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The Very Quick Guide to Organizing your Paper August 24, 2009

Posted by jhicks in : CORE, Content, Essay Planning, International Students , add a comment

Many students organize papers in a deductive organization. This means the first paragraph has a clear statement of the thesis, including its major premise and significance. The rest of the paper presents paragraphs of evidence. A good thesis sentence has a key phrase that can be used throughout the essay.

Ideally, many paragraphs begin with a sentence that sums up the major point of the paragraph. The topic sentence will use key phrases from the thesis sentence.

The conclusion will further discuss the significance of the thesis. The conclusion might make a prediction related to the thesis, suggest ideas for further analysis at another time, or add one more thought-provoking point related to the thesis.

Is FLOW Only for Water? April 15, 2009

Posted by jhicks in : Love Unit, Portfolio, Style, Uncategorized , add a comment

“Can you help me make this FLOW better?”

“I’d like you to check for FLOW.”

 “Maybe this doesn’t FLOW right.”

Though you might not be able to define FLOW in writing, you know when you have it and when you don’t!

Many qualities contribute to text FLOW; here are some editing steps you can apply that may help you capture that elusive quality.

COHERENCE

Read aloud. Though this reminds you of junior high, it’s the best editing trick around. Underline sentences or parts that don’t “sound right” and check out their insides. These two examples will give you the idea.

Example: Colleges are making tuition more affordable with scholarships and having  scholarships and campus jobs.  [Notice how the phrases are constructed differently. They are not similar in grammatical structure or consistent in point of view, which wrecks the flow.]
Improved: Colleges are making tuition more affordable by offering scholarships and campus jobs.
Example: For companies who want to increase market share, they must advertise to their target group. [The word "for" throws off the sentence. Begin with "companies" and omit "they."]

Wordy or illogical constructions can clog a sentence’s flow: The reason is because . . .Pneumonia is when

Omit because and when in this type of construction.

COHESION–You’ll feel “flow” when ideas move from old-to-new:
Move from familiar to unfamiliar ideas. Notice this movement in the following sentences:

The native language of nearly 1 million people is American Sign Language (ASL) [new idea]. Unlike a common misperception, ASL [old idea] is not English in signed form [new idea]. Signed English [old idea] involves signing individual characterisitics of an English sentence, whereas an ASL signer uses physical space occupied and facial expression in a communication exchange [new idea].  ASL [old idea] can be described as “pictorial/visual and three dimensional while English is audible and linear” (Schmidt, Bunse, Dalton, et al 7).
PUNCTUATION also assists with “flow” because these minute marks signal a change in tone, expression, or tempo that you would hear or see in a conversation. On paper, these signals tell your brain what to expect next.

Check out the blog category of “editing” to brush up on conventions of punctuation.

Schmidt, Katherine, et al. “Lessening the Divide: Strategies for Promoting Effective Communication between Hearing Consultants and Deaf Student-writers.” The Writing Lab Newsletter,  33.5 (2009): 6-10.

Making the Most of Your Sentences October 2, 2008

Posted by arussell in : Love Unit, Style , comments closed

Once you have a strong idea for your paper, think about the way you are presenting that idea. Do your sentence patterns convey the ideas by their very arrangement? Sentence patterns can

To sound more interesting and sophisticated, mix up the types of sentences you are using. Don’t use all simple sentences or all compound or complex sentences. Placing short sentences between longer ones give the shorter sentences a punch–they stand out more.

Here are some other sentence types to consider:
A loose sentence is the type of sentence that is most common. At the beginning of the sentence is the main idea (subject and verb) and then all the other less important information follows. For example: I left the restaurant feeling dizzy and sick to my stomach as all my surroundings swirled before my eyes. In this case the subject (I) and the verb (left) are at the beginning of the sentence.

A periodic sentence is not as common and must be used with care. With this type, there is a build-up to the main idea. For example: Looking at the rose, at its soft petals and thin folds, I saw beauty. Here, the main idea (I saw beauty) is at the end of the sentence and all the other details lead up to this idea. If used sparingly, this sentence style makes an idea have real snap. The subject and verb really stand out at the end.

