Name____________



Name_____________________ ___________(15) Professor__________________Course____________________Due Date__________________ Common Questions Students Have about ACDV B65Basic Writing Development: Syllabus Activity IIWhat are the goals for this course?What is your instructor’s name (spelled correctly)? CRN?What do I have to do if I miss a class?Why is attendance so important?How do I contact my instructor? Where is her office located?How many class sessions can I miss before I am dropped or must drop?Where are the restrooms?Where is a drinking fountain?Do I need to ask permission to leave class to use the restroom? To get a drink?Will I have any breaks?What are the important dates for this semester? Explain each date’s significance.What should I do if I am on the waitlist?What must I do to pass this class?What is PLATO? The Writing Center? MyWritingLab?Name____________How to Write a Good ParagraphTopic SentenceWhat is the topic sentence? The topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph. What does it do? It introduces the main idea of the paragraph. How do I write one? Summarize the main idea of your paragraph. Indicate to the reader what your paragraph will be about. Example: Canada is one of the best countries in the world for three reasons. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Most importantly, no citizen is refused medical treatment because of the inability to pay. In addition, Canadian physicians receive the best education and training available in the medical field. Second, Canada has a high standard of education for all of its citizens. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. For example, every morning, the street cleaners and other government employees begin cleaning the street and other public places before people begin the day. Plus, Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.Supporting DetailsWhat are supporting sentences? They come after the topic sentence, making up the body of a paragraph. What do they do? They give details to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph. How do I write them? You should give supporting facts, details, and examples. Example: Canada is one of the best countries in the world for three reasons. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Most importantly, no citizen is refused medical treatment because of the inability to pay. In addition, Canadian physicians receive the best education and training available in the medical field. Second, Canada has a high standard of education for all of its citizens. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. For example, every morning, the street cleaners and other government employees begin cleaning the street and other public places before people begin the day. Plus, Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.Closing SentenceWhat is the closing sentence? The closing sentence is the last sentence in a paragraph. What does it do? It restates the main idea of your paragraph. How do I write one? Restate the main idea of the paragraph using different words. Example: Canada is one of the best countries in the world for three reasons. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Most importantly, no citizen is refused medical treatment because of the inability to pay. In addition, Canadian physicians receive the best education and training available in the medical field. Second, Canada has a high standard of education for all of its citizens. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. For example, every morning, the street cleaners and other government employees begin cleaning the street and other public places before people begin the day. Plus, Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.Writing ParagraphsWhat is the writing stage?The writing stage is when you turn your ideas into sentences. Five Writing Steps: 1. Open your notebook and word processor.2. Write the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and closing sentence.3. Write clear and simple sentences to express your meaning.4. Focus on the main idea of your paragraph.5. Use the dictionary to help you find additional words to express your ideas.Editing ParagraphsWhat is the editing stage?The editing stage is when you check your paragraph for mistakes and correct them. Grammar and Spelling 1. Check your spelling.2. Check your grammar.3. Read your essay again.4. Make sure each sentence has a subject.5. See if your subjects and verbs agree with each other.6. Check the verb tenses of each sentence.7. Make sure that each sentence makes sense.Style and Organization Make sure your paragraph has a topic sentence.2. Make sure your supporting sentences focus on the main idea.3. Make sure you have a closing sentence.4. Check that all your sentences focus on the main idea.5. See if your paragraph is interesting.Publishing ParagraphsWhat is the publishing stage?The publishing stage is when you produce a final copy of your paragraph to hand in. Three Publishing Steps: 1. Make a paper copy of your paragraph.2. Show your work to your teacher, tutor, friends, or parents.3. Ask them for hints on how to improve your writing.Description ParagraphIn a description paragraph, you are writing about what a person, place, or thing is like. Sometimes, you may describe where a place is located. Examples:Write a paragraph describing how a polar bear looks.Describe where California’s industry is located.The following words may help you to write a good description paragraph: Helper WordsPropertiesMeasurementAnalogyLocationsizelengthis likeinColor widthresemblesaboveshapemass/weightappears to be?belowpurposespeedis similar to?besidereasons?forRound, square, triangular, horizontal, vertical?in the same way as?nearunder overbehindclose toto the left ofto the right ofin the centerPersonality, age?, gender, level of education, place of residence, ethnicity,Religion,Hobbies,Family,friendsHigh, low?Similarly,In the same manner as?north/east/south/west Words that show order or the sequence of eventsOrderTimefirst, second, third, etc.recentlyin the beginningpreviouslybeforeafterwardsthenwhenafterafterfinally?at last?subsequently ? Words that show SimilaritiesWords that show Differencesis similar tothe other handbothhoweveralsobuttooin contrastas welldiffers from?while?unlike Name_______________________ ______________(51)Professor________________________ Course_________________________Due Date_______________________Identifying and Correcting Fragments & Run-onsDirections: Rewrite the following paragraph, finishing each unfinished sentence by joining it to a finished sentence next to it. Where necessary, add words, omit words, or change punctuation. _____________(10)Sir Arthur Conan Doyle a British novelist and storyteller. Best known for his stories about Sherlock Holmes. Who was a famous detective. Dr. Watson was a friend of Holmes. Helping him whenever he could. Watson was always surprised at the clues Holmes managed to find. Since he wasn't as smart as Holmes. I enjoyed seeing if I could solve Holmes's cases before he revealed the solution. It was a simple matter of putting pieces together. In their proper order. It was like finishing a jigsaw puzzle. Being finally able to see the whole picture. I was able to figure out more than Watson. Who was always two steps behind. But usually had to wait until the last chapter. To see how Holmes solved the case. There was an element of suspense. To make me wonder how he would find the clue he needed. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Correcting unfinished sentences with subjects and no verbs.Directions: Finish each unfinished sentence by joining it to a finished sentence next to it or by adding a verb. Then write each sentence you have changed. ____________________(8)1. I was ready to enjoy my meal. The rare meat cooked just as I wanted it. The wine was chilled perfectly. 2. There are two kinds of skating. Roller skating and ice skating. 3. There are several main factors in skating. Momentum, direction, and lean. All three are important. 4. There are three pattern pieces to the pants. The front, the back, and the waistband. 5. Independence Day is a day to have a family cookout. A day to stay home from school. A day to do nothing but just be lazy. 6. I think the fireplace is beautiful with the statues of the two dogs next to it. In front of the fireplace the coffee table where we would sit and play chess for hours. This is a cozy room. 7. I'm standing on a small hill above a village. The view of the village is most delightful. The cozy little inns right down below me with beautiful and colorful designs around the windows. 8. I also notice the many homes and apartments of this village, with a thick layer of snow on top of the roofs. And the tall steeple of the church sticks way up in the clear, blue sky. The mountains in the far distance covered with snow. Correcting unfinished sentences containing subjects and verbsDirections: Finish each unfinished sentence by joining it to a complete sentence next to it. Then write each sentence you have changed. If you put the unfinished part first, put a comma after it. Look especially for word groups starting with because, as, although, even though, when, after, before, while, and since. ____________(13)1. I ran into a parked car. My cousin sat a few minutes and then got out to see who the car belonged to. Even though that car wasn't damaged. 2. Although it was raining. We went to the picnic. 3. In the city there are more job opportunities. Because it is larger and has more stores and factories. 4. When my alarm went off at seven o'clock this morning. I had to jump right out of bed. I had a lot to do before school. 5. My cousin tried to find me a job. Since I had graduated from high school and wasn't planning to go to college for a while. 6. After you remove the hamburger from the oven. Pour the creamed potatoes over it. Then sit down to a delicious meal. 7. Although my idea of the ideal mate has changed some. I still think it is important to marry someone who has the same goals as I do. 8. Bath time is an ideal family time. Because a baby is most alert, receptive, and responsive at this time. 9. After you wet your hair. Put the shampoo on it and rub it in well. Repeat this and rinse thoroughly. Until your hair has no trace of soap in it. 10. Everyone spent the next three hours dancing. While I just sat there and watched. And I tried to figure out the steps so I could teach them to Jerry. 11. Ever since he saw Saturday Night Fever. My boyfriend has imagined he is John Travolta on the dance floor. I have to admit he looks pretty good. Even though he's just learning some of the new steps. 12. When they start playing some of those songs. You can't sit still and just listen. They make you want to dance too. Even if you don't know how. 13. Although I thought I would be too tired to have a good time. I must admit I was glad I went to The Seawall with the others. It was more fun than I'd expected because we all went together. And because there were other people to dance with. RUN-ON SENTENCES, COMMA SPLICES AND FRAGMENTSMark in the blank beside each sentence an R for a run-on sentence, a CS for a comma splice, an F for a fragment, and a C for a correct sentence. Some correct sentences can be punctuated more effectively, however.