penerjemahan

Kampus Sepi

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 20:15:40 +0800

11 Agustus 2026

Pagi yang kepagian, laksana manusia yang tidur cepat malam sebelumnya.

Pagi hari, saya pergi ke kantor. Saya ada janji dengan dua orang dosen. Kami perlu berdiskusi. Topiknya adalah pengembangan SDM di FIB Unmul. Setelah itu, saya lanjut berdiskusi berdua dengan Dekan. Kami membicarakan banyak hal. Topiknya sangat bermacam-macam.

Kemudian, saya lanjut mengajar. Ini adalah pertemuan perdana untuk semester ganjil. Mata kuliahnya adalah Introduction to Translation Studies (ITS). Kelas ini diampu secara bertim. Hari ini, saya belum memberikan materi penuh. Namun, kelas saya isi dengan penjelasan lesson plan untuk enam belas pertemuan ke depan. Saya juga membagikan handout. Tujuannya agar mahasiswa bisa memfotokopinya untuk membuat catatan pelengkap PPT. Selain itu, kami membahas kesepakatan kelas, aturan keterlambatan, dan sistem penilaian. Seperti biasa, saya meminta mahasiswa menuliskan ekspektasi mereka. Lalu, saya membaca catatan tersebut satu per satu.

Selesai mengajar, saya menyalakan komputer. Niatnya, saya ingin mengedit artikel ketiga. Artikel itu bersiap untuk di-submit. Tetapi, rasa malas tiba-tiba datang. Oleh karena itu, saya malah menyetel Spotify.

Lalu, hari ini ada dosen yang berulang tahun. Kami pun makan Bakso Bintang Malang. Alhamdulillah.

Sore harinya, saya mengobrol dengan beberapa dosen. Bulan ini, ada tiga orang dosen yang akan berangkat studi S3. Alhasil, suasana kampus pasti akan menjadi lebih sepi.

Setelah itu, saya pulang ke rumah. Istri saya ternyata membeli buah cempedak. Kualitasnya sangat super. Buahnya besar-besar. Dagingnya tebal, manis, dan enak. Lalu, saya merebus bijinya untuk dimakan. Rasanya memang enak, tetapi teksturnya sangat bergetah. Sepertinya, biji itu harus dicuci terlebih dahulu sebelum direbus.

Malam harinya, saya menyantap makan malam. Menunya adalah tongkol bumbu habang. Lalu, ada tambahan bayam rebus dan kerupuk. Rasanya luar biasa nikmat.

Mengapa rasa malas mengedit artikel ini justru terasa lebih lengket daripada getah biji cempedak rebus tambah garam?

Harmoni Kolega

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:15:57 +0800

10 Agustus 2026

Hari yang awal. Seawal murid rebutan MBG.

Hari ini adalah awal perkuliahan. Tepatnya, hari pertama untuk semester ganjil tahun 2026. Pagi hari, saya menyiapkan materi kuliah. Semester ini, saya mengajar dua mata kuliah. Pertama adalah Introduction to Translation Studies. Kedua adalah Research Methodology in Literature. Rencananya, saya akan mencetak handout perkuliahan. Tujuannya agar mahasiswa bisa membuat catatan secara langsung. Sebab, jika hanya menggunakan salinan PPT, mereka menjadi sulit untuk mencatat.

Siang harinya, ada acara makan bersama. Acara ini merupakan syukuran untuk sebelas PNS baru di FIB. Alhamdulillah, suasananya sangat menyenangkan. Menunya ada sop dan ayam goreng. Kemudian, ada balado kentang, mihun, serta ikan dori goreng tepung.

Momen ini membuat saya sedikit merenung. Hubungan sesama rekan kerja PNS itu bisa sangat panjang. Bahkan, kebersamaan ini bisa mencapai tiga puluh tahun ke depan hingga masa pensiun. Oleh karena itu, jangan sampai masalah yang sepele justru berubah menjadi pertengkaran.

Secara umum, hari ini tidak ada jadwal rapat khusus. Namun, saya sempat berdiskusi dengan Dekan. Kami membahas beberapa hal terkait pengelolaan SDM fakultas.

Di sisi lain, ternyata masih ada mahasiswa yang sibuk mengurus KRS. Padahal, perkuliahan semester ganjil jelas-jelas sudah resmi dimulai hari ini. Kemudian, ada beberapa lembar disposisi masuk dari Dekan. Berkas-berkas tersebut langsung saya teruskan ke Kabag Umum untuk diproses.

Sore harinya, saya beranjak pulang ke rumah. Menu masakan di rumah hari ini adalah oseng-oseng dan ayam goreng tepung. Selain itu, ternyata ada menu mihun juga untuk sajian makan malam.

Siang makan mihun, dan malam pun makan mihun lagi. Tetapi, wujudnya berbeda. Siang tadi mihun putih. Buatan istri adalah mihun kecap cokelat.

Kurs Bakso

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Sun, 9 Aug 2026 17:45:38 +0800

9 Agustus 2026

Hari ini hari Minggu. Waktunya libur. Suasana hari ini sangat tenang. Setenang haiku karya Basho. Tepatnya, puisi tentang kodok di kolam tua.

Setelah itu, saya lanjut ngopi. Saya memesan seduhan V60. Biji kopinya Aceh Gayo.

Sambil ngopi, saya mengedit artikel. Naskah ini untuk jurnal Scopus yang lain. Targetnya adalah jurnal 3L dari Malaysia. Biaya publikasinya sekitar 300 dolar AS. Semoga saja artikel ini bisa lolos.

Sesampainya di rumah, saya langsung pergi jajan. Saya pergi bersama istri. Kami makan Bakso Gresik. Ini adalah bakso terenak di Samarinda. Harga seporsinya 45 ribu rupiah. Isinya ada lima pentol besar. Namun, istri saya hanya sanggup makan tiga buah. Oleh karena itu, dua pentol sisanya saya yang makan. Perut rasanya sangat kenyang. Apalagi, es jeruk di sini juga paling enak. Rasanya sungguh segar.

Meskipun begitu, bakso ini tetap masih kalah. Rasanya kalah oleh Bakso Mas Roy di Surabaya. Dulu, saya mampir ke sana saat adik menikah di Malang. Selesai acara, saya harus mengejar pesawat pagi. Penerbangannya dari Bandara Juanda. Oleh sebab itu, saya menginap semalam di Surabaya.

Dari Malang, saya naik Cititrans menuju Surabaya. Saya turun di pool yang terdekat dengan bandara. Waktu itu, saya ingin makan yang berkuah. Misalnya seperti bakso. Lalu, saya mengecek lewat Google. Warung bakso terdekat adalah Bakso Mas Roy. Saat pertama kali dicoba, rasanya langsung luar biasa. Itu adalah bakso terenak yang pernah ada. Bahkan, jauh lebih lezat daripada Bakso Gresik di Samarinda.

Jika biaya publikasi satu jurnal Scopus mencapai 300 dolar, kira-kira uang itu bisa ditukar dengan berapa bakso?

Kopi Scopus

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Sat, 8 Aug 2026 17:12:03 +0800

8 Agustus 2026

Hari yang bingung. Sebingung memilih kopi yang hendak diminum

Hari ini libur. Sekarang hari Sabtu. Pagi hari, saya mengantar anak. Dia ada kegiatan ekskul Creative English.

Setelah mengantar, saya tidak langsung pulang. Tetapi, saya mampir ke tempat ngopi. Saya memesan kopi arabika V60. Biji kopinya jenis Pangalengan Honey. Selain itu, saya juga memesan air mineral dan es batu. Sambil ngopi, saya mengedit artikel jurnal. Lalu, saya mencari jurnal Scopus yang cocok. Setelah formatnya disesuaikan, saya langsung men-submit artikel tersebut. Di tempat ngopi itu, saya bertemu teman sejawat. Dia adalah dosen dari kampus lain. Kemudian, kami mengobrol tentang jurnal. Ternyata, kami sama-sama sedang perlu submit artikel.

