[130 words]
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Flash from the Past: Book Reviews for 2nd Semester
This is a snapshot of 2nd semester book review notes from last year (2010-11). Though the due date undoubtedly will change this year (2011-12), the guidelines and no-no's remain the same.
[33 words]
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Self-Intro. Mind-Map
This is a map of the topics from my first essay, a letter to a host family. The main points are my family and our pet, and me, my school, my hobbies, and my favorite things.
 | ||||
| Map from My Letter to a Host Family |
[45 words]
Self-Intro. Mind-Map
[Explain the map and how you made it, briefly, about here.]
 | |
| Mind Map of Topics from My Letter to a Homestay Family |
[23 words]
Friday, October 7, 2011
New Link: Learn English with Comics
There's a new link in the Writing Studio Blog sidebar:
It leads to a blog loaded with posts in comic strip form to help learners understand phrasal verbs. Clicking on the graphic below will take you there.
I'd like to extend thanks to Carla Arena for point[ing] this out on her blog (Collablogatorium, September 27, 2011).
[54 words]
Classic Number with a Classy Dame?
What do you think of this duet?
"Music video by Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga performing The Lady Is A Tramp / © 2011 Sony Music Entertainment" (YouTube: Published on Oct 3, 2011 by tonybennettVEVO).
[34 words]
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Comments and Advice: September 2011
Hello, everyone! Welcome back to the Writing Studio Blog.
In the left column of the table below is a collection of comments that I'd posted on individual blogs during or just after the summer recess, including a number of suggestions for revising and improving posts. Those without dates and links were pending moderator approvals when I collected them (from previews). They are all in chronological order (earliest to latest). In the right column are generalizations from those comments to advice for all of you to continue to follow. So please read this entire post carefully.
Then, if you have any concerns or questions about those comments, either on your own posts or on those of your classmates or peers, please voice them in class or spell them out in comments on this post. The same goes for the advice and suggestions for everyone. Last but not least, please keep checking your blog dashboards for comments awaiting moderation, and show and tell me in class if you get any that you think are comment spam.
Thank you for your continuing cooperation.
Comments for Individuals | Advice for All |
| Hi Sakurako, If what you have in this post is a quotation (possibly a preface for a book review), you need to mark the quotation as such (and shorten it), for example, "...[O]ne day, a dazzling new songbird arrives..., and the Emperor has eyes for nothing else" (p. n). Book reviews also need APA-style references. Cheers, PB 2011年8月5日16:13 | Start book reviews with brief quotations that are likely to attract readers attention.
|
| Oh yeah, I almost forgot! The "n" in parentheses in my previous comment is a placeholder for the number of the page where you got the quotation. I'd also like to remind you that book reviews you do now (Aug. – Sep.) will count for fall semester, and, last but not least, ask you [to] share what you learn from comments like this with your classmates and peers. Cheers, PB 2011年8月5日16:21 | For an explanation of factors scores for book reviews you post early this semester, please review the Writing Studio Blog, Book Reviews: Factors to Consider (August 1, 2011). |
| pab さんのコメント... Hi, Yudai! It is a pleasure to see you tackling serious topics here on your blog. Your remark at the end about discussing such things with your friends lead me to wonder whether there is any place special that you like to go to do that. Cheers, PB. 2011年9月20日火曜日10:21:00 JST ...2011/09/big-earthquake-in-japan | Include information you expect readers to need or want to know. Provide details and give examples. |
| pab さんのコメント... Takahiro, Is this some sort of machine translation? Please let me know in a follow-up comment ASAP. Cheers, PB [Sep 22, 2011] | Open your blog at least every other day. Please approve comments waiting for moderation within 48 hours, and respond in follow-up comments. [Note: Takahiro has responded to my question in a follow-up comment.] |
| pab さんのコメント... Shiori's right! You should use three or more labels on every post. Other possible labels for this post would be composition and free-writing. You also need to include word counts on every post. Counting words when you post will make it easy to tally them up for your Proto-Portfolio entries each month. Please put them in square brackets, aligned flush right, on the last line of every post. Cheers, PB 2011年9月22日13:42 ...2011/09/reflections-on-writing-iii.html | Include word counts and labels on every post. See the Writing Studio Blog for model posts showing where to put word counts (last line, aligned right). Choose labels suited to each post. If you're not sure about which labels to use, please ask for suggestions in class. |
| pab さんのコメント... Hi Natsumi, It sounds like you took some sort of nation-wide certification or qualification exam. I gathered it was challenging, but I couldn't figure out who or what the exam was for. So please let us know more. For example, what subjects where on the exam, and how long did (each part of) it last? Cheers, PB 2011年9月27日火曜日13:38:00 JST | Include information readers will need or want to know. Organize that information in a way that makes it easy to understand how one topic relates to the next. For example: General to specific, for example:
Other organizational schemes you can use are: Time sequence
Order of importance
|
[851 words]
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
BR 2-01: Robin Hood (Swan, 1989)
This book has many stories about Robin Hood. They come from folk tales about an outlaw, who was a hero of the people. I like folk stories, and I've watched Disney's animated film version (1973). So I decided to read this book.