____________(20)_____ 1. Carlos took the job and he was happy to get it. _____ 2. Tom loves Chinese food, he eats it three times a week. _____ 3. Louie congratulated Jake and wished him success. _____ 4. Ms. Jamison wrote an article about Philadelphia. One of the local magazines buying it. _____ 5. Pancho refuses to eat at the school cafeteria last year he found a roach in his tea. _____ 6. Mr. Altman donated five chairs, four tables, and three barrels. _____ 7. After the storm ended people came out of their houses. _____ 8. My paper is due in three days, thus I cannot go to the movie. _____ 9. The people have voiced their views, therefore they city council must act. _____ 10. Since the money is in the budget, you might as well spend it. _____ 11. The more I know about you, the better I like you. _____ 12. Go to college it is worth the effort. _____ 13. Tell me a good joke and I will tell you a better one. _____ 14. The team had difficulty winning. Several players not caring about the team as a whole. _____ 15. The players have had a bad season, as a result, a number of personality clashes have come to the surface. _____ 16. When a good coach does television commercials he is near retirement. _____ 17. Some coaches become so popular that they are more powerful than colleges presidents. _____ 18. The American public loves football, television ratings indicate this preference. _____ 19. We support you we appreciate you. _____ 20. We are impressed with you however, we cannot offer you a job at this time. Name________________ ________(50)Professor_________________ Course___________________Due Date_________________Fragment Exercises?Directions Some of these examples are fragments; others are complete sentences. Put a C next to the complete sentences. Revise the fragments in any way you choose. Write the corrected sentence in the space provided under each problem. _______(15)? 1.??? Poking into the wet sand with her umbrella ____2.??? Since we live near the Colorado River. _____3.??? Couldn’t find the right size._____4.??? A tall, thin man with bushy eyebrows.______5.??? To defrost the refrigerator ____6.??? Ten minutes after they won the Super Bowl. ______7.??? Strapping on skates and whizzing around the rink. ______8.??? A glass partition at the end of the hall. _____9.??? She has patented three of her inventions. ______10. Draped across the water cooler. ______11. Although we thought the children were asleep. _____12. A professor who is usually late for class. ____13. Frantically flipping through the pages of the dictionary. ____14. Who loves to take risks. ______15. A beautiful woman in a yellow sweat suit. _______?Directions Proofread these paragraphs for fragments. Correct them in any way you choose, either adding the fragments to other sentences or making them into complete sentences. Be careful of punctuation. ______________(35)?The day begins early at Flamingo in Everglades National Park. A morning breeze gusts inland off the bay, and buzzard, terns, and gulls ride the air currents overhead. Their wings outstretched. In the tall grass near the water, white egrets pose motionless. While joggers pass in their sweat suits. Taking advantage of the cool air. Huge brown pelicans lounge on the posts of the dock. As fishing parties and canoeists set off in their boats. They head south into the bay or northwest into the canals. That probe the Everglades. In the cabin of one craft. A slender, white-haired man and a woman in a flowing robe sip orange juice. Lettered in gold across the hull. Is the name of their boat—Straight on Till Dark.?The most important person in any business organization is the one who repairs, cleans, and fills the coffee machine. If there is no coffee in the machine for a coffee break. The workers are upset. Many aren’t really thirsty for coffee. They want a place to meet fellow employees. And a place to enjoy a few unhurried minutes. In fact, if the coffee were replaced by mango juice or oxtail soup, few people would really mind. Because they could still take a “juice break” or a “soup break.” As long as there is some kind of break from the routine. Most people would be happy with any kind of beverage.?Although diners still dot the highways of the United States. The popularity of these informal eating spots has dwindled. Walter Scott started the first diner in 1872 in Providence, Rhode Island. Selling inexpensive homemade sandwiches and pies form a large horse-drawn wagon. In 1884, Sam Jones added fancy stained-glass windows and elegant decorations. Which enticed customers to come inside the wagon to buy their meals. A diner manufacturer of the late 1880s. Thomas. H. Buckley introduced carved woodwork, countertops, and colorfully painted exteriors. In the 1920s, some stools were replaced by narrow booths, and diners were fixed permanently on the ground. Using materials such as stainless steel in the 1940s. diners became efficient, modern places. To eat inexpensively. You can still find diners the size and shape of those historical lunch wagons.???Name____________________________ _______(10)Professor_________________________Course___________________________Due Date__________________________My Writing Class Goals and Strategic PlanWriting well is the most important skill you will develop for college success. Since writing is a skill that must be developed, you need to identify personal goals and to develop a strategic plan to meet those goals. Identify your goals for this class, which should be based on the requirements for passing the class. Review those requirements in the syllabus and from your opening day lecture notes and record your goals below. You may brainstorm with a partner to identify those goals. Then, look over your diagnostic paragraph and identify the skills you need to work on to improve your writing.My course goals areI need to focus on improving the following skills:___ Identifying and eliminating all fragments, run-ons, and comma splices___ Identifying and correcting all subject/verb agreement errors___Identifying and correcting all verb tense shifts___Identifying and correcting all verb form errors___Identifying and correcting confusing sentences___ Staying on topic and not digressing by writing about other topics___Writing good topic and concluding sentences___Working on paragraph organization____Including more details and examples to develop my ideas___Punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and word choice___Other_________________________________________________To accomplish my writing plan strategy, I plan to do the following:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I will attend the following two workshops (35 points each): ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I plan to attend the following two workshops for extra credit (20 points each)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I will use the following resources:_____Free tutoring (Level 3 in this building)_____Proofreading assistance in the Student Success Lab (PLATO) or at the Writing Center_____PLATO writing lab exercises ( 4 mandatory and 2 extra credit hours)Name ______________ ________(23)Professor_______________ Course__________________Due Date________________What is a Sentence?QuizDirections: Read each group of words carefully. If the words form a complete sentence, write c in the blank and underline the verb(s) and the subject(s). If the words do not form a complete sentence, write f in the blank.The fastest bike of all. _____My brother caught a three-pound trout. ____He sprang at the window. ____A bridge over troubled waters. ____The tire on my bike is flat again. ____He will play that song for us as an encore. ____Since Tom laughed at the joke. ____Suspended gently in the sky. ____Jenny knows how to bake mango pie. ____Furthermore, the whole speech. ____The children pleaded for ice cream. ____The full moon is shining tonight. ____Those tomato plants should be stalked to the wall. ___Eating your lunch at school. ____Looking over his shoulder. ____All those boys. ____After the accident, he walked with a limp. ____Because dinner will be ready at six o’clock. ____Reaching the end of the song. ____The good life. ____Dinner will be ready at six o’clock. ____If you tell me. ____At last, I have finished this exercise. ____Name___________________ _________(40)Professor____________________ Course______________________Due Date____________________Consistent Verb Tense ExercisesExercise 1Read the following paragraph carefully. Check the underlined verbsfor consistent tense. Change any verb that is not consistent.(1) When I was 10, visiting my grandparents' farm in Georgia isa great deal of fun. (2) There are many activities I enjoy. (3)For example, each day my grandfather and I went fishing. (4) It isso easy to catch the fish we need for dinner. (5) In fact, onetime I caught 12 small fish before we leave. (6) Another exampleof the delights of the farm is the pony. (7) My cousins and I willtake turns riding him. (8) That poor pinto has trotted many a milein a day just to please us. (9) Finally, grandmother's meals willplease everyone. (10) Each supper brought a new dessert made fromfresh fruit or pudding. (11) It is a marvelous place for a child'ssummer vacation.Exercise 2The following paragraphs are from Carolyn Chute's novel The Beans of Egypt, Maine. Chute's novel maintains a striking immediacy through her unusual and consistent use of the present tense; things happen in a kind of perpetual now. In the following paragraph, you should change all present tense verbs to past tense except for anything that is quoted. Don't change tenses within quoted language and be careful not to change the form of verb forms that are not actually verbs. When you've finished changing all the verbs, consider how the text has changed by changing the tense. What have you lost (or gained) by changing the verbs? What verbs didn't you change, and why not?right000He moves up the mountain like a packhorse, crunching many small sticks and branches underfoot. She rides on his shoulders like a child. She wears a child-sized summer dress, and her bare legs are almost lost in his beard. Her hair is almost a fluorescent yellow. She is still very bony, very white, very silent. She smells of her morning bath.On the mountains are countless birches: gray, gold, and the white, some of the young ones bending from last winter's pitiless snows. There is not much shade here. Birds scream from all directions.Earlene says, "I'm not like Roberta, you know."Beal grunts over a stone wall and crashes through fern and over soggy ground. "I wish you were," he says.Her throat tightens. She holds down a garbled scream.They go into a dark pine grove and his boots hiss.They can hear a brook. A dragonfly tests Earlene's hair, then veers away. Beal walks slowly toward the brook.He carries her higher, higher, over a barbed wire. Her yellow hair attracts another dragonfly. This one buzzes in Earlene's ear. She swipes at it.Beal wears his railroad cap, his dark sunglasses. She feels the packhorse muscles of his shoulders and neck working, and his arteries beat against her legs."I HATE Roberta," Earlene almost sobs. "Daddy says it's just a matter of time before the health department shuts her down."He is silent. When he comes to the brook, he crosses on round, flat stones. He stops and looks up at the trees, at their autumnal mauve. He stands stock-still except for his hands, which stroke Earlene's ankles, prod the hardness of her nails. Then he turns.Below are the tiny rooves, a tatter of field, the broad violet hills, here and there a ruffled pond. He stands and stands and stands, a shoulder muscle quivering now and then, his bearing unfriendly, packhorse silent. Carolyn Chute. The Beans of Egypt, Maine. Ticknor & Fields, New York, 1985. 149-150. Answer the questions here.Exercise 3Read the following paragraph carefully. Check the underlined verbs for consistent tense. Change any verb that is not consistent.(1) Fortunately, the homes of many famous American writers havebeen preserved. (2) Two of these homes will be quite remarkable,for they give us literary and social history. (3) In the latenineteenth century, Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, hadpaid $131,000 for a large house in Hartford, Connecticut. (4)ToClemmons the house itself was a wonder. (5) A greenhouse will beoccupying the end of the house, and a fireplace has had a glassinsert so that Clemens could watch snow fall into the chimney as afire was burning below. (6) In addition, the Thomas Wolferesidence in Asheville, North Carolina, will have profound effectupon Wolfe. (7) He and other members of the family were forced toshare the house with a constant stream of boarders and roomers.(8) Wolfe later immortalized the house and its occupants in hisfirst novel, Look Homeward Angel, which had been published in 1929.