please and still keep it relevant.

As you yourself explore college level writing - you can say that -you may find that freedom of speech inspires you to go beyond any previous experience of school writing. Sail on. Keep the Ship of Context on the right course as you discover uncharted new lands of thought and expression.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Taking Another Look

2011-11-08T09:53:00.001-06:00

What if you have spent hour upon hour polishing (editing and proofreading) a draft, only to discover the night before it’s due (a bit of an awful epiphany) that the assigned work requires something different from what you have written? The professor asked for a description, and you wrote a narrative; or the assignment called for analysis, and you wrote strong personal opinions about the usefulness of analyzing; or even, in a worst case scenario, you retold a story instead of discussing it in terms of literary devices. Occasions such as these call for revision, a dismantling of the work in order to rebuild it in another form. Taken apart, the word revision has a connotation of seeing again, taking another look.

What should you do? First, read your work again (re-vision) to see if there is part of it that you totally don’t want to give up, a turn of phrase, a choice word, an idea you love. Once you have decided to keep sections, it might be possible to revamp them, change them enough to fit with the assignment and comply with the requirements. By the way, keeping everything you write is a smart thing to do, even drafts that you don’t think you’ll ever use.

Sometimes revision involves moving whole paragraphs or sentences to other sections of your paper to improve the logic or flow of ideas, a technique better known as editing. If you see points that fit logically somewhere else, move them. At other times, however, revision involves a complete rewriting of your paper, especially if your first draft is not going to work, no matter what you add or take away or move.

The good news is that in writing a first draft, you have probably clarified your ideas, thought about the assignment, or considered how to approach the topic. If your first draft seems off, not quite right, review the assignment first, and then double check to see if you can use any parts of what you have written, weaving it into a new form with changes, either drastic or simple. If you have retold a story instead of analyzing it, use elements of the plot to discuss the story.

Keep in mind, too, that spending time proofreading (fixing sentence-level errors) or editing (improving on the points you’ve made) before you are basically satisfied with what you have written overall may not be time well spent. Save the final tweaking of commas and such until you know the paper you’ve written is the one you will turn in to complete your assignment, the final draft that fulfills the requirements and instructions you’ve been given.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

The Literature Code

2011-11-01T11:19:00.002-05:00

There’s something calm and relaxing about a clear blue day. Perhaps it’s the sunlight gently pouring down. Perhaps it’s the soft blue sky, or the wispy movements of the clouds. Perhaps it’s just feeling that wind at your back and enjoying the mirror-like blue of the water. Then again, maybe I make the day out to be more romantic than it really is, and there’s no real meaning at all.

Life is the search for meaning. As humans, we want to make sense of the world around us, and transform it into something we can understand. This desire inspired the earliest stories and myths, which were told to explain the unknowable.

Although our understanding of the world has changed, literature remains the same. There’s still that same search for meaning in our lives. However, with literature, we are searching for meaning within a book, poem, or short story. This is called literary analysis.

Many people confuse literary analysis with retelling the story. However, there’s no real reason for anyone to summarize a piece of literature. We know what happened in the story. Literary analysts are not concerned with the words themselves, but with the meaning behind them.

“When is a rose not a rose?” When it’s used to mean something else.

When looking at a story or a poem, the first thing to ask is what the author’s main idea is. When reading an essay, we first look for the author’s thesis statement. It’s no different with literature. The story will often have a moral behind it, or some kind of hidden message from the author. This is the story’s theme.

Once you identify the theme, consider how the author is using language to show meaning. Ask questions about the text. Do you see an object being used constantly within the story? That object could be a symbol for a larger idea within the story. Do any characters act in a way that proves the author’s point? This could be used to show theme. Do you see similarities between the characters and the author’s life? The author may be writing the story from experience.
When reading a story or a poem, always interrogate what you’ve read. Once you’ve answered those questions, ask what it all means. Look for a pattern that makes sense. From there, you must prove your ideas with evidence from the text or any useful outside sources.

Don’t worry if your idea sounds strange or unusual. There’s always room for more than one “correct answer” in literary analysis. The important thing is that you’re reading beyond the text and making connections about what you’ve read.

Although writing a literary analysis can be difficult at first, it gradually becomes easier with time and practice. Just keep reading, keep questioning, and keep writing until the answer comes to you.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Use It...or Lose It

2011-10-25T10:16:00.001-05:00

English classes provide ample opportunities to learn new words. (Rarely - once in a blue moon even - a student might say that English classes offer too many opportunities to learn new words.) Your vocabulary grows each time you memorize a new word, and the staying power of new words is increased when you use them in speaking or writing.

It is not likely to happen that you’ll have a chance to work everything you learn in an English class into casual conversations – maybe not a term like “adjectival prepositional phrase” unless you’re at a gathering of grammarians. But you can still keep the adjectival-prepositional-phrase concept alive in your working memory when you see prepositional phrases used to describe nouns and note the fact – silently, privately, mentally is perhaps best in most places outside of English class or the aforementioned gathering of grammarians.

Quite a few other words learned in English classes lend themselves more readily than grammar terminology to ordinary communication. For instance, any one of us might, having learned what a metaphor is, compliment a friend who uses one by saying, “Great metaphor, Bro,” when he says a wave is a bomb.

Once your professor has gone over the definitions of terms used to discuss literature (literary elements), it’s a good idea to incorporate the applicable words in your essays. Using newly learned words correctly reinforces your knowledge and can also unify your paragraphs. If you are writing a paragraph on how a writer uses symbolism, reiterate the word symbol (or synonyms) throughout the paragraph. When you do this, you impress your professor with the fact that you are staying on topic and also impress the word upon your working memory, making it part of your lifelong vocabulary.

During brainstorming before writing the essay, you might even make a list of possible points, using the word symbol in some form in each:

1._________ is a symbol of ________.
2. Symbolic _________(s) enhance ________.
3. The author’s use of symbolism _________________.

Keep in mind that all the words and definitions you learn become part of your everyday vocabulary, especially when transference takes place as you incorporate new words into written or spoken communication or notice them when reading or hearing them throughout your lifetime. The best way to remember what you learn is to use it consistently. Did someone once say “Use it or lose it”?

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Greeadbeeak’s Good Day: A Story Involving Active and Passive Voice

2011-10-18T10:09:00.000-05:00

This summer as I lazed at the beach, I was reading a book, nothing much to do with grammar except for the writer’s excellent command of the English language. Early in the book, I noticed the author’s use of passive voice for emphasis. He moves the story along nicely in active voice but then suddenly shifts to three short sentences in passive voice, changing the whole cadence of the paragraph. The effect caught my attention to the max. To emulate the author’s technique, I’ve written the following bit of prose:

Greeadbeeak, a savvy sea gull, regarded tourists as they arrived at the beach with bags full of tasty food. Greeadbeeak saw her favorites – salty, crispy chips! Yum! She soared above, screeching welcome, and then hovered in the air near the tourists. Greeadbeeak especially noted the children, the very same children who just then spotted her and pointed, delighted to see a genuine seabird native to the Gulf of Mexico. “Wow! Look, a bird! Can we feed it, Mom…please, please?”

Neither the excited children nor their parents knew that the locals (some of them, the less than generous ones) called Greeadbeeak and her kind wharf rats, sea rats, and other unflattering terms. “Never mind locals,” Greeadbeeak thought to herself, contented with the present situation, an opportunity if she had ever seen one (and she had). Greeadbeeak’s thoughts continued, passively floating into her mind one by one:

“Gullible Tourists are known as easy marks.”

“Keys to snacks are held by their friendly young.”

“Salty, tasty snacks would soon be tossed to her beak.”

Greeadbeeak perceived the situation correctly. With her whole flock, she caught many tasty bites of food as the children threw chip after chip into the air just to see the white gulls catch them. When the sun had set and the tourists had driven away, Greeadbeeak, well fed, listened to the waves as she roosted and enjoyed the breeze softly rustling her feathers. Later, she dreamed of salty, crispy corn and potato chips and her own inestimable play among tourists who had shared their bounty with her and her flock that day.

From the story above, the following are examples of active and passive voice:

Ex. 1 Active voice: Greeadbeeak (subject) regarded (verb)

Ex. 2. Passive voice: Tourists (subject) were known (helping verb and verb)

The basic difference between active and passive voice is that in active voice, the subject is the one acting in the sentence; whereas in passive voice, the subject is acted upon, has something happen to it.

The effective use of passive voice can also be likened to a public speaker’s use of tone and volume. He’s exhorting the crowd, loudly proclaiming, and then suddenly drops his voice to a very soft register, nearly a whisper. Everyone in the audience leans forward, intent on catching every word. The orator has caught their attention…maybe to the max. Used sparingly, not often and generally for a reason, passive voice can serve a writer well.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

On Topic or Wandering Away?

2011-10-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

Buzzing through her mind, thought after thought insisted upon landing on the page. The thoughts appeared not to notice particularly that she was supposed to be writing a paper on how she learned to surf. Ideas loosely connected to the skill kept surfacing, demanding to take part in the essay. She wrote a whole paragraph on how much fun it was to shop for new gear. Another paragraph detailed the history of surfing in a totally different state, not Texas where she first balanced on a board. Part of her paper was on another sport entirely, snow skiing.

Her introduction was fine. She even had a thesis for the narrative, the benefits of acquiring a new skill, i.e., surfing. Somewhere, however, along the way, she’d wandered so far from her topic that the reader had no clue what she was trying to say. By the time she reached her conclusion, even she had forgotten the purpose of her paper, her original goal.

What was she to do? Her paper was due way too soon for her to completely start over, but when she reread what she’d written, she felt confused, unsure of the result. She had about an hour to fix the paper, so she took a highlighter and started mercilessly marking all passages that were not on surfing itself or how she first learned to surf. Although there was not a whole lot left, she reread the off -topic paragraphs and decided to try to weave at least part of them into her narrative.

The section on buying gear might work if she put it into the context of what she needed to try the sport. She struck the parts of how cute the different footwear was and concentrated on the necessary items to be able to paddle out to a wave and stand upon the equipment, the surfboard. She then kept some detail of the designs of her first board and went on to describe learning to balance on it.

Snow skiing? Surfing in California? There are some likenesses in skiing and surfing, balancing especially, so she salvaged parts of that passage as well by comparing the skills needed for each sport, which led to her own experience in learning to balance properly. The two states, California and Texas, could also serve to detail most of the skills needed for surfing in different types of waves on different coasts, for instance.

By deleting, adding, and tying areas of discussion to the main idea, she finished on time with an adequate paper. She did resolve as she turned it in to be more careful on the next assignment, maybe even putting a large reminder by her keyboard: My Topic Is________. Maybe she’d make the letters about an inch high and color them neon green and blue. Perhaps such a reminder would help her keep from meandering all over the universe for her next paper and make polishing the paper less arduous, no heavy duty revisions needed before the time came to submit it.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Thesis & Structure, Function & Form

2011-10-04T10:03:00.005-05:00

As my regular readers may notice, I've found a new design for my blog. I thought the crashing wave was appropriate, since the purpose of my blog is to give you writing tips to keep you from "crashing" in your writing. Speaking of tips, on to today's blog!

Essays have structure, not necessarily the five-paragraph, three-reason structure taught in many high schools, but still variations on that basic structure. A thesis statement tells the reader what subject the whole essay covers, and topic sentences tell the reader what area of the whole the writer discusses in each paragraph. If I were to write an essay on fruits, I might begin by letting the reader know the situation, i.e., what is important about fruit.

After a general introduction to the concept of fruit, I might write a thesis that specifies the benefits of bananas, mangos, and coconuts with the emphasis I’ve chosen - vitamins, taste, nutrition in general, or something else. I then devote one paragraph to each fruit in the order I mention them in my thesis and conclude, calling for more attention to fruit in the diet, perhaps.

College essays often require a more complex structure or form due to the subjects students discuss and the varied purposes of essays - to argue, to describe, to analyze, to explicate (the list is long).

If I were to write on the validity of requiring a driving test for new motorists, my essay might require only one full paragraph between the introduction and conclusion, or it might take five or six body paragraphs to include all the reasons for or against mandatory driving tests.

A five or ten-page research paper is not likely to be limited to five paragraphs either. Due to the topic and the number of pages required, it is probable that the paper will consist of many more than five paragraphs.