At first I was surprised, because the pictures in the book were very different from the Disney's images. Other points were the same. For example, Robin Hood had many friends, but also powerful enemies. The Sheriff of Nottingham tried to catch Robin, and the King of England wanted him dead. I won't tell you what happened. You can read the book, and find out for yourself. I will tell you that I was surprised again.
This book is easy to read. Swan (1989) uses a 500 word vocabulary, and puts New Words in the back (pp. 55-57). You can read one story at a time. Color pictures with many of them show key events in the stories.
I liked this book a lot. I think you will, too. If you do, then maybe we can watch the classic film version (Warner Brothers, 1938) together!
Reference
Swan, D. K. (1989). Robin Hood [Longman Classics, Stage 1]. Harlow, England: Longman Group.
[232 words]
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Wow, What Did I Miss? (2nd sem., day one)
In case you're not back from your summer holidays (or forgot classes started today, like I did about this time last year :-), here is a snapshot of class notes reflecting what we did. The main activities and assignments today covered accuracy (labeling issues), fluency (free-writing and extensive writing), portfolio (PF) foundation building, and homework.
To get a closer look, please click on the graphic (above). To find out details, please ask a classmate or peer who attended. If you have questions about classwork and other assignments shown here, questions your classmates and peers cannot answer, please post them in comments on this post.
Last but not least, please plan to attend every class meeting for the rest of the semester, or to gather this sort of information on your own from now on. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
See you next week!
[145 words]
Monday, September 12, 2011
Nancy and Suzy Explore Twitter
"...[A]n online interaction designer, facilitator and coach... working with a puppet" to help people get a handle on social media (Community Matters, Vimeo, Wed, Feb 16, 2011):
from CommunityMatters on Vimeo.
Twitterers out there: Are they telling it like it is?
[50 words]
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Business Writing Tips - Grammar Basics: Periods, Commas and Semicolons
Following a three-part series on email on the ULiveandLearn blog, Email Etiquette and Guidelines, offering a total of 15 tips (for example, Part Three), Always Learning has started a series of Grammar Basics punctuation guides. Recently these guides have focused on commas in particular. The brief explanations and examples are well worth a look:
- Business Writing Tips - Grammar Basics: Periods, Commas and Semicolons
- Eight rules for periods include ellipses (2011.07.21)
- Business Writing Tips - Grammar Basics: Commas
- Four rules for commas (2011.07.28)
- Business Writing Tips - Grammar Basics: Commas Used in Series
- Rules 6-7 for commas (2011.08.04)
- Business Writing Tips - Grammar Basics: Interrupting Commas
- Rule 5 for commas (2011.08.11)
- ...
If you go to the ULiveandLearn website, and sign up for free membership, you can get weekly email notification of new writing tips. Tips for using semi-colons should be coming soon!