(9) Built in 1883, the house now is containing most of the family'soriginal furniture dating from the decade 1910-1920. (10) With itssleeping porches, chamber pots, Victrolas, and wood stoves, thehouse will be a study in an America of long ago. (11) From thesetwo houses, Americans will be able to understand the environmentsthat shelter the two authors and to glimpse a way of life that hasbeen replaced by computers and fast-food restaurants.Exercise 4 Revise this paragraph to be “tense correct”. ? There were some things that happened last summer that I just didn’t understand.? Jenny and I had looked forward to our camping trip for weeks.? We are deciding right now that we are not afraid of bugs and bears.? We like to think about sleeping under the stars and really want swim in our own private lake.? How are we supposed to know that the campsite is haunted! What tense is the opening sentence? _____________What tense is the ending sentence? _______________Correct for tense consistency ? Name___________________________ ____________(15)Professor_____________________________Course_______________________________Due Date_____________________________Keeping Verb Tense Consistent: Review In each sentence below, one verb must be changed so that it agrees with the other verbs. Cross out the incorrect verb and write the correct form in the space at the left. ________________(5)looked Example I gave away my striped sweater after three people told me I look like a giant bee.__________1. Kim swabbed the inside of her cheek with a Q-tip, smears the cells on a glass side, and then looked at them through the microscope.__________2. Debbie, a moody adolescent, threw the blouse down, shouted at her mother, and then starts to cry.__________3. On the highway, one rescuer rolled the unconscious man onto his back, pinched his nostrils shut, and then breathe into his mouth.__________4. In this neighborhood, the kids play stickball in the street; they sawed off broom handles for bats and borrow garbage can lids for bases.__________5. Unknowingly, Marvin picked a box of detergent with a hole in it. He left a thin trail of white powder as he rolls his cart around the store.Name______________________ ________(15) Professor_______________________ Course_________________________Due Date_______________________Run-ons/Comma SplicesWorking with a partner or with a group, proofread and correct the following sentences. Use proofreading techniques and symbols. You may also find some fragments.1. One of the most interesting plants is the cactus, it is able to live without water for years.2. The average woman does not find it hard to get a job instead she finds it hard to get a promotion.3. The time you spend in traffic court is not actually very long, it seems like a long time.4. I never did any studying in high school as a matter of fact, I never even took a book home with me.5. One of my problems is spelling, the other one is writing legibly.6. This is not actually a real diamond, it is only a good imitation.7. Cassette recorders are not merely toys they are also very effective learning tools.8. The tires on this bike are in good condition, furthermore, the chrome is clean.9. Compared with others on the team. Janet has remarkable stamina.10. The collar on this shirt is small, therefore, this shirt will not fit a person with a large neck.11. Even after the car was tuned. It still was difficult to start in the mornings.12. The trail was steep and very rocky, nevertheless, every one of the hikers reached the top.13. Our neighbors are all trustworthy people. The kind you want your children to associate with.14. The dog walked around the garage. Looking for the cat.15. Jill didn't really want to visit me, all she wanted was to borrow money.Name____________________ _______________________(25)Professor_____________________Course_______________________Due Date______________________Run-ons & Comma SplicesSome of the run-ons in the following sentences are fused sentences, having no punctuation between the two complete thoughts; others are comma splices, having only a comma between two complete thoughts.I. Correct the run-ons and comma splices by using one of the following three methods:Period and a capital letterComma and a conjunction (and, but, for, so)SemicolonUse the method that seems most appropriate in each sentence.The runner was called safe even he couldn’t believe it.I looked all over for my new shirt all I could find was the empty bag.Libby tried to fold the road map neatly she gave up and stuffed it into the glove compartment.First, we can’t wait to go on vacation then we can’t wait to come home again.One step was sagging, Martina hired a carpenter to fix the porch.I ran toward the supermarket the manager had just locked the doors.Ted tried to assemble the barbecue, the instructions were impossible to understand.I reached into the pretzel bag all that was left was salt.Tina was starving, she bought a limp sandwich from the vending machine.Bev was bored she drew rocket ships in the margins of her notebook.II. Correct the run-on in each sentence by using subordination. Choose from among the dependent words on Page 4:The fan started throwing beer cans onto the field security guards hustled him away.I had three cups of coffee my eyes looked like huge globes.The boy didn’t want to talk to his mother he pretended to be asleep.The check arrived in the mail we didn’t really believe that we had won the contest.We forgot to put film in the camera the only pictures we have of our vacation are the ones in our memory.I left school this morning hailstones as big as marbles were falling from the sky.The plumber comes quickly our kitchen will look like a swamp.The man circled the crowded parking lot in their car his wife ran into the store to return a sweater.The boy was wearing headphones nearly everyone on the bus could hear the beat of the song on his radio.The computer went dead a message appeared on the screen saying, “System error.”III. Write five complex or compound sentences that contain complete thoughts. Please number each sentence._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________093345after because if untilalthough before since whenas even though unless while00after because if untilalthough before since whenas even though unless whileName ___________ _____(10)Professor__________Course_______________________Due Date_____________________Run-on SentencesThe following passage contains run-ons. Make the appropriate corrections.John, a young man living in Nebraska, was a bright student he was accepted at the University of Pennsylvania. His parents were not wealthy, they did everything they could to make his trip possible. John worked very hard at the university he wrote his parents frequently. One day his parents received a message with tragic news. John had been mailing a letter, a group of boys ganged up on him. They beat him, then they took his wallet. He was taken to the hospital, he was too badly hurt to live. John’s parents mourned for their son, they were sad as well as that the boys could receive the death penalty. The boys were poor and had no education the parents felt sorry for them. They wrote the judge hearing the boys’ case and asked that the boys be given the lightest sentence possible. They wanted the boy’s to have a second chance they even set up a trust fund to help them get training and jobs. John’s parents had lost their son, they did not want his life to go to waste. Name________________________ _________(20)Professor______________________ Course________________________Due Date______________________Subject/Verb AgreementSubject-Verb Agreement (Subjects)? Underline the subject in each of the following sentences and then choose the verb in parentheses that correctly completes the sentence. Write the verb in the blank to the left.__is___ 1. One of the boys (is, are) not coming. _______ 2. The boy with the fishing pole on his shoulder and the dog trotting at his heels (make, makes) a charming picture. _______ 3. Either Mr. Smith or one of the other librarians (are, is) getting the book for me. _______ 4. Neither Anne nor her friends (were, was) at the party. _______ 5. The attitude of the boys (is, are) belligerent. _______ 6. Mr. Jones is one of those people who (become, becomes) easily annoyed. _______ 7. The woman in the safari and the gentleman in the turban (are, is) an exotic pair. _______ 8. Mrs. Rafferty, as well as other members of her bridge club, (is, are) planning to sponsor a tortoise in the race. _______ 9. The schedule announcing the week's events (contain, contains) an error. _______ 10. The situation in the Middle Eastern countries--Iran, Turkey, and Jordan-- (is, are) rapidly becoming serious. _______ 11. Neither the men nor the one woman in the class (understand, understands) the professor's lectures. _______ 12. A million dollars (is, are) a lot of money. _______ 13. Any one of the men who (get, gets) the job will do his best. _______ 14. The team (is, are) in training. _______ 15. The scissors (is, are) on the table. _______ 16. (Is, Are) my trousers being washed? _______ 17. Either Sue or her brothers (is, are) feeding the cat while we are away. _______ 18. He is one of those people who (dislike, dislikes) all classical music. _______ 19. One of the boys (is, are) taking a camera on the picnic. _______ 20. Where (are, is) the man and woman who want to see me? Name______________________________ _______(23)Professor_________________________ Course____________________________Due Date_____________________Making Subjects and Verbs Agree: ExercisesChoose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject.1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.5. George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.6. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.14. (Is, Are) the news on at five or six?15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are) Andrea's favorite subject.16. Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.19. There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only one left!20. The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.21. The committee (leads, lead) very different lives in private.22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press cordially.23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.?Words to Avoid Using in Academic Writing: Ug WordsUg words are the words that make us instructors say “UG!” when we read them. So, you should avoid using them at all costs.The following words and phrases are used too often in our vocabulary and, as such, do not really mean anything to us. If any of the following are in your essay, you should replace them with more concrete or more formal words:a lot, lotsanywaysbadbigget (most of the time, you can find a better word)goodgreat (only on rare occasions)I think, I feel (or “feel” by itself), I believe, in my opinion, etc.interesting (too vague)in today’s society (or any variation of “in today’s” where “today” can suffice)it is . . . (when the “it” has no clear antecendent; e.g., “It is important not to plagiarize.”)kids (when you mean human children)nicenormalnowadaysone (as in a person)quote (unless used properly)really (as in really very interesting)regards (use in regard, not in regards)rightsays (say, said)stuffthere are (is). . . that is…..this is---uniqueverywell, now, yeah (and any other conversational words)wrongyou or your (unless your instructor gives you permission to use second person)thingAnd speaking of “thing” . . .Handout courtesy of Cheryl SmithDon’t Get Caught in the “Thing” TrapWhen you write sentences, you may find yourself using the word “thing” too much. To move away from this problem, try one of the words in the list or any other words that fit the subject of your paper.abilitiesdetailsmovementsresourcesactionsdifficultiesoccasionsresponsesadvanceseffectsoccurrencesrulesadvantageseventspartssectionsadventuresexperiencesperformancessituationsagreementsfactsperiodsskillsattributesfeaturesplacessuccessesbehaviorsfeelingspointssurprisesbenefitfrustrationspowerstalentscharacteristicsideasproblemsthemeschoicesimpressionsprojectsthoughtsconcernsimprovementspromisestroublesconflictsincidentsqualitiestypescontributionsitemsreasonscorrectionsmattersremediesExamples:Weak: As I read about Ben Franklin, I learned many things about his life.Better:As I read about Ben Franklin, I learned that his life was filled with challenges.Weak:The authors discussed three things about ever-changing technology.Better:The article described three features about ever-changing technology.Weak: The instructor did two things to encourage all her students to read more.Better:The instructor started two projects to encourage her students to read more. Weak:Of all the things the characters did in the book, living in the underwater home was the most exciting.Better:Of all the adventures the characters had in the book, living in the underwater home was the most exciting.Avoiding ClichésYou can bet your bottom dollar that clichés fall on deaf ears. Even though students heave a sigh of relief because they think they have hit the nail on the head when they use clichés, they are actually up a creek without a paddle because clichés stick out like a sore thumb. When you come right down to it, you may as well whistle Dixie because clichés are like a house afire. It goes without saying that students should make a clean breast of using clichés so their writing can be as fresh as a daisy. So take the bull by the horns and fight like a tiger to avoid clichés. Below is a list to help you identify some of the more common ones.bet your bottom dollarboggle the mindbreathe a sigh of reliefbright and earlyby leaps and boundsby the same tokencalm before the stormcase in pointclear as a belldead as a doornaildead in the waterdeath warmed overdepths of despairdown in the dumpsdraw the lineearly bird gets the wormeasier said than doneface the musicfall between the cracksfight like a tigerfine and dandyfly off the handlefond farewellfood for thoughtfools rush infoot in your mouthforegone conclusiongenerous to a faultgentle as a lambget your feet wetgrain of salthappy as a larkhead over heelsheart of goldheave a sigh of reliefheir apparenthigh and dryhigh as a kitehit the spothook, line, and sinkerif the truth be toldin no uncertain termsin the long runin the nick of timein this day and ageit goes without sayingkeep a low profileknock on woodlabor of loveland of opportunitylast strawlean and hungry lookleg up on the competitionlet your hair downlet the cat out of the baglet well enough alonelick into shapelike a newborn babelong arm of the lawmad dashmake a clean breast ofmake a long story shortmake ends meetmake no bones about itmiss the boatmoment of truthmore than meets the eye(the) more the merriermotley crewnaked truthnecessary evilneither fish nor fowlneither here nor thereno holds barredon cloud nineon the ballopen and shut caseopportunity knocksother side of the coinplain and simpleplain as dayplay it by earpretty as a picturepull no punchespure as the driven snowquiet as a mouserack your brainrest assuredroll up your sleevessadder but wisersave for a rainy daytime of your lifetried and truetoo little, too lateturn over a new leafup a creek without a paddlewet behind the earswise as an owlworst-case scenarioCliches found in A Guide to Business English Name _______________________ _______________(10) Professor ________________________ Course___________________________ Due Date__________________________Varying Sentence BeginningsThe usual order of the sentence in English is (1) subject (2) verb, and (3) object (and modifiers) or predicate word (and modifiers).Effective writing sometimes varies the beginnings of sentences to give them a new look by inverting the order of their parts.WAYS TO VARY SENTENCE BEGINNINGSPut an adverb before the subject.Merrily, Jana skipped to school.Put the verb before the subject.Away sailed the sleek vessel.Begin the sentence with a prepositional phrase, a participial phrase, or an infinitive phrase.For her, the party was over. (prepositional phrase)Walking carefully, Joe crossed the narrow bridge. (participial phrase)To be sure, we double-checked. (infinitive phrase)Begin the sentence with a subordinate clause.As we went on, we remembered his warning.Varying Sentence Beginnings. Rewrite each sentence below. Change the position of the words to give variety to the sentences.The dog followed us, wagging his tail.Mike phones home every week as a rule.The bushels of wheat fell into the chute. Nothing tasted as good as ice cream to Maria. The man paced the floor, wringing his hands.We handled the heavy package carefully.Lou’s goal was to be rich.Dozens of boats were on the lake.We followed the tracks for two hours.The bird traveled as swiftly as an arrow__________________________________________________________________Name ____________________ ______________(10)Professor _____________________Course_______________________Due Date_____________________ COMBINING SENTENCESThe kettle whistled furiously the toast smoldered the cat nibbled the bacon there was a crash a juice glass smashed against the wall the baby started to cry the other children screamed they kicked one another little Vera had an egg in her fist she hurled it the egg splattered against the wall Howie did his imitation of a police siren Godfrey banged his head against the refrigerator the children’s mother did not hear anything she sat out on the front steps she sipped tea there were planes overhead she watched them a taxi pulled up to the curb the cab driver honked the horn the children’s mother climbed into the cab she stared straight ahead the cab drove off the woman had no intention of ever returning.Directions: Correct the sentences in this paragraph. Make any other corrections that will improve the quality of the writing.Sentence CombiningA final phase in learning to be a sophisticated writer is that of sentence complexity.? Most professional writers would agree that "good" writing contains?a variety of sentence constructions.? Look at these next two paragraphs and think about which is more appealing.1. Juanita went to the store.? She bought kumquats and melons. She took her purchases home.? She placed them on the counter.? Her toucan flew out of its cage. It landed upon the melon. It started pecking at the kumquat. It made a loud?squawk at the funny taste. It then flew into the living room before Juanita could?scold it. ? She figured the taste was enough punishment.2. After purchasing kumquats and melons at the? store, Juanita took them home and placed them on the counter.? Her toucan flew from its cage, landed on the melon and preceded to peck at the kumquat. Before she could scold it, it gavea loud squawk and flew into the living room.? The unusual taste, she figured, was enough punishment.If you are like most people, you had a difficult time reading #1.? If you go back?and read it, you will see that it is entirely made of a subject - verb - complete thought construction. Boring.? The second makes use of many sentence combining?devices.? Read the suggestions below to help you understand sentence combining better, and then rewrite two paragraphs from previous essays using some of the suggestions.Be Cautious of "Be" Verbs"Be" verbs are am, are, was, were, is, being, have been, being. Some people call them "taboo" words and try to get students to avoid them in everything?they write. But don't give up your "be" verbs--know when you want them and use them. Take a look at your "be" verbs. If you use a lot of them, you may be wordy. You may be?loading your sentences with nouns (often in prepositional phrases), too. But then you may need those "be" verbs to say what you need to say. 1. Do "be" verbs replace stronger verbs? Melissa is the type who thinks she's right. [Melissa thinks he's right.] His facial expression was an indication that he was wrong. [His face convinced us that he was wrong.] It was an exaggeration. [Germaine exaggerated.] It was a commitment that they had shown. [They showed a commitment.] Noriko was in an aggressive frame of mind. [(maybe) Noriko aggressively attacked Akiko's opinions.] 2. Do "be" verbs delay your point? It was true that she was a late-bloomer. [See was a late-bloomer.] There was occasionally a hamster in the basement. [A hamster was occasionally in the basement.] It was difficult for him to go. [He couldn't find the time to go.] Most writers would agree that using active verbs rather than be verb strengthens your writing. Ways to Combine Sentences 1. -ING Phrases - Present Participle Phrases The man counted his change carefully. The man smiled at the clerk.Carefully counting his change, the man smiled at the clerk. The man, carefully counting his change, smiled at the clerk. 2. -ED Phrases - Past Participle Phrases The woman decided to celebrate the results. The woman was pleased. Pleased with the results, the woman decided to celebrate. The woman, pleased with the results, decided to celebrate. 3. Prepositional Phrases We go over the river. We go through the woods.Over the river and through the woods we go. 4. Renaming Phrases - Appositives My car is small. My car is a rusted. My car is a pile of junk.My car, a rusted pile of junk, is small. 5. Who and That Clauses? -- Relative Clauses with Essential Info People live in glass houses. People should not throw stones.People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Things are made from metal.? Metal can rust.Things that can rust are made from metal. 6. Who and Which Clauses -- Relative Clauses with Non-essential Info Mother is looking forward to Thanksgiving. Mother can cook a tasty turkey meal.Mother, who cooks a tasty turkey meal, is looking forward to Thanksgiving. The new semester starts in January.? We are looking forward to the new semester.We are looking forward to next semester, which begins in January. 7. -Ing Substitution Clauses - Noun Clauses If you talk out loud to yourself, people will wonder about you.Talking out loud to nobody makes people wonder about you. 8. That Substitution Clauses - Noun Clauses He passed the course with an A.? I was not surprised that he passed the course.That he passed the course with an A did not surprise me. 9. How-what-when-where-why Substitution Clauses Noun Clauses He passed the course with an A. I wondered how he passed the course.?I was surprised that he passed with an A.How he passed the course with an A surprised me. Name______________________ ___________(20) Professor_______________________Course__________________________Due Date________________________With your group, complete the following sentence combining exercise. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper and staple it to this bine each set of the following sentences into one sentence.? Be sure to try to keep the meaning of the sentence true to implied meaning. Please try to keep the context the same.? Remember, you can use "ing" or "ed" phrases, pronouns, prepositions, who or what clauses, among others. ? Refer to the sentence combing handout to help you determine the best way to combine these sentences. Notice how different subordinating conjunctions (such as "because" and "if") and coordinating conjunctions (such as "and" and "but") can alter the meaning of sentences.? Sentence One:My doctor warned me about trying to lose weight too fast. My coach reminded me of the danger involved. My mother told me the same thing. Sentence Two:The first documented case of AIDS within the United States occurred in 1977. The AIDS crisis continues to grow. The number of newspaper and magazine articles on AIDS has declined in the last few years. Sentence Three:Breakfast cereals contain fiber. Oat bran may reduce cholesterol. . Sentence Four:Jogging is a popular sport.The cost of running shoes is escalating. Most people are very selective about the kind of running shoe they buy. Sentence Five:Scientists use guinea pigs in their laboratory experiments. They inject them with a disease. They observe their behavior. They dissect them. They examine the effect of the disease on their organs. Sentence Six:Michelangelo studied anatomy. He dissected cadavers. Such gruesome work helped him understand human bones and muscles. Sentence Seven:X-rays can penetrate the human body. They produce images on photographic film. Shadows on the picture reveal changes in body tissue. Sentence Eight:The early history of medicine is filled with guesswork. Doctors did not know what caused disease. They developed cures through trial and error. Most of the cures did not work. Sentence Nine:People went to spas to restore their health. Most spas were located in beautiful settings. They featured special mineral waters. The waters were supposed to purge the body of disease. Sentence Ten:Coronary heart disease is the major cause of death in this country. My grandfather has coronary heart disease. Sentence Eleven:Girls seem to be sensitive to sounds. Girls seem to be sensitive to touch. Girls seem to notice faces. Girls seem to learn speech. The learning is easy. Sentence Twelve:Newborn boys seem curious. They are curious about their surroundings. The surroundings are physical. Boys grasp shapes. The shapes are geometrical. The grasping is easy. Sentence Thirteen:These differences may be inborn This fact does not mean that girls are smarter than boys. This fact does not mean that boys are smarter than girls. It only means that they have patterns. The patterns are different. The difference is slight. The patterns are of development. Sentence Fourteen:Heroin is derived from morphine. It is stronger than morphine. It is also more addictive. It takes effect faster. Sentence Fifteen:You want to help a choking victim. Stand behind the person. Place your fist above his or her navel. Suddenly press your fist in and up with your hand. Sentence Sixteen:Philip Randolph was a hero. He was in the labor movement. He challenged authority by his activism. His activism was for civil rights. Sentence Seventeen:Michael loves to play trivia games. He always wins. The winning is against his friends. The winning is against his classmates. The facts are about geography. Sentence Eighteen:She ran into me. I spilled my coke.My dress was soaked.She is lucky I did not yell at her.Sentence NineteenMonique called me last night.Monique told me she broke up with Morrie.Morrie liked to have too much fun at parties.Monique was shy.Monique became embarrassed when Morrie was lively at parties.Sentence TwentyThe Chevy Impala was brand new.The Impala was red with a white pin stripe on both side of it.The owner, Jacqui, was proud to drive her new Impala.Many of Jacqui's friends were envious of her because of the Chevy.Weekly JournalsYou will be writing weekly journals, which consist of four separate paragraphs. Summer school students will complete eight journal entries each week. For each journal assignment, you may choose 2 present tense topics and two past tense topics. Number each journal entry as follows: Present Tense #1, Present Tense #2, Past Tense #1, Past Tense #2. You may also elect to write a paragraph addressing the opinion topic for extra credit. Point values will be assigned each week. Label each Journal appropriately: i.e., Journal A.Journal A Due on_____________________ _____________(20)Present Tense TopicsDiscuss reasons student go to a two year college.Discuss whether or not sports should be important at the college level.Describe your study habits.Describe some changes in your lifestyle since you started college.Past Tense TopicsTell about the most difficult problem you faced at school when you were a child.Tell about your high school graduation.Tell about the most important event that happened to you during your school career.Tell about your best/favorite teacher (from the past).Opinion Topic (5xc)_________Your friend tells you that he/she can get the answers to the final exam. What would you do? Support your response with details, examples, and explanations.Each journal entry must be at least 60 words in length.Journal B Due on ________________ _______________(20)Present Tense Topics Discuss reason you do or do not exercise regularly.Discuss reasons people watch sporting events.Decide whether or not sports are big businesses in America. Support your position with reasons.Past Tense TopicsTell about a time you played a sport.Tell about a sporting event that you watched.Tell about a sporting injury that you sustained due to sports participation.Tell about a time your favorite team won/lost a game.Opinion Topic (5xc)_____________Who has the bigger challenge—a mountain climber or a scuba diver? Why? Support your response with details, examples, and explanations.Each journal entry must be at least 75 words in length.Journal C Due on________________________ _____________(20)Present Tense TopicsSome people save everything while others throw almost everything away. Are you a pack rat or a tosser? Describe the benefits and the problems with what you do.Some people are compulsively tidy while others are not. Describe how you organize your school papers and the benefits and the problems you experience as a result.Factories study time management to make jobs more efficient. Describe a more efficient way to do a boring or time consuming job.Describe how you manage the combination of school, work, and family. What corners do you cut and why?Past Tense TopicsTime seems to move quickly or slowly, depending on what we are doing. Tell about a time that you realized or experienced this.Tell about a time that you realized the importance of self-discipline.Some people fight boredom by imagining things. Tell about a time that you used your imagination to handle boredom.A goal that is worthwhile may require sacrifice. Tell about a time when you sacrificed to achieve your goal(s).Opinion Topic (5xc)____________Does the world need clocks? Why or why not? Support your response with details, examples, and explanations.Each entry must be at least 90 words in length.Journal D Due on____________________ __________(40)Present Tense TopicsDescribe how parents can assist their children to succeed in school.Describe how a parent should handle fighting between siblings (brothers and sisters)Describe the types of movies children should be allowed to view.Describe the differences between high school and college students.Past Tense Topics Tell about the biggest lie you told as a child.Tell about something your parents did to influence your behavior and/or decisions.Tell about sharing your room with your siblings when you were a child.Tell about a time when a sibling/child/parent did something foolish or dangerous.Opinion Topic (5xc) ___________Your 17 year old son/daughter asks if he/she can have a keg party for graduation at your home. What would you do? Support your response with details, examples, and explanations.Each journal entry must be at least 109 words in length.Journal E Due on________________ ____________(40)Present Tense TopicsDescribe your monthly budget.Describe some ways a person can save or waste moneyDescribe how people can use or misuse credit cards.Describe what makes a TV show, movie, play, or concert worth watching.Past Tense TopicsTell about a time you discovered that an advertisement exaggerated or lied about a product it was selling.Tell about a time you had to choose between buying something you wanted badly and something you really needed.Tell about a time you had to choose between two creditors you needed to pay. What were the results of your choice?Tell about a movie, TV show, play, or concert that impressed or that inspired you. What happened as a result?Opinion Topic (5xc) ____________A big chain supermarket with lower prices opens across the street from your favorite but smaller neighborhood grocery store. Where would you shop? Support your response with details, examples, and explanations.Each journal entry must be at least 125 words in length.Journal F Due on__________________ ___________(40)Present Tense TopicsWrite a job description for that job you actually do at work.Describe the job skills you are acquiring as a result of your education.Describe how to prepare for an effective interview.Describe the skills it takes to be a good boss or manager.Past Tense TopicsTell about a busy day you had at work. Was the way you handled the pressure effective?Tell about the effect your employment or unemployment had on your feelings and/or on your family.Tell about your first day on a plete this sentence and tell what happened. When I was younger, I always wanted to be a ___________________________________.Opinion Topic (5xc) __________________For the past five years at work, having long hair or facial hair has been acceptable. A new company policy does not allow for either long or facial hair. What would you do?Each journal entry must be at least 125 words in length.Journal G Due on____________________ ________(40)Present Tense TopicsDescribe some values you are learning at college and are using in your daily ment on the following statement by David O. McKay: “No success can compensate for failure at home.”Describe how the values of an organization to which you belong influences what you do or do not do.Describe the values of your family that you maintain as an adult.Past Tense TopicsTell about a time you genuinely and freely helped someone else.Tell about one incident in your life that was important to you.Tell about a time a friend helped you succeed in something you thought was important.Tell about something you learned from your family and whether it helped or hurt you.Opinion Topic (5xc)_____________You are offered a job you would really love, but it pays less money than you are currently making. What would you do? Support your response with details, examples, and explanations.Each journal entry must be 125-150 words in length.Journal H Due on__________________ ____(40)Present Tense TopicsDescribe your neighborhood.Describe your home, inside and/or outside.Describe how you spend your day.Describe where you go in Bakersfield to have fun.Past Tense TopicsTell about your last visit to a city or a town other than Bakersfield.Tell about the thing you considered when moving to or staying where you now live.Tell about a time when you or someone you know was a crime victim.Tell about the city/town/village in which you lived as a child.Opinion Topic (5xc)_____________The taxi driver has obviously taken you for a ride—having taken a long route to your destination and charging you much more than you expected to pay. What would you do? Support your response with details, examples, and explanations.Each journal entry must be 125-150 words in length.Preposition ListSingle wordsaboardaboutaboveabsentacrossaforeafteragainstalongalongsideamidamidstamongamongstan apropos aroundas asideastrideatathwartatopbarringbeforebehindbelowbeneathbesidebesidesbetweenbetwixtbeyondbutbycirca concerningdespitedownduringexceptexcludingfailingfollowingforfromgiveninincludinginsideintolestlikemid (from "amid". Usually used poetically.)midst minusmodulonearnextnotwithstanding (also used postpositionally)ofoffonontooppositeoutoutsideoverpacepastperplusproquaregardingroundsanssavesincethanthroughThrough-out timestotowardtowardsunderunderneathunlikeuntiluntoupuponversus, viawith within without worthMultiple wordsTwo wordsaccording toahead ofapart fromas foras ofas peras regardsaside fromback tobecause ofclose todue toexcept forfar fromin to (contracted as into)inside of (note that inside out is an adverb, not a preposition)instead ofleft ofnear tonext toon to (contracted as onto)out fromout ofoutside ofowing toprior topursuant toregardless ofright ofsubsequent tothanks tothat ofup towhere asThree wordsas far asas well asPreposition + (article) + noun + prepositionEnglish has a number of idiomatic expressions which act as prepositions, but can be analyzed as a preposition followed by a noun (sometimes preceded by the definite or, occasionally, indefinite article) followed by another preposition.