Awalnya, saya tidak mengecek biaya publikasi. Namun, teman saya mengingatkan. Akhirnya, saya mengeceknya. Biayanya ternyata sekitar 11 jutaan. Jurnal ini masuk kategori Quartile 3 (Q3). Semoga saja artikel saya lolos.

Dari tempat kopi, saya pergi ke toko komputer. Saya membeli mouse merek Logitech. Tipenya adalah seri M350 berwarna hitam. Harganya 350 ribu rupiah. Saya memang perlu mouse baru untuk laptop yang sering dibawa keluar.

Setelah dari toko komputer, saya mampir di jalan. Saya membeli gorengan tahu isi sayur.

Akhirnya, saya sampai di rumah. Istri saya ternyata sudah membelikan makanan. Saya pun langsung menyantap gado-gado pedas tersebut.

Sanggupkah pedasnya gado-gado ini mengalahkan pedasnya tagihan publikasi 11 juta rupiah?

Jumat Santai

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Fri, 7 Aug 2026 17:45:09 +0800

7 Agustus 2026

Hari yang enak. Seenak masakan santan pedas.

Hari Jumat ini dosen sebenarnya memiliki opsi untuk WFH. Namun, saya tetap memilih untuk datang ke kantor. Pekerjaan hari ini tidak terlalu banyak. Meskipun begitu, tetap ada disposisi terkait usulan perencanaan anggaran. Selain itu, saya juga menandatangani beberapa berkas.

Kemudian, saya fokus menyelesaikan laporan administrasi, yang ternyata belum selesai. Laporan ini mencakup kegiatan PKM dan penelitian untuk tahun ini.

Selebihnya, waktu saya cukup luang. Oleh karena itu, saya menghabiskan waktu dengan mengobrol santai bersama beberapa rekan dosen.

Siang harinya, saya bersiap melaksanakan salat Jumat. Sebelum Jumatan dimulai, saya menyempatkan diri untuk jajan. Saya membeli pentol di dekat Masjid Al-Fatihah.

Setelah pulang, hidangan luar biasa sudah menanti di rumah. Menunya adalah mangut lele. Masakan ini mutlak masuk ke dalam lima besar makanan favorit saya.

Apakah mangut lele ini hadiah khusus karena saya tidak WFH?

Korsa FIB

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Thu, 6 Aug 2026 19:07:01 +0800

6 Agustus 2026

Pagi yang panas. Sepanas hoax bercampur tuduhan tanpa bukti.

Hari ini adalah hari kedua pelaksanaan PKKMB di fakultas. Pagi hari sempat terjadi sedikit gangguan. Namun, secara keseluruhan acaranya berjalan dengan lancar.

Di saat maba PKKMB, saya melayani mahasiswa lama yang mengurus KRS. Ada mahasiswa yang kini tinggal mengambil mata kuliah skripsi saja. Selain itu, saya juga melayani bimbingan skripsi secara daring. Ada dua orang mahasiswa yang bimbingan hari ini. Satu orang sedang bersiap untuk sempro. Sedangkan, satu orang lagi sedang berproses menuju pengerjaan bab 4.

Fakultas juga mulai melakukan persiapan lomba 17 Agustus. Seluruh warga FIB diminta untuk ikut menyumbang hadiah. Hal ini dilakukan demi memupuk rasa kebersamaan.

Kemudian, proses penyelesaian administrasi PKM juga masih berlanjut hari ini.

Siang harinya, saya mengikuti rapat bersama Wakil Rektor 4. Kami membahas program akselerasi dosen untuk studi lanjut S3. Nantinya, akan ada rencana intervensi dari pihak kampus. Dukungan ini akan mencakup bantuan pendanaan dan fasilitas lainnya. Snack rapat kali ini terasa sangat enak. Ada sajian kacang goreng, pisang rebus dan salad buah.

Setelah itu, agenda bersambung ke rapat pimpinan. Kami membahas berbagai rencana kegiatan FIB ke depan. Ada rencana pelatihan konseling dan pelatihan penulisan jurnal internasional bagi para dosen. Selanjutnya, kami juga merencanakan pelatihan kesehatan mental untuk mahasiswa, serta penyelenggaraan kuliah umum.

Setelah rapat, Bapak Dekan mentraktir kami. Menunya adalah kue pare berendam, lapis cokelat, dan risoles. Semuanya terasa sangat enak.

Menjelang magrib, saya pulang ke rumah dan makan enak. Hidangannya sangat lengkap hari ini. Ada lele goreng, oseng kerang, dan sayur bobor bayam. Ditambah lagi, ada tahu dan tempe bacem.

Setelah seharian rapat akeselerasi S3 hingga isu kesehatan mental, bukankah sepiring lele goreng dan bobor bayam di meja makan adalah bentuk terapi penyembuhan mental yang sampai?

Filosofis Asap

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Wed, 5 Aug 2026 18:26:07 +0800

5 Agustus 2026

Hari yang gasik.

Hari ini adalah acara pembukaan PKKMB FIB Unmul. Acara ini mengusung tema "Ngasapi Lawas". Tema tersebut ditafsirkan sebagai upaya menyingkap budaya tersembunyi. Selain itu, ini juga bermakna menghidupkan kembali tradisi.

Secara harfiah, "ngasapi" adalah tindakan membakar sesuatu agar menghasilkan asap. Praktik semacam ini bisa ditemukan pada Suku Kutai di daerah Kedang Ipil. Ritual tersebut merupakan bentuk rasa syukur menjelang masa panen. Sementara itu, "lawas" bermakna kuno atau tradisi lama. Oleh karena itu, maknanya menjadi sangat dalam jika digabungkan.

Setelah acara pembukaan, saya kembali ke ruangan. Saya melanjutkan rutinitas disposisi surat. Isinya masih seputar peminjaman sarana prasarana. Kemudian, ada juga urusan persetujuan konsumsi.

Selanjutnya, saya memaraf beberapa surat. Surat-surat ini nantinya akan ditandatangani oleh Dekan. Beberapa di antaranya adalah permohonan perpanjangan tugas belajar. Ada pula surat rekomendasi untuk lanjut studi. Sebenarnya ada beberapa surat lain, tetapi saya sudah tidak ingat detailnya.

Siang harinya, saya makan dengan menu Bebek Carok. Bumbu hitamnya sangat gurih. Ditambah lagi, paduan sambal mangganya juga luar biasa enak.

Kemudian, ada kabar yang cukup melegakan di kampus. Para dosen akhirnya sudah merampungkan urusan administrasi mereka. Tepatnya, kelengkapan berkas terkait pelaksanaan penelitian dan PKM.

Menjelang sore, saya pulang. Orang rumah menitipkan sebuah pesanan. Saya diminta membelikan pentol keju di Jalan Pramuka. Anak-anak saya memang sangat menyukai pentol tersebut.

Akhirnya, saya tiba di rumah. Saya langsung menyantap makan. Menunya bukan sederhana, yaitu sayur asem, sambal, dan lele goreng. Alhamdulillah, rasanya sangat nikmat.

Setelah pagi hari sibuk meresapi filosofi kepulan asap "Ngasapi Lawas", adakah kepulan asap yang lebih nikmat selain dari mangkuk sayur asem di meja makan rumah?

Inflasi IPK

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 17:08:18 +0800

4 Agustus 2026

Hari yang cerah, untuk orang-orang yang ingin mendung.

Hari ini saya kembali melayani urusan KRS. Mahasiswa baru dan mahasiswa lama datang bergantian. Bagi mahasiswa dengan IPK di atas 3,5, prosesnya saya anggap lancar. Namun, bagi mereka yang IPK-nya 3,0 lebih sedikit, saya ajak mengobrol sedikit. Kami berdiskusi tentang bagaimana mengatur prioritas kuliah.

Momen ini membuat saya sedikit bernostalgia. Zaman saya kuliah dulu, angka IPK 3,0 lebih itu sudah bagus. Akan tetapi, zaman memang sudah berubah. Saat ini, IPK segitu justru tergolong kurang. Sepertinya, dosen zaman sekarang jauh lebih enteng dalam nilai.