[152 words]
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Good PowerPoint Design (Osterwalder)
Modeling design principles for business presenters, Ostewalder showed and told it all in 135 slides, including step-by-step builds and appendices (Slideshare, "two years ago" [relative date]). He cut to the chase to introduce four basic rules on slides 15-18, then elaborated on each.
The highlight for me was the audience profiling tool, a graphic organizer, that Ostewalder introduced on slides 42-46. Try it out!
- Audience's perspective (slide 24, ff.)
- Content and structure – Tell a story. (slide 51, ff.)
- Visual design – Keep it simple. (slide 83, ff.)
- Delivery – a performance for guests (slide 104, ff.)
The highlight for me was the audience profiling tool, a graphic organizer, that Ostewalder introduced on slides 42-46. Try it out!
Good PowerPoint Design - for business presenters
View more presentations from Alexander Osterwalder
[116 words]
Monday, August 1, 2011
Book Reviews: Factors to Consider
This post is to remind you how factors work in your Proto-Portfolio spreadsheets. The screenshots below show example factor scores for book reviews (BRs) completed at various times during first semester.
Screenshot 1 shows what the factor score would be for 12 BRs, if you did two each month. Screenshot 2 show[s] the factor score for 10 BRs completed early in the semester. Screenshot 3 shows the factor score for the same number of book reviews (10) completed late in the semester.
The same factors apply on 2nd semester spreadsheets:
- Each BR completed during the 1st two months counts as 1.50 BRs.
- Each BR completed during the 2nd two months counts as 1.25 BRs.
- Each BR completed during the 3rd two months counts as only 1 BR.
So, if you have time to spare this summer, it would be a great idea to get started reading books and writing reviews for 2nd semester.
Screenshot 1: 12 BRs – same number every month
 |
| Factor score = 15 |
Screenshot 2: 10 BRs – early in semester
 |
| Factor score = 14.25 |
Screenshot 3: 10 BRs – late in semester
 |
| Factor score = 10.75 |
[190 words]
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Comments for everyone to read and heed, with no further adieu!
[Comments and remarks in the table below focus on word counts and labels for blog posts.]
| Comments | Remarks |
|---|---|
| pab さんは書きました... Hi Saori, You're not counting lyrics in this post as your words, are you? I see only about 45 words in your intro. to this song. That's barely 15% of 285 words. Cheers, PB 2011年7月17日21:55 | On Kimigasuki~Love you~ post(2011年6月21日火曜日) |
| pab さんは書きました... Hello again, Saori. Would you please reserve the label "free-writing" for assignments in preparation for more formal writing such as essays. Please use the label "links" only on posts that include hyperlinks, and "media" only on posts that include media. Cheers, PB 2011年7月17日21:48 | Recommendations for labels to use and when to use them are on the Writing Studio Blog, Labels and Links page. |
| pab さんは書きました... Hi Saori, You're not counting Ketsumeishi's words as your words, are you? I see only about 94 words in your intro. to this song. That's barely 15% of 615 words. Cheers, PB 2011年7月17日21:43 | On Life is beautiful post (2011年6月22日水曜日) |
| pab さんは書きました... | On Song of thanks (2011年7月2日土曜日) |
| pab said... Would you please use the label "essays" only for formal writing assignments that the whole class does: 1-01a-b, 1-02a-b, 1-03a-b, ...? I'd also appreciate a response to my May 20, 2011, comment on your essay 1-02a. Thank you. PB | Recommendations for labels to use and when to use them are on the Writing Studio Blog, Labels and Links page. |
[Note: Comment dates without links represent previews on blogs where approvals are pending.]
[322 + 29 words]Saturday, July 16, 2011
APA Style Blog: Punctuating the Reference List Entry
[32 words]
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Basic Format for Motion Picture References: Have a Go!
Here is a basic APA-style formatting guide for motion picture references:
Producer, P. P. (Producer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (... [Year] of publication). Title of motion picture [Motion picture]. Country of origin: Studio or distributor.
(Purdue OWL: APA Formatting and Style Guide: ...