To express cause and effect:

Use a complex sentence beginning with since or because: Because of the reduction in anticipated dividends, many employees delayed their retirement.

(Same idea expressed with a compound sentence does not express cause and effect clearly: Employees anticipated reduced dividends, and they decided to delay their retirement.)

To express sequence or simultaneous events:
Use a complex sentence beginning with while, whenever, before, as, or a similar word: While the stock market dropped, employees

Meet the Consultants September 4, 2008

Posted by jhicks in : CORE, Consultant bios , comments closed

Our writing consultants will be introducing themselves in the next few days. In addition to a funny photo, you will find their hours and interests. Choose the category “Consultant bios.” Each is looking forward to conferring with other students.

VU Slang and Lingo September 3, 2008

Posted by jhicks in : CORE, Humor, Uncategorized , comments closed

After studying in the fishtank lounge, I played a pick-up game of ultimate frisbee in front of the VUCA (pronounced “voo-kah”). Then I went to the CCLIR (pronounced “klur”) for a frozen explosion before meeting with my resmin group under Merlin.

Welcome to Valparaiso Unversity, where we speak in code and the sidewalk paths lead you on confusing expeditions. Remember: the stained glass end of the Chapel (a.k.a. “God’s juicer”) faces east. To help you adjust to life at Valpo, here’s a list of Valpo slang and lingo:

  1. Fish tank lounge: n. The lounge on the top floor of the Union, where you can find a delightful fish tank. Many campus organizations hold meetings in this area. Per popular request, the new union will also have a fish tank lounge.
  2. VUCA: /voo’-kuh/ n. Short for Valparaiso University Center for the Arts. Inside you can find many free concerts, the Brauer Museum of Art, plays, and the annual German Club Fasching dance. Outside is ample space for frisbe and football.
  3. CCLIR: /klur/ n. Short for Christopher Center for Library and Information Resources, also referred to as The Christopher Center, but rarely called “the library.” Important highlights central to a Valpo student’s experience include Grinder’s—the on-campus coffee shop, fireplace lounges, and study rooms.
  4. Frozen explosion: n. Grinder’s serves these sweet, icy, addictive concoctions in a variety of flavors. Grab one, then walk fifteen steps north to the Writing Center for a caffeinated consultation.
  5. Resmin: n. Short for residential minister. These are students that work for the Chapel, setting up Bible studies, holding office hours, and being otherwise kind, fun, and approachable people. Each dormitory is assigned at least one residential minister.
  6. Merlin: n. A fabulous, tall oak south of the Chapel. Legend has it that Merlin’s existence was threatened by the construction of the CCLIR, but to the joy of Valpo students, Merlin survived. Merlin’s shade is hospitable to picnics, studying, enjoying nature, and the annual Shakespeare Under the Stars—a spoof production of Shakespeare’s works.
  7. I.T.: n. Abbreviation for Information Technology, but rarely called “it.” (Think E.T. phone home.) Ask IT about any on-campus technology topics, from setting your laptop for wireless access to your print quota. They are available via email and phone, or drop by their Help Desk, located on the first floor of the CCLIR, between Grinder’s and the Writing Center.
  8. God’s juicer: n. The top of the east end of the Chapel is often referred to as God’s juicer.
  9. The blue light: n. The Writing Center’s blue light, located on our desk on the first floor of CCLIR, is turned on when a consultant is available.
  10. Bethesda/Nifty Thrifty: n. A thrift store on Marks St., just off of campus, where many students take advantage of half-off for Valpo student Fridays.
  11. VUCrew: /voo-kroo/ n. A dedicated cheering section at VU Basketball games.
  12. Adam: n. The four foot tall knight in shining armor who makes The Round Table his home.
  13. The terrace: n. Outside study area off of the fourth floor of the CCLIR.
  14. The kissing bridge: n. A bridge that leads from nowhere to nowhere on the southeast side of campus. The story goes that it used to be on old campus, suspended over railroad tracks, and it was a goal to kiss for the entire length of a train. Students reportedly returned covered in soot, except for their mouths.
  15. Blue books: n. Available in two sizes, professors oftentimes ask students to purchase bluebooks (either at the Union Info Desk or the University Book Store) for exams.
  16. Chapel rats: n. Students who frequent the Chapel by attending daily Morning Prayer, Celebrate!, Candlelight, Sunday services, and volunteering.
  17. Valparainsnow, Windiana: n. An endearing term for VU’s hometown, referring to the somewhat unpredictable and unmerciful weather.