Setelah itu, saya beralih mengurus administrasi fakultas. Saya menyelesaikan tumpukan disposisi dari dekan. Topiknya berkisar pada urusan peminjaman sarana prasarana. Selain itu, ada juga urusan persetujuan usulan pembiayaan.

Siang harinya, saya makan siang dengan menu pentol. Rasanya ternyata lumayan enak. Apalagi, varian isiannya cukup beragam. Ada pentol isi jamur, isi keju, dan juga isi telur.

Selesai makan, saya kembali fokus pada urusan akreditasi. Saya mengirimkan catatan validasi kepada sejawat asesor. Di dalamnya, ada catatan tentang beberapa butir yang terlewat diisi. Selain itu, ada dokumen pakta integritas yang tertukar dan belum diunggah. Meskipun begitu, masalah ini bisa jadi akibat error pada sistem. Selanjutnya, saya juga memberikan saran terkait penggunaan diksi untuk menyusun rasional penilaian akreditasi sekolah.

Di sela-sela kesibukan itu, ada sebuah diskusi singkat. Kami membahas pembiayaan kegiatan PKM para dosen.

Sore harinya, saya akhirnya pulang ke rumah. Saya mencoba makan pisang susu yang direbus. Ide ini murni muncul gara-gara saya melihat konten di TikTok. Biasanya, hanya pisang kepok yang lumrah direbus. Tetapi, ternyata rasa pisang susu rebus ini enak juga.

Melihat rentetan kejadian hari ini, saya jadi menyadari satu hal. Ternyata, bukan cuma standar nilai IPK mahasiswa saja yang kini gampang lunak. Prinsip ngemil saya rupanya juga ikut-ikutan gampang lunak hanya karena racun dari TikTok.

Orasi dan Layang

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 19:20:55 +0800

3 Agustus 2026

Pagi yang tergesa. Paginya orang kebelet ke toilet.

Hari ini adalah acara PKKMB tingkat universitas. Namun, acara tersebut sempat terhenti. Momen ini terjadi saat rektor sedang memberikan sambutan. Tiba-tiba, beberapa mahasiswa masuk. Kemudian, mereka memotong acara untuk berorasi sebentar. Setelah itu, acara kembali dilanjutkan. Meskipun begitu, acaranya tidak berlangsung lama. Sebelum pukul 10 pagi, peserta sudah bubar.

Selanjutnya, saya kembali ke fakultas. Jalanan dari arah GOR ternyata sangat macet. Oleh karena itu, saya harus memutar lewat jalan Gelatik. Sesampainya di ruangan, saya melanjutkan pekerjaan. Saya mengecek validasi hasil akreditasi sekolah dari asesor lain. Namun, saya baru sekadar membacanya. Saya belum mulai mengisi format penilaiannya.

Di sela-sela waktu, saya mendapat kabar baik. Usulan prodi baru akhirnya mendapat rekomendasi. Selanjutnya, kami hanya tinggal mengejar syarat akreditasi minimal. Oleh sebab itu, fakultas kini mulai bersiap. Kami harus bersiap menjalankan prodi baru tersebut.

Akhirnya, saya pulang ke rumah. Sesampainya di sana, saya menikmati hidangan rumahan. Menunya adalah sayur bening bayam. Selain itu, ada tambahan lauk ikan layang goreng. Pilihan lauk yang tidak sederhana dan sangat nikmat.

Hari Jajan

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Sun, 2 Aug 2026 20:46:25 +0800

2 Agustus 2026

Hari Minggu ini terasa tenang.

Pagi hari, saya keluar mencari sarapan. Saya pergi ke warung Gudeg Bu Susi, tetapi ternyata tutup. Lalu, saya beralih mencari mihun enak. Lokasinya dari Sirat Salman belok kanan ke arah Pasundan. Warungnya ada di kiri jalan, tetapi mihunnya sudah habis. Kemudian, saya berburu gorengan tahu isi sayur. Posisinya di Jalan Juanda. Dari arah Polsek Juanda masuk gang sedikit, dan warungnya ada di sebelah kiri.

Siangnya, kami pergi ke Big Mall. Saya ingin makan di Dimsum Sumbuddy. Ternyata gerainya sudah tutup, dan mereka tidak buka lagi di sana. Akhirnya, kami makan di Bakso Lapangan Tembak. Saya memesan kwetiau siram.

Setelah makan, kami mampir ke Hypermart. Saya membeli pastry keju.

Lalu, kami mencari camilan manis. Anak perempuan pertama saya memilih Rotiboy. Anak kedua lebih memilih cake red velvet yang ada di Mako. Sedangkan saya, saya memilih Thai milk bun di gerai Willies.

Malam harinya, kami makan malam santai di rumah. Menu hari ini adalah opor dan telur dadar.

Namun, pikiran saya mulai tertuju pada hari esok. Besok adalah acara PKKMB tingkat universitas. Ada rumor kurang enak yang beredar. Katanya, ada potensi acaranya menjadi kacau. Entahlah, saya juga tidak tahu pasti kebenarannya. Tetapi, satu hal yang paling penting. Keselamatan maba harus tetap menjadi prioritas nomor satu.

Sabtu Keluarga

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 17:07:45 +0800

1 Agustus 2026

Hari ini hari Sabtu. Saya libur dan tidak pergi ke kantor. Waktu luang ini saya habiskan bersama keluarga.

Pagi hari saya bertugas mengantar anak pertama. Dia mengikuti kegiatan ekstrakurikuler Creative English. Setelah selesai, saya kembali untuk menjemputnya. Sementara itu, istri saya pergi bersama anak kedua. Mereka pergi ke bioskop CGV. Bareng teman sekolahnya menonton film berjudul Children of Heaven.

Hari ini juga merupakan momen yang sangat spesial. Anak pertama saya merayakan ulang tahun. Usianya kini genap 14 tahun. Saya memanjatkan doa terbaik untuknya. Semoga ia selalu diberikan kesehatan. Semoga ia tumbuh menjadi anak yang salihah.

Lebih lanjut, saya pergi ke ATM. Saya mentransfer uang pensiun ibu.

Malam nanti saya ingin merelaksasi tubuh. Saya merencanakan untuk melakukan bekam.

Siasat Diksi

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:43:46 +0800

31 Juli 2026

Hari yang pendek, sependek anak berusia tiga tahun.

Pagi-pagi sekali sudah ada pesan masuk. Waktu baru menunjukkan pukul tujuh lewat. Seorang mahasiswa mengirim pesan WhatsApp. Ia minta janjian untuk urusan KRS. Saya membalas pesan tersebut. Saya sampaikan bahwa KRS bisa dilayani mulai pukul delapan.

Hari ini yang mengurus KRS cukup beragam. Ada mahasiswa baru yang datang. Ada juga mahasiswa angkatan atas. Kepada para mahasiswa baru, saya memberikan sedikit nasihat. Tujuannya agar mereka lebih siap menghadapi perkuliahan nanti. Namun, perlakuan berbeda saya berikan kepada mahasiswa tingkat akhir. Terutama bagi mereka yang seharusnya sudah lulus. Saya langsung menceramahi mereka. Saya tegaskan agar mereka segera menyelesaikan kuliahnya.

Agenda selanjutnya adalah memeriksa dokumen. Saya mengecek ulang laporan akreditasi. Laporan untuk sekolah di Kecamatan Telen dan Kecamatan Busang. Keduanya berada di wilayah Kutai Timur.

Setelah itu, saya kembali membuka draf artikel jurnal. Saya melanjutkan proses pemangkasan (trimming) naskah. Tujuannya adalah untuk menyiasati sistem deteksi AI writing. Ternyata memang ada cara ampuhnya. Kuncinya ada pada perubahan diksi. Saya berfokus mengubah pilihan kata kerja utamanya. Saya cukup memanfaatkan thesaurus atau kamus sinonim. Trik ini terbukti lumayan efektif. Persentase deteksi tulisan AI bisa diturunkan.

