More resources (These are especially excellent!)

I've just added to my list of helpful writing resources - again. I try to be very discriminating about what sites I post on this blog. I do this in an attempt to both offer the best of the best as far as writing resources and to try and make sure that my list of resources doesn't become so terribly long that it is tedious to search through. On that note, I've added two new resources because I think they are particularly excellent. First, I've added a link to Dartmouth University's Writing and Rhetoric page. What makes this site so exceptional is the Materials for Faculty section. Here, you will find resources to help you write effective assignments and syllabi. You will also find some suggestions about how to tackle some of the more common issues instructors face while teaching writing. The site was created especially for Dartmouth writing instructors, but the information is helpful to anyone teaching writing, whether it be in the setting of a composition classroom or as a refresher for students who are about to write a paper for a class in their field.

The other resource I've just posted, Common Errors in English Usage, is an extremely comprehensive and very easy to use tool. I really suggest you take a moment and check this one out. I know I will be bookmarking it on my personal computer. You simply type in, or click on, the issue you are wondering about and you are directed to a concise answer to your grammatical dilemma.

APA and MLA checklists

Check out the new handouts - MLA and APA Checklists. I'm hoping these will be easy tools for students to use as they learn how to do MLA and APA citations. If they seem to be unclear or you see anything that I missed, please let me know.

Keeping your audience in mind

I've been "surfing the web" looking for interesting writing prompts and assignment ideas. Not surprisingly, typing something like "college essay prompt" into Google brings up websites that range from the exceptionally helpful to the ridiculously bad. One site in particular, which advertises itself as a tutoring and editing resource for writers, is packed with typos to the point where content is often confusing. I'm far from a grammar hound, but given the author's purpose, to advertise his/her services as a writing consultant, the errors are hard to ignore. This got me thinking about issues of audience and how hard it can sometimes be to get students to think about an audience beyond the instructor who will dole out a grade. I managed to find what I think is a pretty excellent source about how to think about writing for an audience (see Thinking and Writing for an Audience link), but I've also decided to post a link to the particular page that got me thinking about audience to begin with (essay to review) My thinking here is not to point out the mistakes of others - I'm sure a reader can find plenty of fault with my writing if prompted - but to supply a blatant example of writing that does not consider audience. Showing students a poorly written page about how to write might get them to think a little about what it means to consider how topic and audience are connected.

website to help students with argumentative essays

I posted last week about the OVRC (Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center) - I still think it is an amazingly excellent source and gets an A for being user-friendly, but I've also been looking for sources that are similar but don't require you to log into the Virtual Library - since some students seem to resist VL use. I came across a website, ProCon.org, that looks promising. It is listed in the Virtual Library, but you don't need to go through the VL to access it. I know some students are working with argumentative essays right now, and I'm guessing a significant amount of those students claim that they have nothing to write about, so refer them to this site. The set-up is a little clunky, there's a lot going on on each page, but it seems to have some good info and it might help students to start thinking about topics.

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Resources for students who struggle with writing

I just posted some excellent links to sites all about grammar. Two of these sites, Grammar Quiz and Guide to Grammar and Writing, could be especially helpful to ESL students who may struggle with verb agreement, sentence structure, and other common issues. Dyslexia College is a website designed specifically for college students who have dyslexia and dysgraphia. It breaks down the writing process into smaller steps and suggests some techniques that may work well for dyslexic students. If you have ESL students or dyslexic students in your classroom, let them know about these sites. They may make the college experience much less frustrating for students who typically struggle with writing.

Creative Essay Projects

I've been looking for some decent ESL sites but so far, I've only come across sites for students who are just learning the language and not for advanced ESL students. While looking, however, I came across some really interesting sites that could easily be incorporated into a writing assignment. I've posted links to several of them. If you are looking for activities that are a little more interactive and creative, check out A Picture's Worth and one word !

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center is a new database accessible through the ITT Virtual Library. You can access the OVRC through the Resources tab at the top of the Virtual Library homepage. The OVRC catalogues full-text articles by topic and is very easy to search. You choose a hot topic from an extensive list and then you are directed to articles supporting both sides of the topic. Examples of hot topics to choose from include: Affirmative action, AIDS (Disease), Alcoholism, Animal experimentation, Animal rights, Assisted suicide, Athletes, Bioethics, Biological weapons, Capital punishment, Censorship, Child abuse, Church and state, Civil rights, Cloning, Creationism - and many more! When you choose a hot topic from the list, you are presented with articles covering different viewpoints about the topic, as well as links to statistical data pertaining to the topic. The OVRC has even catalogued each article by reading level - labeling texts as basic, intermediate, and advanced. Next time you need to research a topic, try out the OVRC. If your students often conduct research for class, encourage them to try the OVRC. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to use!

NTHS

Do you have a NTHS student in your class? If so, encourage them to run for office! Liaoliang Fan is heading up the chapter at the Canton campus. He is accepting applications for President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The application deadline is tomorrow, July 2, so make sure your NTHS students get their applications in! You can see Liao in the LRC or check out the link posted above if you have any questions.