An important part of writing is the logic of the structure via paragraphing. If I am writing a research paper decrying the use of animals in scientific studies, I might divide my paper into two paragraphs on the historical use of animals in experiments, another two paragraphs on science and animals in present day, and three paragraphs on how to achieve the same scientific ends without using animals in experiments before I conclude with a zinger of an idea to save animals.

My introduction informs the reader about the overall subject area (the use of animals to test drugs or procedures); and near the end of the introduction, my thesis might read as follows: Historically, scientists have used animals to test new drugs and surgical procedures; but the time has come to end the vile practice and protect animals from such painful experiences. My thesis guides the reader to both the subject area and basic order of the discussion in the paper. I might not even specifically mention the main areas of discussion (history, tests, and animal rights), but instead write a strong thesis that states that animals should never be used as subjects of experiments. I don’t have to be specific. My topic sentences - which begin paragraphs - focus the reader’s attention on one unified part of the whole of my essay.

Essays require structure, and each essay requires a structure that fits the subject and purpose of the essay. Form may well follow function when writing for given, specific assignments. Or is that function following form?

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

The Music of the Author

2011-09-27T10:29:00.002-05:00

The act of writing is much like riding a wave. Although it may seem strange, good writing should always feel rhythmic, soothing, and natural. When writing is good enough, it places us into a trance. We feel this trance effect in that great novel we can’t put down, or that essay that rivets us to the page. Every word is chosen carefully, and we want to see what happens next. Like a good piece of music, a great piece of writing pulls the reader into the reality of the work.

When writers refer to the concept of flow, this is what they are referring to. Flow is the sustained rhythm of a piece of writing. When there are no glaring surface errors, when the narrative feels like natural speech, when the pacing is consistent, and when one idea transitions into another seamlessly, a piece of writing will create that sense of rhythm. As a writer, you want to place your reader into that trance state.

Very often, a single grammatical error, misspelled word, or clunky phrase can take your reader out of the trance. This is a major reason why correctness is prized so highly by writers. However, by choosing your words carefully and thoughtfully, you can prevent your reader from breaking the rhythm.

This is not to say that flow depends entirely on grammatical correctness. It goes beyond that. Creating flow also involves including seamless transitions from one idea to another, using naturalistic word choice, and avoiding awkward phrasing. Maintaining a consistent tone and style of speech also plays a role in flow. For instance, if you’re using academic language through most of your paper, and one sentence drifts into casual speech for no logical reason, that decision can break the flow as well.

Most flow problems can be corrected in the editing process. Reread your work carefully and listen to the rhythm of the piece. If you learn better by listening, it may help to read the paper aloud. Look or listen for any words, phrases, or sentences that look or sound unnatural to you. Chances are, removing or rephrasing them will improve the flow of the paper.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Tools of Anaylsis, Part Two

2011-09-20T11:28:00.001-05:00

In keeping with last week’s blog, “Tools of Analysis,” here are some tips on analyzing works of literature.

A danger to avoid in analyzing a novel or story is to give into the temptation to just retell the story instead of discussing what the work signifies. Be very aware that the plot of a story may not be all it seems to be. The plot may serve a purpose other than just saying what happens to characters along the way. The plot may be a running metaphor. It may be a completely symbolic series of events used to reveal a social injustice or a human quality. The plot may serve as a method to reveal a universal theme or satirize a political system. Plots of novels or stories may be representative of almost anything an author can devise to make a point or evoke a mood or delineate a thought.

If you decide to refer to the plot of a story or novel as part of your analysis, keep your thesis statement in mind the whole time. If your thesis involves symbolism, a statement in a following paragraph such as “When the sound of the surf began to beckon her, the sound (or surf) is symbolic of her connection to nature” leads directly to an analysis of what the sound of the surf means when the character hears it, tying the simple event into the discussion of symbolism in the story.

A good idea when drafting your essay is to double check how you have used plot as part of your analysis. Highlight each reference to plot and analyze your own writing to be certain that you are doing something much more interesting than recapping a story already published. When using plot to analyze a story, the main point should be how the author uses plot and what effects the plot has on the theme of the story or novel.

While a plot could possibly be just a story line with no other meaning whatsoever, that is unlikely. Even when we recount an everyday event in our lives, there is usually an underlying message to be found. Authors of short stories or novels are probably even more inclined to include meaning or themes in their stories than we are since they devote an incredible number of hours/days/weeks/years to writing. Keep in mind that the plot itself can be used as a literary device for many purposes other than simply telling a story.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Tools of Analysis

2011-09-13T12:39:00.001-05:00

Just as there are different types of waves – swells, pounders, ankle busters, and others – there are different types of essays – narrative, analysis, descriptive, and others. Perhaps the most difficult, but potentially the most interesting, type of essay to write is analysis.

To analyze another’s writing takes thoughtfulness, understanding, and imagination. You may wonder why I use the word imagination. The reason is simple. A good analysis often involves a new way to see the work analyzed – the kind of creative interpretation that comes from asking, “What if…?”What if the author has used the setting to define the characters? What if the author has magnified a small symbol to connect universal ideas? What if the plot is used only as a device to develop social or political commentary?

Once you pinpoint an idea, symbol, literary device, tone, or some other aspect of the work that you have chosen to analyze in your essay, keep to the path of proving whatever you have asserted in your thesis statement.

If you were to highlight your thesis statement in blue and every further idea connected to the thesis in blue, your topic sentences, examples, and details should show up in blue. Each lead in to a quote or paraphrase should be highlighted in blue. All your reflections, support, and commentary should be highlighted in blue. If they aren’t - because they do not have a connection to your thesis - you have wandered off topic, not a great way to develop your ideas. Color coding can provide a visual path to follow lines of reason and logic throughout your essay, all within the context of your thesis statement.

Read thoughtfully, use your considerable mental powers of concentration in order to understand what you read, and let your imagination guide you to a new way to regard a written work.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Welcome to a New Semester!

2011-08-30T14:16:00.001-05:00

A glorious summertime at the beach must recede to memory as fall begins anew with a return to literature and essays and thoughts of grammar. I’m ready to enjoy a fresh start and a new semester.

The Stone Writing Center welcomes returning students and students who are attending Del Mar College for the first time this fall with hopes that all will visit the SWC. Students who have already visited the SWC report that their writing does improve, along with their grades, because they find here the opportunity to discuss their papers with Writing Consultants who know and love writing and can assist students with the process of writing.

In addition to in-person advice about writing, the SWC also provides computers for students to use, Boot Camps for any who have questions about grammar and on-line tutoring. For details of when Boot Camps begin and how to contact the on-line tutors please visit the SWC web site. Student Assistants at the SWC are happy to answer questions and to schedule appointments.

All of us are here to make your college experience more productive, more enjoyable and even easier. Call (361) 698-1364 or come by to find a warm and friendly atmosphere which is conducive to creativity, a place where writing becomes one of the best of your college experiences, as it should be.

Don’t forget to read a few blogs, too, ones posted previously and more to come this semester. Information about grammar and writing may not be quite as much fun as surfing the waves and relaxing on the beach, but it has its moments.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Looking Back...

2011-05-04T09:40:00.000-05:00

One day in the middle of August when I was a novice surfer, a total squid, I almost made a colossal mistake. I hadn’t even looked to see what the weather was before deciding to head to the beach. When I realized the wind was blowing at about forty mph, a mental image of massive waves tossing me and my board like flotsam and jetsam came to me as my inner voice asked a bit nervously, “…the weather, Roxy, what if there’s a storm?” Instead of throwing caution to the winds (or possible rain and hail), I decided not to be like a few unwary sorts I’d heard about, people who actually go to the beach during squalls and big storms (big mistake).

As the spring semester draws to a close, maybe you’ve had a few less than perfect moments in your academic life or maybe just heard an interesting rumor of some giant error in judgment someone else made. Was there a time when the essay someone turned in turned out to be not quite, not precisely, not exactly what the instructor had in mind, as in not even? Did you figure out from that person’s calamity that there’s a better way to go about writing your own essays? As you end one semester and think about future writing, keep in mind that when something does go wrong, analyzing the reason it went wrong can turn into a conscious method you can use to find the right way to compose the next essay.

Your summer plans may involve more than relaxation - work or summer school - but it is a good idea to look back now and then to review the times you’d like to have back for revision (if only…) or, far more happily and much more often, the times you succeeded in doing just what you set out to do. Although I’ll be spending time on the surfboard instead of at the keyboard for the summer, I’ll be thinking about blogs to post next fall. While enjoying the waves and wind (not hurricane strength), I’ll remember this semester and consider what worked and what fell short of working exactly as I wished for it to work in my writing. Learning – improving as a writer - does involve the search for silver linings in the inevitable clouds that come with writing.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Surfing the Blank Page

2011-04-26T08:58:00.001-05:00

Every so often, I always refresh my mind from writing by riding the nearest wave. I remember one time that didn’t happen. The water was calm, the wind was still, and the scene was empty. The waves were gone, and the emptiness of the water almost scared me a little.

Writing can be like that too. There’s nothing more daunting than the blank page or the void of white on the computer screen. The white space then acts as a barrier, blocking the thoughts from your mind and preventing you from getting them on paper. Some people think of this as “writer’s block”, some mystical thing that prevents them from being great writers.

However, it’s not mystical at all, and it isn’t unbreakable.

Remember that the journey of a mile always begins with a single step. A single word can break the silence of the empty page. When writing a first draft, you don’t need to worry about whether you’re not good enough, or that what you’ve written doesn’t work, or that your grade will crash into the rocks if you miss that fragment or comma splice. You can always revise those problems in a later draft.

Depending on how you write, you can always find a way to beat the blank space. One way to do this is simply ride the wave and write. Just type whatever is in your mind at that moment. Don’t stop for anything. Be as one with the text.

When you stop and give yourself time to think, your mind may find a way to trick you into not writing. It will tempt you with that beautiful day outside, the desire to sleep after a long class period, or anything else you’d rather do instead of writing. Ignore that urge to procrastinate, however compelling it sounds to you.

Give yourself space and time to write for yourself when this happens. Find a quiet and peaceful place for you to be alone with your thoughts as you write. Use the writing tools that you love most. Some people enjoy relaxing music when they work. What you use is up to you, and it’s okay to experiment. The important thing is that you schedule a time and a place each day to keep writing, even if it’s just for yourself. This will help you put yourself in a positive frame of mind as you work.

The best way to break the cycle of blockage is to get in the habit of writing without fear. Get into the rhythm of your work, and stay a step ahead of whatever is blocking you. Know what holds you back and push against it. Once you break that initial resistance and find the momentum of your wave, the words will come. Who knows? You may even discover the joy of writing that comes with self-expression.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Speaking the Language

2011-04-19T11:01:00.004-05:00

Groups of people who gather together often develop insider ways of talking - different dialects, slang, jargon, or code words, even when they speak the same basic language as the nation or tribe to which they belong. Those who are part of a group identify with each other and classify those who do not use the same expressions as outsiders.

Academia is one such group and a rather large one, too. Students can be defined as new members of academia and may not be familiar with the insider language at first. Students should become familiar with formal grammar, the rules and regulations and styles of writing and speaking expected by professors, who are established members of academia. Happily, formal grammar is also widely used in business, politics, law, and many other areas of life. Formal grammar is well worth learning, especially since one’s future career may depend on knowing it.

When families and friends gather, their speech may seem odd, maybe even outlandish, to anyone not accustomed to hearing it; and there is no reason that groups familiar with each other shouldn’t have their own ways of talking, their distinct ways to communicate. It is wise, however, to know that places and people are not all the same. While slang and code words and various twists and turns of a language are useful and fun and good, they won’t serve when it comes time for a new member of academia, a student, to write an essay that will be read by a professor who is used to formal grammar and notes if it is not used.

No one type of language or way of speaking is better or worse than any other. There are just different times and places for each. Right, Dudettes?

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Is Your Verb Merely Existing?

2011-04-12T08:54:00.001-05:00

Is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been – why do writing teachers occasionally note that problems occur when students overuse being verbs? Being verbs do the job. They are easy to use and quick. They require very little imagination and eliminate the struggle to find an expressive action verb.

The simplicity of being verbs, how very easy they are to use, might begin to reveal why English teachers object to finding an abundance of being verbs in a composition. Let’s face it. Teachers read hundreds, even thousands of essays. Is it possible that a piece of writing in which is, am, was, were, etc., repeat in every sentence might possibly bore the reader?

