GRAMMAR ARGHHH!!!

9/26/2013

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Dear Grammar,
Word can not express how much I despise thee. It is not about you personally but you are so so complex. I run and run yet I can't escape...it's a trap! 

Oh...I am sorry. You're there! Sorry about that but Grammar is just one of those things I really don't like that much but you know what? Like they say in Spanish: "Es un mal necesario!" We need it as part of our process and our learning of writing well and coherent or else people will only focus on your grammar and not on your content. 
For today we will be practicing our grammar! YAY!!! I have provided you with some links below that YOU MUST complete and provide the answer as a  blog entry. Check your self. ALL these exercises  provide you with the answers. DON'T Cheat and BE HONEST!! Answer the exercises and then look for the answers. What were your results? What do those results tell you?   

1. Sentence Fragments
2. Run- on, comma splices, and fused sentences
3. Subject and Verb Agreement 
4. Eliminating Wordiness
5. Eliminating Wordiness 2
6. Eliminating Wordiness 3
7. Prepositions
8. More Prepositions
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Feedback (Cont.)

9/24/2013

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Ok so you know by now that I usually check out the blogs in the morning and I haven't seen any REAL feedback on classmates' requested posts. Some of you have not posted what you want revised and what you want your classmates to focus on! And I said some...the majority of you are on track and ready to keep reading/ giving or providing feedback to your peers. 

To get you all started, here are some guidelines that may help out with this whoel:
1. Oxford University 
2. Guidelines for giving peer feedback
3. Giving constructive feedback for dummies


Take some of these things into consideration when giving feedback! You don't have to include everything. 

Important: 
Make sure you posted the "piece" you want revised and what you want to receive feedback on. You must have at least 10 comments regarding your post. Please make sure that you are choosing people from the list randomly. Don't go in order or else you all will be focusing on the same people. 
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FEEDBACK!!!

9/19/2013

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1. "Inquiring minds want to know about you"
2. "Find a cause"
3. Collegiate classification"
4. "For those about to rock, we salute you"
or
5. Soundtrack to your life

Look carefully and decide which you want. Once you have that done I want you to create a blog entry with the title you want to be polished AND what specific things you want your readers to focus on. I know you are your worst critic but sometimes/ most of the time/ all of the time you need to have a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th person come and tell you what you may not be seeing. 
This is an exercise in vulnerability. You are exposing yourself to the scrutiny of others. 
So we did another entry last class on the soundtrack to your life! How did you like it? It was fun but sort of challenging right? Well it is time to move on...sort of!
We will be talking in class a little about feedback and it's importance. Afterwards, you will have a chance to look into and revise ANY piece you feel you want to PUBLISH! Yes...I said it...PUBLISH! The publishing part is the final part so right now I want you to focus on that piece you want to publish. 
You can choose from:
Once you choose what you wish to publish, you are going to look at your peers blog and read what they want you to read. GIVE THEM FEEDBACK on what they asked for and suggest that they revise maybe things they didn't realized they needed to focus on. 


HAPPY WRITING!!
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Soundtrack to your life!

9/17/2013

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Unfortunately I won't be physically there with you for today. I was asked to get  a report done for a meeting I am to attend tomorrow; but, that doesn't mean that you don't have work to do! 
Last week we spoke about feedback. How do we receive it? How do we feel about receiving it and how we give it? We learned that we aren't always ready to give or receive feedback but on that same note, understand the importance of it when we are writing. 
After that I gave you time to catch up in your writings. You see how one day of not coming to class and not doing your work delays your process and progress in class? Information for you! 

Okay...today I want you do something fun! Are you ready? BUT before we have fun I need you to have at least provided feedback on 10 (TEN) blogs and have received feedback from at least TEN (10) of your classmates. If you haven't, it is YOUR responsibility to ask people to give you feedback! 
Now back to the assignment: 
I want you to compile the soundtrack to your LIFE! How? EASY! 
You are going to choose 15-20 songs that would/ could, can or at some point spoke to where you were at at some point in your life! YOU KNOW I am not just going to ask for a list of songs...you do know that right? You are going to provide your readers with a reason WHY that song is part of your list. You may include parts of the lyrics and videos if you wish. Prove to us, explain to us, make your case to us your readers as to WHY that song is there! You should go in chronological order and NO repeats in your list. You can't have the same song twice! You follow me? And out of you list, choose that theme song of your life! Which one song is your theme song! WHY???
Okay I believe you have a TON of work to do so get started ASAP and please...STOP falling behind. Coming to class is MANDATORY and NOT optional! You got me? Decide whether or not this class is for you!!!
See you on Thursday! I am in my office if you  need me okay? I'll be coming up shortly to pass attendance! 

