Plagiarism: Who Cares? (Part Two)

If you’re just now joining the discussion, you should go back and read my previous post about the personal repercussions of plagiarism.  That said, let’s return to how plagiarism can ruin your current (or future) career.  Professional Repercussions When companies hire someone, they’re hiring more than just a resume; they’re hiring a human being, complete with...

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Plagiarism: Who Cares? (Part One)

  Well, for starters, I do.  I’m a pretty laid-back person and it takes some work for a person to make me mad.  One way to make me mad with very little effort is to plagiarize in my class.  Unless you’re my student, though, telling you that I’ll be personally insulted if you choose to plagiarize isn’t much of a deterrent.  So forget about me and...

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Plagiarism: Online Resources

When you’re unsure about what something is, looking at examples is a good way to dispel any confusion.  Examples are so successful at making complex things clear that it is now standard to see examples in instruction manuals detailing exactly how to complete each step of whatever process is being explained.  Why should learning about plagiarism be any different?...

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Happy Holidays!

Many, many apologies for taking a “break” from blogging.  I had research papers to grade, final exam essays to grade, and grades to calculate and post.  Thankfully, this semester has finally come to an end so I now have more time to devote to blogging.  (I know – I’m a dork.) While I get to work on the next installment of my “How NOT to Plagiarize” postings,...

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Plagiarism: An Introduction

Recently in class I asked my students to write down the process they use when writing essays.  I told them to be as honest as possible and to not be afraid of disappointing me.  Pages filled with “I freewrite about the essay topic for 5 minutes and then write an outline” would be gratifying, sure, but unless I know what my students are really doing when they write...

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The Importance of Taking Notes

For some reason, college students (at least the ones in my class) don’t seem to be taking notes anymore.  I could go on for pages about how self-defeating not taking notes in class is, but I’m more concerned with the reasons for WHY students don’t feel the need to take notes. Some people, I believe, think they will remember what is being said in class without having...

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Research Papers Don’t Have to be Boring

I can’t speak for every teacher, but I’m fairly sure I’m not the only instructor out there who dreads reading research papers.  It’s not the extra time that goes into commenting on and grading research papers that I have a problem with (although that’s certainly a factor). No, what really makes me want to put off looking at those stacks of essays for as long as humanly...

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The 4 Types of Evidence

Evidence is the information that helps in the formation of a conclusion or judgment.  Whether you know it or not, you provide evidence in most of your conversations – they’re all the things you say to try and support your claims.  For example, when you leave a movie theater, turn to your friend, and say “That movie was awesome! Did you see those fight scenes?!...

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The Power of an Analogy

Analogies can be very powerful things.  They are, after all, one of the four basic types of evidence.  They can provide support for a main point all on their own.  It’s important to keep one thing in mind: With great power comes great responsibility.   To properly understand how analogies can be abused, we have to look back to the definition of...

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Grammar Doesn't Have to be Boring

Let's face it: reading about grammar rules is boring.  Not many people pick up a grammar book when they’re feeling bored and looking for some enjoyable light reading.  Even those who purposefully turn to a grammar handbook for help  can find it dull at best, and intimidating at worst.  If you find it difficult to read a grammar book, the internet can...

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How to Use i.e. and e.g.

For abbreviations that are so commonly used, i.e. and e.g. cause massive problems for both readers and writers. I.e. stands for id est, which is Latin for “that is.”  You use it wherever you would use the words “that is” in a sentence.   In the following examples, you could replace “i.e.” with “that is” and the sentences would still be correct. I am the big cheese, i.e., the boss. I am eating the fruit I like the best, i.e., the avocado. E.g. stands for exempli gratia, which is Latin for “for the sake of an example.” ...

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Fear of the Blank Page

How many of you have trouble getting started on a writing project?  I certainly do.  The project doesn’t have to be something as hard as an academic essay, either; it could be something as seemingly simple as writing a letter to your grandparent.  The act of creating something out of nothing seems more the province of God, not mortals, but it’s an act we...

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Blogs as Research Logs

Most people think of blogging as writing a diary entry and then posting it to the internet so everyone else can read it.  The mundane happenings of one’s daily existence aren’t things that most people feel a need to chronicle, much less let complete strangers read about online.  Blogging has come a long way in the few short years it’s been around and no longer...

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L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest

While I’m on the subject of writing contests, there’s a very famous one set up for amateur writers of short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy that awards prizes every three months.  This contest is called Writers of the Future and it was founded by L. Ron Hubbard.  While Hubbard’s religious beliefs might have been questionable, his devotion...

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8 Minutes Anthology Writing Contest

I always have my eyes peeled for legitimate sounding writing contests and this past weekend at Armadillocon I ran across one that seems promising.  It’s called the 8 Minutes Anthology Contest.  The theme for the contest is “Something has happened to the Sun.  In 8 minutes, everything changes!” The website offers up the following information about the anthology:...

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It’s “through,” not “thru”

I have been seeing the word “thru” pop up in quite a few of my students’ essays.  I wasn’t very surprised when I saw it appear in essays written by my ESL students as misspellings are rather abundant in them.  When I saw the word pop up in some of my best native English speaking students’ essays, I was bowled over. There are many who would like to blame the...

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One Word + 60 Seconds

Not too long ago, I wrote a post about freewriting.  Although I’m not a huge fan of this form of idea generation, many people are and find it successful for eliminating writer’s block.  In the interest of exposing you to every writing tool that I know of so you can decide for yourself whether or not it works for you, I present to you One Word, a site based on the...