Other Non-Print Resources: Motion Picture)
If you'd like to have a go at using that guide to compose and format a draft, APA-style reference for the movie that your classmates and peers are reviewing (Mrs. Doubtfire), feel free to post one in comments on this post. Likewise, if you have questions about the composition, formatting, or purposes of APA-style references, in general, please feel free to spell them out in comments on this post.
Last but not least, whenever you're composing references, please remember that:
- As with authors' names for book references, you should list producers' and directors' family names before their given names (and middle names or initials, if available) for movies;
- Commas and single spaces separate family names from other names or initials, and
- For practice in the writing course you are taking, you should spell out given names, followed by middle names or initials (if available). That will facilitate comparison and cross-checking of your draft references.
[199 words]
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Rough Class Outlines for Draft Essays: §1C
This post represents rough outlines developed in class from proposals of themes and foci for your next essays, thematic reviews of the movie, Mrs. Doubtfire. Once you choose a major theme or two from the outline from your section (§1C), you are welcome to draw related ideas from the outline for the other section doing thematic reviews of the same movie (§1A).
You can get closer looks at the snapshots showing expansions of various sections of the class outline by clicking on the graphics in this post. Again, please feel free to mix and match themes and foci from the outline for the other section (in a separate post), with those from your class (above).
Assignment details for your draft essays are in course calendar event descriptions. You'll be getting automated reminders by mail a few days before your essays are due. Please read those messages carefully and completely. Then, if you have concerns or questions about the current assignment, please spell them out right away in comments on this post, where everyone can see them – at least two days before the assignment is due.
[4 words {remainder of text
replicates previous post}]
Rough Class Outlines for Draft Essays: §1A
This post represents rough outlines developed in class from proposals of themes and foci for your next essays, thematic reviews of the movie, Mrs. Doubtfire. Once you choose a major theme or two from the outline from your class (§1A), you are welcome to draw related ideas from the outline for the other section doing thematic reviews of the same movie (§1C).
You can get closer looks at the snapshots showing expansions of various sections of the class outline by clicking on the graphics in this post. Again, please feel free to mix and match themes and foci from the outline for the other section (in a separate post), with those from your class (above).
Assignment details for your draft essays are in course calendar event descriptions. You'll be getting automated reminders by mail a few days before your essays are due. Please read those messages carefully and completely. Then, if you have concerns or questions about the current assignment, please spell them out right away in comments on this post, where everyone can see them – at least two days before the assignment is due.
You can get closer looks at the snapshots showing expansions of various sections of the class outline by clicking on the graphics in this post. Again, please feel free to mix and match themes and foci from the outline for the other section (in a separate post), with those from your class (above).
Assignment details for your draft essays are in course calendar event descriptions. You'll be getting automated reminders by mail a few days before your essays are due. Please read those messages carefully and completely. Then, if you have concerns or questions about the current assignment, please spell them out right away in comments on this post, where everyone can see them – at least two days before the assignment is due.
[188 words]
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Computer Viruses and Threats Explained by Common Craft
In voice-over on this video animation, Lee LeFever explains what computer viruses, worms, and trojans are, and how they work. He also makes general recommendations for preventing problems that viruses, worms, and trojans may cause. If catching it all while just listening and viewing seems too challenging, you can preview, read along, or review the complete transcript.
If you like LeFever's presentation style, and want to watch more Common Craft videos, please check out the "in Plain English" series (search: Common Craft).
If you like LeFever's presentation style, and want to watch more Common Craft videos, please check out the "in Plain English" series (search: Common Craft).
[82 words]
Friday, June 10, 2011
Exhibit A: a Slideshow from Flickr
The slideshow below shows pictures from Exhibit A, an online, public picture collection of copyright-protected images that I have on Flickr. Flickr is an easy to use photo-sharing site.
Do you recognize anything in the pictures? Have you been where they were taken?
If you do, great! Please post a comment letting us know how and when. If not, can you guess what the pictures show, or where they were taken? Which do you think are the best?