[2] Common examples include:by means offor the sake ofin accordance within addition toin case ofin front ofin lieu ofin order toin place ofin point ofin spite ofon account ofon behalf ofon top ofwith regard towith respect towith a view toArchaic or infrequently usedbehitherbetwixtchezcum (Latin loan word)eregainst or 'gainst (from against)neath or 'neath (from beneath)outwithpro (loan word)qua (loan word)re (loan word)sans (loan word)'twixt (from betwixt)unto (largely supplanted by to; used in some formal, religious, or archaic contexts)vis-à-vis (loan word)Email Guidelines for StudentsBe courteous.? This takes many forms, including using a polite and friendly tone. Think about school email as a practice for how you will use email in a professional situation. Start an email message by appropriately and politely addressing the person that you are writing to. Beginning an email to a professor with "Hey" doesn't make you look good. Use proper titles for people, and don't jump to conclusions about marital status. For example, use "Professor" for a female instructor, not "Mrs.," and don't use people's first names unless you ask them if it is acceptable to do so.? Don't use only a last name with no title either. ?Before emailing a professor with a question, review the syllabus, outline, or assignment instructions. Your professors appreciate students who don't waste their time or come across as lazy or lacking in basic critical thinking skills.? If you are wondering what format you should use for assignments, if instructors accept late work (and if there are penalties), an instructor's office and office hours, the percentage of a grade an exam is worth, and so on, that is the type of information that is included in a syllabus. Read the written instructions for an assignment more than once. The answer to a question you have may be there--you may have read it but forgotten it. I once had a student email me at midnight with a question about the essay that was due the next day--his question was "How long does the essay have to be?" My reply the next morning was "Read the instructions--they are online on the class outline if you lost the hard copy. The answer is in the very first sentence." Professors get a lot of email from students, and you create a very poor image when you ask questions you easily could have found the answers to yourself. This student thought he was merely asking a simple question, but what he was really communicating was that he hadn't thought seriously about an important assignment given two weeks before and hadn't bothered to re-read the instructions that were handed out and discussed in class. ?Clearly identify the subject of your email in the subject line. ?Professors get a great deal of email, and they have to prioritize which emails to read and respond to first. If you are asking a question about an assignment, make that clear. You should also indentify which class you are in. Put your class and the CRN in the subject line before or after the subject itself.?Make sure that your message is clear. Be very specific. You know what you are working on or thinking about when you write your email, but the person who reads it is someplace else. Questions like "How long does the assignment have to be?" are essentially meaningless to an instructor teaching several classes, each with any number of upcoming assignments on the course outline. ?Make sure that your email clearly identifies who you are.? After your message, give your full name, as you would if you were writing a letter to someone.?Use an email address appropriate to the situation. ?At BC, you should stay with your official BC email address--this way, there is no danger that your professors will mistakenly delete what they think may be spam. If you do use another email account, your own name or a clear variation is always a good idea, but, at the very least, avoid anything sexual, flirty, disgusting, etc.? Do you really want your professors thinking of you as "RedHotCutie@...," "StudlyGuy@...," or "I_so_sexy@..."? (These are real examples of email addresses used by students communicating with professors.)? ?Use diction, grammar, punctuation, and spelling appropriate to a formal situation. In this era of texting and Facebook abbreviations, it is easy to forget that an email to professors should be treated as serious correspondence. However, everything that you put into writing makes an impression. Strive to make a good one. This means using complete sentences, correct spelling, and clear, organized structure. (If you have more than one question, for instance, it is a good idea to number them.) Try not to ramble.? Avoid slang. Most professors don't like being addressed as "dude," for example. Avoid standard texting abbreviations, like? "u" for "you" and "4" for "for," and drop the "wtf"s and "omg"s altogether.?Don't send an email when you're mad.? Sometimes an email response may make you angry.? This can happen when the other person wasn't being rude at all, but, since you cannot hear a tone of voice, you may jump to a conclusion. It is very easy to project the wrong tone into someone else's words, especially if we are feeling insecure or sensitive or if we are tired or in a bad mood.? Don't commit anything into writing that you might regret later. Don't write anything that you wouldn't be willing to say to someone's face. Remember the first rule of composing email--be courteous.?Check or another fact-checking site before forwarding “warning” emails. People are busy, and people who rely on email as part of their professional lives get an inordinate amount of email and do not want to have their inboxes clogged any more than they already are.?When people forward you warning emails about viruses and other dangers, go to the Virus Hoaxes and Realities at or a similar site and determine if someone has inadvertently forwarded a hoax.? There is a very good chance that this is what you have gotten.? ?Re-read and edit every email before you send it.? Always re-read and edit your emails before sending them. Try to catch misspellings and bad grammar and eliminate wordiness. Also, try to imagine what your tone may seem to the other person--you might catch and prevent a potential misunderstanding. Make sure that any questions you have asked are clear. Subordinating Conjunction A subordinating conjunction joins a subordinate clause to a main clause. The following is a list of the most common subordinating conjunctions. afterhow till ( or 'til)althoughif unlessasinasmuch?? untilas if in order thatwhenas long as lest wheneveras much as now that whereas soon as provided (that)??whereveras though sincewhilebecause so thatbefore thaneven if thateven though ??ThoughSome words are satisfied spending an evening at home, alone, eating ice-cream right out of the box, watching Seinfeld re-runs on TV, or reading a good book. Others aren't happy unless they're out on the town, mixing it up with other words; they're joiners and they just can't help themselves. A conjunction is a joiner, a word that connects (conjoins) parts of a sentence.Coordinating Conjunctions: FANBOYSThe simple, little conjunctions are called coordinating conjunctions (you can click on the words to see specific descriptions of each one): Coordinating Conjunctionsandbutoryetfornorso (It may help you remember these conjunctions by recalling that they all have fewer than four letters. Also, remember the acronym FANBOYS: For-And-Nor-But-Or-Yet-So. Be careful of the words then and now; neither is a coordinating conjunction, so what we say about coordinating conjunctions' roles in a sentence and punctuation does not apply to those two words.)When a coordinating conjunction connects two independent clauses, it is always accompanied by a comma. I like chocolate, and I love caramel.Using Transitional Words and Phrases: The use of the little conjunctions — especially and and but — comes naturally for most writers. However, the question whether one can begin a sentence with a small conjunction often arises. Isn't the conjunction at the beginning of the sentence a sign that the sentence should have been connected to the prior sentence? Well, sometimes, yes. But often the initial conjunction calls attention to the sentence in an effective way, and that's just what you want. Over-used, beginning a sentence with a conjunction can be distracting, but the device can add a refreshing dash to a sentence and speed the narrative flow of your text. Restrictions against beginning a sentence with and or but are based on shaky grammatical foundations; some of the most influential writers in the language have been happily ignoring such restrictions for centuries.*additionagain, also, and, and then, besides, equally important, finally, first, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, last, moreover, next, second, still, toocomparisonalso, in the same way, likewise, similarlyconcessiongranted, naturally, of coursecontrastalthough, and yet, at the same time, but at the same time, despite that, even so, even though, for all that, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, nevertheless, notwithstanding, on the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, regardless, still, though, yetemphasiscertainly, indeed, in fact, of courseexample orillustrationafter all, as an illustration, even, for example, for instance, in conclusion, indeed, in fact, in other words, in short, it is true, of course, namely, specifically, that is, to illustrate, thus, trulysummaryall in all, altogether, as has been said, finally, in brief, in conclusion, in other words, in particular, in short, in simpler terms, in summary, on the whole, that is, therefore, to put it differently, to summarizetime sequenceafter a while, afterward, again, also, and then, as long as, at last, at length, at that time, before, besides, earlier, eventually, finally, formerly, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, in the past, last, lately, meanwhile, moreover, next, now, presently, second, shortly, simultaneously, since, so far, soon, still, subsequently, then, thereafter, too, until, until now, whenTop of FormName____________________________ _______________(10)Professor___________________Course ____________________Due Date__________________Subject/Verb Agreement PracticeChoose the correct verb in each sentence below.? Cross out prepositional phrases,Top of Form1.? Emily and Greg (comes come) to my house every Friday for lunch.2.? There ( is are) time to watch the movie.3.? My friends who are in the band (wants want) me to play a musical instrument.4.? My father or my brothers (is are) coming with me to the ball game.5.? Everyone ( needs need) time to relax.6.? That bag of oranges ( look looks) fresh.7.? The lacrosse team (hopes hope) to win the tournament next week.8.? Your trousers (needs need) to be cleaned.9.? Some of the books on the shelf (is are) dusty.10.? Even though the students like the class, a few (thinks think) that it is too complicated.Name_______________________ _______________(14)Professor_________________________Course __________________________Due Date_________________________Comma Splices Exercise: Each sentence below is wrong; it has a comma splice. Please correct it. Each sentence below is wrong, it has a comma splice. ___________________________________________________________________Eliza ran to the store, then she bought some candy. ___________________________________________________________________ The stock market has moved in one direction lately, it has gone down. ___________________________________________________________________Elvis Presley was a great singer, he was never really accepted by the country music's mainstream. ___________________________________________________________________Computer programs help us live saner lives, obviously the people who write them should make lots of money. ___________________________________________________________________Dubai has built magnificent office towers with luxuries and conveniences, it is considered a great location in which to conduct international business. ___________________________________________________________________Brazil has won several world cups championships in soccer, they are always considered a good team. ___________________________________________________________________ Name______________________ _______________(10)Professor_______________________Course ________________________Due