The English language offers almost endless choices of words and expressions. Being verbs may accomplish the task of forming a full sentence when combined with a subject, but writing loses its punch when the reader finds nothing to imagine, nothing to picture.

Action verbs do engage the senses and add extra levels of interest to writing:

She is a swimmer. (OK)

She swims. (Slightly better)

She plunges against the waves. (Closer)

She glides seamlessly through the waves. (Hmmmm)

Variations on the same general idea have proven possible. The choice of how to express an action depends entirely on the writer’s intent.

Action verbs can give the sentence character, flavor, a sense of reality, while being verbs merely state that any given subject exists (in a state of being). Tacking on a predicate nominative or predicate adjective renames or describes the subject’s state of existence but offers no liveliness or sense of activity.

The next time you write, consider checking to see how many times being verbs appear in your paper. If they greatly outnumber all the other verbs, consider how effectively they have conveyed your meaning. If you find that your writing lacks something, use action verbs instead of being verbs to make a noticeable difference and improve your writing.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

More Uses of the Apostrophe

2011-04-05T09:26:00.003-05:00

One use of the punctuation mark known as the apostrophe is to show ownership or possession. People can be said to “own” many kinds of objects, and they can also “own” ideas and other non-material things.

There are (no surprises here) several rules to keep in mind when indicating ownership by placing an apostrophe at the end of a word, before or after an s usually. One rule has to do with whether there is one (singular –‘s) who owns or more than one (plural – s’) who owns whatever it is.

Consider, for instance, the following examples:

“Jim’s surf board” - only he owns it.
“The surfers’ waves” - they all say they own them.

Spelling matters when it comes time to placing apostrophes. Some nouns are already plural, like the word “children,” so the apostrophe is placed the same way it is for a singular noun, before the s instead of after the s – “the children’s teacher.”

Confused yet? The rules start to become even more interesting (in the sense that maybe we should all review them now and then to refresh our memories) when trying to figure out what belongs to whom and exactly how to punctuate to indicate ownership with the right singular or plural possessive form. A dictionary helps at times, especially when in doubt about whether oddly-spelled (irregular) nouns are singular or plural – one woman, many women. A word such as “deer” does not have a plural form (one deer or eight deer, so one deer’s habitat is punctuated the same as fifty deer’s habitat).

Possessive pronouns add to the mix of questions about using apostrophes to indicate ownership. With words like her or hers, his, theirs, our or ours, no apostrophe is needed since by definition the possessive pronouns already indicate ownership.

There are other ways apostrophes are used, too; but right now the sun is shining and the beach is not very far away. Apostrophes, additional uses, can wait until another day.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten, not 10!

How to Make a Tutoring Session Work for You

2011-03-29T09:25:00.007-05:00

Events in life take some preparation, even something simple like a short trip to the sea wall to rest our eyes on the waters of the gulf. Before catching a wave, I survey the scene, check out the surf, and have my gear with me and in good condition. Before you come to the SWC for a thirty-minute tutorial, a bit of planning can make the time more useful for you than not.

Tip 1: It may sound like a no-brainer, but it is best to arrive early for your appointment, five or ten minutes, since being late may result in a standby taking your appointment time. If you cannot make it to the scheduled appointment, call and let us know so that someone else can use the appointment time.

Tip 2: Bring a copy of your assignment with you so that the tutor will know what your work involves. Relying on your memory - what you think possibly the instructor said – may not be the best method for getting the right advice from a tutor.

Tip 3: Mostly, though, think about what it is that you want to find out. When you come prepared with questions or concerns (and any notes or drafts or brainstorming that you’ve done) the session will go smoothly and be productive.

Tip 4: Your active participation during tutoring time is essential. Express yourself. Talk about your writing, what problems or successes you have had with it so far, what hopes or fears about the writing you have (or what technical/grammatical problems you need to solve). While a tutoring session is not exactly the right time to bare your soul or air opinions about the state of the universe, moods, emotions, and attitudes do have an effect on your writing. If you are upset, let the tutor know, especially if it is a problem that is keeping you from completing the assignment. Often, acknowledging an emotion and talking about it briefly can clear it up, like clouds moving away from the sun, so that the rest of the session can be focused on the work at hand.

Tip 5: If you have begun the paper, bring two typed copies of your draft, double spaced, for notes that you or the tutor may make. Your thoughts, ideas, and questions will keep the dialogue on the main reasons you have come to see a tutor. It is best to phrase your questions by asking “What if I write__________?”(And then come up with a possibility) instead of “What should I write?” The paper is yours, not the tutor’s; and whatever the tutor might suggest is not the answer you need. Discussing your ideas before starting your paper also works very well. Be aware that your own ideas are the ones that will work best for you when you do start writing. Talk with the tutor about your ideas, ways to structure the paper that you have considered, perhaps to see if your ideas are logical and will work to fulfill your assignment.

Tip 6: Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the half hour you have taken to talk about your writing. Keep your mind open to possibilities, and you will find the time well spent, maybe even as much fun as taking a walk along the shoreline to comb for treasure along the beach.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten, not 10!

Two Sides of a Coin

2011-03-22T09:15:00.002-05:00

“You,” said the concerned professor, “do not appear to be enjoying this writing course. Even though you fulfill the requirements for each essay, you do so without going beyond the minimum. That is why your grade, so far, is a C rather than the A or B you usually earn in other courses.”

The young woman hesitated before speaking, knowing her professor was right. She wasn’t enjoying the course and was doing only enough to get by on each assignment. “What can I do, then, to improve?” she finally asked.

“Two sides of a coin…an old expression that is useful when describing the relationship between reading and writing. Most truly good writers do read extensively,” her professor answered. “Those who read in their spare time usually become better writers.”

“College requires extensive reading already,” the student protested. “I don’t see how reading much more than is already required will help me write any better.” She thought of all the classes she was taking and how many assignments she had to cover. Reading any more than she had to read would take time, lots of time, time she didn’t have.

The professor nodded. He had heard much the same thing from other overworked students. He still wanted to convince her, however, that extra reading would help her to become the writer he thought she could be. “The real answer is that reading adds to your knowledge base and literally shows you what good writing is. The key is to find an area of interest, something that you want to know more about, or some kind of fiction that is fun for you to read.” He hoped she would at least consider the idea of reading more than was required for classes.

“Oceans, ecology, global warming…,” the student muttered, thinking of her favorite pastime (surfing) and how crucial to her was the health of the environment. “Sharks, seagulls, pelicans, ridley sea turtles…,” she continued musing.

“It sounds like you’re onto something!” the professor exclaimed.

“Yes! I do want to know more about ecology and the environment. Do you have any ideas of where to find books about how global warming might affect oceans and wildlife?” The student smiled suddenly. “You know, outside reading might be more interesting and useful than I thought.”

“I assure you that it is; and, Roxy, I’m looking forward to reading the papers you will write by the end of the semester.”

After his student left, the professor noted that it was time for lunch. He picked up his science fiction novel and headed to the cafeteria, vaguely recalling that he had not answered all her questions.

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See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten, not 10!

The Relationship between Tone and Theme

2011-03-08T09:10:00.000-06:00

The theme of a work of fiction can be likened to its message, the meaning of the piece, while tone is the manner in which the message is relayed.

Following are two descriptions of virtually the same occurrence. Note, if you will, the depictions, the language, and the feeling each evokes.

(1) The brown pelican, a solitary sentry on his lonely outpost, watched the gathering storm with sad resignation and nervous dread, knowing the discomfort of wind and cold rain to come. He scarcely dared hope to survive.

(2) The brown pelican, certain of his own worth, saw the storm clouds gather, fiercely delighting in his ability to withstand their force, no matter how strong the wind or cold the rain to come. He knew without doubt that he would live to tell the tale.

Each of the two descriptions above has a lone pelican regarding an anticipated weather event. In comparing the tone of each, totally different attitudes are revealed. And even without much more to the story, two separate themes begin to emerge: (1) fatalism in the bird vs. nature and (2) heroism the in bird vs. nature.

When analyzing written works, it is a good idea to notice the way the message is expressed. Once the reader has picked up on the tone of the author, the theme, the main idea of the work, is often easier to determine. In Pelican 1, the theme might turn out to be the indifference of nature to a bird’s comfort zone. In Pelican 2, the theme could turn out to be the great and thrilling challenge of a bird facing his environment.

Maybe there is even a story somewhere about a brown pelican during two times when a storm was coming in, once a resigned bird and later a strong one or the other way around, depending on the events and the evolving character of the bird.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten, not 10!

Trust but Verify

2011-03-01T10:16:00.001-06:00

Red or green squiggly lines are scattered here and there on your Word document. What does that mean?

It means that the computer program says that you have made a mistake in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, or sentence structure. The red squiggle (spelling error) or green squiggle (grammar or spacing error) may or may not be a true or even reliable indicator of an actual mistake. Computers have not yet reached the level of AI (Artificial Intelligence). The program itself may be in error, not you. English is a complex language, and programmers are not necessarily grammarians with impeccable command of all the rules.

Spell checker, for instance, can and does mislead writers who trust it without question. If a writer replaces a word the computer underlines with a red squiggle and goes with the first word on the given list (after right clicking or using ABC Spelling & Grammar), some odd results may occur, not usually the results the writer intends. If I type in the misspelled word “grummer,” the red and wavy line tells me there’s a problem. The word I meant to type is “grammar,” but the first word on the list of replacements happens to be “grimmer” (which may indicate AI actually is in existence since grammar is often a grimmer problem than many of the other difficulties writers encounter). Even so, usually Spell Checker is right and is very useful for finding and correcting errors. To use it well, however, a writer needs to verify that the replacement word is the right word, not a weird substitution.

Once a correction is made, at times a writer may be tempted to use Correct All, another option. For changing a misspelled name every time it appears in the document, Correct All can be quite useful; but, if the writer makes the wrong choice or the same word is also used as another part of speech in the document, using Correct All can lead to confusion and woe, i.e., real trouble. Spell checker and related options are tools, not wise and careful editors with our greatest good their only goal.

Writers must make their own decisions when polishing their writing. Usually choosing replacement words from the list provided by Spell Checker works, but writers must still employ their own minds and memories – and maybe even a dictionary now and then – to make sure that the corrections they make are correct corrections.

Until an AI surfaces, one that loves both the beach and grammar, one that also knows me well enough to deduce when my typo “sirf” appears that I meant to type “surf,” not “serf,” it would be unwise for me to slavishly follow the first suggestion Spell Checker gives me (“serf”). Rather than be in thrall to a computer program, I have to use my mind and freely choose what makes sense to me with some assurance that it will make sense to others, which I can make happen by double checking definitions and parts of speech.

Computers, wonderful and useful as they are, do not yet know what we mean to say or how we intend to say it, not even close to as well as we do. Computers are good at recognizing patterns, but certain nuances are still beyond their capacity. “Trust but verify” is one way to be certain that the advice computers give is correct. We understand English and the meaning of words, connotations and denotations. Computers operate via programming and use data - bits, 0 and 1 - a system that does not translate into knowing the difference between “grummer” and “grammar” or “serf” and “surf,” not yet anyway.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten, not 10!

Say it again, Sam?

2011-02-22T09:08:00.005-06:00

My old Aunt Christie used to regale us with tales of her childhood. My favorite story is the one about a joke that drove her uncles and her aunts up the wall.

She would say, when she was about six, “Pete and Repeat were sitting on a log. Pete fell off. Who was left?” Her uncle or aunt, any one of them playing along, would reply, “Repeat.” Then little Christie would laugh and laugh and say again, “Pete and Repeat were sitting on a log. Pete fell off. Who was left?”

After a while, five minutes or so, the uncle or aunt of the time would grow tired, but Christie kept on and on. She totally loved the joke and would tell it again and again…and all over again. Not knowing that the joke might (and did) grow stale, she just wouldn’t stop. Her family was nice enough to indulge her…some of the time.

The term redundancy comes to mind when considering both the joke and a decided tendency of writers to fall back on something they’ve already said and then say it again when they’ve run out of anything new to add. Trust me – repeating the same idea becomes tiresome for the reader very quickly.