I hope you find this list helpful as you learn the Valpo lingo. Before you know it, you’ll be able to construct sentences like those at the beginning of this blog, and nobody outside of the Valpo bubble will have any idea what you’re talking about.

Until next time, keep your eyes open for our blue light and feel free to instant message us at VUWCafterhours from 9-10:30 PM Suday through Thursday with any quick questions.

Read Aloud for Better Proofreading July 2, 2008

Posted by jhicks in : CORE, Correctness, Editing, Education Unit , comments closed

We’ve all come to that point in the essay-writing process when we finish our paper and proofread for errors. So the essay is finished, right? Unfortunately, by focusing on correcting typos, we may overlook other issues having to do with sentence structure. Even though your paper might appear to be grammatically sound, it might not have a nice flow to it due to problems with sentence structure.

The best advice I can give to fellow writers is to always, always read your essay out loud at least once before handing it in. This way you will hear your essay being read out loud. Even though you’ve read your essay to yourself in writing and proofreading it, hearing it spoken allows you to immediately notice disruptions of flow that result from sentence fragments, comma splices, sentences that are too long, sentences that are too short, choppy sentence structure, inadequate transitions between paragraphs, etc. You will find that reading your papers out loud will draw your attention to sentences (and potentially whole paragraphs) that need revising. By proofreading and making sure your paper has a good flow to it, your professors will be more interested in reading through your essay and might be inclined to give you a better grade for it.

Eric Gutierrez
Writing Center Consultant

Integrating Quotes February 20, 2008

Posted by arussell in : CORE, Education Unit, Style , comments closed

-So, my professor says that I should quote more, but I just don’t know how.
-I use quotes in every paper. I quote all the time. Practically every sentence has a quote or a paraphrase. Why doesn’t my professor like it?
-I quote well, but my professor thinks I should ‘integrate’ them more. What does she mean?

All of these concerns and questions are good ones to have because they give us a place to begin. The answer for each is surprisingly similar because it involves how we think about quotes.

So here are some questions to get you thinking.

1. Why would someone use a quote?
2. If you want to use a quote, why use it? Does it illustrate better than you are able? Will it promote your argument? Show a hole in it with which you can wrestle?
3. Why quote right there?
4. Have you summarized, analyzed, and synthesized it into your paragraph?

“BUT that’s just how to think about it! How do I actually go about it?”

That’s also a good question because that depends on context. I like to introduce the author of the quote earlier in my summary of what the quote says and use the name in a phrase just prior to the quote. That looks a bit like:

In his text concerning the great influence the water bottle has had on the college campus, author J. Doe promotes investigating the contents of water bottles in every classroom. Doe writes, “Water bottles are certainly important for hydration, but they are also locations of contamination! Therefore, students who not properly trained in sanitation techniques will become ill or make others ill unless administrations crack down on water bottle use” (45). Concerned with the…

There are other ways of incorporating quotes that can also be very effective. This is just a starting point. When your own paper still stumps you, bring it in and we’ll take a look at it together. That is the best kind of help for me!

Two pairs of eyes is better than one.

Planning Your Essay November 15, 2007

Posted by egutierrez in : CORE, Essay Planning, Getting started, Uncategorized , comments closed

So you have just received your essay assignment, and now you want to get started. But where should you begin? Should you just start writing, hoping that it will all make coherent sense in the end? Obviously, you don’t want to start writing without a plan, for it is easy to deviate from a specific topic and start talking about something else. So how should you get organized and get your essay started?

The first thing you need to do is analyze the essay prompt. Within a set of instructions given to you by your professor, you need to figure out exactly what he or she is asking of you and what your essay topic should be about. For example, say you are given the following prompt:

“Describe the events leading up to the American Revolution, and analyze the effects of Great Britain’s new taxation policy on the colonists’ need to revolt. Was ‘taxation without representation’ the biggest issue for the colonists?”

