Writing Center at CSUSM

The Lesson I Learned in History 601

2013-06-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Writing my History 601 Final Paper was an eye-opening experience. After having completed Hist 301 during the final semester of my undergraduate program (It was supposed to have been done during my first semester in upper division coursework and as a transfer student I had not been informed), I was ready for the super-heavy, reading-laden trench work of 601. The semester went fairly well as we read various works, including That Noble Dream by Peter Novick and The Cheese and the Worms by Carlo Ginzburg. We learned about the development of the profession of History and how we were to embark on a mission to educate the world about humanity and all of its glories and follies.

For my final, I chose to write a paper on The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, by Iris Chang. Of course, as I had done the entire semester, I waited until the last minute to research and write my paper. We were reading books at the pace of one a week; with work, children and a needy girlfriend occupying most of my time, I was forced to read the books in one or two days. I am a quick reader. Although digesting the information, interpreting it, formulating an argument and selecting passages for support and evidence are more than simply reading a text. I needed more time than I was allowing myself for each assignment, and the 7/10 that I was consistently earning never quite pierced the veil of my brain and translated to the raw 70% that would eventually become a B, which led to a lower average than I needed to maintain in order to remain in good standing within the graduate program.

So there I was, one week left to write my final paper, and of course life did not slow down to accommodate me. I did not use enough sources and one of the ones that I had selected was known for being written by a very lousy example of a historian. I would have known that, had I done more research and examined more sources. I look back and recall the large stack of books I used for my history 301 paper and I can’t understand why I didn’t think to do the same with Hist 601. I remember making three or four trips to the library looking for sources for my 301 paper (Which was on the relationships between Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt and Truman during WWII) and I even bought one book for 25cents as an additional source. Somehow, that commitment wasn't there for hist 601. Was it hubris? Was I so full of myself after being accepted into the Master’s program that my academic standards became inexplicably lax? I believe so. I was forced to face the truth: I hadn’t only let myself down; I let down every professor who wrote a letter of recommendation for me as well.

I learned a very valuable lesson in Hist 601, and that lesson is that no matter how skilled we might be the effort has to accompany that skill and be infused into every work. The first great job you do, regardless of the form, format, field, etc., sets the bar for the future. Each assignment should improve on the previous one in any way possible. Each subsequent piece of work should include no less effort than the one before it. Following this ideology, I have been able to produce high-quality work even when the subject matter fails to mesmerize me. I realized that if my standards drop, then so shall the rewards. And frankly, I want platinum medals, not bronze ones.

-John
Thursday, June 13, 2013

2013-03-08T17:35:00.002-08:00

Well, time sure flew again. A 28-day week just passed! Concrete proof of what I was talking about in my last post.

I'm sure it could be therapeutic to some blocked or cowed writers to read about my trials with academic writing, the way lots of people write about their addictions, lives of crime, experiences of abuse, years spent in underground radical cells on the right or the left, sojourns on other planets after abduction by aliens, etc., etc. We're supposed, first of all, to admire these people for their courage in speaking out in spite of the shame, humiliation, or simple sliminess they must feel. Then, of course, we can find hope and reassurance in the fact that someone has overcome a large obstacle to attain success in life, if success is measured by getting a book deal and possibly appearing on Oprah. But by far the majority of readers obtain solace--and a bit of pleasure--from knowing there are people so much worse off than they are. Well, I doubt if I'm going to get on Oprah (Is there still an Oprah to get on? [I mean an "Oprah," of course]) with sordid tales of writer's block, so maybe I'm not going to go down that path after all.

But it's not all bad. Oddly enough, one of the few things I write easily and am willing to share is poetry. Some of it is frivolous, what in the old days was called doggerel verse (see below), but most of it has some political or social message I'm trying to get across. In addition to poetry, I have found that I am good at letters to the editor, opinion columns for newspapers, political policy statements, and, unfortunately, eulogies. I believe that these types of writing work for me because they're based on inspiration--almost all the ideas come unbidden into my head; they're too short in duration and too urgent in timing to allow for my insecurities and complicating tendencies to kick in; and I believe they say something that is important enough to me--or to someone--to risk embarrassment from others' reactions. Unfortunately, my scholarly writing has none of those characteristics, even the third one. Hence the difficulty, which I now understand is just going to be with me for the rest of my days. (Sorry, you might have been hoping for something more reassuring from my testimonial.)

But let's end on a lighter note:

Life without Parole

I learned grammar
In the slammer
Hoping to prove
I had a studious manner

I tried to absorb it at a rapid rate
To get the parole board to soften my fate
But in, on, and at didn't change their decision
‘Cuz you can’t end a sentence with a preposition.

