KU Seminar Unit SIX: Effective Writing Skills

OPENER! Share something GOOD that happened to you this past week!

Grading Grades for Units 1 through 4 are all COMPLETE Grades for Unit 5 should be completed for most of you as well! REASONS for “suffering” grades…

UNIT SIX OVERVIEW READINGS: - Effective Writing - Anti-Plagiarism

UNIT SIX OVERVIEW ASSIGNMENTS: You have a writing assignment this week!!! 1. Paragraph (minimum) about an influential person in your life 2. Paragraph (minimum) about your opinion on online learning

UNIT SIX, cont. You will also be taking a plagiarism “quiz”. We will talk some tonight about plagiarism to help you “ACE” that little thing You will also be taking a plagiarism “quiz”. We will talk some tonight about plagiarism to help you “ACE” that little thing

PLAGIARISM What do you know about plagiarism? How might you describe it?

PLAGIARISM Why is it so crucial to “give credit”?? 1. Proprietary Information! 2. Giving “weight” to our own writings (making our work more “valid”) 3. Distinguishing your own “voice” from that of others, and 4. Academic Dishonesty

NETIQUETTE What do you know about “Netiquette”?

NETIQUETTE “Internet Etiquette”: Internet Manners! 1. Respond politely to others 2. No threatening (or, “flaming”) messages will be tolerated 3. Don’t post in CAPS – it comes across to the reader as SHOUTING!!! 3. Don’t post in CAPS – it comes across to the reader as SHOUTING!!!

NETIQUETTE 4. Keep messages short and to the point 5. Always practice good grammar, punctuation and composition (no “ichat” like “u” and “ur”, etc.) 6. Threaded discussions are meant to be constructive exchanges 7. Be respectful, even if you disagree 8. USE YOUR SPELL CHECK!!! (no, I’m not yelling, but I REALLY want you to do this! )

CLEAR COMMUNICATION KU’s WRITING CENTER What do you think the purpose of the KU writing center might be?

COMMUNICATION, cont. KU’s WRITING CENTER offers: Writing help / assistance Writing Improvement Tips LIVE TUTORS (!!!) NET TUTOR paper review service Writing Resources (writing types and tools, process, research, citation, plagiarism, mechanics and more!)

The Case of Carmen After graduating high school, Carmen found a job as a receptionist for an accounting office. Six years later she is still working at the same company and has only received a small salary increase. Most of her co-workers either have a college degree or are attending a university to complete their degree. Carmen enjoys her work and has decided she wants to advance, make more money, and become an accountant. Carmen will need to enroll in college and start working towards her degree. She knows there will be writing required in college, particularly in her Composition courses. In high school, she procrastinated until the last minute and then finished her writing assignments in a hurry. She is concerned about her writing skills and fears that she will not be able to complete her degree if she does make some changes. What advice might you give Carmen as she begins this degree? What might help her to feel more confident? What might help her to IMPROVE her academic functioning?

END OF SEMINAR 6 Have a GREAT week, everyone!!! Have a GREAT week, everyone!!!