For Thursday, September 4

Note: This is Thursday's assignment, but I'm posting it in case people want to work ahead over the weekend. Scroll down for Tuesday's assignment.

1. Read Chapter 5 in The Transition to College Writing, including the sections directed toward ESL students. Which of the "false rules" were you taught at one point or another in your education? As we move forward in this class, you'll see how "false rules" like this come into being. Basically, these false rules can be true for a given rhetorical situation, but they are not true for all written communication at all times and in all places. Becoming an effective writer is, in large part, about your ability to assess a communication situation and choose the most effective form (or forms) of communication, including deciding about which of these false rules should actually be followed. Most of the time, these false rules are just an oversimplification of real writing conventions (writing conventions = the way writing should be written for particular audiences and in particular situations). Applied too broadly, they become false rules.

2. What grammar issues have you had in your writing in the past? What grammar or punctuation resources have you used in the past?

3. You'll be assigned one of the following "word crimes." Prepare a brief lesson (2-3 minutes) for your classmates about this word crime so they can understand what it is and how to avoid it. You will teach this lesson in class on Thursday.

1. Less vs. Fewer

2. Could Care Less vs. Couldn't Care Less

3. Its vs It's

4. Oxford Comma (what is it and should you use it?)

5. To Whom vs. To Who

6. Quotation for Emphasis

7. Good vs. Well

8. Irony vs. Coincidence

9. Figurative vs. Literal

10. Comma Splice

4. Choose one of the following education-related articles and practice effective reading and note-taking strategies as you read it. Bring a printed copy of your chosen article to class or be ready to access it on your phone for class discussion.

"Standardized Testing: Separating Wheat Children from Chaff Children"

"'Well, Duh!'--Ten Obvious Truths that We Shouldn't Be Ignoring"

"Five Reasons to Stop Saying 'Good Job!'"

You don't need to write anything about the article prior to class, but think about what you agree or disagree with in the article, how your educational experience compares or contrasts to his ideas, and how effective the arguments are.