(Apologies, of course, to those who have more direct, non-humorous experience with the above-referenced system.)

Reflections on Writing

2013-02-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

I am going to try to add something here every week. I have made promises like this to myself before, and generally find that SOMETHING quickly intervenes to take my resolve or my attention away. But let’s live--and write--for today.

I suppose it’s a bit risky to discuss my personal relationship to writing when I am the director of a writing center. I am expected to be an exemplar of the good writer, and admissions of doubt or shortcomings may lessen my credibility. On the other hand, I imagine it could also be reassuring to students who themselves struggle with these issues to know that one can write, at least up to a point, even with some shortcomings.

Being a “good writer” has a couple of different meanings. One is that a person can create a “good” written product. The meaning of “good written product” also is subject to various interpretations, but for the present time, I mean that the writing is clear, grammatical, thoughtful, and to some degree interesting, even entertaining. Both the content and the vehicle by which it is expressed are pleasing. By that standard, I can safely say I am a good writer. However, writing is also an action, a process. So a good writer can also be a person who writes fluently, efficiently, and perhaps even gracefully. However, there are not many people, if any, who actually do write like this. Certainly I am not one of them: in regard to process, I am a bad writer indeed.

In any case, it’s not clear that being graceful or fluid alone is desirable. After all, graceful runners, swimmers, etc., are rarely praised for their form if they are not competitive. It’s only when they are winners that we may stop and notice their technique, e.g., Michael Jordan and his gravity-defying flights toward the backboard. His method might have been noteworthy under any circumstances, but it would not have been praiseworthy if he did not also sink baskets as he “flew.” (Graceful dancers might be seen as a counterexample, but they still would not be considered praiseworthy if their movements did not result in an artistically satisfying performance when joined together into a piece.)

I, at any rate, have a horrible writing process. In fact, it is so bad that it often prevents me from completing the writing projects I begin. To continue the sports analogy: I have always been a terrible runner and swimmer, and this is due in no small part to the fact that I have limited lung capacity because of asthma, and consequently get winded within minutes. Although I had never thought of the parallelism until just now, I would have to say that something akin to mental asthma winds me within a short time when I try to write.

That may be enough for one day’s entry. Over the coming weeks, if I have the courage, I will detail some of the obstacles that I encounter when I try to write. I will also be talking about more objective things, such as composition theory, tutoring methodology and research, and the issues non-standard speakers face when they strive to write in the university environment. I will assume for the time being that I am writing for myself, to myself. We will see if any comments come in to disturb the tranquility that comes of this belief.

Jeff

Writing Center opens for Spring 2013

2013-01-28T15:02:00.000-08:00

The Writing Center is up and running and again. This semester we have new undergraduate workshops and, for the first time, graduate workshops. We are trying to zero in on the skills that students need most to write successfully at the university. It's a moving target! To see what we've latched onto this time, visit our workshops page at our website.

We had all-day training for all campus tutors on Saturday, January 26. I ran this along with my colleagues Maureen Dupont, who runs the Math Lab, and Hilary Comerchero, who runs the Language Learning Center. In keeping with my ongoing efforts, I again stressed the importance of minimalist tutoring--the idea that less is more. And, in addition, that more is actually less. We looked at research by Michelene Chi and her colleagues that indicates that tutees do as well with tutors who are instructed to explain less as with tutors who explain a lot--which is, of course, our natural predisposition as tutors. In fact, tutees show deeper learning (defined as the ability to transfer learning to new contexts and make inferences) when there is almost no explanation. The reason for this is that self-explanation seems to lead to the deepest learning. Tutors, accordingly, should interact with tutees in a way that prompts these self-explanations. Explanations coming from us tend to interfere with that process.

2012-09-07T17:27:00.001-07:00

This is Jeff, the Writing Center director. We've just started a new semester at the Writing Center. September 4 was our first day open. Business has been relatively brisk for this time of year--a good sign. We are doing more outreach and advertising this semester. I would say it has had only minimal effect so far. We are having "open house" for our first two weeks of operation. Students can get a pen with our unit logo and can sign up to win a Writing Center T-shirt. On the front, it has a cute dinosaur (a "thesaurus"--I am not making this up and I did not make that up; the shirts had been designed and printed before I arrived) uttering the word "Word". To the best of my knowledge, only a handful of students have come by to avail themselves of this opportunity. And though many students have come through as part of class visits (see more below), so far, only two students have filled out the card to try to win the T-shirt. I guess "Roget" (yes, they named him before I got here, too) is not as cute to others as he has come to be to us. But he is rather lovable, even if he's somewhat sketchy--literally. He's shown below.