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Catching up or moving on!

9/12/2013

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Good morning everyone! I was browsing through your blogs this morning and I was laughing my head off with what most you wrote responding to the blog article on UPR men. I found them witty and insightful! 
I also noticed that some of you are WAY behind although I am pleased to announce that NOT ALL of you are!! More than half of you are UP TO DATE!! You guys have no idea how that makes me feel. 
Now, that does mean that what you wrote was completely perfect. Writing is all about the actual writing AND receiving and providing feedback! It's not a one shot deal. It's all a process! 
For today you can do one of two things: 
1. Catch up on your blog entries...which I would highly suggest if you are behind.
2. Give feedback on your peer's blog. Now I want you to be honest about what you read. It's not about saying things like "Oh, I really like your writing!" or "Nice job". I want you to be critical. If it's good, what's so good about it? Vocabulary? Sentence structure? Choice of phrases? 
If something is missing, what is missing? Conclusion? Introduction? Transitional sentences? 
Are there too many grammatical mistakes? Are thoughts incomplete? Do you feel that the entry is complete?
FEEDBACK IS FEEDBACK! Try to impact as many blogs as possible. 
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WELCOME BACK AFTER THE "mini" VACATIONS...

9/10/2013

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2) As I was frantically wasting my time away on Facebook this morning I came across this interesting piece of writing: 

A Collegiette's Classification of UPR Men

I found it to quite interesting I would love it if you could write back to her...NOT on the her page but on yours. I want you to voice how you feel about her writing. Do you find her funny? Is it true what she's exposing? Would any of those classifications change for you? Would you add anything? 
If you were to describe the GIRLS of this University like Ms. .Thurin did the boys, would it look the same? Would it be the same? 
Have fun...write something similar but in your point of view...be it guys or girls. Would you dare? C'mon, I DARE YOU!!
You could it even do it about students according to their UPR Campuses....
1) Ok so we all made a BIG deal about this "thing" called Gabrielle coming close or passing over our island but nothing happened...well something happened... WE GOT A DAY OFF!!! YAY!!! Although we all know that we will be making it up down the line. It's all good. 
Well now back to business. Last class we all had the chance of looking up and writing about the music that we enjoy. For the first half hour (1/2 hour) of the class you are going to visit blogs. I want you to provide feedback and comment about what that other person wrote. We are NOT commenting on their taste in music please. So if someone wrote about the "Justin Beiber"...it's ok...there is no need to shoot ANYONE!! LOL! ;-) Who do you share musical tastes with? Who is your complete opposite? 
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"For those about to rock, we salute you"- ACDC

9/3/2013

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Ok...this class is a little "more" research oriented than INGL 3231 so we need to begin somewhere! Your first "mini" research assignment. 
1. Choose THREE of your favorite bands, artists, singer, group, orchestra, choir...(get it right?) 
Tell your reader: What makes them your favorite? When do you listen to "them, it, him/her"? Since when have you been a fan? What is it about their or that music that moves you? What makes them relevant, important, classic...? What kind of mood does it put you in? Have you ever been to their concert? 

2. Look into at least 3 sites (FOR EACH) on the internet regarding those bands, artists, group, orchestra, choir that you chose. For example: If you happen to have a taste for Miley Cyrus, One Direction and Justin Beiber (YOU ARE IN THE WRONG CLASS!!! Just KIDDING!!!) You are going to choose 3 sites (fan sites or her personal site NO WIKIPEDIA PLEASE!!! Maybe Wikipedia would be useful because they include links that could guide your research but please don't you use it a source...) for Miley Cyrus. The same for One Direction and the same for Justin Beiber. 

3. What information does that site have?
You will provide a link to those sites and tell me what you found. Summarize what you found in each site. Did you like it? Was it user friendly? Did it give the info that you expected? What were you expecting to find? Is any information missing? 
Now...let me answer the question that somehow ALWAYS comes up: My band is not popular and has no site? Ok... well what if you were to create a site. What would it have? What pictures would you include? What info do you believe would be necessary to have a site?    

4. Analyze this activity. In this part of the activity include, when available, quotes the artist has been known for or your favorite parts of their songs. A video could be nice too just in case you think we might like it! What did you learn about your favorite band, artist, singer? Who else is as much a fan as you? Why is the internet such an important tool for musicians? In what ways could it be detrimental to an artist? 
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