Formal versus Informal

You're a college student, writing papers for college. You've submitted a few, and your instructor keeps telling you that your papers need to be more formal.

Formal? What does that mean? Should you be dressing up while you write?

No, of course not!

What we mean when we say formal is an issue of tone. When you're writing for fun or creatively, formality doesn't really matter. In fact, some creative writers ignore some of the more common grammar rules. However, when you're writing for a college course, you need to adhere to grammar rules, and your work needs to have a formal tone.

So, what's the difference between formal and informal tone?

So far, this blog entry has had a rather informal tone. I've used contractions. I've used a fragment. I've used a bit of levity. Formal writing does not use contractions or slang. It does not include jargon or colloquialisms. It is written in third person (he, she, they, one).

An informal paragraph might read something like:

When I read the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, my first thought was that it had a lot of imagery. He writes about yellow woods and grassy and wanted wear. This seems to make it clear that the setting is a wood in the fall. But the most important thing I see is how the entire poem is a metaphor for the choices we make. Every day, we have tons of decisions, and we need to be sure we make the right ones. When Frost stands at the fork in the road, he has to make a choice not really knowing what the result will be. We too need to make choices, but we're not sure what will happen.

A formal take on the same paragraph might read something like:

Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" includes imagery and metaphor. His use of words such as yellow wood and grassy and wanted wear invoke the image of a dense wood in the middle of autumn. More important than the imagery, however, is the extended metaphor of the narrator's having to make a choice: Which of the two roads should he take? Just as the narrator faces a choice and an unknown destination, so the reader makes similar choices, uncertain of the result.

While you're certainly free to write how you choose in personal or creative writing (although I would still argue that you should still follow the rules of grammar any time you write!), it is imperative that you practice formality in your academic writing.

Finally, if you really want to know what a formal tone is like, read an entry from an academic journal. You can't get much more formal than that!

As always, if you have additional questions, feel free to send me an email.

Keep pen to paper!
Prof. Rinehart

Gerunds ... using "-ing' verbs

Well, hello ...

It's been a while since I gave a grammar tip. Hectic times.

As I was thinking about what I wanted to share with you, I decided to focus on a lesser-known concept: the Gerund.

Simply put, a gerund is a -ing verb. For example:

swimming
driving
eating

Gerunds function as nouns and can be used as subjects, direct objects, and objects of prepositions.

Subjects:

Running is my favorite way to exercise.
Singing is her greatest pleasure.

Direct objects:

My dogs do not like bathing.
Sharon wants to do more traveling.

Objects of prepositions:

Karen wrote a book about cooking.
Annie won first prize for acting. 

A key when using a gerund is using the possessive form of the noun or pronoun that precedes it. Because the gerund is a noun, your sentence needs to be structured correctly. So, if you wrote a sentence like:

I like your dress, you'd know to use the possessive form of the pronoun, right? Dress is a noun, so you'd use the possessive form of the pronoun. Easy!

However, we often see sentences written like:

Her family loves Karen cooking.
Joe enjoys his sister playing the piano.

Do these look right to you? If so, ask yourself: How are the words cooking and playing functioning in the sentences? Hopefully, you can see they're functioning as nouns; therefore, they're gerunds. Cooking and playing are things (as in "people, places, or things") not actions. So, the sentences should be:

My family loves Karen's cooking.
Joe enjoys his sister's playing the piano.

Do you see the difference?

Your goal as a writer is to look closely at each sentence you write and make certain you're using the correct structure. So when you find yourself using an -ing verb, ask yourself: Is this word functioning as a verb? Or as a noun? If it's the latter, then make certain you're using the possessive form of the noun or pronoun that precedes it.

If this isn't clear, feel free to comment (and if you're a Liberty student, send me an email via my Liberty email address).

As always, keep pen to paper!

Prof. Rinehart

Turabian Formatting

The last two blogs have dealt with the two more common styles: MLA and APA. Today, we're looking at the least common, but one that is used by Liberty students who are majoring in religious studies or similar.

I have to be honest ... I am not well-versed in Turabian. In fact, whenever I have a student who writes according to Turabian requirements, I have to research and view those standards.

So, instead of trying to communicate something with which I'm not familiar, I'm just going to point you to a couple of sources that I think might be helpful.