At the same time, we have visited, or had visits from numerous classes. There are certain "intro-to-skills" courses on our campus: Among them are GEW 101 for writing and GEL 101 for study skills and orientation to the university. My tutors (we call them "consultants") and I visit many of these classes to introduce our services, or receive visits from these classes in the Writing Center to do the same thing. One of my goals for this year during these information sessions is to help new students understand that we need their participation in the process of helping them write. A typical student who has not yet begun to understand the "depth" of the writing process will come to a tutoring session with desires such as "Please check it over for me," or "Make sure it flows OK," or "Tell me if this makes sense." It's not just that these requests don't allow us to get a clue about how to help the student; it is the very fact that a student thinks that such goals are relevant to a paper that signifies his lack of understanding of the writing process.

So, as is so often the case when dealing with students at developmental crossroads, we have to ask whether explaining and modeling the behaviors associated with a particular level of awareness can propel students to the next necessary developmental level. For some students, the answer is probably yes. For many students, perhaps most, the answer is no. A student who is not developmentally ready will not be able to perform as if she were. In fact, she may not even be able to grasp the significance of the explanations and models we provide. Thus I worry that in the name of "educating" unsophisticated students about how to have a useful tutoring session, we are only convincing them that there is no viable pathway available to them for getting help with their papers. A student who needs to know, "Does my paper flow?" needs the answer to that question, and needs a place to find an answer to that question--or at least believes so. In reality, a good tutor can draw out of that student some important and relatively well-formed concerns--but only if the student feels comfortable enough to walk in the door.

A Study in Stress Elimination: Final Papers Edition - Jenna J.

2012-05-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

It’s time for final papers! (Cue the panicked screams! Cue the nail biting! Cue the all-nighters in front of your computer!) Final papers can be intimidating due to their increased length and high level of mental involvement. However, you don’t have to go into freak-mode when scrambling to complete them. You can do it (with limited sanity-loss) by setting goals, establishing organization, and revising thoroughly.

Goal-setting is important when faced with a large task such as a lengthy final paper. Start at the beginning. Do you clearly understand the prompt or assignment? If not, communicate with your professor or classmates until you do. Next, decide what approach you will take to the assignment. When picking a topic or text to discuss in your paper, remember to pick something that interests you—this will help you stay engaged while writing! Keep setting small goals as you form the paper. Today, write your thesis. Tomorrow, make an outline. This weekend, research. Next week, write and revise. Keep on track so you don’t get overwhelmed!

Staying organized will also help you ease stress when writing your final paper. Make a list or outline detailing your topic or argument and the key ideas you want to address. When finding sources, think about which articles you will use to accompany each key point. Keep track of quotes, page numbers, and citations so that you can find them easily while writing your paragraphs. When thinking about organization within your paper, look at your outline to see whether you may benefit from a logical, chronological, or other form of “flow.” Constantly referring to your list of key ideas can help you stay on track while writing and eliminate the tendency to write off-topic and waste time.

Finally, make time for revisions after writing your paper. Get it all out in the first draft—sit down and type your ideas as they come. This can help break the barrier between you and the blank page as well as give you something tangible to work with. Once you have words written, you can revise. Re-visit your thesis and outline. Did you go off on a tangent? Does your logic flow in an understandable manner? Did you say everything you wanted? Consider your language—something that you wrote informally at first may be re-worded for an academic context. If some areas of your paper seem too weak, consider bolstering them with more in-depth thinking and sources. This strategy can also help if you are short on pages. Enhance your paper with more “thinking” and “information” rather than “B.S.” Read your paper out loud to identify too-repetitive words, areas where sentences could be varied, and grammatical errors.

Final papers may be different than “regular” papers, but staying calm and applying familiar writing strategies can help diminish their terror. Good luck to everyone; happy writing!

Talk it Out - by Brandon Y.

2012-04-25T15:23:00.001-07:00

Talk it Out

Talking to Yourself to Improve your Writing

There you are. Writing your paper. Oh man, it’s looking good. Words are flowing out of your head like stupidity from Jersey Shore, like babies out of Kate Goslin. As Justin Beiber is to 10-14 year old girls, so you are to words on a page. But, then with no warning, BAM! You can’t think of the right word! What’s that word?! You know, the word for... Darn! Your life changing essay has just become a distrait disaster!

