On Whose Authority?
By Tobias Ball, Dissertation Editor
While
interviewing a candidate for an editor vacancy, I asked about something from
his work history, the job of writing instructor. I asked how he taught writing.
After a long pause, the candidate offered some of the tips that most writers
have heard, such as setting time aside every day specifically for writing, sharing
work with others, and one of the most popular bits of advice, writing what you
know. Although it is often the case that fiction and academic writers share
techniques for getting words on the page, this last method is less applicable.
When
faculty are working with students to develop a problem statement, they ask them
what it is about their topic that they do not know. One of the functions of a
dissertation is to fill a gap in the literature, that gap representing
something unknown about a topic. The fact that the topic is something unknown
means that writing what you know is not really possible. This may leave the
academic writer of a dissertation at a loss for inspiration and with concerns
about writing with any sort of authority. There is a solution.
Muddled Modifiers
By
Rachel Grammer, Writing Consultant
Confession #1: I am a grammar geek.
Now go ahead—say it.
You know you want to, and I know you’re thinking it: Her last name is so appropriate! I mean, with a last name like
Grammer, I must have been destined for a career in English, right? Perhaps it
was fate, but that’s beside the point.
Confession #2: I giggle
audibly at unusual sentences (sometimes much to the frustration of those
coworkers whose cubicles are next to mine).
I can’t help it. I
mean, who can avoid laughing at the idea of a duck with pigtails? Well, let me
explain. Modifiers are
descriptive words or phrases, and they often end up in the wrong spot. Take
this example sentence:
The girl ran after the
duck with pigtails.
This is a classic example of a misplaced modifier. The
phrase with pigtails is really meant
to describe the girl. However, the
writer separated the modifier from what it was describing, so the sentence
seems to be talking about a duck with pigtails.
How to Become Teacher’s Pet
By Amber Cook, Senior Writing Specialist and Faculty
Liaison
So, show of hands: Did you do anything special for your
instructors during teacher appreciation week last week? If your hand isn’t
raised, I have a list of suggestions that will make up for your oversight.
As the Writing Center’s faculty liaison, I have frequent
conversations with instructors, all of whom are eager to help students refine
their scholarly writing skills. Without exception, these faculty members are
inspired and impressed by your hard work and passion for contributing to your
field, and they care about seeing you succeed. There are some steps you can
take to make their job easier, though, and the bonus is that you’ll also see
improvement in your own work!
- Read all of your instructor’s feedback. I know it’s tempting to just glance at the grade and then move along to your next task, but you might be missing out on some great advice. Many instructors embed resources, comments, and recommendations that will help you with your next paper, so be sure to take the time to read and use them. Nothing makes an instructor (or a writing tutor!) crazier than seeing the same errors from the same student, paper after paper. If you have trouble with the feedback tools themselves, see the MS Editing Tools section of this link for help. Bonus brownie points if you send a message to your instructor thanking him or her for the helpful advice.
Put What Where? Lost in the Turnitin Vortex
By Hillary Wentworth, Writing Consultant
Many students are scared of Turnitin, others are angry that
they have to use the program, while still others are utterly mystified by it
all. Turnitin is an interesting tool—if
you know what it really does. It’s
important to remember that a high Turnitin percentage does not necessarily
indicate plagiarism. The software is simply
matching your paper—word for word—to other documents in its database. These documents (literally millions of them)
are journal articles, college papers, web pages, and books. Amongst those millions, there will be
matches. After all, there is no truly original
way to refer to differentiated
instruction or evidence-based practice,
right?
So, when you are looking at a
Turnitin report, don’t scream and run around the room or dissolve in
tears. Instead, take a long, deep
breath, sit down on the couch, and read these tips:
A Letter from the Director
Greetings, students, faculty, and staff.
We’ve heard your concerns about editor availability, and we’re
restructuring our services to better meet demand. Come May 14, if you’re a
student working on your capstone, and if you find the editor schedule to be
full, go ahead and sign up with a tutor. The tutors, all writing professionals
who are already working with students on proposals and prospectuses, are eager
to assist you in your capstone endeavors.
A few things to keep in mind as you work with a tutor on
your capstone:
- Unlike the editors’ 1-hour chapter review offering, a tutor’s review is 30 minutes. Like the chapter review, however, the paper review is an asynchronous session; it does not include a phone call or live communication.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)
4 comments :
Post a Comment