Class Calendar Update: February 12th & 13th

Thursday, February 12th (W)
• Due: Read style handouts; complete online exercises W2-1, W2-2, W2-3, W3-1, W3-2, W3-3 on wordiness and active verbs from Diana Hacker and print or email your results (see below).
• Class: Focus on style: wordiness and active voice. Collaborative revision exercise.

Friday, February 13th (H)
• Due: Read style handouts; complete online exercises S1-1, S1-2, S1-3, S5-1, S5-2 on parallelism and mixed construction from Diana Hacker and print or email your results (see below).
• Class: Focus on style: skillful use of parallelism. Collaborative revision exercise.

More Style Resources:

Click here for the OWL handout on parallelism. When revising your own work for parallel structure, OWL makes the following recommendations:

1. Skim your paper, pausing at the words "and" and "or." Check on each side of these words to see whether the items joined are parallel. If not, make them parallel.
   
2. If you have several items in a list, put them in a column to see if they are parallel.
   
3. Listen to the sound of the items in a list or the items being compared. Do you hear the same kinds of sounds? For example, is there a series of "-ing" words beginning each item? Or do your hear a rhythm being repeated? If something is breaking that rhythm or repetition of sound, check to see if it needs to be made parallel.
   

Click here for the OWL handout on wordiness.

Directions to Diana Hacker Exercises:

To access the online grammar exercises:

• Go to bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersref6e.
• Click on “Grammar Exercises.”
• When prompted to login, click “Cancel.”
• Select assigned exercises.

Remember, you can print two pages (or four!) per page to save paper:

• In Internet Explorer, select “Print” from the “File” menu to pull up the print options.
• Choose the tab marked “Finishing.”
• Look for the option that says “Pages per Sheet and Posters” and select “Two Pages per Sheet.”

Literature Circle Deadlines:

• Monday, Feb. 23rd: First half of your novel with 10 “meaty” sticky notes or dialectical journal entries due.

Note: Remember, I am looking for meaningful inquiry and analysis in your notes! Don't bother with plot summary. Do consider style, characterization, theme, symbolism, questions (with possible answers!), connections, etc, etc.