The first comes from The University of Texas at San Antonio. This first link includes basic formatting information (margins, headers, etc.). This link shows you a sample paper. This final link is a sample of a paper for a Liberty grad student.

My recommendation is for you to review these sources carefully before (and while) writing your paper.

Keep pen to paper!

Prof. Rinehart

APA Formatting

Last time, we focused on formatting according to MLA standards. Today, let's take a look at the other more common formatting requirements: APA.

Just as we asked with MLA, why APA? While MLA is used more often by those in the arts:

“Most disciplines in the social sciences – psychology, sociology, political science, and economics – use the name-and-date system of documentation put forth by the American Psychological Association . . . this citation style highlights the dates of publication because the currency of published material is of primary importance in these disciplines.”
(The College Writer's Reference, Fulwiler et al, 2001, pp. 375-376)   

So how do you make certain you're following the proper guidelines? First, if you're one of my Liberty students, check out the resources that are available through the library and online sources. Second, visit one of my favorite sites for APA (OWL: APA Formatting). Finally, for a quick overview, review the following:

 

If you have any questions about APA formatting, talk to your instructor BEFORE you submit any papers.

Next time, we'll have a brief overview of a less-common style: Turabian.

Keep pen to paper!

Prof. Rinehart
                    

MLA Formatting

When you write an essay for a class, you'll be asked to format it according to one of the accepted styles for academic writing. If you're one of my students, those styles include MLA, APA, and Turabian. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to focus on each of them. Since MLA is the more common style for English and Liberal Arts courses, I'll start with it. Once you grasp its requirements, you shouldn't have any problems with proper formatting.

The first question you may have, though, is why MLA?

Now that you understand the "why," let's move on to the "how."

Follow these slides as they direct you through user-friendly steps:

 

I've covered the basic in-text formatting, but you might have a source that is different than those mentioned. A good resource that addresses many different types of resources is Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL).

Now on to some general MLA formatting requirements:

I highly recommend that you set up an MLA template that pre-sets these requirements. Here's a guide through that set-up:

Your first page should look something like this (NOTE: Some assignments may also require a title page, but that should not take the place of this first page formatting):

Finally, you need to make certain your Works Cited list captures each source that you have referenced in your essay (whether you summarized, paraphrased, or quoted directly). Make certain it is formatted correctly!

Please note that you don't include the entire web address if your source was found online!

I know it seems complicated, but if you follow these steps, you should have no problem formatting your essays correctly ... which will make your English instructor very, very happy!

If APA is your required style, come back in a week or so, and I'll take it step-by-step.

Keep pen to paper!

Prof. Rinehart

I'm a bit ... possessive!

Sometimes, I am rather shocked when I see how some of my students seem to have forgotten ... or were never taught ... what I think are just basic grammar concepts.

One of these is possessives ... a simple use of a tiny piece of punctuation. Leaving out a simple apostrophe makes a HUGE difference, yet many students don't seem to use it correctly. Without that simple apostrophe, your reader usually thinks you're writing a plural noun.

For example:

I need to buy my dog's food. This means I need to buy the food that belongs to my one and only dog.

VERSUS

I need to buy my dogs food. This means I need to buy food for two or more dogs.

See the difference? Without the possessive form, you can cause confusion for your reader, and what do I often say? The only way you can tell your reader what you want him to know is how you use your words.

Making words possessive is really very simple.

Use #1:

When you have a singular noun that does NOT end in an -s, add an apostrophe AND an -s:

It is my dog's toy.
The girl's hat is cute.
Marie's dress is lovely.

Use #2:

When you have a singular noun that DOES end in an -s ... well, opinions differ about this. Some recommend that an apostrophe and an -s be added to common nouns (e.g., the class's homework, the bus's schedule), but only an apostrophe to proper nouns (e.g., Jones' car, Ross' computer). Others adhere to the "sound" rule: If when you speak out loud, you'd pronounce the -s, then put the apostrophe AND the -s; otherwise, just put the -s.  For example:

You might not say Mrs. Herringses house, so you would write Mrs. Herrings' house.
However, you might say Mr. Joneses boat, so you would write Mr. Jones's boat.

The main "rule of thumb" is to be consistent.

Use #3:

When you have a plural noun that does NOT end with an -s, add an apostrophe AND an -s:

The children's playground is not open.
The women's club meets on Tuesdays.