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Caution: Busy Week Alert

I’m just popping online to say that this weekend will be hectic so updates will be slow for the next week.  I’m still alive and haven’t forgotten about you all – life’s just doing its best to get in the way of blogging again.  Keep writing and I’ll be back before you notice I was ever gone....

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Generating Ideas: Freewriting

Freewriting (also called stream-of-consciousness writing) is the activity of writing everything that pops into your mind when you think about a certain topic.  If you can’t think of anything to write about the topic, then you literally write “I can’t think of anything to write” over and over until you an idea eventually comes to you.   Sometimes, freewriting...

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Organizing Your Thoughts: Mind Mapping

Putting your thoughts down on paper is an activity easier said than done.  I’d like someone to take a peek into my mind and just TRY to get the mess of ideas I have tumbling around in there onto a piece of paper in a coherent, organized fashion.  If you too have so many ideas bouncing around in your head that you can’t manage to focus on just one, having the...

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It’s All in the Details

It’s not often something I read is so funny it causes me to choke on my drink.   This posting on Craigslist did just that.  The author could’ve just posted a picture of an opossum, typed the words “Free Kitty,” and called it a day.  It would still be amusing, but it would be nowhere near as funny as it is the way it’s written now.  So what is...

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Types of Titles

  I’ve written about titles before, but writing a good one is a complex enough task that it merits more discussion.  For example, not many people know that there are different types of titles. Descriptive Titles A descriptive title announces the topic of the work clearly and succinctly.  It’s the “obvious” title and generally lacks flair.  Despite...

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Ambiguity: Avoid It

The Houston Chronicle ran this article today in the Business section.  What you won’t see if you read the article online is a subheading that was included in the print version of the paper.  It read: It depends on whether group is deemed liable for 2004 deaths Take a minute or two to figure out how that headline could be interpreted.  Yeah, that’s exactly how I read it too when I opened up the paper.  The first thought that crossed my mind was “Holy cow! 2004 people died?” and my eyes were glued to the article as I read...

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Life and Lost Dogs

Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging and this past week has been no exception.  My mom just had surgery and I’m taking on more of the responsibilities around the house while she recovers.  The real time-sink this past week had nothing to do with my mother, though. I found a lost dog and boy, was she cute. Finding her original owner(s) was a task that,...

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A Reminder About MLA Style Editions

A while back, I mentioned that the 7th edition of the MLA Handbook  introduced significant changes to the format of citations.  The change is still relatively new and textbook publishers are still scrambling to catch up.  Publishing on the internet is instantaneous.  So while students everywhere are still being taught from outdated textbooks (I’m teaching...

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The End of a Spelling Rule

Native and non-native English speakers will agree, English is a ridiculously difficult language when it comes to spelling.  Just teaching someone how to properly pronounce words is hard enough. English learners now have one less rule to help them in their struggle to master this language.  According to the Associated Press, the British government has advised teachers to no longer pass on the “i before e, except after c” rule to students because there are too many exceptions (the article gives “sufficient,” “veil,” and “their” as examples). ...

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Primary vs. Secondary Sources

  Primary sources include the original data that you are researching.  For example, if you were writing an essay about the symbolism in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, then the actual text of Romeo and Juliet would be your primary source.   If you were writing a paper about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, then your primary sources would be...

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An Example of How to Monetize Your Writing

Students often ask me what practical use creative writing skills serve (and by “practical use” they mean “how can I put food on the table”).  It’s all well and good to be able to write a poem for a loved one, but the only payoff is a warm fuzzy feeling.  I tell stories about how most (if not all) best-selling authors today didn’t begin their careers as authors. ...

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Fighting for What Is (or Could Be) Yours

College is supposed to usher you into a new understanding of yourself as an individual.  It is supposed to empower you with the knowledge that even though you are only one person in a world filled with billions of people, you are equal in worth to each and every one of those billions of people.  Your thoughts, your dreams, and your desires are just as important...

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The Importance of Topic Sentences

When you read a paragraph and know exactly what that paragraph will cover, you’ve more likely than not just read a good topic sentence.   It’s such a simple sentence to write, yet so many people leave it out of their writing.   But I’m getting ahead of myself… What is a topic sentence? In short, a topic sentence is a sentence that sums up the main...

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Unnecessary Commas

Every now and then I like to sit back and take stock of what errors are occurring the most frequently for the most number of people in the essays I grade.  Commas end up at the top of the list time and time again.  The creative ways commas are put to unnecessary use in essays are numerous and will no doubt require a series of posts to cover adequately.  This...

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How Do You Learn to Write?

  This is a question I wrestle with every single day. As the creator of this blog, every time I sit down to write a post I have to believe that the words I put down will make a difference in a reader’s writing.  As a composition instructor, every time I teach class I have to believe that my lessons are useful and will change some of my students’ writing skills...

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The Value of Writing Down Memorable Sayings

Ever had a conversation where someone says something that makes you think to yourself “Ooh, I’ve gotta write that down!”?  I just did.  I was on the phone talking to a good friend about a technologically challenged student he was helping with a project when he said: She was about as sharp as the corner on a round table. As soon as our conversation ended, I...

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OpenOffice.org: The Free Microsoft Office Alternative

Last week I was appalled to find out that one of my students has been typing up all of his essays on Windows Notepad at home, then hopping on a school computer to copy and paste his work into Microsoft Word so he could format it. I wasn’t taken aback at the thought of someone using Notepad to write.  It’s actually quite a useful little fuss-free program that’s lack...

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