January 2010

With With

Heidi Rivers Marshall, MFAHeidi Rivers Marshall, MFA

Jamie Patterson, MAJamie Patterson, MA

Writing SpecialistsWriting Specialists

Grammar Games

Agenda

• Introductions

• Rule Review

• Jeopardy

• Sentence Structure Rules

• Bingo

• Other Nuances of APA

Introductions

• Objective:– Find your battle partner & learn a grammar

rule– Describe yourselves to the group

ReviewThat (APA p. 55)Restrictive clauses. Essential to the meaningThat defines one in a bunch.The dip that Sally brought was the best.

Which (APA p. 55)Nonrestrictive clauses.Add more informationSet off with commasFurther describes a lone object.The dip, which sally bought, was the best.

That (APA p. 48)That for things.The book that was found was valuable.

Who (APA p. 48)Who for people.The student who found the book got a reward.

ReviewWhile (APA p. 56)While links events occurring simultaneouslyHeidi took a nap while Jamie talked about grammar.

Although (APA p. 56)Use although, whereas, and, or but in place of while.Although the argument seemed solid, there were holes in his reasoning.

Because (APA p. 48)Since is used to indicate time. Because should be used in all other instances.You left because I wasn’t breathing.

Since (APA p. 48)Since=time. Meaning: after that.Since you’ve been gone I can breathe for the first time.

ReviewFartherUse farther for physical distances.I ran farther than him.

FurtherUse further for figurative distances.She couldn’t have been further from the truth.

EverydayA routine occurrence, common, usualThat’s an everyday shoe she’s wearing.Other than the monkeys escaping their cages, it was a normal everyday scene at the zoo.

Every dayEach dayShe gets coffee every day.He missed her every day she was gone.

Review

May May=permissionMay I go to the bathroom?

Might Might=possibilityI might go to the bathroom before we go.

Can Can=abilityCan I go to the bathroom?

ReviewLaySomething I do to something (or someone) else.I will lay the book on the table.

LieTo lie: something I do to myself.I’m going to go lie down.

LessFor things you can’t count.I had less confidence after I fell on my face.

FewerFor things you can count.He went to the 10 items or fewer lane at the grocery store.

What Else Does APA Have To Say?

You talkin’ to me?

Serial Commas (APA 3.02)According to APA (2010), use a comma “between elements

(including before and and or) in a series of three or more items” (p. 88).

In the forest, there are lions, tigers, and bears.

You can make the pie with apples, pears, or bananas.

At practice today, the players will work on catching the ball, shooting with accuracy, and defending set plays.

More PunctuationAlso use commas (pp. 88-89) to:

Set off nonessential information Jamie has a date with John, who is the nicest guy she

has ever met, and she wants to make him dinner.

Separate two independent clause joined by a conjunctionJamie went to the grocery store, and she bought dinner.

Set off nonessential clauses at the end of a sentenceJamie went to the grocery store, which was three blocks

away.

More PunctuationUse semicolons (pp. 89-90) to:

Separate two independent clauses Jamie went to the grocery store; she bought dinner.

Separate two independent clauses with a sentence modifierJamie went to the store; however, she forgot to buy candles.

Separate elements in a series that already contain commasJamie went to the store to buy lettuce, tomatoes, and croutons for a salad; pasta, chicken, and sauce for an entrée; and ice cream and brownies for dessert.

More PunctuationUse colons (p. 90) to:

Introduce a list at the end of an independent clause

Jamie had everything she needed to make the perfect dinner: a salad, an entrée, and a dessert.

Introduce an illustrative or amplifying phrase or clause at the end of an independent clause

Jamie knew there were just two things she needed to complete her meal: candlelight and romantic music.

More Punctuation

Use a dash (pp. 90-91) to:

Indicate a sudden interruption in the continuity of a sentence

These two things-candlelight and romantic music-would set the mood for her third date with John.

That’s it! Don’t use dashes for anything else!