Use #4:

When you have a plural noun that DOES end with an -s, add an apostrophe ONLY:

The classes' schedules are now posted.
The dogs' water bowls are empty.

Use #5:

When two or more nouns possess the same thing, add an apostrophe AND an -s to the last noun listed:

Karen and Tom's house is for sale.
The coach and the team's bus is late.

EXCEPTIONS:

Apostrophes are NOT used with possessive pronouns: yours, ours, theirs, his, hers, its.

NOTE: Don't confuse the contractions you're (you are) and it's (it is) with their possessive forms yours and its.

You're going to buy your car from whom?
It's the dog playing with its toy.

I can't encourage you enough to keep an eye out for this simple concept. It will make such a difference in your writing!

Keep pen to paper!

Prof. Rinehart

Modifiers ... don't misplace them or let them dangle!

Hello everyone!

It's been a few weeks since my last posting. With classes and doing a bit of community theater, it's been a bit hectic. Things are calming down, though, so (hopefully), I'll be able to keep up with a more "normal" blog schedule!

Today, we're going to talk about an issue that sometimes comes up with modifiers, such as adverbs and adjectives (see posting on 7/26/13 for more about these).

When used properly, they enhance your writing. When used improperly, however, they can confuse your reader ... or just make them laugh!

Misplaced Modifiers:






Dangling Modifiers:




Limiting Modifiers:



Other Modifier Issues:




As I often say, the only way you can communicate with your readers is how you use your words. If you want to communicate clearly, keep an eye on those modifiers!

Keep pen to paper!

Prof. Rinehart

The Writing Process (steps three through seven)

Last time, we finished up step two of the seven-step writing process. As I mentioned, if you master the first two steps, you'll lay a solid foundation for any academic essay ... and that's before you really begin writing!

Now you can really put pen to paper.

Step Three: Drafting

Once you've determined your subject, purpose, and audience, and you've developed a solid thesis and outline, you can begin writing your essay. [NOTE: Take a look at the blog "Academic Essays ..." for more information on what an academic essay should look like ... more or less.]

Using your outline as a guideline, draft a solid introductory paragraph, including your thesis statement. Then, draft your body and concluding paragraphs. The key is: While you want to write as clearly as possible, don't worry about perfect grammar or punctuation. You'll cover that in steps five through seven. The point of drafting is to get your thoughts on paper.




Step Four: Incubating

This step is often skipped, but is oh-so important. Many students begin the revision process right after they finish their rough draft. The problem is, when they go right back to the draft, they're still in draft mode, so they often miss errors and flow issues.

Incubating allows you to step away from your draft and then come back with fresh eyes.  This may be the one and only time you have a professor giving you permission to go and play for a while, so take advantage of it!



Step Five: Revising

When you get done playing, come back and look at your essay objectively before moving on. HELPFUL HINT: READ YOUR PAPER OUT LOUD. If every student did this during the next three steps, I GUARANTEE he or she would correct many errors and submit better papers!

Once you've read your work out loud (I really do recommend this!), move on to step five. This is what I like to call the "macro-revision." Ask questions like:

• Do the paragraphs flow smoothly?
• Does each point support my thesis?
• Do I have enough support?
• Have I included relevant information?
• Should I move any paragraphs for logical flow?

This step allows you to take a big-picture look at your essay and revise accordingly.



Step Six: Editing

Once you've looked at your essay overall (and made any large adjustments), look at your essay paragraph by paragraph. Ask questions like:

• Are my sentences structured correctly?
• Do I have any comma splices or run-ons?
• Am I using the right words to say what I want to say?
• Am I being concise? Or too wordy?
• Do my paragraphs flow?

Step Seven: Proofing

This step puts the final touches on your essay. I recommend you read your paper out loud again as you keep an eye out for punctuation and spelling errors. I do recommend you use the resources available with your word processor; however, do not rely on them! Spell check only catches spelling errors, not words that aren't used correctly. So, for example, it would catch:

I don't think thair car is here. (Thair is misspelled.)

But it would think the following sentence is spelled correctly (which it is):

I don't think there car is here. (However, while there is spelled correctly, it is not the correct word.)

It is YOUR responsibility to make certain your final paper is as correctly- and well-written as possible.



Writing is a skill to be learned, so I encourage you to use all tools available to you in order to be as effective a writer as I believe you can be!

Keep pen to paper!

Prof. Rinehart