If you have questions about any of the pictures in Exhibit A after checking out the details, please shout out in comments on this post. If you're interested in Flickr, here is "what you [can] get with a free account:
Do you recognize anything in the pictures? Have you been where they were taken?
If you do, great! Please post a comment letting us know how and when. If not, can you guess what the pictures show, or where they were taken? Which do you think are the best?
If you have questions about any of the pictures in Exhibit A after checking out the details, please shout out in comments on this post. If you're interested in Flickr, here is "what you [can] get with a free account:
- 300 MB monthly photo upload limit (15MB per photo)
- 2 video uploads each month (90 seconds max, 150MB per video)
- Photostream views limited to the 200 most recent images
- Post any of your photos in up to 10 group pools
- Only smaller (resized) images accessible [to the public] (though the originals are saved in case you upgrade later)[.]
(Free Accounts..., 2011.06.10)
[184 words]
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Course Links: Update, June 8, 2011
Students have begun adding another link to the lists of Links (gagdets) in their sidebars. I've followed suit. The green oval in the graphic above highlights a new link in the Writing Studio Blog sidebar. That link is also on the Writing Studio Wiki homepage, in §6.1.
Data on books you review (authors' names, publication dates, cities of publication, and the like) that you glean from the Material Search site work well in conjunction with the Citation Maker, an online tool to help you compose accurate and complete APA-style citations (see: Course Links: Highlights – May 2011). That is, as long as you remember that Citation Maker automatically reduces authors' given names to their initials. For practical purposes, please spell them out (again) completely in reference listings on your book review posts.
[134 words]
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Best Essays: Self-Assessments
This post recap's a message sent to viewers of the Best Essays: Self-Assessments workbook. In square brackets toward the end of the message are a couple of minor revisions (a clarification and a correction).
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 at 11:59
Best Essays: Self-Assessments
Hello everyone (§§1A & 1C + assistants):
Thank you for your cooperation yesterday in submitting self-assessments of your best essays to date, especially those of you who submitted the Best Essays: Self-Assessments form only once. I closed the form for additional markup and sorting this morning.
On the left most spreadsheet in this Google workbook (sheet 1: 2011-12_1st-20110601), I've marked redundant entires with dark blue backgrounds across rows. Red backgrounds in individual cells flag failures to follow instructions when entering data, for example:
- more than the last five digits of student numbers,
- blog titles or URLs instead of blog handles, and
- line returns within paragraph text entries.
Please note that most of those undesirable and unnecessary line returns within paragraphs are residuals of copy and paste clippings _from paragraphs on your blogs_, many of which still contain large numbers of undesirable and unnecessary line returns within paragraphs. So please revise previous posts, and remove unnecessary line returns within paragraphs. Then remember to enter line returns only between paragraphs, and then to enter two, to create white spaces between paragraphs.
Most important, however, are the entries that I've flagged with green backgrounds, which reflect growing awareness of distinct qualities of your own writing. In a nutshell, among the qualities you've mentioned are:
+ audience appeal,
+ ease of understanding,
+ grammatical accuracy
+ grammatical complexity,
+ informativeness, and
+ self-expression.
Please review items 8 and 9 (important qualities, columns J-K [at present]), and tell us in class next week (June 8, 2011) of any other qualities of your or your classmates' [and] peers' writing that you are able to distinguish from this data collection, or through links in it. Please also prepare to identify the topics of the weakest paragraphs in your best essays, and explain what their weaknesses are.
Thank you again for your cooperation. PB
If you have concerns or questions about this message, please spell them out in comments on this post, or voice them in class next week. Thanks.
[382 words]
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Comment collection continues, guidelines included!
Here are two tables full of comments: The first includes comments especially for students in section 1A; the second, especially for students in section 1C. Comments on recent posts are toward the top of each table; those on older posts are toward the bottom. Timestamps on comments are from previews, so they may differ somewhat from those in comments on actual posts. Guidelines in the right hand column are for everyone.
[1493 words]
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