Parallel Construction (APA 2.11)

According to APA (2001), “present parallel ideas in parallel or coordinate form. Make sure that all elements of the parallelism are present before and after the coordinating conjunction” (p. 57).

But what does that mean?

In other words, each part of a sentence needs to match, and a compound list or series within a sentence needs to match the beginning of the sentence.

Parallel ConstructionBreak your sentence down in to multiple sentences.

Split the sentence at the coordinating conjunction…

This is wrong: Neither the responses to the written test nor the oral exam were complete.

So break it down: The responses to the written test were not complete. The responses to

the oral exam were not complete.

Write it as it should be: Neither the responses to the written test nor the responses to the oral

exam were complete.Or….

Parallel ConstructionSplit the sentence at the commas.

This is wrong:

The researcher told the participants to find a chair, to read the survey, and that they should ask questions as needed.

So break it down:

The researcher told the participants to find a chair. The researcher told the participants to read the survey. The researcher told the participants to ask questions as needed.

Write is as it should be:

The researcher told the participants to find a chair, to read the survey, and to ask questions as needed.

Jeopardy

Say goodbye to your partner

Jeopardy

• Objective:– Find the errors in the signs

• Rules of the game:– First person to raise his or her hand will have

a chance to answer for his or her team– If he or she answers incorrectly, the other

team will have a chance to get it right

"Me and her mother feel like the luckiest two people alive right now."

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden

Dear fans,

Today is a very joyful and special day for Jordan and I as we welcome our first son into this world.

With all my love,Christina

More rules?!

Editorial we (APA 2.04)

According to APA (2001), “restrict your use of we to refer only to yourself and your coauthors…Broader uses of we leave your readers to determine to whom you are referring” (p. 39).

But what does that mean?Do not direct your writing at the reader, and

do not assume universality. Your reader may not want to be included in your assumptions.

Avoid the second person!

Avoid the Second PersonUse the third personal plural (a noun)

instead.

This is awkward for any reader who is not a lacrosse coach:

We coaches know it is best for lacrosse athletes to lift weights, but we find it hard to convince high school girls of this.

This is better:Lacrosse coaches know it is best for athletes to lift weights,

but some find it hard to convince high school girls of this.

Verb tenses (APA 2.06)Past TenseAccording to APA (2001), “Use the past tense to express an

action or a condition that occurred at a specific, definite time in the past, as when discussing another researcher’s work and when reporting your results” (p. 42).

But what does that mean?If it was done in the past, use the past tense. The study was

written in the past. The research is done. You read the article yesterday. None of this is still going on.

(Note, however, that you will use the present tense for findings that still hold true today.)

Verb Tense: PastThe verb that immediately follows the mention

of a researcher’s name will most likely be in the past tense.

Rivers (1997) wrote…Rivers (1999) found…Rivers (2000) indicated…

Often, you will have both the past and the present tense in the same sentence:

Rivers (1999) found that athletes do not usually have trouble with time management.

Active Voice

According to APA (2001), “use the active rather than the passive voice” (p. 41).

But what does that mean?The passive voice is when the object receives the action of

the verb or, in other words, you turn the object of your sentence into the subject. Using the passive voice puts the emphasis on the object, which is beneficial at times, but too much use of the passive voice can weaken your scholarly voice.

Active VoiceUse lively, active sentences where the subject

initiates an action that affects the direct object. In other words, put the subject of the sentence at the beginning immediately followed by an action verb.

Flip your sentences around.Avoid linking verbs (“to be” verbs)

Passive Voice: The apple was despised by William Tell.Active Voice: William Tell despised the apple.

Passive Voice: The survey was conducted after school.Active Voice: The researchers conducted the survey after school.