Finally, when you know you’re not going to think of the right word to say, you turn to the person closest (or yell across the house to your little brother), “What’s a word for…got it!” Wait, what just happened? You didn’t have the word. Now you have the word. What went on in between? Answer: You talked it out. But, why did saying it out loud help?

The reason talking it out helps your writing is because the majority of your communicate is verbal, so when you speak out loud about what you’re trying to say on the paper your mind can make the connection easier. So, though you may feel like a crazy person, talking to yourself isn’t a bad idea if you get stuck easily when writing. Here is a little chart to help you see the process:

Now, let me explain how this might work in reality. Thinking involves the cognitive process of generating ideas that you want to write about. You can be thinking about your science report, history assignment, essay question, how to word your thesis statement, or how to conclude your paper. Eventually, no matter how much you think about our topic, you’re going to need to put the pen to the paper or fingers to the keypad. But, sometimes you just can’t think of how to write what you’re thinking. It just doesn’t seem to come out correctly on the page. Or you just can’t think of anything else to say. That’s where talking comes in. Talking involves the use of vocal chords to express, usually through words, what you wish to communicate. You can turn to a friend and start telling them what you’re trying to say. Or, if no friend can be found, just start talking like someone else is there. Try to explain to your invisible audience what you want to say. You will be surprised how clearly and eloquently the words come out. You may feel a funny pulling a Russell Crowe from A Beautiful Mind, but if you get past your insecurity about sanity you will produce some truly beautiful writing.

I want to leave you with steps you can take next time you get stuck on your paper and can’t seem to write anything else:

· Think about what you want to say

· Turn to the closest person to you, and say out loud what you’re thinking

· Or, if no one is available, imagine someone(s), and tell them what you’re thinking

· Write down what you just said. If you forgot what you said, say it again!

So, if you get stuck writing a paper this semester, give this process a try. This isn’t a rule

to be obeyed, but a guide that you can follow. Trying including talking in your writing process, and let us know if it helps!

Writing is Like Playing Soccer

2012-04-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Writing is Like Playing Soccer

by Lexi Pollard

If you aren’t a fan of doing the writing your college education requires, try to relate writing to something you do like. For example, I like playing soccer. To be a good soccer player, you have to practice. To be a good writer, you have to practice, too. Practicing in soccer is--practicing. Practicing in writing is... blogging!

I see a blog page as a practice field. If you struggle with brainstorming and haven’t tried out blogging yet, you'll find that it does the same thing for your writing "game" that soccer practice does for your soccer game. It gives you strategies to call upon when you're facing your opponent: the writing assignment.

In the case of papers with prompts, there are rules, too. Like in soccer, I am confined by the boundary lines. If I stray too far, I go “out of bounds,” and get a penalty. In soccer I can’t be off sides if I’m waiting for a teammate to pass me the ball in an offensive position. The team needs to be correctly positioned. In my paper, everything needs to be correctly positioned as well: MLA, APA, structure, transitions, evidence, analysis, etc. All of the components work together for that hoped-for A, while the team works together for that win. Everything, and every player, has to work hard in order to produce success.

I can juggle a ball while I blog or brainstorm or outline, combining two things I love. However, humans aren’t perfectionists at multi-tasking. So, if you can relate writing to something you love to do, maybe you can find parallels and enjoy writing a little more.

Why Your Conclusion Probably Isn’t Very Good - By Jay Greene

2012-03-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

Why Your Conclusion Probably Isn’t Very Good

Jay Greene

You did it. You just finished the last body paragraph of your essay. All the brainstorming, freewriting, outlining, drafting, and revision led to this singular cathartic moment: the end of your paper – except that you’re not done. Not really, anyhow. You haven’t written your conclusion. And there, on your screen, the cursor blinks impatiently, waiting.

A lot of people have a hard time writing a good conclusion. They get to the end of their paper, and they think, “What more could I possibly have to say about this topic?” They are essentially spent - emotionally, physically, and intellectually exhausted - which explains why a lot of strong papers end with weak, three-sentence conclusions that sound like they were written by a disillusioned 7^th grader. For a reader, it’s like eating a fantastic 4-star French dinner, and then being served a half-eaten tapioca pudding cup for dessert. It leaves one disappointed, unsatisfied. Since the conclusion is the last thing the reader reads, it is essentially the taste that will linger on the reader’s palette when they are evaluating (or grading) your paper as a whole, for better or worse. But there is hope, friend.

It’s all about keeping perspective. Keep in mind what the conclusion represents in your paper:

Introduction: Here’s what I’m going to talk about.

Body: Look, here’s me talking about it.

Conclusion: Here’s what I talked about. (Here is what mattered about my topic.)