Date_______________________Fused Sentences: Run-onsInstructions: Choose the sentence that is written correctly. Circle the correct answer.1. A. The school band Pam plays the flute.B. Pam plays the flute in the school band.C. As Pam was playing the flute.D. The school band has a player named Pam she plays the flute.2. A. There are ten boxes of candy. On the counter. Aaron wants to take threeof the boxes. To school.B. There are ten boxes of candy on the counter. Aaron wants to take three ofthe boxes to school.C. As Pam was playing the flute.D. The school band has a player named Pam she plays the flute.3. A. There are ten boxes of candy. On the counter. Aaron wants to take threeof the boxes. To school.B. There are ten boxes of candy on the counter. Aaron wants to take three ofthe boxes to school.C. There are ten boxes of candy. On the counter Aaron wants to take three ofthe boxes to school.D. There are ten boxes of candy on the counter Aaron wants to take three ofthe boxes to school.4. A. The girl crawled along the floor it was very clean.B. The girl crawled along the clean floor.C. The girl crawled. Along the floor. It is clean.D. The girl crawled along. The floor it is clean.5. A. Mama and Abby are going to the zoo the zoo opens early on Saturday.B. Mama and Abby are going. To the zoo. The zoo opens early onSaturday.C. Mama and Abby are going to the zoo. The zoo opens early on Saturday.D. Mama and Abby are going. To the zoo it opens early on Saturday.Bottom of FormName_____________________ ________(20)Professor______________________Course________________________Due Date______________________Correcting Run-on SentencesCorrecting Run-on SentencesA run-on sentence is a sentence that runs into another sentence. Two or more parts of a run-on sentence can stand by itself. Interestingly, run-on sentences can exist in both short and long sentences. The length of a sentence does not determine whether that sentence is a run-on sentence!run-on???While reading an article about new motorcycles, I fell asleep I dreamed that I was riding one of them on the highway.correct???While reading an article about new motorcycles, I fell asleep. I dreamed that I was riding one of them on the highway.????Correct each run-on sentence.1.?We went to my cousin's wedding over 300 people were invited.2.?We went to Disneyland for vacation last summer we got to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse.3.?Mike and Tim are going to the carnival they are going to ride the roller coaster they are going to play some games and they will eat corn dogs and cotton candy.4.?Betsy was not feeling well her mother took her to the doctor's office.5.?Jeff called me he told me about his new bike he told me about his birthday party he told me about his grades.6.?For lunch we had chicken it was fried and we had potatoes that were mashed we also had peas.Write four complete sentences. Proofread to make certain you have no fragments, fused sentences, or comma splices.1.2.3.4.Name_________________________ ______________(40)Professor_________________________Course __________________________Due Date_________________________Comma WorksheetDirections: Add commas to the following sentences where needed..Section 1: Lists of three or more.1.. My three favorite foods are pasta pizza and ice cream.2.. I need to call Sally Tom Brad and Kelly about the party.3.. The brown fluffy large dog ran across the street.4.. I have to run to the store get my hair cut and pick up the kids from daycare.5.. Jessica sings with power passion and strength.6.. The colors of the sunset include red orange yellow and pink.Section 2: Separating Independent Clauses (FANBOY rule)1.. I like to run but not when it’s hot.2.. We can go to the grocery store or we can go to the mall.3.. I do not want a dog nor do I want a cat.4.. Karen wants to go to the farm yet her sister does not like farms.5.. We will go to the grocery store for we are out of food.6.. The car needs repairs but we cannot afford the costs.Section 3: Separating Independent and Dependent Clauses.1.. When I get to the mall I will go to the food court.2.. After ten minutes I asked the nurse about the medicine.3.. Because the car broke down I had to call for help.4.. When the flight lands I will hug my family.5.. Until the gas prices go down I will work two jobs.Section 4: Separating phrases that are not essential from the rest of the sentence.1.. Tomorrow Wednesday we will take a trip to the zoo.2.. My brother a 22 year old male graduated from college today.3.. I like video games but my sister on the other hand does not.4.. You however are very sunburned.5.. John for example likes to work.Section 5: Using commas to separate quotes.1.. “Gas is too expensive” said the experienced driver.2.. “Ouch” screamed the boy after he was stung by a bee.3.. The sister told the brother “of course I will pick you up.”4.. “Ready, Set, Go” yelled the mom before the treasure hunt.5.. The crowd cheered “Happy Birthday” as the party started.6.. “Yes” said the girl to her mother “I am on my way home.”Section 6: Introductory Elements.1.. Yes we can find a place for you to stay over the weekend.2.. I’m sorry I did not understand what you said.3.. Excuse me you left your bag on the counter.4.. Wait I think we need to make a left turn up ahead.5.. Unfortunately my favorite flavor was sold out.6.. Well you can call again tomorrow to see if Mr. Roberts is in.Section 7: Separating towns, states, and countries.1.. Paris France is my favorite place to visit.2.. The capital of the United States is Washington D.C.3.. Taylor Lives in Nashville TN.Section 8: Separating days and months.1.. Today is Tuesday June 10 1992.2.. The Summer Olympics will begin on Friday August 8 2008.3.. His Birthday is on February 23 1972.Name_____________ _______________(20)Professor______________Course_________________Due Date_______________Editing Practice After reading the following student essay, write and appropriate thesis statement on the lines provided. (Make sure the thesis statement communicates the topic, the main idea, and the essay’s purpose). Then, fill in topic sentences for the second, third, and fourth paragraphs. Finally, add a summary statement to the conclusion. Please note that this particular essay is written in first person, which you are NOT supposed to use in your essay.Preparing for a Job Interview I have looked at a lot of books and at many web sites that give advice on how to do well on a job interview. Some people recommend practicing the handshake and others suggest making eye contact. This advice is useful, but not many sources tell how to get mentally prepared for an interview. [Write a thesis statement]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ [Write a topic sentence for this paragraph]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Feeling good about how I look is important, so I usually wear a jacket and a tie to an interview. Even if the employees are not required to dress this formally on the job, making a good first impression is critical. For this reasons, job candidates should never go to an interview dressed in jeans or shorts. Still, being overdressed can be a problem, too. For example, wearing a more formal dress or suit for an interview at a fast-food restaurant might make the candidate feel good, but it could also give the appearance of not really wanting to work at that type of place.[Wrote a topic sentence for the third paragraph]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Going to an interview is a little like getting ready to take part in a sporting event. The job applicant needs to go in with the right attitude. If the candidate thinks he or she is not going to be successful, chances are that the person will not be. So, before I go to any interview, I spend some time building my confidence. I tell myself that I can do the job and that I will do well in the interview. By the time I get to the interview, I am sure that I am the right person for the job.{Write a topic sentence for the fourth paragraph]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Most people go to an interview knowing little or nothing about the job. They expect the interviewer to tell them what they will have to do. Once, an interviewer told me that he likes a person who has taken the time to do his or her homework. Since that time, I have always done some research before I go to an interview—even for a part time job. Most of the time, my research consists only of taking a quick look at the company web site. This kind of research really pays off. At my last interview, for example, I was able to discuss in details the job that I would do. The interviewer must have been impressed because he offered me the job at the end of the interview.[Write a summary statement]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Of course, following my suggestions will not guarantee that all job candidates will get the job they want. Everyone still has do perform well during the interview. Even so, getting mentally prepared for the interview will give applicants an advantage over people who do almost nothing before they walk through the door into the interview.Name_____________________ Score_____________(60)Professor______________________Course_______________________Due Date_____________________Grammar & Mechanics ReviewUse the correct form of the adjective in parentheses.Points earned for this section__________(15)(thick) I attempted to bite into the _________________sandwich I had ever seen.(lazy) Each perfect summer day was _______________________than the last. (good) The ___________seats in the stadium are completely sold out. (little) I’m looking for a cereal with __________ sugar than “Cocoa Puffs.” (vulnerable) The body’s central trunk is ____________________ to frostbite than are the hands and feet.Write the correct adjective or adverb (well or good) in the following sentences.I think I’ve done ____________ on the first quiz.Our young son is a ____________ chess player.Circle the correct word in the parentheses.I knew she wasn’t feeling (good, well) when I saw her put her head in her hands.It is (better, best) for me now to be in school than to have a full-time job.The mother pressed the baby against her should and sang (soft, softly) in his ear. That show is the (dullest, most dullest) one on television.My sister is the (kinder, kindest) of the four children in our family.He had done (good, well) on the first test, so he decided not to study for the next one.Peering (suspicious, suspiciously) at the can of corn, the woman peeled back the new price label that had been stuck over the old one.Clutching a bag of corn chips, the boy stood in the supermarket aisle and looked (imploring, imploringly) at his mother.Add commas in the appropriate places. All of the following sentences need commas added.Points earned for this section_____________(10)During the summer days are long.I’d like to be rich married secure and famous.The ship which docked yesterday is the Queen Elizabeth II.On Friday November 30 1963 I met my wife and my life has not been the same since.In fact I stole the booksThe revolution in education which so many educators discuss has yet to take place.I stopped but he went on.A college consists of a group of people who want to learn a group of people who want to teach and a collection of good books.George who is near my age had a heart attack last week.First I plan to go to the mall and afterwards I hope to go to a movie.Fix whatever needs to be fixed. Points earned for this section_______(35)im sure dr Clark don’t never closes her office on bridge st in December. jenny and mary isn’t aware that there bread has began to raise in an open pan.will eric lead frank borrow a Copy of Cinderella on two weeks on aprilrules our made too be honor and observeim going to listen to garth brooks while I right a letter to aunt mary. Rhetorical Précis Template What is the name of the article?In what year was the article published?Who is the author?Circle one of the following words (Which one do you like best?)argues states explainsassertsWhat is the major claim, or