Download - 1 Mastering the Mechanics of Writing Hillary Wentworth Writing Specialist Walden Writing Center
1
Mastering the Mechanics of Writing
Hillary WentworthWriting SpecialistWalden Writing Center
22
Questions and Recording
• Type in the Questions box• Access captioning
• Download slides• View recordinghttp://
writingcenter.waldenu.edu/415.htm
33
Session Overview
• Parts of a sentence• Punctuation• Problem Areas• Grammarly
44
Parts of a Sentence
Subject + verb = sentence
Wilson (2012) researched.
Now let’s build on that foundation.
SubjectSubject
VerbVerb
55
Parts of a Sentence
Core sentence: Wilson (2012) researched.
Wilson (2012) researched student motivation.
Wilson (2012) researched student motivation in a higher education setting.
Direct objectDirect object
PrepositionPreposition
66
Parts of a Sentence
Core sentence: Wilson (2012) researched.
Because of low state test scores, Wilson (2012) researched student motivation.
Types of modifiers: adjectives, adverbs, phrases.
ModifierModifier
77
Consistency
Subject-Verb Agreement
The number of recent patient falls have inspired Hospital X nurses to seek out greater training in prevention.
Cross out everything but simple subject and verb.
88
Consistency
Noun-Pronoun Agreement
In the business world, a manager must demonstrate transformative leadership so that they retain employees and remain ethical.
11
2+2+
99
Consistency
VerbsA student reporting the literature:In his article, Jones (2011) stated that
cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most effective approach for bipolar disorder. He writes that counselors can retrain the pathways of the brain.
wrote
1010
Consistency
VerbsA student discussing proposed research:For this qualitative study, I will use a
phenomenological design. This design would allow me to research the lived experiences of coal miners in Ohio. will
1111
ClausesDependent Clause• phrase with a subject and verb BUT NOT a
complete thought• dependent on the core sentenceCommon DC signals: although, because, when,
whereas, while Although Jackson and Tudor (2010) found that
females perform better at mathematics than males, they acknowledged the limitations of their study.
1212
ClausesIndependent Clause• phrase with a subject and verb AND a
complete thought• forms the core sentenceAlthough Jackson and Tudor (2010) found that
females perform better at mathematics than males, they acknowledged the limitations of their study.
1313
Poll and Pause
1414
PunctuationCommas1.Serial Comma• Comma that appears right before the
and or or in lists of three or more items.
Educators use lesson plans to prepare content, guide instruction, and ensure alignment with standards.
,
1515
PunctuationCommas2. Comma w/ nonessential info• Common signals: which, who, --ing wordThe hospital, which treats 200,000 people
annually, is located in central Michigan.
The students responded well to the writing prompt, composing stories of two to three pages in length.
,
1616
PunctuationCommas3.Comma w/ introductory phrase
Despite improvements in the national health indicators, maternal health status remains unsatisfactory.
During the 2008 global financial crisis, retail sales plummeted.
Notice that a comma gets a pause.
,
1717
Punctuation
Commas4. Comma joining two independent
clauses with a conjunctionConjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
I conducted semistructured interviews with each participant, and then I transcribed the recording.
,
1818
Punctuation; SemicolonsConnect two independent clauses:
no conjunction needed
A counselor uses both verbal and nonverbal communication to judge a client’s well-being; the body often reveals more than the voice does.
Common signals: therefore, however
1919
Punctuation: ColonsIntroduce a list—but only after a
complete thought.
To obtain Magnet status, hospitals must make continued progress in several areas: standards of service, evidence-based practice, and nurse leadership.
2020
Punctuation- HyphensLink two words to form a compound
adjective (a description)
At XYZ Middle School, the sixth-grade students rotate amongst four teachers.
2121
Punctuation- Hyphen Tips
Hyphen:All self words: self-esteem, self-conscious, self-
analysis
No hyphen:Prefixes non, pre, post, anti, semi, co, and moreExamples: Nontraditional, pretest, coworker
2222
Punctuation
ApostrophesHelp show ownership
‘
Jacobsen’s study• Meaning the study by Jacobsen
Students’ pretests• Meaning the pretests of the students
No apostrophe for plural nouns (including year and abbreviations)• In the 1980s, Gardner developed…
ELLs
2323
Poll and Pause
Questions?
2424
Common Problem AreasThat v. Which
That: Essential to sentence meaning•for instance, when defining one item
amongst others.The article that I read last night was most
closely aligned with my own study.Which: Nonessential info and asides. W/ commas.
The article that I read last night, which spanned 25 pages, was most closely
aligned with my own study.
2525
Common Problem Areas
That v. WhoThat: for objects and abstract things
The theory that informs my dissertation is Jean Watson’s theory of caring.
Who: for peopleStudents who are kinesthetic learners
internalize ideas by moving their bodies.
2626
Common Problem AreasAffect v. Effect
Affect: actionThe earthquake in Japan affected the
entire world.Effect: Event (hint: it will usually come with
the or a.) The effects of Japan’s earthquake will
be seen by future generations.
2727
Common Problem AreasSince v. BecauseSince: time
Since I was 10 years old, I have wanted to study public health and work at the CDC.
Because: cause-effect relationshipBecause I want to work at the CDC, I
have enrolled in the public health program at Walden University.
2828
Common Problem AreasClauses
Awkward: Use of differentiated instruction, because of recent studies in peer-reviewed journals, is increasing rapidly in middle-school classrooms.
Revised: Because of recent studies in peer-reviewed journals, use of differentiated instruction is increasing rapidly in middle-school classrooms.
Revised: Use of differentiated instruction is increasing rapidly in middle-school classrooms because of recent studies in peer-reviewed journals.
2929
Common Problem AreasModifiers
The patient went to the clinic with many medical conditions.
A clinic with medical conditions? That doesn’t sound good!
Revision: The patient with many medical conditions went to the clinic.
3030
Common Problem AreasListsNot parallel: To obtain Magnet status, hospitals must maintain high standards of service, implement evidence-based practice, and allowing staff input.
Parallel: To obtain Magnet status, hospitals must maintain high standards of service, implement evidence-based practice, and allow staff input.
3131
Common Problem AreasPassive Voice
Passive: The study participants will be given 20-question Likert-style surveys.Given by whom?
Active: I will give the participants 20-question Likert-style surveys.
3232
Poll and Pause
3333
Grammarly
• Automated grammar revision tool accessible from the Writing Center website.
• Free for Walden students.
• Does not “fix” paper; instead, provides instruction that corresponds to errors noted in the writing.
3434
GrammarlyGuide: http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/Documents/GrammarandELL/Grammarly_Tutorial.pdf
1. Copy from MS Word document.2. Paste into Grammarly box [Click “Allow”].3. A few minutes later, receive highlighted areas for improvement.Let’s try the program with a sample piece of writing…
3535
Did you know?
Webinar ArchiveWebinar Archive