SAINT
FRANCIS
UNIVERSITY
WRITING
CENTER
The Write Times
Volume 3, Issue 2
February 11, 2014
What’s New in the Center? We Are Off and Running
Inside this Issue:
What’s New?
Off and Running
1
What Else is New?
The Gunard Berry
Carlson Writing
Contest
2
Ask the Tutors: How
Should I Write a
Research Paper?
3
Ask the Grammar
Groupie: What Is a
Dangling Modifier?
5
Tutor Profiles
Meghan Studds
Dency Samuel
6
Gunard Berry Carlson 8
Writing Contest Flyer
and Entry Form
The writing center reopened on January
20, 2014, for the spring semester, and
already our tutors have had the opportunity to work with students on course
assignments for first-year writing, religious studies, research methods, and
American Sign Language. Several
students have also visited the center for
non-course-related projects, including
personal statements and other application materials for internships and job
postings.
During the week of January 27-31, the
center also hosted three one-hour workshops to assist junior- and senior-level
students with preparing for the writing
competency exam (or WCE). After
reviewing the WCE scoring rubric and
the exam’s general testing format, workshop participants analyzed and wrote
thesis statements, outlines, and (when
time permitted) introductory paragraphs
to a sample exam prompt, then shared
their work with the writing center
director for additional feedback. The
workshop sessions were “very helpful,”
one attendee noted in her post-workshop
survey. Discussing “the high pass exam”
was one of the most important elements
of the session, another attendee wrote.
All participants rated the workshops
highly in terms of usefulness and
general organization.
If you are registered for the WCE this
semester and were unable to attend the
Photo Courtesy of Lindsey Miller
workshops, you are welcome to pick up
a workshop packet at the writing center
during our normal operating hours. The
packet includes a copy of the WCE
scoring rubric; a sample prompt;
instructional handouts for creating an
outline, drafting the essay, and using
source material properly; and a sample
high-passing essay. Packets are free, but
there is a limited supply, so please pick
up your packet as early as possible. The
center is located on the third floor of the
Library and Learning Commons and is
open Monday through Thursday from
1:30 to 7:00 p.m. and Friday from 1:30
to 5:00 p.m.
The tutoring staff also revised the
center’s website, adding to the
“Resources for Students” page (http://
info.francis.edu/writing-center-resources
Page 2
The Write Times
Off and Running (Cont.)
-for-students/) new links to campus services
and updated resources on matters related to
prewriting, research, style and grammar. Our
new website can be accessed at http://
info.francis.edu/writing-center/ or from the
Center for Academic Success page. All
resources are free and may be used for
classroom instruction.
Photo Courtesy of Lindsey Miller
What Else Is New? The Gunard Berry Carlson Writing Contest
Earlier this year, the School of Arts and Letters
officially announced the 2013-2014 Gunard Berry
Carlson Writing Contest, which is open to all
current SFU undergraduates. Students may submit
visual entries (such as photographs, paintings,
drawings, sculptures, collages, and/or etchings) and
writing entries in the following categories: fiction
(short stories and plays), creative nonfiction (true
stories, personal memoirs), essay writing, and
poetry (minimum five poems per entry).
published in next year’s issue of Tapestries.
Prizes will be awarded as follows:
To view past and current issues of Tapestries, visit
our publication page at http://francis.edu/
tapestries/.
Visual Entries
The winning visual entry will be awarded $100 and
featured on the cover of next year’s issue of
Tapestries, SFU’s literary and visual arts
magazine. Honorable mentions will be awarded
$25 each and published in our next issue of
Tapestries.
Writing Entries
The overall winner will be awarded $350 and $350
tuition credit. The second-place recipient will be
awarded $200 and $200 tuition credit. The thirdplace entry will be awarded $150 and $150 tuition
credit. Finally, the fourth-place entry will be
awarded $100 and $100 tuition credit. Honorable
mentions will be awarded $25 each. In addition, all
winning entries and honorable mentions will be
Deadline
The submission deadline is Friday, March 21,
2014. All entries must be submitted via e-mail to
Dr. Brennan Thomas at [email protected] or
delivered to Room 321 Scotus Hall before 5:00
p.m. on March 21. Please complete an entry form
for each submission as well. (Refer to page nine
for a copy of the entry form.)
Volume 3, Issue 2
Ask the Tutors: How Should I Write a Research Paper?
Q: I’m working on a research paper for one of my courses. How should I go about doing
it?
If you have been assigned to write a research paper and are not certain how to get started,
stay focused, or finish strong, try these strategies recommended by our current and former
tutors, all of whom have had extensive experience
writing research papers.
Research
You might be tempted to write your paper first and then
try to find appropriate quotes and paraphrases from
sources to incorporate in your writing. But our tutors
caution against this strategy. Trying to find source
material that fits perfectly in your paper is difficult and
counterintuitive to the purpose of academic research.
Instead, the tutors recommend researching the topic and
taking careful notes before writing the actual paper.