This prompt tells you exactly what you need to focus your essay on. Firstly, you need to describe the events leading up to the American Revolution. In this part of your essay, you would simply tell your reader what happened, leaving your own personal opinion out of the discussion. In the second portion of your essay, you would analyze the effects of Great Britain’s new taxation policy on the colonists’ need to revolt. This will require you to move beyond a mere description of this taxation policy and towards a more in-depth look at how this change in policy affected the colonists’ need for independence and self-determination. The third part of the prompt is asking for your educated opinion: was this policy change the biggest issue for the colonists? Here you would either argue in favor of this view or against it, giving supporting evidence from the course texts and lectures to back up your claim.

Now if your prompt is not as specific as the one mentioned above – say if your professor asks you to write a 10-page paper on some aspect of the American Revolution, then you might need to brainstorm for ideas, keeping in mind that your topic needs to be focused and specific. Writing a 10-page paper on the entire revolution would be too general and superficial (there are whole books committed to the American Revolution!). Instead you need to narrow your topic to a specific aspect of the revolution. “Women and the American Revolution” and “warfare technology of the American Revolution” are narrowed topics, but even these will need to be narrowed further. “How women helped further a sense of patriotism during the American Revolution” and “how new military tactics and technology influenced the American Revolution” are good examples of narrowed, focused topics.

Now that you’ve analyzed the prompt and what your professor expects of you, it’s time to formulate a thesis statement and plan your essay. Some people come up with the thesis first and then plan out the essay; others wait until after they have established a conceptual framework to write a good thesis. The best method is, of course, whichever way works for you. In coming up with a thesis statement, make sure it describes your essay topic and your opinion of it (see the section on Writing your Thesis Statement for more information).

Planning your essay requires that you outline which topics you plan to discuss. You need to outline your essay from start to finish, whether you find it more helpful to come up with a very detailed outline of everything you plan to discuss in each paragraph of your essay or whether you find it easier to briefly note what will be discussed in each paragraph. In our above example, you would start with an introduction (that includes your thesis statement), then you would (using as many paragraphs as you need) describe the events leading up to the American Revolution, analyze the effects of Britain’s new taxation policy, and then give your educated opinion as to whether this policy change was the biggest issue for the American colonists. You would finish your essay with a conclusion that not only restates your thesis but also, and more importantly, states how your essay topic is significant.

Now that you’ve planned your essay, you can begin writing it. The essay pre-writing stage is indeed very important because it allows you to look at not only what you’ll be writing but, more importantly, how and in what way you’ll be getting your point across. Write more coherent and thought-provoking essays – and make the writing process itself easier – by taking time to thoughtfully plan your essay.

Eric Gutierrez
Writing Center Consultant

Ending your paper October 25, 2007

Posted by arussell in : CORE, Content, Education Unit, Essay Planning , comments closed

The conclusion of a paper is always hardest to write . . .I’ve already said everything–what more is there to do?

This is the opportunity to wrap everything up. It is best to restate your thesis at the beginning of your conclusion, just to bring the reader back to your main point. But don’t use the exact same sentence as in your intro, though you should have some key words from the thesis. A slight variation will keep you from sounding redundant.

It is also important not to put any new evidence in your conclusions. All those should be in the body of your paper. This is where many writers have trouble: It is difficult not to sound redundant when you can’t put in any new facts. The conclusion is the place to provide the answer to, “So what?” Why is your contention (thesis) and evidence significant?

Here are interesting questions to think about as you apply your analysis to the big picture and give it significance.

Your conclusion will give readers more to think about and assure them their journey with you was worthwhile.

It’s Okay to Disagree October 25, 2007

Posted by arussell in : Content, Education Unit , comments closed

Students often think that they have to agree with the writer in order to write a paper about the writer’s ideas. Some of the best papers, however, come from arguing against a writer’s points. Think about–people usually get the most excited and passionate when they disagree with something, and the best papers are the ones that make a strong argument. If you have the facts to back up your point of view, go for it! Just make sure you are being logical and not blindly attacking for the sake of arguing, and you could end up with a really strong paper!