In other words, you are summarizing (reminding your reader) what you have argued in your paper. Remember, papers are long, and sometimes a reader momentarily forgets a point you made at the beginning of your piece. The conclusion is your last chance to bring everything together in one place to make sure the reader comes away with every main point that you wanted him/her to understand. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Restate your topic and why it was important for you to address it.

- If you’re struggling to begin your conclusion, try leading with something like, “As we have seen, racism continues to be a huge problem for …” or, “From our analysis of [blank], we see that…” There are countless ways to begin, of course.

Restate your thesis/claim (in different wording than in your introduction, obviously).

- “I have argued that…” or, “I have attempted to show that…” are examples of how to lead into this.

Address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position.

- You might say, “Though some might argue…” and then go on to defend your position briefly.

End by encouraging further thought about the topic from your audience. (Leave the reader with something to chew on.)

- In other words, wrap up your essay with a punchy, thoughtful little gem about your topic that leaves your reader nodding slowly. For example, in a paper about “Satan as epic hero in Milton’s Paradise Lost,” a decent final sentence might sound like, “Milton has gone through exhaustive lengths to establish his Satan as an epic hero; however, he has also gone through equally comprehensive measures to intentionally hobble his character, thus ensuring that his ‘hero’ falls far short of the very pantheon of epic heroes to whom he is indebted.” Or SOMETHING like that. The point is simply that the sentence must have that definite feeling of being your final word on the matter. Don’t simply end the paper abruptly, leaving your reader dangling.

Remember: You can do this! Now get out there and end that paper!

Mel's Writing Checklist - Basic Guidelines

2012-03-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

Mel’s Writing Checklist

Basic Guidelines

1. I don’t use contractions, do I?

In scholarly writing (what you’re doing for your classes!), contractions are officially outlawed.

Example:

Don’t: Romeo and Juliet isn’t a happy story because the main characters don’t survive.

Do: Romeo and Juliet is not a happy story because the main characters do not survive.

2. Did I use Times New Roman, font size 12?

Generally speaking, everyone knows they can’t pick festive fonts for their research papers. However, for those of you who use Microsoft Word it can be a bit tricky. The default font is not Times New Roman—it is Calibri, size 11. Also keep in mind: when you are doing your MLA page number heading, don’t forget to change that font and size too!

3. Did I spell numbers, like 1 and 5?

According to the MLA Handbook, you spell out numbers that are two words long (one, five, thirty-two, eight thousand). If it is longer than two words, you use the numerals (4,234 and 104)—unless the number is the first word of the sentence!

Example:

Don’t: William Shakespeare wrote 10 tragedies, 17 comedies, and 10 histories.

Do: William Shakespeare wrote ten tragedies, seventeen comedies, and ten histories.

Haiku - By Jay Greene

2012-03-13T10:48:00.003-07:00

Ending an MLA Style In-Text Citation (By a Babbling Brook)

Quotation mark first,

Then: cite in parenthesis

Period. Frog jumps.

MLA Format (On A Snowy Winter’s Eve)

12, Times New Roman

Name; page number in header

Double-space. Snow falls.

Writing An Introduction (During A Summer Storm)

Hook reader, present topic

Start broad, funnel down à

Thesis. Warm puddles.

Fun Stuff Tuesdays

2012-02-21T11:29:00.000-08:00

Down here in the Writing Center, we drink a lot of coffee. We also like to play tricks on each other--nice ones, mostly. So we asked ourselves:

What's the funniest thing to put in someone's coffee?

A tiny rubber ducky and/or a note at the bottom that says, "You just drank decaf, stupid!" - Evan

A fish - Melanie

More coffee while they're walked away... To trick 'em! - Amy

Sprinkles. Or glitter. - Lexi

Marshmallows - Jenna

ICE - Amanda

Poison... Straight up! - Brandon Y.

A finger - Callie

A spoon (ironically) - Jay

Trust - Jeff

Their cell phone - Melissa

Brandon Y. - Brandon T.

Fun Stuff Tuesday - Valentine's Day Edition

2012-02-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

Well, folks, it's Valentine's Day today. If you're bitter you're at work instead of cuddling with your sweetie (like we are down in the dungeon), you'll understand why this year's Fun Stuff Valentine's Day Edition is so, well, pessimistic.

What is your favorite celebrity breakup?

Katy Perry and Russell Brand (although I'm really sad about it) - Amy

Leonardo DiCaprio and that one model. HE'S MINE NOW! - Melissa

Lindsay Lohan and her career - Brandon T.