My advice is the following:
· Double check supporting examples and do not use the same one over and over again, even with slightly different phrasing.
· Review each paragraph to be certain the gist of it is not basically the same as a preceding or following paragraph.
· When a new thought fails to appear, set the essay aside for a while and come back with a refreshed brain - and something new to add.
· Check, double check even, for often repeated words; they often (get it?) indicate repeated ideas, not always, though.
· Finally, read what you’ve written as if you’re reading it for the first time to make sure you’ve kept it interesting.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

"Hang Ten" or "Hang 10"?

2011-02-15T15:25:00.001-06:00

Math Friends, the fact that the word “numb” is contained in the word “numbers” is purely coincidental. If your brain goes numb when the question of whether to write “2” or “two” is asked, rest assured that there is a rule in English to guide you.

Use numerals when the number is over two words long if spelled out. For example, if I wanted to write 5,897,321, it would take many more than two words to write the number: five million, eight hundred ninety-seven thousand, and three hundred twenty-one. Whew.

Like clouds rolling in to hide the sun, exceptions to the above rule come to chill anyone who thinks one rule suffices for all occasions. The first exception comes when a writer is using data, etc., that is expressed with many numbers. In that case, no matter how many words are involved in spelling out any given number, use all numerals. The data is easier to read and is consistent that way. Addresses, room numbers, percentages, and dollars and cents are also written in numerals.

The second exception involves beginning sentences. There’s another rule that insists that a sentence has to begin with a word. If your first word winds up being a number like 5,897,321 and you’d rather not have to spell that out, change the wording of your sentence so that the number comes somewhere else in the sentence, somewhere after the first word.

What more can I add?
· Compound words (“five-year-old cousin”) or fractions (“one-third”) should be spelled out.
· Numerals should be used for numbers that would take three or more words to spell out.
· Lists or series of numbers are also written in numerals.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten, not 10!

Now is the Right Time

2011-02-09T10:26:00.001-06:00

You read the book a week ago, someone else is reading it right now, and still another person will read the book someday far into the future. If you are given an assignment that requires writing about the book, however, it doesn’t matter when you read it (as long as you read it in plenty of time to write about it for your assignment). Discussions of written works are supposed to be written in present tense, also known as literary present tense.

There actually is a reason for the rule that says that writing about writing is done in the present tense. Books, plays, movies, poems, and other literary works are considered to exist in a timeless place; but when referring to them, there is a given time – it is always right now, in the moment, in the present. The logic behind this convention is that even if you read the book five months ago, well into your personal past, the book still exists in the present and continues to do so in the future.

Exceptions to the rule come into the mix when writing about subjects other than literature, though. For some disciplines (science, math, history, etc.), the convention or preference of instructors may be for their students to use past tense, at times even when the students are writing about something they’ve read for a course.

While you probably won’t need to ask an English teacher whether or not past tense is acceptable when writing about written works (the answer is definitely “no”) other instructors may not may insist on the traditional rule. It’s best to double check with individual instructors and verify requirements before composing an essay.

What is likely to happen when you quote from a book about which you’re writing? You’ve probably heard that it’s wrong to mix tenses in a sentence; and it’s equally probable that the quote you’ve chosen to use will be framed in past tense, since most stories are written in past tense. Again, exceptions occur. Continue to use present tense in your own discussion of the literary work.

A sentence that leads into the quote might go something like this:

The author of Zee Book tells the reader his character represents joy when he writes, “Zee loudly proclaimed that she’d never before known such terrible happiness.”

The tenses are mixed, yes, but there is a logic that continues throughout your paper. You have discussed the book and provided evidence of what you say through a quote about the character in present tense, while the quote from the book in past tense flows along without confusing the reader.

As long as you keep to a pattern, that of using present tense for discussions of written works, there won’t be strange or awkward tense shifts in your paper.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

The Useful & Graceful Pronoun

2011-02-01T10:53:00.005-06:00

Unless someone figures out a way to travel into the past, it is probably impossible to know exactly how and why pronouns came to be a part of our language; but they certainly do play a useful role when it comes to writing. Compare, for instance, the following two passages, one (1) using pronouns and the other (2) written as if no such things as pronouns exist:

(1)The seagull flew to its favorite perch on the bay front and claimed ownership with a loud cry. It glared at all the other birds gathered nearby. It was determined to hold its place as it waited for some shrimp boats to arrive.

(2)The seagull flew to the seagull’s favorite perch on the bay front and claimed ownership with a loud cry. The seagull glared at all the other birds gathered nearby. The seagull was determined to hold the seagull’s place as the seagull waited for some shrimp boats to arrive.

The first version is easier to read than the second, and the second version sounds strangely stilted, lacking grace. Pronouns are useful!

A grammatical point to add here is that when using pronouns to refer to animals, birds, insects, snakes, fish, any creatures other than human, if the gender is not known, using the pronoun it is correct. If someone is talking about Princess Daisy May la Belle, however, the pronoun she is probably the right choice, provided the people who named their dog Princess Daisy May La Belle were sticking to traditional masculine and feminine forms for names.

When Daisy May La Belle saw the glaring seagull perched near the bay front, she barked madly at it until her master corrected her.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Sentence Variety

2011-01-26T09:02:00.002-06:00

Children’s poetry is often written in an unvaried sentence structure, each sentence repeating the cadence of the ones before. For instance, “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are? / Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky” not only rhymes but also has a pattern of syllabication and sentence structure. While it is easy to remember lines such as these, it is not a great idea to write a college essay without variation in sentence structure.

There are basically four different sentence structures: Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound/Complex, and it’s a good idea to use all four types in compositions (Sentence Structures);

To keep a reader’s attention, variety is necessary. An essay composed of simple sentences only will soon have the reader nodding off, no matter what the content of the essay might be. An essay written solely in compound/complex sentences might result in brain overload for the reader. Good writers avoid endless repetitions of the same kind of sentence structure and use all four types so that their readers remain alert and focused.

One way to add interest to a paper that happens, for unknown reasons, to be a series of simple sentences is to combine sentences, thereby adding variation and liveliness to the writing.

"I went to the beach. The sun was shining. The waves were great. I spent hours surfing."

A good day sounds somewhat dull when described in the four simple sentences above.

If I combine the four simple sentences, perhaps the moment will seem more exciting.

"I surfed for hours when I went to the beach because the sun was shining on great waves."

Even that doesn’t truly capture the moment, so I might consider adding adjectives and adverbs to make the day come alive for the reader.

"I surfed in the zone for hours when I went to the nearly deserted beach where the sun shone brightly on amazingly great, sky-blue waves."

A clearer picture emerges with both sentence structure variety and words and phrases that modify.

Good writers generally use all the ways the language allows to inspire their readers to think and to imagine. Varying sentence structure and using modifiers are two ways to keep the readers’ attention from wandering away to peaceful daydreams of sunlit beaches with waves that reach as far as the clear blue sky.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

New Beginnings

2011-01-19T14:14:00.001-06:00

We don’t have a long and cold winter in South Texas, but we’re glad to know that spring is on its way, even so. New green and growing plants all over the city, time to head to the beach and feel sunshine beaming down… good things happen in the spring.

Another good part of spring is that the Stone Writing Center remains a rock of support for writers in all disciplines on campus and online. You can send a paper to our expert and receive a reply via email in twenty-four to forty-eight hours. You can even submit a quick question and get a faster response.

If you’ve not come to see us yet, maybe I can give you an overview of what to expect when you do visit in person.

You’ll notice immediately how polite, knowledgeable, and welcoming the Student Assistants are. They’ll be the first people you see, and they’ll sign you in to use our computers (loaded with Office 2007, wifi connected) or schedule you for an appointment with one of the tutors. Any one of the staff will answer questions you might have. You’ll also notice an array of handouts, hard copies you can pick up and keep. The topics range from how to cite sources to information on grammar and literary elements. All handouts are written by SWC staff, and they’ve condensed information very clearly and succinctly. You can also find all of our handouts online (Handouts).

The computer lab is quiet, the equipment is up to date, and you are allowed to print your papers here. Tutors and Student Assistants are in the area to help if you have computer questions or writing questions. You can also complete a lab (Labs) make-up here.

Tutoring sessions are face to face with professional Writing Consultants who read your paper and talk with you about your writing. Mostly, we like to make sure you have higher order elements in place, thesis statement, topic sentences, unified paragraphs, etc., but we will point out lower order areas, mechanics problems if there are any, and show you how to fix mistakes with commas and such. It’s against our rules to proofread papers, but we do let you know if there are errors and show you ways to identify and fix them. Some students come to talk with a tutor even before they start writing just to clarify assignments or get feedback on the ideas they have for an upcoming paper.

The SWC‘s Boot Camps (Boot Camps) are great for reviewing and improving all things related to writing, from grammar to essays to research papers. It’s one more way for students to prepare for college level writing.

The SWC is among the first writing centers established in the country, and we have kept pace with the times. You’ll see us on Twitter, we have podcasts, and we have a professional on-line tutoring service.

Spring is a time to renew and to do something new. We hope to see you here or on line. Welcome, from the Stone Writing Center.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-09T09:46:00.003-06:00

As the semester is winding down, I would like to leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

"There are thousands of thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up the pen and writes."

~ William Makepeace Thackeray

I hope that, once finals are over, you will be able to reflect upon the joy of writing. Take up your pen during your resting time between semesters and see what thoughts may emerge.

Happy Holidays!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry will come at the beginning of the Spring 2011 semester. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Double Check

2010-11-30T15:00:00.002-06:00

Often enough, when we get a new device, such as a phone, a game, a computer, or even a car, most of us skip the directions for use. Are we overconfident in our abilities? Do we make assumptions about how much we know?

Sometimes everything goes as planned. The phone works. We win at the game. The computer processes. The car runs smoothly. However, it can and does happen that some vital piece of information in the directions for use might have saved us time and energy if we had stopped to read it, especially when everything fails to go exactly as planned. The phone won’t store numbers. The game keeps stopping in midplay. The computer greets us with the blue screen of death. The car flashes a mysterious light on the dashboard. When a problem arises, most of us hurry to find the directions for use and start frantically turning pages.

When students are given an assignment, complete directions usually come with the assignment. It pays in the long run to double check by reading the directions more than once to determine precisely what the assignment requires. Key words can be of great help. If the instructor assigns a narrative, an analysis, or a comparison/contrast essay, it is clear that a defined type of essay is required.

If you are uncertain about what the different kinds of essays involve, do some research or ask for clarification from your instructor or a classmate. The Stone Writing Center also provides on-line handouts that are helpful (Composition).

Even when we think we know something, like whether or not a day at the beach will be sunny, it is never a bad idea to double check. Confirmation before prevents a mad dash for cover later if unanticipated rainstorms come our way.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Attention!

2010-11-24T09:18:00.005-06:00

Looming suddenly above the tranquil waves of the bay, an awesomely long, silvery serpentine neck; a head as big as a Volkswagen bug; jaws gaping open to reveal row upon row of sharp and jagged teeth; and five, wheel-size eyes glaring green with golden sparks shooting toward her – that certainly got her attention!

The unexpected, the strange, the novel or new, the odd: all of these rivet the mind and make us want to know what comes next. Our minds focus because we have become interested.

Often an instructor will require that you begin your essay with an attention getter, something to draw the reader into your essay. It is not the easiest task of a writer, either. One way to go about finding a way to gain the reader’s whole attention is to consider what part of your research or subject matter interested you more than the rest. I will make the assumption that there was something of interest in the subject matter; otherwise, you’d have fallen asleep before even thinking of writing an introduction to your essay.

Even if there is no way a mythical sea monster can figure into your opening lines, consider other methods for finding an attention getter: a comedic observation, a startling fact, a strong image, a decisive quote, a philosophical statement, or anything out of the ordinary to make the reader sit up straighter and become involved in what you have to say.

It is a somewhat questionable practice to begin an essay with a rhetorical question as an attention getter since an answer to the question will probably have to be included eventually. Save the device of rhetorical questions for body paragraphs in order to give the reader more reason to contemplate what you are saying. The rhetorical question, requiring no answer, is then asked within the context of your essay.

Now I am going to be totally, completely, entirely bogus (not to mention redundant) and tell you that it was just a dream, the looming sea creature above the tranquil waves of the bay. You might decide to make sure your own attention getter has a more valid connection to your essay than mine does.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Adding Quotes

2010-11-16T10:13:00.001-06:00

It’s midnight. Your paper is due at eight tomorrow, and your instructions say to use three outside sources. You haven’t incorporated a quote yet, having put off the final draft for the last moment when inspiration was sure to appear. What are you going to do? (Inspiration appears to have called it a day hours ago.)

