I always get a few students who don’t see the point of using media in a composition classroom. This always surprises me. How many people see themselves writing essays for a living? How often will we write essays in our…
Finals schedule
Here’s the finals schedule for JCCC. Evidently I’m not the only one who couldn’t find it. Lesson: when in doubt, ask the administrative assistants. They know everything. This reminds me of a classic XKCD cartoon. Include Finals Schedule for something…
Rules for beginning writers.
Got wind of this advice for beginning writers from BoingBoing, who found it from VS Naipaul. 1. Do not write long sentences. A sentence should not have more than ten or twelve words.2. Each sentence should make a clear statement.…
Review: Lost on Planet China
I found this book on MP3 audio at the Lawrence Library. His introductory admission that he is, in no sense, an authority on China nor on any things Chinese, drug me into this book. While an admitted non-authority, he did…
Metaphor paper explained
Once again too many papers start off with a paragraph to a page of random BS on the nature of metaphors in general. Papers should get to the point quickly – and focus on the text one analyzes. Here’s an…
Why doesn’t this work in my class?
If you want to know why this won’t work in my class, read the syllabus.
Master Teacher Retreat
This weekend I’ll be co-facilitating a Master Teacher Retreat in the bucolic splendor of Tall Oaks. We’ve got the wiki started up, and I’ll give anyone attending rights to add and edit content. If you’ve never participated in a wiki…
Research in the news.
A new research study on composition reports An analysis of research papers written in first-year composition courses at 15 colleges reveals that many students simply copy chunks of text from the sources they cite without truly grasping the underlying argument,…
Office Door Comics
I always notice cartoons posted on the office doors of faculty, and I enjoy the people who stop at my door and read what I’ve posted. This image is from the last bit of unclaimed office debris left over from…
Profile Writing
Our textbook offers excellent instructions and suggestions for writing profiles, in addition to many fine examples. If one reads that material one should have no trouble with the assignment. A profile differs from a memoir in that it is about…