Arnold and Maria. Don't let that "other" family bug you--you've been paying them for years. - Amanda

Fifty Cent and Chelsea Handler. Now I don't have to wear a dress - Evan

Taylor Swift and John Mayer

(cradle robber) - Lexi

Newt Gingrich and sanity (it's always been a rocky relationship) - Jeff

Charlie Sheen and his kids - Jay

How to Make the Best of Your Appointment - By Alex O.

2012-02-13T13:09:00.000-08:00

Consultant Alex shares some important tips to remember during your appointment at the Writing Center in this guest blog post.

How to Make the Best of YOUR Appointment

The Writing Center can be an extremely useful tool during any phase of the writing process if you utilize it effectively. An appointment that lacks direction can leave you at the same phase as when you began. Remember, it is not the tutor that writes your paper. In the end, it is up to you to make the most of your appointment and improve your own writing. The number one way to do this is to come prepared.

Coming prepared to the Writing Center can make or break the appointment. But what does this mean? Here are a few things to consider before coming to your tutoring session:

· What do I want to accomplish during this meeting? This can range anywhere from composing a thesis, brainstorming ideas, creating an outline, or any other help that you may need.

· What parts of my writing am I struggling with? Being aware of your problem areas and letting your tutor know will help both you and the tutor look out for the problem.

· What is my prompt asking? As simple as it sounds, knowing what the assignment is asking of you is crucial to a successful tutoring session. If you do not know what the task is asking of you, then the appointment will not be beneficial.

· Do I have all necessary materials? Think about what materials you need for your tutoring session. Do you need any books, prompts, extra credit forms? Remember, the Writing Center does not provide forms to verify your visit.

Help the Writing Center help you by reviewing these simple questions prior to your appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon! Happy Writing J

Poem of the Day - Melanie J.

2012-02-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

Consultant Melanie J. is back with another one of the WC's Poems of the Day! The process of producing a piece of writing has many layers, and Melanie offers her commentary on a few of the steps we often discuss in the WC.

Untitled
Melanie J.

Revision, revise, revised

A switch in tense

Not too intense

Place a period here or there

Alter, adjust, amend

Is your thesis statement clear?

Should it be moved here?

Easier said than done

Correct, change, check

Don’t be vexed

It isn’t too complex

Remember your audience and voice

Perfect, Progress, Proceed

Do my paragraphs flow?

Is my research thoroughly thorough?

Keep MLA by your side

Review, Reconsider, Reassess

Don’t forget to cite!

The end is in sight

At long last my paper’s revised!

Poem of the Day - Jenna J.

2012-02-01T10:54:00.000-08:00

Here's another one of our staff's fabulous poems about, what else: writing! Consultant Jenna J. shares her experiences with the physical act of composition.

Writing

Jenna J.

Scratch scratch scratch loopyscratch

Scribble loopyscratch rub

Rub rub shhhh shhhhhh shhhhh

Scratch scratchy {beat} scritchy scratch

Tap {beat} flourishscratch flourishscratch tap

. . .

Writing scratch is easy scratch just open scratch scratch a vein . . .

(Or something along those lines.)

{beat}

Chick tap chick click

Tap tap tappety chick

{beat} chick chicktappety chuck

Tappetty chickety click click click

{beat} tap {beat} tap {beat} tap

. . .

Just thinking through my FINGERS

(Do bloody calluses mean anything?)

{beat} pick. {beat}

Smack whack smack smackety

Flock flock whack smack flock

Slicketysmack {beat} Slicketysmack

Flock Flock Smackflock chock

Slicketysmack flock flock

. . .

The most ingenious TORTURE, he says.

(It SOUNDS like it, I say.)

{beat}

GUTS are necessary. . .

Poem for the Day - by Jeff Harlig

2012-01-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Dr. Jeff Harlig, Writing Center Director and Senior Associate Director of the Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services (C.L.A.S.S.), wrote this WC-themed poem (that is not to be taken seriously) to get us all in the mood for composition in all its forms:

I like writing.
I find it exciting.
The trembling, sweating, and nail-biting.
The bubbling fear-of-failure inciting.
The pondering, the drafting--then the draft-igniting.
Of course it’s inviting.
How could anyone not like writing?

Happy writing, CSUSM!

Spring 2012 Workshop Series

2012-01-30T14:41:00.000-08:00

The Writing Center Workshop Series (WCWS) is back for spring 2012 with a few changes and improvements.

Writing workshops for this semester are in two parts to provide deeper coverage of topics. To get the maximum benefit from the workshop you choose, you should arrange to come to both parts.