Siang harinya, saya pergi melaksanakan salat Jumat. Ada hal yang menyenangkan hari ini. Ceramah Jumatannya tidak berlangsung lama. Durasinya sangat cepat dan padat. Ini benar-benar tipe khotib idaman.

Menjelang sore, sebuah kabar gembira datang. Buku cetak karya saya akhirnya tiba. Judulnya "Ambition, Failure, and Self-Destruction: A Psychological Reading of Kate Chopin's The Awakening". Buku materinya berasal dari naskah skripsi saya. Ini adalah buah pemikiran masa-masa kuliah S1 dulu.

Sewindu FIB

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:06:24 +0800

30 Juli 2026

Hari yang cerah.

Hari ini masih masa pengisian KRS. Sebagian mahasiswa bimbingan secara daring. Ada juga yang datang langsung menemui saya. Mahasiswa baru (maba) ternyata juga sudah mulai mengurus KRS. Di sela rutinitas ini, saya sempat mengobrol dengan beberapa rekan dosen. Kami membahas rencana tubel mereka ke depan.

Fokus hari ini tertuju pada perayaan Dies Natalis ke-8 FIB. Acaranya berlangsung sederhana. Kami sengaja tidak mengundang orang luar. Namun, suasananya tetap hangat. Ada penampilan istimewa dari Mas Whidas. Beliau menyanyikan lagu seriosa. Suaranya bagus sekali.

Menu makanan hari ini sangat beragam. Fakultas menyediakan hidangan utama. Rangkaian acara diwarnai dengan prosesi potong tumpeng. Ada juga sajian menu khas ikan harian. Setiap prodi juga ikut urunan. Ada yang sukarela membawa kue dan bihun.

Setelah perayaan, agenda berlanjut ke rapat persiapan PKKMB. Kami mematangkan rencana penyambutan maba. Ada sesi materi dari tingkat rektorat dan fakultas. Setelah itu, akan disusul pengenalan di prodi masing-masing.

Nantinya, maba FIB akan melakukan parade. Mereka akan berjalan dari depan gedung MPK menuju GOR untuk upacara pembukaan. Mereka harus sudah berangkat jam 6 pagi. Rangkaian acaranya cukup padat. Oleh karena itu, fakultas harus memprioritaskan kesehatan dan keselamatan maba.

Agak sore, saya lanjut mengikuti rapat pimpinan. Kami membahas beberapa ide strategis pengembangan fakultas. Salah satunya adalah rencana pembukaan prodi baru. Kami juga mendiskusikan rencana pembangunan gedung baru FIB.

Sore harinya, suasana kampus masih hidup. Saya melihat para maba sedang latihan yel-yel di lapangan FIB. Suara mereka terdengar kompak. Melihat semangat mereka, saya jadi berpikir. Mungkin latihan yel-yel semacam ini memang diperlukan. Apakah ini cara yang tepat untuk membentuk jiwa korsa mereka?

Gap WA

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:48:37 +0800

Hari yang enak. Mendung tapi tidak kunjung hujan.

Hari ini rutinitas administrasi berlanjut. Saya mengurus surat disposisi dari Dekan.

Urusan KRS mahasiswa juga belum selesai. Sebagian mahasiswa mengurus secara daring. Mereka sedang berada di lokasi KKN. Namun, ada juga yang datang langsung ke ruangan.

Di sela-sela kesibukan itu, sebuah laporan masuk. Ada sedikit kendala dalam proses pengusulan prodi baru. Syukurlah, masalah ini masih bisa diatasi dengan baik.

Kejadian paling menarik hari ini muncul di layar ponsel. Seorang mahasiswa baru Sastra Inggris angkatan 2026 mengirim pesan. Ia ingin berkonsultasi soal KRS.

Ketikan pesannya menggunakan gaya bahasa anak zaman now. Jurang komunikasi di antara kami terasa sangat jauh. Namun, sebagai generasi milenial, saya berusaha tetap santai. Saya mencoba untuk mulai membiasakan diri.

Hanya saja, momen ini membuat saya sadar satu hal. Bertahun-tahun menjadi dosen Sastra Inggris ternyata tidak banyak membantu. Dulu saya merasa hebat bisa menerjemahkan teks bahasa asing yang rumit. Hari ini, saya malah merasa butuh waktu untuk memahami bahasa mahasiswa saya sendiri.

Ospek Nyaman

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 19:27:41 +0800

Hari yang sama saja.

Hari ini masih mengurus administrasi. Saya melayani KRS mahasiswa. Prosesnya lewat daring. Mereka sedang sibuk KKN.

Ada hal menarik di kampus. Mahasiswa Sasindo menggelar pra-PKKMB. Pesertanya maba angkatan 2026. Nama kegiatannya "Maestro". Saya lupa kepanjangannya. Detail temanya juga lupa. Intinya tentang ekofeminisme. Ada kaitannya dengan alam dan mother earth.

Kegiatan semacam ini memang harus menyenangkan. Maba harus bahagia masuk Sasindo.

Momen ini memancing memori lama. Ingatan saya mundur ke tahun 2003. Saat itu saya maba Sasing UGM. Kakak panitia selalu mencari masalah.

Ada kejadian kocak saat upacara di lapangan. Terdengar aba-aba hormat pembina upacara. Barisan FIB malah disuruh duduk. Kami dibentak kakak panitia. Kami dilarang ikut hormat. Lucu sekali kalau diingat lagi.

Ospek zaman itu lumayan keras. Makin tua angkatannya, ospeknya makin ganas.

Ospek sekarang sudah berubah. Kegiatannya penuh pertimbangan HAM. Pendekatannya sangat lemah lembut.

Namun, ada ironi yang terlihat. Dulu mental mahasiswa diuji di lapangan. Sekarang, via medsos etika berbicara mahasiswa justru kurang. Ucapannya tidak terkontrol. Sangat mudah menemukan hinaan kasar. Contohnya sebutan "prabodoh subiantolol". Ini menular.

Bagi generasi milenial ke atas, ini sangat kurang ajar. Etika makin luntur. Sopan santun seolah hilang tak bersisa.

Realita ini memicu satu pertanyaan. Ospek keras kini hilang. Pendekatannya diganti menjadi serba lembut. Apakah ini justru melahirkan generasi dengan etika bicara yang makin brutal?

Dilema AI Detektor

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 21:41:34 +0800

Hari yang biasa, seperti kemarin dan kemarinnya lagi.

Hari ini ritme di FIB berjalan wajar, diawali dengan rutinitas akademik dan administratif. Beberapa mahasiswa datang untuk urusan KRS, disusul dengan sesi bimbingan skripsi bersama dua mahasiswa—satu berdiskusi intens terkait pengambilan data, sementara satu lagi mematangkan draf proposalnya. Di sela-sela urusan kemahasiswaan tersebut, saya juga merampungkan disposisi surat pimpinan dan menerima undangan untuk kegiatan PKKMB mendatang.

Namun, bagian paling menguras energi sekaligus memancing perenungan hari ini terjadi saat saya harus membereskan draf artikel jurnal.

Masalah bermula ketika naskah jurnal tersebut ternyata terlalu panjang dan melebihi batas kata yang ditentukan (maksimal 7000 kata). Untuk efisiensi waktu, saya memanfaatkan bantuan AI, namanya Paperpal, untuk menyeleksi dan memangkas (trimming) kalimat-kalimat yang bertele-tele agar tulisan menjadi lebih padat dan presisi.

Ironisnya, setelah naskah dirapikan, saya malah dihadapkan pada masalah baru: teks tersebut terdeteksi dengan skor AI writing yang tinggi, menurut Turnitin.

Ini menjadi sebuah dilema dan paradoks dalam penulisan akademik modern. Gagasan, alur pikir, data, dan draf mentahnya seratus persen murni tulisan manusia hasil pemikiran saya sendiri. Namun, hanya karena saya menggunakan tools pemroses bahasa—seperti Grammarly dan Paperpal— untuk mengoreksi tata bahasa (grammar check) dan menyempurnakan struktur sintaksisnya, algoritma detektor langsung menyimpulkan bahwa itu adalah teks buatan mesin seutuhnya. Detektor seolah gagal membedakan mana teks yang digenerasi (diciptakan dari nol oleh AI) dan mana teks manusia yang hanya "dipoles" tata bahasanya.