Photo Courtesy of Justin Locke
• “Do [your] research before you start writing. Use
librarians to help you find information [from] credible sources.” Kellie Mason
• When gathering source material, “print everything out and highlight relevant info.”
Henry Chuang
• “Let the research guide your paper.” Kylie Jackson
• “As you read [your sources], mark...good quotes you may find. You can use those to
structure your paper.” Henry Chuang
Prewriting
If you are pressed for time, you might want to start writing your draft without doing any prewriting. However, our tutors recommend taking time to jot down your paper’s key points and
organize your research material.
• “Have a plan with where you want to go with the paper.” Nick Tedeschi
• “Write an outline first.” Lauren Vennefron
• “Organize [research quotes] into like [similar] categories.” Dennis Ryan
• Above all, “do NOT just sit down and open a blank Word document. Prewriting is key!”
Kellie Mason
Writing
During the actual writing process, you should concentrate on developing and organizing your
major ideas. Do not worry about smaller wording or grammatical issues at this stage. You
can always go back and further refine your ideas during revision. For now, focus on writing
each section or paragraph of your paper. State your points, support them with evidence from
your sources, and arrange your content according to your outline or other prewriting notes.
• If it is easier, “write your body paragraphs first, and then go back and write your
introduction and conclusion.” Lauren Vennefron
• “I would recommend breaking the paper up into parts. Viewing a huge research paper as
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Page 4
The Write Times
How To Write a Research Paper (Cont.)
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a whole can be scary and intimidating. Instead, deconstruct it as much as you can.” Samantha Dilling
“Take breaks to let your brain relax and approach [your paper] from another angle.” Scott
Brandenberger
When writing, “eliminate as many distractions as possible. Don’t even open YouTube.” Samantha
Dilling
Most importantly, “commit to finishing it, and remain positive!” Kellie Mason
Revising
When you have written your paper, review it carefully for content and organizational issues. Are your
ideas reasonable and sophisticated? Are they fully developed, or will the reader be expecting more
information? Is every quote clearly related to the point it supports and thoroughly explained for readers?
Does one idea or paragraph connect and lead to the next? Ask these crucial questions as you revise your
paper. Then add to, delete, adjust, and/or reorder sections or passages of your paper as you see fit.
• Write “multiple drafts.” Kellie Mason
• “In a long paper, it is especially important to make sure no parts of your paper sound too repetitive.”
Kylie Jackson
• “Don’t be afraid to move around or change text. If you see a problem in your paper, address it.”
Brennan Thomas
Editing
At this stage, you should review your paper for matters of style and wording. Eliminate contractions (like
don’t, won’t, shouldn’t, and should’ve) and improper uses of I and you. Replace weaker verbs like forms
of be, has, make, and get with more specific, action-oriented verbs. Finally, cut unnecessary words and
phrases to create more concise and controlled sentences; recombine shorter sentences (fifteen or fewer
words) into longer ones.
• “Aim for a pleasant but neutral tone, and cut words
whenever possible. Fewer ‘filler words’ means less work
for the reader.” Brennan Thomas
Proofreading
Before submitting your final draft, review it at least twice for
errors in grammar or mechanics. Make absolutely certain that
your paper contains no glaring mistakes. Read it aloud to
yourself or a friend.
• “Read it out loud to catch grammar and spelling mistakes.”
Katie Sheperd
• “Keep in mind which spelling or grammar issues give you
the most trouble. Look especially hard for these types of
errors as you proofread.” Brennan Thomas
Photo Courtesy of Justin Locke
Volume 3, Issue 2
Page 5
Ask the Grammar Groupie: What Is a Dangling Modifier?
Q: My instructors have sometimes written “dangling modifier” (or just “DM”) on my papers, but I
don’t know what that means. What exactly is a “dangling modifier” and how do I fix it?
The Grammar Groupie knows the dangling modifier well. This is one of the
most common types of errors that leak into published writing. Dangling
modifiers are not usually detected by applications like Grammar Check, but
there are ways for you to find and fix them in your writing.
First, we need to define the term modifier. To modify means to change
something; in writing, this change is accomplished by adding new information
about something. For instance, suppose that I have written a sentence about a
person I observed walking down Main Street.
• The man walked down Main Street.
I can modify the subject of this sentence, the man, by adding more information
about him and/or his manner of walking.
• Outfitted in a gray suit, the man walked down Main Street.
• Whistling a cheerful tune, the man walked down Main Street.
Both modifiers in this pair of sentences—outfitted in the gray suit and whistling a cheerful tune—tell
readers more about this man. In essence, they are modifying the subject of this sentence. It is also
important to note that both modifiers are appropriately used in the sentence. They each clearly
modify the man.
But what if the noun they modify is not included in the sentence?
• Outfitted in a gray suit, his walk took him to Main Street.
• Whistling a cheerful tune, the walk on Main Street seemed short.
Now we have a problem. A walk cannot wear a suit or whistle. But the noun that can perform such
actions—the man—is missing from the sentence. So we have modifiers with nothing to modify—
hence, dangling modifiers.
Fortunately, dangling modifiers can be easily fixed by supplying the missing noun.