Each workshop will be offered twice during the semester, so even if one set isn't convenient for you, the other one might be. All writing workshops are held in Kellogg 1103. Workshops do not require appointments.

Feb. 6 & 8 from 1-2 p.m. and March 13 & 15 at U-Hour:
Getting Started

For some, the toughest part of essay writing happens before composing the first line. This workshop will cover everything you want to know about beginning an essay: brainstorming, thesis statement development, outlining, and overcoming writer's block.

Feb. 14 & 16 at U-Hour and April 9 & 11 from 1-2 p.m.:
Citation Styles

When do I need an in-text citation? What is the difference between a Works Cited page and a Bibliography? And what does it mean to annotate a citation? The WC will answer all these questions and more in this workshop.

Feb. 20 & 22 from 1-2 p.m. and April 3 & 5 at U-Hour:
Grammar and Style

Join the WC for a workshop aimed at deciphering the language of English grammar and mechanics. Get some practice writing grammatically correct complex sentences that are clear and properly worded for academic essays.

Feb. 28 & March 1 at U-Hour and April 23 & 25 from 1-2 p.m.:
From Brain to Page

Word choice and sentence clarity are extremely important aspects of essay writing--especially when your essay is argumentative! Come to this workshop to discuss idea formation and the developmental stages of a thesis-driven essay.

March 5 & 7 from 1-2 p.m. and April 17 & 19 at U-Hour:
Preliminary Research

This hands-on workshop will explore how to gather material for research essays and offer tips to successfully utilize research as you begin an academic essay. We will also investigate the discovery and use of academic sources through online databases.

March 26 & 28 from 1-2 p.m. and May 1 & 3 at U-Hour:
Essay Re-Vision

Novelist Henry Green said, "The more you leave out, the more you highlight what you leave in." Revision isn't always a cut-and-dried process, but this workshop will explain the skill and confirm the necessity of revising your vision of an essay.

Amanda’s Evil Tutor Plan, A Study in Creative Verse

2011-09-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, we like to have fun down here in the dungeon (a.k.a. the basement of Kellogg Library). The lack of windows and natural light seems to contain creativity rather well in this little vessel of learning we've dubbed the Writing Center.

Enjoy a bit of midweek laughter as consultant Amanda P. details her tutoring plan of attack.

Amanda’s Evil Tutor Plan

Your objective is simple: tutor in the writing center.

Your motive is a little bit more complex: love (yes, it works)

Stage One

To begin your plan, you must first incapacitate a split infinitive. This will cause the world to wipe the sleep from its eyes, baffled by your arrival. Who is this Despoiler of all that is Incoherent and Off-Topic and Verbose? Where did she come from? And why does she look so good in Classic Black?

Stage Two

Next, you must seize control of CSUSM's student population. This will all be done from an underground secret headquarters of doom, a mysterious place of unrivaled word crafting and glory. Upon seeing this, the world will rejoice, as countless hordes of ninja tutors hasten to do Literature and Writing’s every bidding.

Stage Three

Finally, you must reveal to the world your AXES, bringing about the Destruction of unexplained quotes. Your name shall become synonymous with fuzzy bunnies, and no man will ever again dare roll his eyes when you correct his grammar. Everyone will cheer before your Cunning Intelligence, and the world will have no choice but to fall madly in love with writing.

Open for Summer!

2011-06-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

The Writing Center is officially open for the summer term! Consultants are available to work with students on writing assignments for any class offered this summer--as well as any scholarship essay, personal statement, cover letter or any other writing projects you may have. As always, we can help at any point in the writing process (including getting started, developing thesis statements, organizing ideas, revising, etc).

Out hours for the summer are:

Monday - Thursday

9:00-1:00

Stop by and see us!

Join Our Staff!

2011-04-21T15:28:00.000-07:00

The CSUSM Writing Center is hiring tutors for the Fall 2011 semester!

Tutors presenting to one another during training

Why do tutors love working in the Writing Center? The tutors say...

There's a strong sense of community
Working here has made me a better writer
It feels like home
It works around my school/class schedule
It lets me be me!

Tutors playing Bananagrams during Fall Semester training

Applications are now being accepted. Visit http://www.csusm.edu/writingcenter/information/jobs.html to download the materials today!

Graduate Students: Join "The Thesis League"

2011-04-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

Are you working on your graduate thesis or project? Could you use a day of dedicated writing time, complete with writing consultant support and free food? Join "The Thesis League":

Register in person! Come to Kellogg 1103 (the Writing Center) with your $20 motivational deposit. Your deposit will be refunded to you at the completion of your day (April 23 or April 30). Space is limited! Register now!