Alhasil, sisa waktu hari ini terpaksa saya habiskan untuk mengedit manual, mengubah kembali beberapa struktur kalimat, dan mengganti diksi pakai thesaurus demi menurunkan persentase deteksi AI tersebut. Sebuah pekerjaan dua kali, namun menjadi pengingat yang bagus bahwa secerdas apa pun alat bantu digital merapikan grammar, sentuhan dan "ruh" tulisan manusia (human writing) tetap membutuhkan intervensi langsung dari penulisnya.

Discussion of Debates

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 01:24:00 +0800

Discussion of Debates

Mastering Debate Techniques

Debate is an ancient Greek rhetorical practice, an interactive and representational argument that seeks to persuade judges and audiences. Various strategies for constructing and delivering arguments are used to lead an audience to a conclusion on controversial topics during a debate. Educational discourse analyses have consistently shown that this kind of conversational engagement effectively teaches students to think critically, debate effectively, and reason logically. Furthermore, rhetoric is an important tool in debates because it allows for the presenting and reception of representational claims, particularly prevalent in political discourse. Learning the ins and outs of debate and rhetoric allows individuals to communicate persuasively and easily present their arguments.

Crucial Parts of a Debate

Using rhetoric to bolster one's arguments is an important part of any debate. Skills in reasoning together, which include a variety of dialogue interactions like persuasion, inquiry, and information-seeking, are also crucial in debate. Educational discourse analyses emphasize the significance of these interactions, which are crucial for developing critical thinking skills. Thus, it is essential in educational debate to comprehend the various dialogue interactions and how they contribute to reasoning. Additionally, there is a great deal of interest in the present state of research into the feasibility of a computer-based system for educational discourse since this opens the door to novel approaches to and venues for education.

Making an Effective Case in a Debate

Debate arguments should be structured according to the rules of rhetoric and persuasion. In order to successfully convince your intended audience, you must adhere to these principles, which include meticulously developing and arranging your argument. When constructing an argument, it is essential to use logical reasoning and evidence to back it up. Consequently, think about how you want your points to flow from one to the next, making sure they make sense and are presented engagingly.

Tips for Winning Debates

It is possible to win a debate using a variety of tactics. A good tactic is to study the topic and incorporate what you have learned into the framework of the argument. Debaters can improve their critical thinking and public speaking abilities by investigating whether the material lends credence to or refutes an argument using this method. In addition, this form of active learning is especially beneficial because research has demonstrated that in-class debates cultivate engagement from students very effectively. Because of its proven effectiveness, it is a great approach to get students involved with the content while also developing important skills, such as critical thinking.

During a debate, it's important to think about different ways to build logic, deliver your argument, and use rhetoric and persuasive techniques. These tactics are vital in leading the intended audience toward resolving controversial matters. Debaters can make convincing arguments for their positions by strategically arranging and delivering their points.

Improving one's critical thinking and persuasive communication skills can be as simple as learning the rules of debate and how to win. Incorporating these strategies and skills into educational settings is crucial to maximize the impact of the debate process as an active learning tool, showing signs of a renaissance.

Debates and the Importance of Reasoning and Logic

Debates hinge on using logic and reasoning to build strong arguments and convincing cases. For an argument to have merit, debaters must check that it rests on reasonable premises and evidence.

As part of this process, you'll need to be able to spot logical fallacies, assess the strength of inductive and deductive reasoning, and provide convincing responses to potentially irrelevant or incorrect arguments put forth by your opponents. Debaters successfully defend their positions and challenge opposing viewpoints by presenting their arguments clearly and logically through logic and reasoning in debates. Argumentation, emphasizing logic and reasoning, is another great way to hone your critical thinking abilities. Students develop their analytical, evaluative, and reasoning skills through participation in the debate process. Debate is a great way to teach students to think critically, assess evidence, and build arguments with solid backing.

Strategies for Powerful Debate Communication

Effective communication skills are as important in debate as using reasoning and evidence. If they want to win over their audiences, debaters need to become pros at presenting their arguments in a clear and compelling way. To do this, they must use rhetorical devices and confident and articulate language to bolster the delivery of their arguments.

Being able to actively listen to and respond to opposing viewpoints is also crucial for effective communication in debate. By actively listening to one another, debaters can show they value different points of view and have fruitful conversations, both of which improve the debate as a whole. Promoting open-minded analytical thinking and encouraging constructive discourse also requires stating counterarguments and responding to challenges politely and convincingly.

Debaters should also pay attention to their vocal delivery and body language because these factors significantly affect how their arguments are received. One of the most important things you can do to communicate effectively during a debate is to stand tall, make steady eye contact, and use the right intonation when speaking.

Debaters can improve the quality of their arguments, their ability to persuade others, and the depth of discussion by honing their communication skills.

Complex Debate Techniques

Exploring the Role of Critical Thinking in Debate

A crucial part of academic discourse is incorporating critical thinking into the debate process, which is driven by the growing recognition of the importance of critical thinking in education. Participating in a debate is a great way for students to practice critical thinking skills while allowing them to express their opinions on a wide range of subjects. Debate is a great way to help students learn more about the topic and improve their analytical and reasoning skills.

Debating topics that require students to think critically and articulate their arguments helps them prepare for the real world, where they will inevitably face complex issues. It teaches them to think for themselves, consider other points of view, and articulate their thoughts clearly.

Conclusion

Finally, effective communication skills and logic and reasoning are all part of the art of debate. Debates are a great way to help students develop their communication and cognitive abilities by incorporating critical thinking and encouraging open-minded analytical thinking. Recognizing and implementing these advanced strategies in educational settings is of the utmost importance as debates in various disciplines continue to evolve. This will further enhance students' learning experiences and academic development.

Good vs. Well

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 22:10:00 +0800

The words good and well have been in English since its earliest incarnation.

When Beowulf finds the ancient sword in the underwater cave of Grendel’s mother, one of the words used to describe it is good.

Likewise, when the Beowulf poet contemplates the afterlife, he says, “Well [i.e., “in a state of good fortune”] is the person who after death seeks the Lord.”

Entries for both words in the Oxford English Dictionary are extremely long, encompassing numerous shades of meaning, many of them now obsolete.

Both words can function adverbially, but the use of good as an outright adverb declined in British English in the seventeenth century. It resurfaced in the nineteenth century as an Americanism, as noted in Bartlett’s American Dictionary (1859):

English travellers have repeatedly noticed the adverbial use of this word [good]. ‘He cannot read good.’ ‘It does not shoot good.’

Careful twenty-first century speakers and writers—Americans included—take care to avoid using good as an adverb in formal speech and writing, but colloquially (and in writing about sports), good is frequently used in place of well to modify a verb:

Nonstandard: We did pretty good sticking to our dinner plan this week except for one evening. (charlotteobserver.com)
Preferred: We did pretty well sticking to our dinner plan this week except for one evening.

Nonstandard: It doesn’t matter how good you played or how bad you played, did you win or not? (dailyherald.com)
Preferred: It doesn’t matter how well you played or how badly you played, did you win or not?

Nonstandard: He played good the first half of the bowl game, but he didn’t in the second half. (tennesean.com)
Preferred: He played well the first half of the bowl game, but he didn’t in the second half.

Nonstandard: Craig Anderson played great in net and the defense played good all the way out. (newsobserver.com)
Preferred: Craig Anderson played extremely well in net and the defense played well all the way out.

Apart from the clear situation in which well is preferable to good when modifying a finite verb, idiomatic uses exist in which good can be used adverbially without incurring disdain.

Idioms with good that function adverbially:

as good as
He as good as admitted that he was lying.
(“virtually, practically, in effect”)

good and
The principal was good and mad.
(“very, entirely”)

good-paying
Some speakers, knowing that we mustn’t say that a job “pays good,” go out of their way to change the acceptable idiom “good-paying” to the odd-sounding “well-paying.”