One idea is to read your paper again and determine where additional support from the sources you’ve found would enhance the points you make, adding insight and proving what you say. Another idea is to pick at random, any bit of writing from any source, copy and paste, and drop it into the paper without using reason or logic at all. Which way is guaranteed to impress your professor?

I know that you are saying that no one would choose the second way because it doesn’t make sense. You are exactly correct; if you do not weave information smoothly into your writing, quotes or paraphrases might seem like afterthoughts, plugged-in, nonsensical verbiage.

Before midnight of the day before your paper is due arrives, your best bet is to read sources of information with a highlighter in hand, marking sections that might prove to be useful to support your ideas and add to the overall impact of what you plan to say. As you write your paper, note where the words or information from a source will best serve the purpose of your paper. Typing “Insert quote (or paraphrase) from X” is a good way to remind yourself of where the source can be used effectively.

"If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done." (Unknown) Tomorrow at eight in the morning will come, but the midnight before can find you smoothly integrating the right quotes in the right places for a great paper.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Research Rules

2010-11-09T11:49:00.001-06:00

Rules - whether we love them or not, they are in place so that systems can function smoothly. In research projects, students are required to cite sources that they’ve found to prove or back up their assertions or information. Giving credit to those sources involves some very definite and highly structured rules.

Instructors generally ask students to use APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Language Association) formats for their papers and for bibliographical information. The two styles are similar and serve the same purpose, but there are differences. APA, for instance, puts greater emphasis on the timeliness of material used than does MLA, which regards literature as timeless. The best plan for a student to put into place is to find and use a book or website that spells out exactly how to punctuate each entry and what information has to be included (author, title, etc.) and in what exact order the information has to be written. Developing a References page (APA) or Works Cited page (MLA) involves finding the right models or guidelines for entries.

One difficulty students encounter is precise classification of sources. Is the source an on-line journal or an institute’s web page? If the student has an up-to-date manual or web site that provides the right models to follow, the problem is often solved by finding the best fit. At times, the search for a model that is correct takes some digging, but it can be done.
A wise move when conducting research is to keep a hardcopy of all passages found, any that might be used later as quotes or paraphrased material. Note cards, although somewhat old fashioned, are a handy way to write down the information needed to cite sources as they are located.

Both APA and MLA require having in-text (APA) or parenthetical (MLA) citations as well as the list of sources compiled in a References or Works Cited or page. After a passage has been quoted or paraphrased, a parenthesis is added at the end of the text to tell the reader that it comes from another writer. The main idea to keep in mind is that a reader can go from the identification of the source, usually brief, in the student’s in-text or parenthetical citation to find the full information of where the source can be found in the References or Works Cited page. If I see the name Adams in parenthesis after a quote or paraphrase in the research paper, I should be able to go to the References or Works Cited page and find an entry that also has Adams as the first word of the entry and by that means be able to locate the book, web page, or magazine for myself if I decide to read further and find out everything Adams says in the original document.
References and Works Cited page entries have to be in alphabetical order, in accordance with the starting letters of each entry. There are also certain rules for indenting any lines after the first for each entry. Accurate models for types of entries are necessary because it is almost impossible for a human being to remember exactly how to punctuate all the different kinds of entries. Most instructors provide guidelines, and tutors at the Stone Writing Center are prepared to help students who have questions. The SWC website also provides information on both APA and MLA formats and citations (Research).

Although following all the rules for giving credit to other writers may seem as hard as finding the absolutely perfect shell along a two-mile stretch of beach, with practice - gaining actual experience by compiling bibliographical information - the mind and eye soon know where to look and how to see exactly what is just so, completely and perfectly right (like the shell I found with a tiny hole at the top, the best place and size for a necklace chain).

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

What It's Like

2010-11-02T10:59:00.000-05:00

At times, especially at the beach, I hear someone say, “Yeah, it’s like, you know…,” and guess that the art of analogy has totally failed the speaker. Drawing effective comparisons involves at least two important elements: a striking image and a likeness that makes the analogy fairly rational.

Writing analogies is not as easy as falling off a log, not like taking candy from a baby. Having just used two old standby phrases, worn out and made trite through overuse, it is probably a good time to mention that a lack of originality can cause your analogy to fall as flat as a pancake. It is not a good idea to rely on others for analogies. Your comparisons should be fresh and new.

The words “like” and “as” generally lead into analogies. For instance, if I say, “Watching big waves roll in is like seeing carnival rides I want to try,” I have made a comparison of two different ideas with a similarity, which is anticipation of exciting rides.

A good analogy brightens a piece of writing, much like the glint of sunlight or moonlight on the tips of waves in the bay brightens their beauty, adding sparkle and light.

Finding a comparison between disparate ideas, making a connection between them, can be difficult but is worthwhile when your readers pay attention, their interest in what you have to say caught like a golden fish in the net of your essay’s flowing reason and wit.

Don’t overdo it, though. Too many analogies can turn a good bit of writing into a ridiculous test of the reader’s ability to follow what you are saying. It’s like, you know….

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

It's a Balancing Act

2010-10-26T11:19:00.002-05:00

Humans like balance, matching pieces, orderly sets, and identifiable patterns. When it comes to the subject of parallelism, the same holds true. Words flow smoothly together in lists, compound verbs, compound subjects, etc., when they are parallel.

For example, “running, jumping, and sitting” all end with “ing” and might describe favorite sports…well, maybe not the last one. If there is an oddity - running, jumping, and sit – the lack of parallelism actually does jump out at the reader because there is discordance in the pattern.

“Kindness and mercy” might be used as a parallel compound subject of a sentence since both words are nouns. However, “kindness and merciful” would jar the senses as a compound subject because they are not parallel. “Kindness” is a noun. “Merciful” is an adjective.

A memory device that is useful to remember parallelism is the following: “He came, he saw, he conquered.”

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Happy National Day on Writing!

2010-10-20T09:48:00.001-05:00

October 20th is National Day on Writing!

To celebrate this occasion, we at the Stone Writing Center asked students and faculty to share with us why they write. We turned the responses into a slideshow; enjoy, as you reflect upon why you write.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwomKwqkU3w

Another Bit of Punctuation: the Apostrophe

2010-10-13T10:06:00.000-05:00

The difference between a simple plural and a possessive is an apostrophe. The main question to ask if there is indecision about whether or not to use the possessive form is whether or not any ownership is indicated. Once that part is established, the next question is how many own what it is that is owned.

“The shark’s passage” means one shark has the right of way and is moving through the water.

“The sharks’ passage” means more than one shark is involved.

Either way, it‘s a good time to sit out a wave or two.

Apostrophes are also used to form contractions. An apostrophe goes where the missing letter would have been. For informal writing, using contractions seems a bit less stilted, more casual. I do not, however, recommend using contractions for formal, academic essays. It’s OK, though, to use contractions in other writing.

There is often confusion about using an apostrophe when writing years. If I want to write about the 1800s and the 1900s, I don’t need to use an apostrophe; but if I did, I’d be consistent about it. Writers often do place an apostrophe in years.

Unlike the breakable rule for writing years, an apostrophe is correct when referring to words as words – “she had too many the’s in her sentence” - or when naming letters of the alphabet – “how many e’s are in this sentence?”

Like commas, the best guide is to have a real reason for adding an apostrophe. A quick look at a dictionary or grammar book can always clarify the rule and answer questions.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Dangling or Misplaced Modifiers

2010-10-05T15:09:00.003-05:00

Some mistakes can be a bit funny. Dangling modifiers in particular can invoke some weird, odd, or strange images. Making the reader laugh is most likely not the usual goal of a writer whose assignment is a formal essay on a serious topic, so recognizing a dangling or misplaced modifier might help avoid unintentional humor.

When words that modify (describe) other words are placed far from the words modified or when what or who they modify is not clear, offbeat images may come to mind.

If I say “Walking along the beach, the clouds cooled the air,” the reader might find it hard to imagine clouds with legs and feet engaged in walking along the beach or anywhere else.

If I rephrase the sentence to “As I was walking along the beach, the clouds cooled the air” the reader doesn’t have to try to picture clouds walking. I have used the description -Walking along the beach - to modify the pronoun - I.

It is best to place all modifiers - adverbs, adjectives, phrases or clauses - as close to what they modify as possible in order to avoid both confusion and unwanted, curiously awry images.

Were those clouds going barefoot or wearing flip flops or sandals?

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Now is the Right Time

2010-09-29T11:06:00.002-05:00

You read the book a week ago, someone else is reading it right now, and still another person will read the book someday far into the future. If you are given an assignment that requires writing about the book, however, it doesn’t matter when you read it (as long as you read it in plenty of time to write about it for your assignment). Discussions of written works are supposed to be written in present tense, also known as literary present tense.

There actually is a reason for the rule that says that writing about writing is done in the present tense. Books, plays, movies, poems, and other literary works are considered to exist in a timeless place; but when referring to them, there is a given time – it is always right now, in the moment, in the present. The logic behind this convention is that even if you read the book five months ago, well into your personal past, the book still exists in the present and continues to do so in the future.

Exceptions to the rule come into the mix when writing about subjects other than literature, though. For some disciplines (science, math, history, etc.), the convention or preference of instructors may be for their students to use past tense, at times even when the students are writing about something they’ve read for a course. While you probably won’t need to ask an English teacher whether or not past tense is acceptable when writing about written works (The answer is definitely no) other instructors may not may insist on the traditional rule. It’s best to double check with individual instructors and verify requirements before composing an essay.

What is likely to happen when you quote from a book about which you’re writing? You’ve probably heard that it’s wrong to mix tenses in a sentence; and it’s equally probable that the quote you’ve chosen to use will be framed in past tense, since most stories are written in past tense. Again, exceptions occur. Continue to use present tense in your own discussion of the literary work.

A sentence that leads into the quote might go something like this: The author of Zee Book tells the reader his character represents joy when he writes, “Zee loudly proclaimed that she’d never before known such terrible happiness.”

The tenses are mixed, yes, but there is a logic that continues throughout your paper. You have discussed the book and provided evidence of what you say through a quote about the character in present tense, while the quote from the book in past tense flows along without confusing the reader. As long as you keep to a pattern, that of using present tense for discussions of written works, there won’t be strange or awkward tense shifts in your paper.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

In Honor of National Punctuation Day!

2010-09-22T09:44:00.002-05:00

I’m excited to announce that this Friday, September 24, is National Punctuation Day! In honor of this occasion, I thought I would share some punctuation tips regarding dialogue.

One literary device many writers use is dialogue, having their characters speak. It’s sort of like eavesdropping for the reader, being outside the conversation but knowing what is said. Dialogue is useful for moving the plot along and for making the characters appear real.

When it is time to punctuate dialogue, certain rules apply. One major rule is that each time there is a change in the speaker, a new paragraph is begun to separate one speaker from the next. While there might be a long paragraph with only one character speaking, if any other voice interjects, a whole new paragraph is required to signify that a different character has something to say. Written dialogue may look much like the following:

“I say,” said the star to the gulf waters, “your beach is deserted today. Perhaps I should increase my radiance and send more light and warmth to the world.”

The green-blue waves below replied, “You are right on, Yellow Sun. It would be good to see friends today, and they are likely to come to the shore if you are brightly shining.”

A seagull in flight overheard the two speaking and thought, “Yes, lots of bread and tasty corn chips… good food to be tossed my way when the sun is bright and humans come to the beach.”

Three particular rules apply to the imaginary dialogue above. New paragraphs begin for each new speaker; quotation marks show the words spoken or thought; and the third rule is that italics indicate when the speaker’s words are thought instead of said aloud. Note also that commas are placed inside the quotation marks. Using dialogue enhances written work, brings it to life; and punctuating dialogue is easier than might be supposed.

Enjoy National Punctuation Day!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Finding Subjects and Verbs

2010-09-14T13:34:00.003-05:00

Along with a complete thought, the subject and the verb of a sentence are its primary components. The basic key to becoming an effective writer is to make certain that all three required components are in place for each sentence. To do that, recognizing subjects and verbs is necessary.