BINGO

• Objective:– Learn where to locate common APA rules

• Rules of the Game:– Cross off the numbers on your card as they

are called out– Yell Bingo when you have five consecutive

spaces filled in

Other Nuances of APASeriation (APA 3.33 & APA 5.12)According to APA (2001), “Enumerate elements in a

series to prevent misreading or to clarify the sequence or relationship between elements, particularly when they are lengthy or complex” (pp. 115-116).

But what does that mean?You will use a letter to identify elements in a

paragraph or a sentence, and numerals to itemize conclusions or convey steps in a procedure.

Other Nuances of APACoach Rivers (2006) found that:

1. High school girls like to talk.

2. Players work hard when they are provided positive feedback.

3. Men should most definitely not coach high school girls in sports about

which they know nothing.

*USE LISTS ONLY FOR ITEMIZED CONCLUSIONS OR SUCCESSIVE STEPS Within a

Paragraph (APA 5.12)

Coach Rivers decided that players will make the varsity team if they can (a) pass

and catch without dropping the ball, (b) run a mile in 7 minutes or less, and

(c) maintain a positive, hardworking attitude throughout the season.

*USE A SEMICOLON TO SEPARATE COMPOUND PHRASES

Other Nuances of APABUT!!! You want to turn your lists in to narrative text when there is no

chance the list could be misread, or there is no particular sequence to your list. In general, lists of questions do not need letter or number identifiers. Neither do short lists of nouns or noun phrases that have no particular order. Also, if the punctuation doesn’t make any sense, then don’t force it! If the sentence makes more sense without seriation, then kick your letters and numbers to the curb!

This: Jamie liked to make pies with apples, cherries, or peaches.Does NOT need to be this: Jamie liked to make pies with (a) apples, (b)

cherries, or (c) peaches.Unless it is this: Jamie liked to make her pies in this order: (a) apple, (b)

cherry, and then (c) peach.

Other Nuances of APALikewise…

This: The questions I will address in this study include whether students do their homework, how often students do their homework, and whether homework is beneficial to student achievement.

Does not have to be this: The questions I will address in this study are: (a) Do students do their homework?; (b) How often do students do their homework?; and (c) Is homework beneficial to student achievement?

Other Nuances of APAQuotation Marks (APA 3.06)According to APA (2001), ONLY use quotation marks:“for material quoted directly from a source” (p. 82).“to introduce a word or phrase used as an ironic comment, slang, or as an

invented or coined expression” (p. 82).“to set off the title of an article or chapter” (p. 82) when mentioned in the text.“to reproduce material from a test item or verbatim instructions to participants”

(p. 82).

But what does that mean?Only use quotation marks to reproduce

something someone else has said or written.

Other Nuances of APA

That is it!

Do not use quotation marks for any other reason!

Not even if you think it would be “right” to do so.

Other Nuances of APASmoothness of expression (APA 2.02)According to APA (2001), “Devices that are often found in

creative writing – for example: setting up ambiguity, inserting the unexpected, omitting the expected, and suddenly shifting the topic, tense, or person – can confuse or disturb readers of scientific prose” (p. 33).

But what does that mean?

Write in clear, concise statements and aim for logical communication. The simpler the better.

Other Nuances of APA

– Avoid repeating words– Use pronouns discretely– Use transitional words and phrases– Make sure your verb tenses agree– Don’t switch back and forth from first to third

person

Other Nuances of APAEconomy of expression (APA 2.03) According to APA (2001), “the author who is frugal with words

not only writes a more readable manuscript but also increases the chances that the manuscript will be accepted for publication…You can tighten long papers by eliminating redundancy, wordiness, jargon, evasiveness, overuse of the passive voice, circumlocution, and clumsy prose.”

But what does that mean?Short words and short, simple sentences are best.

Leave out irrelevant observations, your opinion, and embellishments.

*This does not mean you can shorten technical terms.

Other Nuances of APASay only what needs to be said.

It is that simple.

The reader does not care about how you feel, what you believe, or whether you think something to be true.

I feel that students learn best when…

I think the best solution to the problem is…

I believe the students will…

Be authoritative!