Note this sentence from a site called “geteducated”:

With only a minimal amount of classes and no previous experience, you can land this well-paying job.

Seems to me the sentence would sound more “educated” this way:

With only a minimal number of classes and no previous experience, you can land this good-paying job.

a good many
We’ve been glorifying wealth as the road to happiness for a good many years now.

Merriam-Webster defines “a good many” as “a lot,” but in the phrase, good modifies the adjective many—ergo, it’s being used adverbially.

sumber

Loose or Lose?

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 22:02:00 +0800

There's no formula for what I do," said King, who added that if he tried to analyze and formulate his approach to writing, he might loose his touch.

The word "loose" in this quotation from a site about publishing is incorrectly used. King might lose his touch.

The words lose and loose are often confused. Here are examples to illustrate their uses.

"Lose" is a verb.

The Cubs didn't lose today's game.
They lost the one yesterday.
They have lost three in a row.
I don't like it when they are losing.

The word "loose" can be used as more than one part of speech.

"Loose" can be a verb:

Loose the dog from its chain.
The man loosed his pit bull on the intruder.
We have loosed all the raccoons from the traps.
The activists are loosing the monkeys from the lab.

"Loose" can be an adjective:

He prefers to wear loose clothing when exercising.
This screw is loose.

"Loose" can be an adverb:

The rancher turned the horses loose.

One more thing: The two words have different pronunciations. The "s" in "lose" has the sound /z/. The "s" in "loose" has the sound /s/.

sumber

A common writing error is the use of loose in a context that calls for the verb lose.

As a verb, loose means, “to set free; to release from restraint.” For example, “The Kaffirs loosed the dogs before seeing the elephants.”

Lose, on the other hand, means “to become deprived of,” “to miss from one’s possession.” For example, “They lose their keys at least once every day.”

I’m never surprised to find the loose/lose error in such contexts as fan fiction, social media, or readers’ comments on news sites. I am, however, disappointed when I find it in texts written by journalists, medical professionals, and others who boast university credentials or professional expertise.

Most of the errors I found online occurred with the idioms “to lose one’s way” and “to lose sight of, but it also appears in free constructions:

INCORRECT: Everyone would like to be happy. Sometimes we loose our way or forget how happiness feels.—Therapist advertising in Psychology Today directory, graduate of Rutgers University.
CORRECT : Everyone would like to be happy. Sometimes we lose our way or forget how happiness feels.

INCORRECT: And if we do loose our way, it is easy to ask ourselves, “Where are we going, what is our purpose?”—Graduate student essay, University of Michigan.
CORRECT : And if we do lose our way, it is easy to ask ourselves, “Where are we going, what is our purpose?”

INCORRECT: When this happened [blockage of blood vessels] the neutrophils seemed to loose their way.—Science Daily, report on study done at University of London.
CORRECT : When this happened [blockage of blood vessels] the neutrophils seemed to lose their way.

INCORRECT: Take responsibility for your learning, don’t loose sight of what you want to learn, resolve or get out of therapy, and don’t talk about material you know is irrelevant.—Clinical psychologist offering his services.
CORRECT : Take responsibility for your learning, don’t lose sight of what you want to learn, resolve or get out of therapy, and don’t talk about material you know is irrelevant.

INCORRECT: It’s easy to get caught up in project details and loose sight of the bigger picture.—Vanderbilt University.
CORRECT : It’s easy to get caught up in project details and lose sight of the bigger picture.

INCORRECT: When you loose your concentration, start the exercise again from the beginning.—Meditation Workshop.
CORRECT : When you lose your concentration, start the exercise again from the beginning.

INCORRECT: He said the audit showed Lincoln’s basic business had been loosing money for two years…—The Washington Post.
CORRECT : He said the audit showed Lincoln’s basic business had been losing money for two years

3 Types of Redundancy to Avoid

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 02:45:00 +0800

Redundancy in a sentence is annoying, and it is also a nuisance. Conveying information in more than one way, or by repeating wording, is consciously or subconsciously distracting to the reader and contributes to compositional clutter. Note in the discussions and revisions following each example how the sentence in question can be improved by deleting such infelicities.

1. Like Smith, Jones also owns a family-run business.

When an additive word or phrase such as like or “in addition to” introduces a sentence, using also to bridge the complementary phrases is redundant: “Like Smith, Jones owns a family-run business.”

2. Many components, such as asset balance, deposit balance, and interest income, etc., should be sensitive to the change in the macroeconomic environment.

Use of a phrase like “such as” or “for example” (or the corresponding abbreviation e.g.) is redundant to etc. (or “and so on”): “Many components, such as asset balance, deposit balance, and interest income, should be sensitive to the change in the macroeconomic environment.” (Or “Many components—asset balance, deposit balance, and interest income, etc.—should be sensitive to the change in the macroeconomic environment.”) Note, however, that i.e., which means “that is” (or “that is” itself), pertains to clarification and not to listing of examples, so it is not redundant to etc.

3. But the policy is not solely about consumers; it is about what the law calls a data subject. A data subject is defined as a living individual to whom personal data relates.

Avoid ending one sentence and beginning the subsequent sentence with the same word or phrase, which generally occurs when a word or phrase is introduced and then immediately defined: “But the policy is not solely about consumers; it is about what the law calls a data subject, which is defined as a living individual to whom personal data relates.”

Sumber

Adjectives and Adverbs Guide

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 08:24:00 +0800

This post discusses two categories of parts and speech key to helping writers describe things and actions.

Adjectives

An adjective is a word or a combination of two or more words that modify or provide additional information about a noun. There are three general uses of adjectives: attributive, predicate, and nominal.

An attributive adjective generally precedes the noun it modifies, as with broken in “a broken heart.” (One type of attributive adjective is a noun adjunct, a noun that functions as an adjective when it modifies another noun, as with kitchen in “kitchen counter.”) However, the noun may precede the adjective in the case of a postpositive adjective (also called a postnominal adjective), which occurs when the adjective is itself modified by an adverbial phrase, as in “a heart broken for the last time” and in phrases borrowed from other languages (such as “heir apparent”) and archaic or poetic usage (as in “forest primeval”).

A predicate adjective is connected to a preceding noun by a linking verb, as with curious in “children are curious,” and a nominal adjective is one that functions as a noun substitute. This may occur in reference to a collective group when the noun is implied, as in “the wealthy,” or in the case of a superlative such as “the biggest,” or when a noun is elided rather than repeated (“I’ll wear the red shirt, and you wear the green”).

Determiners are a category of words formerly considered by linguists as adjectives but now classified as a distinct part of speech, though dictionaries still identify them as a type of adjective. Examples of determiners that resemble adjectives in use include demonstrative determiners such as this and that, distributive determiners such as each and any, interrogative determiners such as what and which, possessive determiners such as my and their, quantifying determiners such as few and many, and numbers.

Phrasal adjectives, modifying phrases that precede or follow a noun, are usually hyphenated, when they precede the noun, to emphasize their combination, as in “hardest-working employee,” but not when they follow (“the employee who is the hardest working”). Exceptions are made for permanent phrasal adjectives (such as cost-effective) that appear in the dictionary; these retain hyphenation after a noun. (Also, adjectival compounds beginning with self, such as self-respecting, are always hyphenated.) Likewise, omit hyphens in standing phrasal adjectives such as “post office” that are not hyphenated in their dictionary entries (“post office employee”).

A source of hyphenation error is when a noun phrase that often appears as a phrasal adjective, such as “long term,” is hyphenated. Hyphenation is correct in a phrasal adjective before a noun (“a long-term plan”), but such a term is open not only after a noun (“a plan that is long term”) but also in isolation as a noun phrase (“in the long term”).

Also, take care with comparative and superlative adjectives used in phrases such as “more punitive measures.” When “more punitive” is not hyphenated, more means “additional.” However, when a hyphen is employed, the phrase means “punitive to a greater degree.”