thesis statement, of the article?List one piece of support that the author uses to “back-up” his/her thesis statement.What is the purpose of the article?Who is the intended audience of the article? How do you know?Name_________________ ______________(25)Professor______________Course________________Due Date______________Arranging Your Supporting PointsAfter you have brainstormed your topic and thesis statement for possible supporting points, you must arrange them in a logical (paragraph) order. You should arrange examples, details, and data that are related and that, therefore, will be included in the same paragraph. One way to organize your supporting information is to create a rough outline. Examine the following outline for a paper about reasons people might give for being unable to succeed in college and possible solutions.Excuse 1: Not being able to pay tuition Money a problem Found out about how inexpensive community college is Went to college web site to get information about the college.Excuse 2: Not being a good student in high school Grades bad in high school Wondering if college will accept student Found out that admission requirements are not that toughExcuse 3: Not being able to picture oneself in college No one in family has gone to college No friends are in college Fear—too old, may fail, look out-of-date Found that students, both older and younger, are returning to college Discovered that studying can be enjoyableAlthough an informal outline is helpful, a formal outline is even more useful. Organizing your ideas this way is the best way to prepare for an ic: Returning to college successfullyThesis Statement: Although they may experience doubts and fears, for many reasons, returning students can be successful in college.Some returning students may be unable to pay the tuition and book fees.Money a problemCommunity collegeTuition lowExpenses reasonableA number of returning students believe they will not succeed in college because they were not good students in high school. Bad gradesDid not care about high schoolDid not do homeworkAnxious about being admitted.Admission requirementsHigh school diplomaCounty residencePlacement testsSome people are unable to visualize themselves as college students.Family unhelpfulFriends not in collegeFear of goingToo old or too long out of high schoolMay be unable to keep up with assignmentsFears alleviatedMet other returning studentsFound out that studying is enjoyablePlease note that ALL Roman numeral divisions (I, II, III, IV) are complete sentences.Write a practice outline for your essay.Name______________________________ _____________(30)Professor_______________________________Course_________________________________Due Date_______________________________Identifying Your Main Idea and Stating Your ThesisAfter you have gather information about your topic, you need to decide what you want to say about it and what point you want to make. You can then express this point in a thesis statement: a single sentence that clearly expresses the central point that you will discuss in the rest of your ic Thesis StatementThree things I would change about If I could change three things aboutBakersfield College Bakersfield College, I would expand the food choices, decrease class size in first-year courses, and require professors to drop disruptive students.A Campus Recycling Project The recycling project recently implemented on this campus should be promoted more actively. Deciding to return to school Students who decide to return to college full-time can do so successfully.Like a paragraph’s topic sentence, an essay’s thesis statement tells readers what to expect. An effective thesis statement has two important characteristics.1.An effective thesis statement makes a point (takes a position) about a topic. For this reason, it must do more than state a fact or announce what you plan to write about.Statement of Fact Many older students are returning to college.Announcement In this essay, I am going to discuss the difficulties many students have when they return to college.Effective Thesis Statement Students who decide to return to college full-time can do so successfully.Statement of Fact My school has begun a campus-wide recycling project.Announcement In this paper, I will discuss the campus-wide recycling project.Effective Thesis Statement The recycling project recently implemented on this campus should be promoted more actively.A statement of fact is NOT an effective thesis statement because it takes NO position and give you (the writer) nothing to develop in your essay. After all, how much can you say about the fact that many older students are returning to college? Likewise, an announcement of what you plan to discuss gives the readers no idea what POSITION you are taking on your topic. An effective thesis statement articulates a central point around which your essay will be organized.2. An effective thesis statement is clearly worded, concise, and specific.Vague Thesis Statement Television commercials are not like real life.Effective Thesis Statement Television commercials do not accurately portray women or minorities.The vague thesis statement gives little indication of the ideas that the essay will evaluate. It does not say, for example, why television commercials are not realistic. The effective thesis statement is more focused. It signals that the essay will probably give examples of and statistics about television commercials that present unrealistic portrayals of women and minorities.PracticeIn the space provided, indicate whether each of the following items is a statement of fact (F), an announcement (A), a vague statement (VS), or an effective thesis statement (ET).Students who must commute a long distance to school are at a disadvantage compared to students who live close by. ___________In this paper, I will discuss cheating and why students should not cheat. ________Schools should establish specific policies that will discourage students from cheating._____________Cheating is a problem. ____________Television commercials are designed to sell products. __________I would like to explain why some television commercials are humorous. ________Single parents have a rough time. ____________An article in the newspaper says that young people are starting to abuse alcoholand drugs at earlier ages than in the past. ________Alcohol and drug abuse are major problems in our society. _________Families can use several strategies to help children avoid alcohol and drugs. _______PracticeLabel each of the following thesis statements as you did in the first practice. Then, revise the weak statements so that they are effective.Different types of amusement parks appeal to different types of people. ________Election Day should be a national holiday for three reasons._________Every fourth year, the United States elects a new president. _________My paper will prove that DVDs are better than videotapes. _____The largest fish in the sea is the whale shark. _________Scientists once believed that the dinosaurs were made extinct by the arrivalof a new Ice Age. ____________ NASCAR drivers should take steps to make their sport safer than it is._______This paper will discuss the increase in the number of women in the military sincethe 1970s. ____________ Movies provide great entertainment. _______________Computers have made communication easier for students and teachers. ________PracticeRewrite the following vague thesis statements.Email can save time.Airport security could be much better.Athletes are paid too much. PracticeWhat follows is a list of broad essay topics. Select five of these topics, narrow the focus, and write a thesis statement for them.Terrorism Required CoursesReality television Computer gamesUS Immigration Policies EducationMusic Street gangsDieting EuthanasiaSample # 1: Short, basic summary of non-fiction source.Summary: “Is Science Dangerous?”??????????? "Is Science Dangerous?" by Lewis Wolpert appeared in the March 25, 1999 issue of Nature. In this article, Wolpert insists that scientific knowledge has no moral or ethical value and that all it does is make a just society (3). ??????????? Wolpert tells the readers that they do not know the exact difference between science and technology. In actuality, science makes ideas about how the world works; scientists do not cause unethical behaviors. However, technology—such as the genetic engineering feats of human cloning, gene therapy, and genetically modified foods—can do so. Wolpert suggests some guidelines to reduce ethical problems: all scientific ideas should be criticized by others; knowledge should be used to do good, not evil; and government and the media should act correctly in carrying out the applications of science (3-5). ??????????? Therefore, in his article "Is Science Dangerous?," Wolpert explains that science itself is not dangerous and that the real danger depends on how safely science is applied and on how people respond to it. Fox’s note: As you can see in the example, the writer first introduces the source and the author’s thesis statement or central point. Then, the major supporting details are paraphrased. All examples from the source are properly cited with MLA in text citations. Finally, the student includes a general conclusion. Please note that NO personal opinion is included in the summary. The second example is a much longer, more thorough summary, but the same information is included, and the same organizational structure is followed.Sample # 2: Long summary Summary: "National Security Justifies Censorship" ???????? The article, "National Security Justifies Censorship" by Elmo R. Zumwalt and James G. Zumwalt, appears in Censorship (2005), a book in the Opposing Viewpoints series.? Zumwalt and Zumwalt assert that information that is secret and vital to the security of the nation should not be released to the press (68). ?? ???? Although many journalists contend that the First Amendment guarantees unrestricted printing freedom, the authors believe the press has gained more power than the framers of the Constitution foresaw and therefore neglected to install safe guards that would protect national security. According to the authors, the power of the media has gone far past what the constitutional framers expected; consequently, several acts since the writing of the Constitution have been implemented to deal with the lack of protection regarding national security. Zumwalt and Zumwalt continue to affirm that even though significant risk exists when confidential information is released to the press, this danger has remained unresolved by the courts (69). ???? The authors cite an example to prove this point. The CIA during the Reagan administration recognized Muhamar Quadaffi as a known terrorist and a potential threat to national security in a classified document. The Washington Post somehow had the document disclosed to them, and they soon published the information. Several months after the operation had been abandoned, the CIA found Quadaffi responsible for the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque. Military action had to be taken because of the earlier release of the classified document. The operation resulted in military casualties (Zumwalt and Zumwalt 70-73).?? The authors then offer a two-part solution: (1) make the publication of classified information a punishable offense, and (2) incorporate a "code of ethics" into media guidelines that safeguards national security (75). Zumwalt and Zumwalt conclude by discussing how ethics are the responsibility of good journalism (77-78).Thus, Elmo R. Zumwalt and James G. Zumwalt assert that the media are overpowered and the national security is underprotected. They believe that the government and the media must take steps to assure a disaster does not occur. Always cite all examples from the text. Include a Works Cited at the end of the long formal summary. Keep in mind that these summaries reflect student work and may, therefore, contain some errors. Always follow your professor’s instructions. ................
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