March Madness: Writing Center Style

2011-03-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

It's March Madness time! But rather than Basketball, here in the Writing Center, we're doing a Battle of the Authors!

We started with the following 32 "teams" divided into four reasons: Male Contemporary, Male Classic, Female Contemporary, and Female Classic. Vote can be cast on who is "best" by paper ballot in Kellogg 1103 or by leaving a comment on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/csusmwritingcenter. You are welcome to "abstain" from games/categories.

The first match-ups (and scores) were:

Game #1: Stephen King (15) vs. Nick Hornby (8)
Game #2: Dan Brown (8) vs. Neil Gaiman (12)
Game #3: John Grisham (17) vs. James Patterson (5)
Game #4: Sherman Alexie (18) vs. Gabriel Garcia Marquez (6)
Game #5: JRR Tolkien (22) vs. Louis L'Amour (2)
Game #6: Mark Twain (19) vs. Fydor Dostoevsky (5)
Game #7: Charles Dickens (6) vs. Earnest Hemingway (17)
Game #8: William Faulkner (7) vs. John Steinbeck (17)
Game #9: JK Rowling (21) vs. Jodi Picoult (3)
Game #10: Toni Morrison (21) vs. Sophie Kinsella (2)
Game #11: Barbara Kingsolver (15) vs. Stephenie Meyer (7)
Game #12: Sandra Cisneros (14) vs. Joyce Carol Oates (10)
Game #13: Virginia Woolf (16) vs. Louisa May Alcott (8)
Game #14: Jane Austen (12) vs. Mary Shelley (11)
Game #15: Zora Neale Hurston (12) vs. Kate Chopin (11)
Game #16: Emily Bronte (5) vs. Charlotte Bronte (15)

The "Sweet Sixteen" match-ups are happening right now. You can vote through 12:00 p.m. (noon) tomorrow, Friday March 18.

Game #1: Stephen King vs. Neil Gaiman
Game #2: John Grisham vs. Sherman Alexie
Game #3: JRR Tolkien vs. Mark Twain
Game #4: Earnest Hemingway vs. John Steinbeck
Game #5: JK Rowling vs. Toni Morrison
Game #6: Barbara Kingsolver vs. Sandra Cisneros
Game #7: Virginia Woolf vs. Jane Austen
Game #8: Zora Neale Hurston vs. Charlotte Bronte

Vote for your favorites! The "Elite 8" will be announced tomorrow afternoon, and voting will resume after Spring Break.

Workshop Today: Using MLA Style and Avoiding Plagiarism

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

Here's a brief description of the workshop happening at 12:00 p.m. today in Kellogg 1103:

Using MLA Style and Avoiding Plagiarism

MLA is one of the two most commonly required citation styles on the CSUSM campus. This session will provide samples of in-text citations and works cited pages, and will show a variety of resources available to help with citing sources. We will also briefly cover plagiarism – what it is and how to avoid it!

Hope to see you today during U-Hour!

Commas are Enigmatic

2011-02-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

By Amy Salisbury

Commas are enigmatic—you need them more than you might think, but overuse leads to confusion.

Say you have a sentence with a common conjunction (for, and nor, but, or, yet, so). You probably think you need a comma before that conjunction in any case. But that’s not the case!

This sentence is fantastic and rather short.

In the above sentence, I didn’t use a comma for one specific reason: “rather short” is not a complete sentence.

Commas are necessary whenever the clause following the conjunction is a complete sentence.

This sentence is fantastic, and I made it slightly longer than the example I used earlier.

“I made it slightly longer than the example I used earlier” is most certainly a complete sentence. You’ve got a subject and a verb to attest to.

What about commas that go in the middle of sentences? What about those sentences, like this one, that have little asides within them?

That last sentence contained a nonrestrictive clause, meaning “like this one” was a part of the sentence that could be removed completely without sacrificing the meaning of the sentence.

Sometimes commas even dictate the meaning of a sentence:

Time to eat grandma.

Time to eat, grandma.

The comma before “grandma” completely changed the meaning of that sentence. Naturally, the writer of that sentence is most likely not a cannibalistic maniac, but without a piece of punctuation, the reader would never know the difference.

However, sometimes commas come at the beginning of sentences with what’s called “introductory phrases.” “However” introduces my point about these types of phrases. Other introductory phrases include “sometimes,” “nonetheless,” “on the other hand,” and many others.

If you have trouble with comma placement, leave your revision for later instead of editing as you go. And, of course, make an appointment at the Writing Center for all your comma use needs.