When we talk, we are not going to parse what we say and identify separate components of our speech; but if a person fails to include a subject, a verb, and a complete thought when talking, someone is bound to ask, “Huh? What, a wave? What happened?”

Because any given sentence may include several nouns and verbs, difficulties can occur when identifying which words are the actual subject and accompanying verb.

First, ask what the sentence is really about—the person, place, object or idea—in order to identify the subject. Then ask what is happening to that subject or what the subject is doing in order to identify the verb. Cross out all the other words, which may be dependent clauses, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, etc., which are used to add information. When all else is removed, what remains is the subject and verb. Together they should express a complete, if somewhat limited, thought.

I’ll place in parentheses the extra words in the next sentence:

(Even when the weather was not as sunny and warm as usual,) I went (to the beach to enjoy the sound of the waves.)

The subject "I" and the verb "went" are all that is left. While it is not always perfectly easy or simple to determine the subject and verb of a sentence, doing so can prevent fragments from appearing when the writer intends to compose a complete sentence.

Sunny days and great essays, that’s the main idea!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Help! I Need a Proofreader/Editor!

2010-09-08T09:51:00.001-05:00

It is a laudable and even sensible goal for students to try to turn in grammatically correct papers; and, on occasion, one might come to the Stone Writing Center in hopes of getting an editor to find and fix every tiny, imaginable error he might have made. His hope, however, will not be fulfilled. Tutors can and will offer reasonable, diagnostic help, though. We can point out problem areas and teach students how to do the same kind of assessment of their writing. Our goal is for each student to become his own best editor so that he will not have to rely on others. It takes time and effort, but each aspect of grammar learned pays off over time, even if the work involved is not exactly a day at the beach. It may sound as if tutors lack sympathy for the student whose aim is a perfect paper; but our main goal is to assist students to become better writers (Mission Statement ). Even though the student’s immediate concern may be the paper due, the tutor’s concern is for the student as a writer overall. Tutors critique papers and suggest strategies for improvement but will not change/correct any student’s paper line by line. To do so would shortchange the student in the long run. That said, most writers do need someone else to look over their work, since we are often blind to our own errors. The reality is that we all make mistakes now and then. A friend or relative or fellow student might be able to help by reading the student’s paper and offering suggestions. The best idea, however, is for the writer to review errors that have been problematic for him in the past and learn the ins and outs of grammar so that he can be self-reliant. A student who wants to produce perfectly correct papers might also benefit from keeping a record of mistakes teachers have pointed out along the way. Then he can double check his work to be certain those same mistakes have not landed – like pesky squawking gulls - on his pages again. See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Welcome Back

2010-08-31T08:51:00.001-05:00

A glorious summertime at the beach must recede to memory as fall begins anew with a return to literature and essays and thoughts of grammar. I’m ready to enjoy a fresh start and a new semester.

The Stone Writing Center welcomes returning students and students who are attending Del Mar College for the first time this fall with hopes that all will visit the SWC. Students who have already visited the SWC report that their writing does improve, along with their grades, because they find here the opportunity to discuss their papers with Writing Consultants who know and love writing and can assist students with the process of writing.

In addition to in-person advice about writing, the SWC also provides computers for students to use, Boot Camps for any who have questions about grammar and on-line tutoring. For details of when Boot Camps (bootcamp) begin and how to contact the on-line tutors (tutorscorner) please visit the SWC web site (SWC). Student Assistants at the SWC are happy to answer questions and to schedule appointments.

All of us are here to make your college experience more productive, more enjoyable and even easier. Call (361) 698-1364 or come by to find a warm and friendly atmosphere which is conducive to creativity, a place where writing becomes one of the best of your college experiences, as it should be.

Don’t forget to read a few blogs, too, ones posted previously and more to come this semester (Roxy's blogs). Information about grammar and writing may not be quite as much fun as surfing the waves and relaxing on the beach, but it has its moments.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Happy Summer!

2010-05-04T15:12:00.001-05:00

Another semester is coming to a close. Summer time and beach time are right ahead, a majorly pleasant thought; but still there is some sense of sadness when a given time ends. Students will be moving on after graduating, and we will truly miss seeing them. I hope that all those who are saying goodbye at the end of this semester will continue to check in on Twitter and let us know how they are doing.

In addition to tutoring sessions, the Stone Writing Center has been humming for months with projects and multi-layered services for students. As the coming fall semester begins, your favorite programs will still be available. We all look forward to seeing returning students again, either during the summer or next fall, and also hope graduates will come by to visit now and then.

Any blogs written over the summer will be etched in the sand and carried away by the waves, but next fall I’ll be back with more words on grammar and writing. I hope you’ll log on again then.

Congratulations to all who are graduating, and thank you for making the Stone Writing Center part of your college experience.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!

In Honor of National Poetry Month

2010-04-27T13:42:00.002-05:00

She read the poem for the seventh time. There was not one trace of a metaphor, not any symbolism, nothing she could use for her critical analysis at all. She searched in vain for a simile, any kind of imagery that could be used to explicate the poet’s work. Nothing. Zip. Nada. Zero. Even the tempo was weird, more like just talking rather than writing carefully chosen words.

She felt like throwing the book across the room and screaming about the total lack of fairness in the universe. Her composition was due the next day, and what could she say about poetic devices when there were none to be found?

That’s when the idea came: the poet had spoken straightforwardly, not relying on known poetic devices. She thought to herself, “An angle for her paper? Yes!”

She could write about what wasn’t there - any form of artifice - and the effect on the reader of plain speaking. The poet’s voice imparted meaning without relying on the traditionally accepted forms of his predecessors. It might not be the same take on the poem that the rest of the class would derive from his work, but she decided she could discuss the absence of metaphor, simile, etc., logically and turn in a good explication, her own interpretation of the poet’s strange poem.

She began to think: “Hmmmm…my working thesis might go something like ‘Bobo Bardwords’ minimalist poetry evokes a common-sense approach to questions of life and death through the absence of poetic artifice in his terse language, a language reminiscent of ordinary speech.’”

OK…now to start writing.

Roxy’s tip: Enjoy poetry this April, National Poetry Month!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Missing

2010-04-15T09:28:00.001-05:00

Think about run on sentences this way they are missing essential punctuation the reader does not have a way to tell where one sentence ends and another begins even though with some careful attention he might be able to fill in the blanks and know what the writer means to say without the help of periods and capital letters punctuation functions as a stopping and starting point and as a way to let the reader know how to separate one thought from the next.

The paragraph above is a major run on. It consists of several sentences without punctuation to separate them and, thereby, guide the reader through the jumble. Even if it is not particularly difficult to understand, it is probably extremely annoying to most readers.

Good punctuation, punctuation that is aligned with the rules of grammar and context and meaning, can be virtually invisible to the reader because it is unobtrusive. No one will do a double take if end punctuation appears when the sentence ends. Most people won’t say, “Oh, yes, look at that lovely dot.”

The absence of punctuation, on the other hand, is decidedly conspicuous to the reader and might lead to remarks that are not exactly complimentary. The logic of sentences depends on punctuation marks, small bits that we don’t notice when they are where they are supposed to be but do note when they are missing.

Think about run on sentences this way: they are missing essential punctuation. The reader does not have a way to tell where one sentence ends and another begins, even though with some careful attention he might be able to fill in the blanks and know what the writer means to say without the help of periods and capital letters. Punctuation functions as a stopping and starting point and as a way to let the reader know how to separate one thought from the next.

Roxy’s tip: Use punctuation appropriately to avoid run ons.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

The Case of Comma Confetti

2010-04-06T10:32:00.002-05:00

Here a comma, there a comma, everywhere a comma, and does it matter where they land on my page? Am I supposed to put a comma here or there or anywhere? Why would I? What is the use of the small dot with a tail?

“When it doubt, leave it out,” the high school English teacher said. Perhaps instead of doubt, I should find the rules and figure out exactly why or why not when it comes to putting commas in my writing or leaving them out.

The SWC handout (Commas – available on line - hard copies available in Room 104, Stone Writing Center) lists comma rules and regulations, the proper time and place for the peculiar punctuation. Anyone afflicted with a bit of confusion about the rules could print out the list, check off the rules he knows that he knows, and ponder the meaning of the rules that confuse him.

Punctuation is somewhat like the language of math. Commas, semi-colons, periods, question marks, etc., function much like plus signs or minus signs or equals signs. They clarify or define the equation.

There is a certain precision in the proper use of commas, a reason to apply them on set occasions. Even though each writer has a novel way of expressing his thoughts, the same rules apply and can make or break a paper at times. The best way to learn rules, if they don’t automatically click in your mind, is by rote, by repetition. Keep reading the rules that you know you don’t know over and over again until the moment comes when, “Aha, I see it now!” appears. And it will.

Then the sprinkling of small dots with tails will end. Instead, the pages you write will be enhanced by deliberately placed punctuation, punctuation marks used for actual reasons. The case of comma confetti will be closed by those who master the rules, those who know why a comma should be left in or out, without a doubt.

Roxy’s tip: Learn the comma rules!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Brevity

2010-03-30T15:22:00.000-05:00

Texting is a form of abbreviation. Shorthand is another. There are times when it is a good idea to use a shorter form of language rather than a longer one, i.e., to send a quick message or to take dictation or to write notes in class. A few rules (English has one or two of those) govern the use of abbreviations in formal writing.

Generally, abbreviations aren’t necessary or even acceptable. It is not a great, grand and glorious idea to type in Eng. for English or Tues. for Tuesday. Your Eng. paper is not due on Tues. Your English paper is due on Tuesday.

At times, you might be writing about an organization with a long name, like The Population for Word Innovation. What you can do is insert in parentheses (TPWI) as soon as you have identified the group’s full name and then refer to TPWI for the rest of the time you write about them. By placing the abbreviation right after the full name, The Population for Word Innovation (TPWI), you have indicated to the reader that the abbreviation will be used in place of the full name for the rest of the paper.

A few common abbreviations are accepted. Instead of writing out Mister Sand, Mr. Sand is fine. If you‘re discussing Dr. Seagull, use the abbreviation for doctor. It is part of his title.

According to a line in Hamlet “…brevity is the soul of wit” (Shakespeare). While that is often true enough and can lead to improved writing at times, there is no reason to make a habit of shortening words without a clear reason to do so, especially in academic essays.

Roxy’s tip: Abbreviate sparingly and appropriately in an academic essay.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

What is This?

2010-03-23T15:09:00.003-05:00

They say that life is a beach. I’d like to know who they are, but there is no identification in the sentence to tell me. If the sentence were written with a definite subject, I’d know who they are. Experts on life and beaches say that life is a beach, and they may be right. They are experts.

The most important time to make sure that a sentence begins with a precise subject is when the sentence is a topic sentence, the first sentence of a new paragraph. If I start a paragraph with a vague word like “this” or “that” or “it” or “they,” the reader has some catching up to do. Maybe I’ll get around to saying what this or that or it is later; maybe I’ll even say who they are.

The following two examples of possible topic sentences can be compared for clarity.

Sentence A. - It is a great way to spend the day.

Sentence B. - Surfing is a great way to spend the day.

Sentence B gives the reader the exact topic of the paragraph to come. No confusion troubles the mind of the reader because the subject is clearly and concretely stated right from the start. The sentence begins with a gerund – “Surfing,” – not an indefinite pronoun – “It.”

Pronouns can be used effectively when clear antecedents or following identifiers are in place. I could even refer to the subject in Sentence B in Sentence C:

It is the best sport in the universe.

The reader would know that the subject “It” refers to “Surfing,” which is the subject of the sentence right before.

Surfing is a great way to spend the day. It is the best sport in the universe.

When you go over your papers to make sure that you’ve said exactly what you mean to say, it’s a good idea to double check indefinite pronouns along the way. (I have said what “it” is with the identifier – a good idea). You might ask yourself if the reader will have a perfectly clear understanding of what the subject is. You might even ask each time that you’ve used the words “it,” “which,” “that,” and “this” what the reference or antecedent is for each pronoun.

Roxy’s tip: Make sure you identify indefinite pronouns.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

On Becoming a Better Writer

2010-03-10T15:29:00.000-06:00

What we say to ourselves about ourselves can make a difference in how we feel and even how well we do in our work. Students have told me that they are not good writers, which is not the best way, or even a realistic way, for them to view their abilities or their potential. If they would say instead that they are on their way to becoming better writers, one of many reasons they are attending college, their work would reflect the positive view they take as their writing improves. All of us start somewhere along the road, maybe not already on the superhighway but at least on an access road that leads to the highway.