Whistling a cheerful tune, the man thought his walk seemed short.
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Here are some other examples of dangling modifiers and their corrected
versions.
• Watching the Olympics, the excitement in the room was palatable.
(Excitement is an emotion. It cannot watch Olympic coverage, so we
need a noun that can.)
• Watching the Olympics, we could feel the palatable excitement in
the room.
Volume 3, Issue 2
Page 6
What Is a Dangling Modifier? (Cont.)
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Taking no chances, the snowboarder’s routine was flawless. (A routine cannot take chances, but
a person can.)
Taking no chances, the snowboarder performed a flawless routine.
Undaunted by his rival’s excellent ski run, his composure allowed him to race cleanly down the
hill. (Composure cannot be daunted or undaunted. However, a skier can feel such emotions.)
Undaunted by his rival’s excellent ski run, the downhill skier kept his composure, which
allowed him to race cleanly down the hill.
With practice, you will be able to spot any dangling modifiers in your writing. Look closely at
phrases that include verbs ending in -ing or -ed/-en (like Taking no chances or Undaunted by his
rival’s excellent ski run). Check to see whether the noun each phrase modifies is clearly stated in the
sentence. If it is not, you probably have a dangling modifier, which you can fix by supplying the
noun being modified.
Featured Tutor: Meghan Studds (Class of 2015)
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Major: Biology
Graduation Year: 2015
Hometown: Butler, PA
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time
outdoors, running
Favorite Books: Into the Wild, Life
of Pi
Favorite Film: The Parent Trap
Favorite Performing Artists:
Florence and the Machine, Gregory
Alan Isakov, John Mayer, Coldplay
Fun Fact: I work at a veterinary
hospital.
Favorite Quote: “Education is not
preparation for life; education is life
itself.” – John Dewey
Page 7
Featured Tutor: Dency Samuel (Class of 2017)
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Major: Physician Assistant
Graduation Year: 2017
Hometown: Yukon, OK
Hobbies/Interests: I love to hike and
bike. I like to relax by catching up with
friends or sitting outside when it's
warm. That doesn't happen much here.
Favorite Books: Pride and Prejudice,
The Chronicles of Narnia, The Great
Gatsby, Daughter of Fortune, Memoirs
of a Geisha, and basically any book
that can captivate me
Favorite Films: Forrest Gump, White
Chicks, A Walk to Remember,
Remember the Titans, and whatever can
make me laugh hysterically or touch
me emotionally
Favorite Television Shows: New Girl,
Grey's Anatomy, The Mindy Project,
Criminal Minds, Law and Order: SVU,
and Boy Meets World
Favorite Performing Artists: Jimmy
Needham, Lecrae, Justin Timberlake,
Beyonce, John Mayer, Jack Johnson,
and Bryan & Katie Torwalt.
The Write Times
2013 - 2014 Gunard Berry
Carlson Writing Contest
Have you composed a short story, essay, or collection of poems you would like to publish? Would you like
to see your artwork or photography featured in our campus magazine?
Writing Categories
Fiction
Creative Nonfiction
Essay Writing
Poetry (minimum 5 poems per entry )
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Visual Arts Categories
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Paintings
Sketches
Sculptures
Photography
Word Limit: 3000 words
All artwork must be submitted digitally.
Prizes for Writing Submissions
Prizes for Visual Arts Submissions
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First Place: $350 and $350 Tuition Credit
Second Place: $200 and $200 Tuition Credit
Third Place: $150 and $150 Tuition Credit
Fourth Place: $100 and $100 Tuition Credit
Honorable Mentions: $25
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First Place: $100
Honorable Mentions: $25
Contest Guidelines
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All writing and visual arts submissions must be accompanied by a completed submission
form.
form
Entries may be e-mailed to [email protected] or submitted directly to Dr. Brennan Thomas ( Room 321 Scotus Hall ) .
Deadline: All entries must be received by March 21, 2014, by 5:00 p.m.
For more information on the Gunard Berry Carlson Writing Contest, contact Dr. Brennan Thomas at [email protected] or 471-1111.
Deadline: March 21, 2014 (5:00 p.m.)
GunardBerryCarlsonWritingContest
2013-2014
Saint Francis University
Submission Form
Entry Number____________________ (To be completed by School of Arts and Letters)
Title of Entry ___________________________________________________________
Student Name___________________________________________________________
Category (check one):
________ Fiction
________ Essay Writing
________ Creative Nonfiction
________ Poetry
________ Visual Arts (Check medium)
__ Photograph
__ Sculpture
__ Painting (oil)
__ Painting (water)
__ Sketch
__ Other (Specify: _______)
Please attach this form to the front of your contest entry OR e-mail it as a separate attachment with your entry. DO
NOT put your name on the entry itself since judges cannot know the names of entrants. Complete one submission
form for each entry.
Submit all entries before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 21, 2014, to:
Dr. Brennan Thomas
321 Scotus Hall
Department of English and Communication Arts
OR e-mail entries to
[email protected]
Absolutely no entries will be accepted after the deadline date and time.