Phrasal adjectives may include more than two words, as in “happy-go-lucky attitude,” but strings of more than three words are inadvisable, especially when they consist of a train of nouns employed as adjectives, such as in “data leakage prevention strategy.” Technically, the first three words, which together modify strategy, should be hyphenated (“data-leakage-prevention strategy”) to aid in reader comprehension (otherwise, the reader may not recognize the intended relationship until the last word is reached and may have to backtrack to understand the phrase), but such usage is cumbersome; it is often better to rephrase the term (for example, “strategy to prevent data leakage”).

Adverbs

An adverb is a word that modifies a verb or another part of speech to describe what, when, where, why, or how an action occurs; adverbial phrases and adverbial clauses also perform this function. The term adverb most familiarly applies to words ending in -ly that without the suffix serve as adjectives, such as lively, as in “They watched the lively performance.” However, many adverbs lack the suffix, as when they refer to location (for example, up or there), time (soon or today), frequency (seldom or daily), and so on.

In addition, adverbs may be flat, meaning that they are root forms of -ly adverbs. These often appear on their own in informal contexts (as with quick in “Run quick to the store”) but may also appear in adverbial phrases, as in “quick-acting compound.” (Note that adverbial phrases are distinguished from phrasal adjectives in that they usually do not include hyphens—hyphenation in such phrases as “privately held” is erroneous. Those with flat adverbs are an exception.)

Adverbs also modify parts of speech other than verbs. For example, in “quite annoying,” the adverb quite modifies the adjective annoying, and in “very quietly,” one adverb modifies another. The adverb only may modify a noun (“She drinks water only”), and adverbs modify prepositional phrases (in “I was almost up the stairs,” almost modifies not wasbut “up the stairs”) and clauses or even entire sentences (as in the case of actually in “Actually, they are on their way now”).

Adverbs that modify an entire sentence rather than a verb or another part of speech are called sentence adverbs. Often, they begin a sentence, as actually does in the example in the previous sentence, or as often does in this sentence you are reading, though they may appear in the midst of a sentence or, as a tag following a comma (or, sometimes, a dash) at the end of a sentence. Many sentence adverbs, such as clearly, fortunately, and regrettably, signal that the sentence represents the writer’s opinion or at least conveys a bias.

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8 Great Writing Tips for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:08:00 +0800

Here are my best tips on how to keep growing and improving as a writer, however young you are:

#1: Have a go at some writing exercises – you can find lots of these online, or you could have a go at them in workbooks or school books. Lots of adults find writing exercises helpful, too, so that they can get better at writing. You can find some great ones to try here.

#2: Read a lot. Almost every writer I know is also a keen reader. Try to read a wide range of different things – like classic story books as well as modern ones, non-fiction (factual) books, magazine or newspaper articles, and so on. You’ll come across lots of different ways to write, and you might learn some new words.

#3: Keep a little book of new words you learn.Don’t be embarrassed if you don’t understand a word the first time you read it. Sometimes you can guess from the rest of the sentence what it means, but if not, you can just look it up in a dictionary. You might want to ask an adult how to say the new word, too – you could write down how it sounds. For instance, “matron” is pronounced “may-tron” (with a long “a” sound) not “mah-tron” (with a short “a” sound), which is how I thought it was said when I first read it in an Enid Blyton story.

#4: Try writing stories for children younger than you, or stories that involve children younger than you. This is a great thing to do when you’re still quite young yourself, because you can remember what it’s like to be six or seven. (Adult writers find it hard to remember, and often they create young children characters who are too babyish for their age.) If you have a little brother or sister, or a younger cousin, you could read your stories out to them.

#5: Remember that even adults don’t get things right first time. Sometimes I get a spelling wrong, or I write a sentence that’s confusing for my reader. And I’m a professional writer! It’s fine to make mistakes, so don’t worry about getting everything perfect in your first draft. Just make sure you leave a bit of time to go back and edit afterwards (just like adult writers do) so that you can fix any mistakes.

#6: Have a go at different types of writing. When I was young, I like to make pretend magazines or newspapers. That’s something that children have enjoyed doing for a very long time – in one of my favourite classic children’s books, The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit, the children in the story make their own newspaper filled with things they’ve written. Maybe you could have a go at making a newspaper to share with your family and friends – or maybe you’d like to write poetry or a play script, or something else entirely.

#7: Keep a journal about your day to day life.There are lots of ways to do this – you could write a sentence or two each day, for instance, or you could write a longer piece once a week. You could write about what you’re learning at school, who your friends are, the games you’ve been playing … even what you had for lunch! Details that might seem boring now could be really interesting when you read your journal when you’re 20 or 30 or even 80!

#8: Ask for help if you get stuck. If there’s something you don’t understand in what you’re reading, or if you can’t work out if something you’ve written is quite right, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most adults will be very glad to give you a hand. You could try a teacher, or a librarian (either at your school library or your local library). If you get to meet any adult writers, perhaps through school or at an event, think up some good questions for them too!

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How to Create a Character Profile

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 04:50:00 +0800

Have you created character profiles for the main cast of your novel?

While not all authors use character profiles, many find them a very handy tool for keeping track of their characters – and for developing and fleshing out those characters in the first place.

Done well, a character profile can help you harness your creativity and really dig into who your characters are.

Sometimes, though, writers treat character profiles as a form-filling exercise, coming up with their character’s eye color, hair color, first job, etc without investing any of this with a deeper meaning.

They might diligently complete character profiles for every character in their novel – even the bus driver who only has a walk-on part in chapter five – but they’re not any closer to having any real insight into their characters.

So what should go in your character profile … and how should you use it?

What to Include in a Character Profile

Firstly, not every character in your novel needs a profile at all.

Characters who have a minor role (like your protagonist’s mother, who only appears briefly a couple of times) don’t need to be fully fleshed out. Of course, you might want to make some brief notes about them … but this definitely doesn’t need to be an entire profile.

Your main characters, though, should have individual profiles. That probably includes any viewpoint character. If you have an antagonist then it’s worth creating a profile for them too (after all, even if your main character just doesn’t “get” where the antagonist is coming from, you should).

It’s entirely up to you how you structure your character profiles. In general, though, I’d suggest that:

You don’t focus too much on physical details.You may want to include things like hair color and eye color if you’re ever likely to mention them – but you can leave them out if they’re not going to be relevant. The same goes for height and build: unless they’re unusual and significant, you don’t necessarily need them at all.

If you are including physical details, think about how they relate to deeper aspects of your character. For instance, in Harry Potter, the fact that Harry has green eyes is significant because it’s the physical characteristic that links him to his mother.

You spend some time exploring deeper questions about your character: things like “what’s the mistake they regret most?” or “in what situations would they lie?” or “what false beliefs do they hold?” These sort of questions will result in a much richer, more real character than a simple list of physical characteristics.

The first ebook I ever bought online, back in around 2007, was Holly Lisle’s Create a Character Clinic. This is still one of my favorite resources for character creation: it goes far beyond the typical “character questionnaire” to dig deep into what really makes characters tick (and it includes lots of examples, too).

If you’re using a template or questionnaire that you’ve found online, don’t feel that you need to complete every single part of it – especially if it’s a long one! Focus on the bits that are most impactful or that help you to imagine your character more fully: if you do decide to fill in the rest, you can simply do it at a later stage.

Don’t get hung up on creating the “perfect” character profile before you begin writing – because it’ll almost certainly change as you go along.

Which brings me on to…

Why Your Character Profile Will Need Updating Regularly

If you create your character profiles during the pre-writing phase of your novel, you’ll almost certainly find that your understanding of your character shifts as you write the first draft.

Perhaps the thing you thought they sincerely regretted from their past turns out to be something they’re actually quite proud of – at least initially.

Perhaps you realize that it makes much more sense for them to have grown up somewhere rural, not in a city.

Perhaps you change them radically: maybe you merge two characters together, or you change a character’s gender or age. (Or their name: a lot of my characters end up changing names part-way through the writing process as I figure out a name that’s a better “fit”.)