A huge part of learning to write well depends on students’ having faith in themselves and their capacity to improve on skills they already have. It is a way of learning by doing. The more students write, the better they begin to write.

Having a problem with comma splices does not make any student a bad writer but rather a potentially good writer who can do a bit of research to learn what a comma splice is and how to recognize and fix the punctuation problem, thereby becoming a better writer. Instructors generally will tell students in what areas of writing they need to improve, and there is information available on pretty much every topic that has to do with writing - in texts, on the web, among peers. In fact, the SWC has handouts on many writing topics. Seeing a tutor in the SWC to talk about writing one-to-one is also a good and effective way to get past difficulties and solve problems.

Confusing the path with the destination can cause people to give up along the way because they haven’t arrived yet. School is a time for growing; it is a time for adding to knowledge and ability; and it is time to enjoy the process of learning, no matter what kind of effort it takes.

You are on the way to becoming a better writer than you were the first day you picked up a pen or plugged in your laptop. Do not allow yourself to call yourself a bad writer, not without giving yourself a chance to see how well you can write as you continue your education.

Roxy’s tip: Keep your head up and keep writing!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

A Capital Question

2010-03-02T14:38:00.000-06:00

Sometimes tiny details can drive a person to distraction. When exactly is a noun capitalized, and when is lower case correct? A general way to know is to determine whether or not the noun substitutes for a name. Names are capitalized, so a noun that stands in place of a name or serves as part of the name, as in a title, is also capitalized.

It may be tricky at times, so it never hurts to consult a reference book to verify the rules when you have a specific question about a specific noun. One example for when the same noun is capitalized or not is as follows:

“Captain Fearnot steered his ship out to sea in the storm, but the captain of the other ship chose to go into the nearest port.”

In the first part of the sentence, a specific captain goes out to sea, and the title is part of his name. In the second part of the sentence, an unnamed captain heads inland, so no capital letter is used.

Another example shows the difference between father and Father, lower case or capitalized. Which to use depends on how the word is used in a sentence. If the word father is used in place of his name, as in “I told Father that I was going to the beach,” then it is capitalized. If I change the sentence to read, “I told my father that I was going to the beach,” then the word father is not used as his name and is, therefore, not capitalized.

Some words are always capitalized, days of the week or months; public holidays; countries, states, or cities; and brand names, for instance. Again, if there is any question, checking a grammar reference is an excellent idea. If there is no time or opportunity to check a reliable reference for the correct answer, go with the general rule that if the noun is used as a name, capitalize it.

Roxy’s tip: Don’t forget to capitalize proper nouns!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

The Voice of a Verb

2010-02-24T09:29:00.002-06:00

Are you doing something? Or is something being done to you?

Verbs can be passive or active, and knowing the difference isn’t as difficult as one might think. In short, the designation of passive or active voice depends on whether or not the subject of a sentence is actively doing something or passively having something done to it.

The house was built.

The house (subject) sits there passively having something done to it. Changing the sentence to active voice requires a change of subject.

The carpenters built the house.

You may say that the house is still having something done to it, and you are right. The difference is in the subject. Carpenters (subject) are actively building the house (object).

In the other sentence, the house itself is the subject and is having something done to it by nameless, unidentified people, probably with hammers and nails at their command.

At times, when the writer does not know who is the one acting, passive voice comes in handy, but it should be used sparingly.

Active voice verbs add interest for two reasons. One is that the subject is the known doer of deeds, and the second is that the sentence is simply livelier when an expressive verb in active voice describes what is happening. In scientific writing, though, passive voice is preferred because the one conducting a study or experiment is not considered to be as important as the subject matter itself, the study or the experiment. The study (subject) was found to be in error (passive voice), rather than the genius scientist (subject) found the study to be in error (active voice). The important aspect is the study itself, not the person who finds a flaw in it.

Most good writing, however, employs active voice, with subjects clearly identified as performing actions. Which of the following sentences seems more exciting or at least informative?

One, the football was thrown.

Or, two, the quarterback threw the football.

In sentence one, passive voice, there is no one in particular who throws the football. It is just there, the football, and is thrown.

In sentence two, active voice, a quarterback throws the football, someone clearly acting. (A few adjectives to describe the quarterback and adverbs to say how well he threw the football would add zest to the sentence, but that’s another topic.)

Active or passive voice refers to verb use, but whether a sentence is active or passive depends on the subject of the sentence. If the subject of the sentence is having something done to it, the sentence is passive. If the subject of the sentence is acting, the verb is in active voice.

This blog has been written. Roxy has written this blog. Both are true enough, but the voice is different. The blog was just passively having writing come upon it by an unnamed entity in one case. In the other case, Roxy, the writer, came to the page and acted upon it, writing a blog. The passive voice blog may not care either way, but Roxy does care as the active voice writer of this blog.

Roxy’s tip: Use active voice as the rule, passive voice as the exception.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Confused?

2010-02-17T10:15:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time there were three brothers who were known as There, Their, and They’re.

There got his name because he was always in place, and the word “there” basically means a place. Their got his name when he inherited a bunch of stuff, thereby becoming an heir. Since the word “their” indicates ownership, it seemed right. They’re was called that because whenever he was asked anything at all, he’d refer to his brothers, saying, “They’re the ones to ask.” “They’re” is simply a contraction for the words “they are.”

Sometimes people got Their, There, and They’re confused. All of their names sounded just alike. It wasn’t a big problem except when people wanted to talk about their possessions, something Their was an authority on, and would call There instead. He’d just tell them about some place or another, here or there. And They’re always referred them to his brothers when they called him, which didn’t help either.

Their went into the banking business, and There decided real estate was his best bet for a career. Their built his bank on land There found. They’re became their assistant and still told anyone with a question that his brothers over there, somewhere, had the answers. “They’re the ones to ask” he’d say. “It’s their business.”

Life was good until the three brothers met two sisters named Its and It’s.

Its was very much impressed with Their, and they had much in common. Its was also a possessive type and thought Their was just the kind of guy for her. She got her name, by the way, from owning a bunch of stuff, too. Each one of the things she owned knew its owner was no one else but Its.

It’s found her ideal in They’re. Her name was a contraction for “it is,” a lot like his name, and to make a long story short, they were soon an item. They’re and It’s were even thinking about changing their name to We’re, a contraction for “we are.”

Poor There felt out of place with his brothers busy and happy with Its and It’s. He kept thinking that he had to find happiness like theirs.

Somewhere in the world, it’s certain that all he hoped for would find its way to him, even if he had to search everywhere. If not here, then there….but where? Hmmm....

Roxy’s tip: Don’t confuse the often confused words “there, their and they’re” and “its and it’s.”

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Happy International Writing Centers Week!

2010-02-09T09:31:00.000-06:00

This week is International Writing Centers Week! So, I thought it would be appropriate for me to share with you in today’s blog some of my reflections on writing.

Writing has something of an almost magical quality about it. If you stop to think for a moment, considering what the written word is and what it can do, you’ll see that it is an unusual system, one that is known only to human beings. As far as we can tell, seagulls are not passing messages back and forth with their feet, scratching out marks in the sand as they walk along the beach. Among humans, words inspire images, emotions, ideas, and a host of other conditions in the writer and, later on, in the reader. Words represent reality. They are symbols, standing in for the actuality.

We all tend to take language for granted, learning as we grow to communicate through speech first and then through the written word once we’ve discovered reading and writing. The written word becomes an unremarkable aspect of our daily lives as we pass by billboards or see advertisements and notices posted. We scan a newspaper or book without thinking of the essence of what words are and the manner in which they move us to think as we read.

While the adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words” makes a point, nothing else but words can capture meanings with as much detail and accuracy. Our system of symbols has led to invention, keeps laws intact, allows understanding among different peoples, and provides a way to record and remember our lives.

If your ambition is to become a better writer than you are today, the best idea is to read and then read some more. As you are reading, think now and then about the skill involved, what it means to be able to perceive marks on a page or screen that communicate what the writer has chosen to communicate…as if by magic.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

We Cannot Agree to Disagree

2010-02-03T10:00:00.002-06:00

Humans, generally but not always, enjoy debates; in the world of grammar, however, agreeing to disagree when it comes to subjects and verbs and their agreement is not allowed. The rule governing agreement is not open to debate or argument. No one interested in correct form is inclined to quibble or offer opposition to the following rule: if the subject of a sentence is singular, the verb has to be singular; and if the subject is plural, the verb has to be plural. The subject and verb agree in number, singular or plural. The writer does not get to choose to mix them up but has to follow form.

English is a strange language in some cases, and when it comes to knowing if a verb is singular or plural, an odd thing occurs. Most nouns, and there are exceptions, end with an “s” when they mean more than one, when they are plural: apples, trees, houses, times, oceans, ideas…all end in “s,” which the most common ending for a plural noun. Common, ordinary verbs, not irregular ones, when in agreement with singular nouns, often end in “s,” too, sort of an opposite effect and not meaning plural at all.

For instance, “a girl (singular noun) visits (singular verb) the beach.”

Add two friends, and “three girls (plural noun) visit (plural verb) the beach.”

There is no “s” on the end of the plural form of the verb visit…one girl visits; three girls visit. (The letter “s” appears to like having more than one purpose.)

Since I don’t know who decided to form a rule on subject and verb agreement or who was in charge of spelling rules either, I can’t say why the above peculiarity happens. It does, but it is not a true rule, more a memory device that won’t serve when weirdly spelled nouns or irregular verbs serve as the main components of a sentence.

The word “deer” is spelled the same, regardless of how many “deer” might be involved as the subject of a sentence. But depending on context, one “deer has” a forest home and five “deer have” a forest home.

The English language doesn’t seem to employ many rules without accompanying exceptions, and it’s a wise student who memorizes as many of the exceptions as possible. The rule about plural subject/ plural verb and singular subject/ singular verb stands, though, pretty much (just in case someone finds this debatable) without exception.

Roxy’s tip: Make sure your subjects and verbs agree!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Who Are These People?

2010-01-26T15:07:00.003-06:00

Each one of us is accustomed to the word “I” used as a self identification. “We” is the plural form. Other first person pronouns are “me,” “my,” “our,” and “us.”

Second person pronouns refer to the person to whom you speak directly, the person or people across from you in a conversation, or even you as the reader of this blog. Second person pronouns are the basic “you” and “your,” with the additional “you’re” (a contraction for “you are”) thrown in because it is commonly used.

The third person pronoun indicates anyone at all out there in the universe, Third person pronouns are “he,” “she,” “they,” “theirs,” “them,” etc.

No doubt someone has told you not to use second person pronouns (“you,” “your”) in formal writing, and you may wonder why that is the case. The answer is that second person pronouns are considered too personal for formal writing; and third person pronouns are preferred for a considered, somewhat impersonal but objective tone.

One way to remember to use third person pronouns is to concoct a mental picture of your professor holding your essay and reading along nicely until the moment comes when a statement such as, “You should never drink a gallon of whiskey and then get behind the wheel of your car” catches him (or her if you don’t want to be sexist) by surprise.

You might imagine your professor taking terrible offense with a frowning “Who… me?” expression taking the place of a previously pleased one as the reading of your otherwise perfect paper continues. It is far better for your timely advice against whiskey drinking and driving to be directed toward anyone else, some anonymous “he” or “she” or “they” out there in the wide, wide world, rather than your very own professor whose drinking and driving habits are doubtless above suspicion.

In any reading, whoever is doing the reading can be considered the “you” to whom you refer when opting to use a second person pronoun. Stay with third person pronouns so that your reader cannot take what you say personally. (You might note that I used a sentence formation that constitutes the “you understood” form, as in (“You”) Stay with third person pronouns ….)

Two other aspects of pronoun usage have to do with number (Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement) and case (Pronoun Case). I hope that you will look into both topics in order to learn to apply the right pronoun in the right place.

There is little I can say about the awkwardness of “he/she” or “him/her” constructs. That difficulty belongs to grammarians concerned about gender bias. I try to avoid putting myself in the position of trying to solve the problem of sexism in writing, often choosing plural nouns so that the generic “them” or “their” or “they” takes the place of a singular “he/she” or “him/her.” Once upon a long time ago, a singular noun was followed by “he” or “him,” meaning mankind (or humankind), all of us; but that usage has passed from favor nowadays. That said, the unwieldy use of “he/she” or “s/he” is probably more acceptable than using the word “you” in a formal essay.

Roxy’s tip: Avoid awkwardness and confusion in your fomal writing by using pronouns appropriately.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Welcome to the Stone Writing Center!

2010-01-19T14:46:00.002-06:00

Happy End-of-Semester!

2009-12-02T10:39:00.000-06:00

Roxy Writer here, your favorite tutor blogger from the SWC!

The semester is quickly coming to a close here at the Stone Writing Center. I know that many of you are busily preparing for end-of-semester exams, research papers, and the like. So, I wanted to remind you that the Stone Writing Center’s website-- www.delmar.edu/swc --has handouts, boot camps, and podcasts to assist you in your writing tasks.

This will be my final blog for Fall 2009, but be sure to check back in January 2010 for more helpful writing tips!

‘Til then, hang ten!

Who Said What to Whom?

2009-11-24T13:32:00.001-06:00

Roxy Writer here, coming to you from the Stone Writing Center @ Del Mar College.

I remember a grammarian, a woman with whom I worked closely at a time when I had to relearn grammar for job-related reasons. I was confused about the rules governing the use of “who” and “whom.” Mrs. B. was a woman who knew the rules and, therefore, the person to whom I went with my question.

The answer she gave me is that if I could substitute the word “he” in the sentence, then “who” would be the right word. If I could substitute the word “him,” then “whom” would be correct. Her succinct advice was easy to remember, too, since the endings were about the same: “he/who” and “him/whom,” a vowel ending for “he” and for “who” (e and o) and the same consonant (m) for “him” and “whom.”

I did have to review the grammatical terms, the subject of a clause (he) and the object of a clause (him); but mostly I played around with rearranging sentences in my mind, testing the sound of “who” and “whom,” verifying which word, either “he” or “him,” could be substituted. Once I figured out that I had to turn the words in my sentences around to make the substitutions, it became easy to pick the correct word when using “who” or “whom.” For example, if I said that “Dave is the man who won the race,” it wouldn’t sound at all right if I said “Dave is the man - him won the race” but is fine if I say “Dave is the man – he won the race.” At certain times, there can be some confusion when a clause is tricky or convoluted, but, generally, the simple substitution works.

I remember Mrs. B. for many other reasons and will always be grateful for her explanation. Her answer to my question has served me well over the years since then.

Roxy’s tip: If you can substitute “he,” then use “who,” not “whom.” If you can substitute “him,” then use “whom,” and not “who.”

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Purposeful Editing

2009-11-17T12:19:00.001-06:00

Roxy Writer here, coming to you from the Stone Writing Center @ Del Mar College.

Punctuation, believe it or not, has a purpose. Punctuation clarifies meaning in written works, and there is a set logic to punctuation. Two analogies come to mind.

The first is that punctuation is like street signs that indicate where to stop or start, whether there is a turn in the road or a dead end. The analogy doesn’t follow absolutely perfectly, but any driver in the middle of a traffic jam near the malls in December can tell when to stop at a red light and when he wishes the rest of the traffic would go as soon as the light turns green.

Punctuation can also be considered analogous to the language of math. A mathematician sets up equations using symbols that govern what the equation can and cannot do and what the equation proves or disproves ultimately. Punctuation marks are symbols that direct the meaning of a sentence in a like manner.

The best way to make writing enjoyable is to learn punctuation rules by listening carefully to explanations, searching the web for information, or by simple rote. Sometimes just reading and re-reading a rule makes the aha! moment come. When that happens, you own the rule.

What does this have to do with editing? If a comma is misplaced in a sentence, the meaning of the sentence can be changed. That writer winds up saying something other than what he intended. If Fred writes, “I want to eat dog,” the meaning is totally different from ‘I want to eat, Dog.” Two forms of punctuation are changed. A comma before “dog” leads the reader to know that a noun of address is coming, and the capital letter then confirms it. He doesn’t want to eat a canine. He is telling someone named Dog that he wants to eat. Since editing involves revision of meaning, what is said and how it is said, the tools ( ! ? : ; “ , ‘ , - !) of punctuation are of major importance in saying exactly what is planned in thought before writing.

There are, however, other elements to editing: grammar, spelling, word choice, etc. An additional analogy comes to mind, that of a house in which the nails and nuts and bolts are punctuation, holding the structure together. If the analogy is extended, diction (choice of words) becomes the furniture, wallpaper or paint; syntax (how words are used) becomes the placement, arrangement of the furniture, color of the walls, and such. Rhetoric (the overall tone and style of the paper) becomes how the house looks and feels when the building is complete, the total decor.

When you have constructed your paper, it is a wise decision to read it aloud, either to yourself or with a trusted friend or family member present to offer criticism. Altogether, the end of all these analogies would - finally - be like driving past the mall with a mathematician ( professor) to tour your new house (essay) in its polished, perfect condition (final draft).

Roxy’s tip: Edit your papers carefully, Dog!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Variety is the Spice of Writing

2009-11-10T09:22:00.001-06:00

Roxy Writer here, coming to you from the Stone Writing Center @ Del Mar College.

Children’s poetry is often written in an unvaried sentence structure, each sentence repeating the cadence of the ones before. For instance, “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are? / Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky” not only rhymes but also has a pattern of syllabication and sentence structure. While it is easy to remember lines such as these, it is not a great idea to write a college essay without variation in sentence structure. There are basically four different sentence structures: Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound/Complex, and it’s a good idea to use all four types in compositions.

To keep a reader’s attention, variety is necessary. An essay composed of only simple sentences will soon have the reader nodding off, no matter what the content of the essay might be. An essay written solely in compound/complex sentences might result in brain overload for the reader. Good writers avoid endless repetitions of the same kind of sentence structure and use all four types so that their readers remain alert and focused.

One way to add interest to a paper that happens, for unknown reasons, to be a series of simple sentences is to combine sentences, thereby adding variation and liveliness to the writing.

I went to the beach. The sun was shining. The waves were great. I spent hours surfing.

A good day sounds somewhat dull when described in the four simple sentences above. If I combine the four simple sentences, perhaps the moment will seem more exciting.

I surfed for hours when I went to the beach because the sun was shining on great waves.

Even that doesn’t truly capture the moment, so I might consider adding adjectives and adverbs to make the day come alive for the reader.

I surfed in the zone for hours when I went to the nearly deserted beach where the sun shone brightly on amazingly great, sky-blue waves.

A clearer picture emerges with both sentence structure variety and words and phrases that modify.

Good writers generally use all the ways the language allows to inspire their readers to think and to imagine. Varying sentence structure and using modifiers are two ways to keep the readers’ attention from wandering away to peaceful daydreams of sunlit beaches with waves that reach as far as the clear blue sky.

Roxy’s tip: Add spice to your writing by using a variety of sentence structures and by adding adverbs and adjectives!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Three Little Words

2009-11-03T14:10:00.003-06:00

Roxy Writer here, coming to you from the Stone Writing Center @ Del Mar College.

A, an, the…three little words that make a big difference!

I admit to going back to some grammar books for this topic, especially since what I remembered about articles was pretty much limited to using “an” before nouns beginning with soft sounds (“an essay”) and “a” before nouns beginning with hard sounds (“a laptop”). There is a little more to it than that!

Here are some basics on using articles correctly:

If the noun is definite (a specific person, place, or thing), the article “the” will come before it. If the noun is indefinite (a general noun), the articles “a” or “an” will come before it. “A” is used before a noun beginning with a hard sound (“a beach” or “a seagull”), while “an” is used before a noun beginning with a soft sound (“an essay” or “an assignment”).

Why is it important to know the difference between these three little words? Allow me to give you an illustration:

“Seven foot swells are in a gulf.” –vs- “Seven foot swells are in the Gulf.”

Now, you wouldn’t run and grab your board if someone told you that huge swells were in a gulf. The world is a big place and filled with many gulfs!

But, if you lived in Corpus Christi, like I do, and someone said “Seven foot swells are in the Gulf,” you would be headed to the beach faster than you can say “Roxy Writer rocks at the Stone Writing Center!”

Roxy’s tip: Pay attention to the “little” words in your writing. They make a “big” world of difference in meaning!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

The Dreaded Sentence Fragment

2009-10-27T11:18:00.001-05:00

Roxy Writer here, coming to you from the Stone Writing Center @ Del Mar College.

A common problem many students encounter when doing academic writing is the dreaded sentence fragment. So, I thought this would make an excellent topic for my newest entry.

“When I began to write about fragments….”

What happened? Did the idea overwhelm me? Did I draw a blank? Did I have a clue? There is a subject ( “I” ) and a verb ( “began” ), but I have not written a complete sentence. What I have written is a fragment simply because the thought is incomplete. I have left the reader wondering what happened as I began to write.

When I began to write about fragments, I decided to say that most fragments occur when the total meaning of the sentence is absent, unspoken, not written down. Consider the following very short tale:

“Because the tiger was wild. When the moon rose over the zoo. Thunder booming. During his recapture. After they built a larger cage.”

I have left details to the reader’s imagination, and most readers will automatically think of something to fill in the gaps and thereby complete the meaning of each fragment, making each a complete sentence in their minds.

“Because the tiger was wild, ____________. When the moon rose over the zoo, ____________. Thunder _________booming.
During his recapture, ____________. After they built a larger area ____________________.”

The problem is that I have left the meaning of the story up to the reader by not finishing my thoughts. Fragments leave room for the reader to imagine as he will, but does someone else know what I think happened to the tiger?

“Because the tiger was wild, he hated his cage. When the moon rose over the zoo, he made his escape. Thunder was booming, which covered the sounds of his breaking the lock. During his recapture, a zookeeper considered how the tiger felt. After they built a larger area for the tiger, he did not think of escaping again.”

Unless you trust your reader to fill in the blanks left by fragments in your writing, it would be wise for you to make sure that you have expressed a complete thought—your own.

Roxy’s tip: Express a complete thought! Don’t leave blanks for your reader.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

National Day on Writing

2009-10-20T12:04:00.009-05:00

Roxy Writer here, surfing the waves of writing from the Stone Writing Center at Del Mar College!

I am stoked to announce that today, Tuesday, October 20, is National Day on Writing! To celebrate this rad event, we asked our students to tell us why they write. We gave them a card to fill out and then placed it on our bulletin board.

We discovered that students write because they want to find out what they are thinking, to bring their thoughts to life, to tell their story, and to express their inner thoughts and feelings.

So, let me ask you: why do you write? It’s a thought provoking question, isn’t it?

As a student, most of your writing is probably based on assignments given by professors. Is this the only time you write? If it is, perhaps on this day—the National Day on Writing—you might consider writing just for the sake of writing. If you have never experienced the thrill of capturing your thoughts on a topic—not because it was assigned to you by a teacher, but simply because you wanted to—then maybe today would be a good day to go for it!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Just do it!

2009-10-12T14:13:00.008-05:00

Roxy Writer here, your favorite tutor from the Stone Writing Center @ Del Mar College in sunny Corpus Christi, TX! Let’s surf the waves of writing together as we talk about getting started with an essay.

Starting an essay can be as formidable as facing a killer wave; the fear of the unknown can result in a serious case of writer’s block! Read about how this student I tutored overcame his fear of writing:

He faced the blank emptiness before him and knew he must not only enter into it but also build upon it to write his paper. He recalled an old saying he had often heard: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” (Confucius). He checked his supplies - notes, pens, and paper - and wondered where he would find what he needed most, an idea. He scratched his nose, coughed, and looked determinedly into the void. He still had no words, no ideas. “Oh, well,” he mumbled, “the first step is the first word. I must begin somewhere.”

He stared at the paper, white and completely lacking solidly real black print. He sighed and forced himself to start, resolved to let his thoughts appear however they fell upon the page. He wrote quickly, not pausing to perfect sentences or examine punctuation. What he needed for his first draft consisted primarily of ideas. Word upon word, line after line sped across the page as he wrote.

When he read his rough draft, he saw that he did have what he sought. He knew he could now complete his essay and revise later. The most important aspect of his work - his thoughts - had emerged. A thousand miles or a thousand words, he would complete the journey.

Roxy’s tip: Just do it! Just start writing, and the ideas will come!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!