Your character profile definitely isn’t set in stone. It’s fine to change your mind and rework it – but do make sure that you actually update it to reflect the changes you’ve made during the writing process.

Otherwise, it can be very confusing several chapters later when you want to bring a character back in but you can’t now remember if they’re supposed to be 35 or 25, or whether they’re tall with dark brown hair or short with strawberry blonde hair.

Character profiles can be a great tool for creating and fleshing out interesting characters for your novel; they’re also a useful working document that you can use to help you stay on track and keep things consistent during the writing process.

If you’ve never created a character profile before, why not give it a go today?

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When to Use a Colon: Rules and Examples

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 03:55:00 +0800

The colon can be a tricky punctuation mark. You’ve probably grasped periods, question marks, exclamation points, and commas – but the rules surrounding colons may seem a bit trickier.

There are two main ways to use colons:

To introduce an item or a series of items.
To replace a semi-colon between two independent clauses: the second clause should explain or expand on the first in some way.

As you can see, I’ve used both types of colon above.

Colons can trip writers up, though. Perhaps you’re not sure whether to use a capital letter after a colon, or you’re unsure how to structure a list of items that follows a colon.

We’re going to go through some key rules that will hopefully clear things up.

Rule #1: Use a Colon to Introduce One or More Items, When Punctuation is Required

Here are some examples of colons being used correctly, preceding an item or multiple items when the sentence requires punctuation at that point.

I needed just one thing: courage.

(Not “I needed just one thing courage.”)

Bring the following equipment: a torch, warm clothing, and waterproof boots.

(Not “Bring the following equipment a torch, warm clothing, and waterproof boots.”)

However, you should not use a colon if the sentence does not require punctuation.

For instance, the following sentences are correct without a colon:

I needed courage.

(Not “I needed: courage.”)

You should bring a torch, warm clothing, and waterproof boots.

(Not “You should bring: a torch, warm clothing, and waterproof boots.”)

Rule #2: Use a Colon Before Listing Items with Bullet Points

It you’re listing items line by line, you should use a colon to introduce the list – even if that same colon wouldn’t be required for a list in sentence form. Here’s an example:

You should bring:

A torch
Warm clothing
Waterproof boots

Rule #3: Be Consistent With Punctuation of Bullet Points

When using a colon to introduce a list in this way, capitalization and ending punctuation aren’t always necessary.

If each item on the list is a complete sentence, you should always capitalize the first letter and finish with a period (or question mark or exclamation point, if appropriate). In other cases, though, it’s up to you whether or not you want to capitalize and use periods – just be consistent.

You should bring:

A torch.
Warm clothing!
Waterproof boots.

This example is consistent because each item ends with a punctuation mark: either a period or an exclamation point.

Rule #4: Carefully Consider Capitalizing a Complete Sentence After a Colon

Some editors believe that it’s always best to capitalize a complete sentence that comes after a colon, like this:

He asked for help: He got it.

Others believe that you should generally avoid capitalizing in this way, instead preferring:

He asked for help: he got it.

Some would say that you don’t need to capitalize if the clause after the colon bears a close relationship to the clause before the colon, but would capitalize a general or formal statement, such as:

Remember what your mother taught you: If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

In these cases, it’s best to either consult the style guide for the publication you’re writing for, or to create a consistent style guide for your own work.

There are a couple of cases in which you should always capitalize the sentence after a colon, though.

When it’s a Complete or Full Sentence Quotation

The chair made an announcement: “This meeting will have to be postponed.”

In that example, “This” has to be capitalized because it’s the start of a full sentence quotation.

When the Information After the Colon Requires Two (or More) Sentences

The rules were inflexible: No running in the corridors. No shouting. Always walk on the right.

In this case, it makes sense to capitalize the first “No” because it’s the first of three full sentences.

Rule #5: Use a Colon to Introduce an Extended Quotation

Whether you’re writing an essay, a non-fiction book, or a blog post, there’ll be times when you want to quote someone else at some length (more than a sentence or two). This means using a “block quotation” that goes in its own standalone paragraph. This should normally be preceded by a colon, and should be indented from the left margin – some style guides also indent from the right margin.

In 26 Feel-Good Words, Michael wrote:

Some writers neglect the power of emotion when communicating their ideas, valuing logic more than others do, and assuming that everyone thinks like they do – that careful reasoning is enough to convince readers and make points. But even the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who was no enemy of reason, taught that stimulating emotion in your audience can be the key to persuading them.

Rule #6: Use a Colon After the Salutation in a Business Letter (Depending on Where You Live)

In American and Australian usage, the salutation (greeting) should be followed by a colon in formal correspondence – this applies whether you’re using someone’s surname or first name:

Dear Mr Richardson:

Informal or personal correspondence uses a comma in place of this colon.

In British English, though, you should use a comma after the salutation – never a colon – for formal business letters as well as for informal letters.

Sumber: https://www.dailywritingtips.com/when-to-use-a-colon/

Definitely use “the” or “a”

noreply@blogger.com (S. D. Kuncara) — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 02:48:00 +0800

When to use the indefinite article a and when to use the definite article the depends mostly on how specific you want to be. During a wedding ceremony the groom would say, “Give me the ring! The wedding ring!” because he must have a particular ring, while a carpenter would say, ‘Hand me a nail” because he doesn’t care which nail in the box he uses. Usually the bigger problem is not whether to use a definite or indefinite article, but whether to use an article at all.

So many choices! When do you use a? When do you use an? When do you use the? But relax. We’ll guide the way. We already talked about when to use a when to use an in the article Give me an “A”: a vs. an, but we’ll give you a few more examples here.

A: you use this when you’re not necessarily referring to a specific thing (such as a nail, any nail). It’s called an indefinite article, because you’re not being definite or particular. There are many nails in this big world.
- She owns a cat.
- I work on a golf course.
An: it’s used just like a, but when preceding a vowel sound. It probably comes from Old German, on which Old English was based. My theory is that the use of an survives after all these centuries because it sounds better before vowels. Saying, “I want a apple” sounds odd, compared to, “I want an apple.” For the same reason, the fake French sentence, “À Anne, on en a un,” sounds even more odd.
- May I borrow an egg?
- He is an arrogant critic.
The: you’re talking about a definite item, which is why the is called a definite article. Of course it only makes sense if both you and your listeners know which item you mean. If I commanded you, “Give me the money,” you would rightfully ask, “What money? I don’t owe you any money.”
- The house on that corner once belonged to Charles Dickens.
- The weather is very pleasant today.
You can use the the second time you refer to something, even if you used an the first time. We know what you’re referring to, because you just told us. You can do this, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Read these examples – repeating the noun might sound monotonous.
- We visited a palace on our vacation. The palace was built in 1546.
- We also went to a concert. The concert was too loud for me.
When it comes to geography, you don’t use the before the names of most nations, provinces, states,lakes or islands. But there are many exceptions: the United States, the Ukraine, or the Congo. On the other hand, the Ukrainians and Congolese people I’ve met say, “Ukraine” and “Congo,” so go figure. If the name refers to plural items, such as the United States, or the Maldives, you would use the definite article. You would do the same for rivers and oceans, such as the Amazon, the Nile, and the Caspian Sea. Bays need the definite article.
- He moved to Nepal near Mount Everest.
- They spent their honeymoon in eastern Maine, on Penobscot Bay.
Unlike some languages such as French and Spanish, English sometimes does not use any article at all. You don’t need one when making a general statement, or when talking about meals and transportation.
- I prefer folk music.
- She hates making noodles.
- She eats breakfast at home.
- She traveled to college by train.
British writers don’t use an article for some places that Americans would.
- British: I go to university.
- American: I go to college.
- American: I transfered to the university last year.
- British: I felt so ill that I went to hospital.
- American: I got so sick I had to go to the hospital.

Some rules apply all the time. Some rules apply only in certain situations, and only experience and reading can help you get them all right. And some rules apply only in certain situations in certain cultures: British and American English is sometimes different, as you may have learned by now.

Sumber: https://www.dailywritingtips.com/definitely-use-the-or-a/