Posts Tagged resources
November 29
Big Dog’s Grammar
I’ve had my students searching the web for reasonable grammar sites – ones that explain grammar nicely, or at least have reasonable quizzes. A student sent me to this site: Big Dog’s Grammar It’s a perfectly acceptable site for the basics. The descriptions are clear, there are plenty of examples, and the quizzes give mark [...]
November 22
Chomp Chomp Grammar Bytes
I have a confession: if you asked me what a relative clause is, you’d get a blank stare for about 15 seconds while I figured out what each word meant and put an actual example together. I may use relative clauses, but I don’t necessarily remember the terminology. (I promise, though, that I do know [...]
October 25
Webster’s Academy on YouTube
Let me precede this blog with a caveat: this is not an advertisement for Webster’s Academy. I’ve never heard of the place before now, and have no idea whether or not they’re good. However, they have put a whole slew of videos on YouTube, so you’re likely to run into one when you search for [...]
September 20
What Are Your Favourite Resources?
The saying goes that the workman is only as good as his tools; that, I presume, applies to writers, as well. Over the past year-and-a-bit, I’ve talked about my favourite academic writing books and websites: Strunk and White (the writer’s Bible) The OWL at Purdue (great for those up-to-date changes in comma use, etc.) Adios, [...]
August 16
Personal Writing Portfolios
We’re coming up to that time of year again: like spring, it’s a fresh beginning. I was thinking about this while sitting in the library stacks. Regretfully, contemplating rabbits and tulips does us no good. It’s time to contemplate the more cerebral things in life. So, while it may seems as if I’m disorganised and [...]
July 05
Canadian Content
Canadian Content (6th Edition), by Sarah Norton and Nell Waldman I know, I know, not all of you are Canadian. That’s alright; this isn’t a book about grammar rules, so you won’t get confused. I’ve had this book for many years (I have the 4th edition, actually), and use it several times per week. It’s [...]
May 10
Parallel Structure
Okay, I’m the first to admit that I’m not fond of following the rules; straight lines are for the birds. However, when you have signed yourself up to follow the lines, it seems counterproductive to deliberately cross them. Parallel structure is one of those things that is de rigueur in formal writing (though you’re welcome [...]
April 19
Cure for Copious Bleeding
From my close observation of writers…they fall into two groups: 1) those who bleed copiously and visibly at any bad review, and 2) those who bleed copiously and secretly at any bad review. – Isaac Asimov Asimov was not likely referring to the student who can be found in a little puddle in the corner [...]
April 12
Evaluating Your Sources
One of my students became rather frustrated with me this week: “Exactly how much do you expect me to do for this essay?!” I don’t expect you to do anything. I’m just the tutor. It’s your professor who expects it of you… because that’s what you’re paying him to do. The student was writing a [...]
April 05
Bloopers
Your mind should be starting to spin ’round about now; students are getting to the beginning of the end, and the reality of culminating activities and final exams is looming. This weekend, my son was prattling on about Martin Luther nailing 95 theologians to the door – he really likes that one – while I [...]
About Author
I'm Sheila van den Heuvel-Collins. Currently, I am the primary blog
writer. Please feel free to contribute writing tips and ideas by
commenting on the blog entries.
Categories
- Books (3)
- Conferences (1)
- Contests (1)
- ESL (5)
- Essay Formats (2)
- Grammar and Punctuation (35)
- Guest Posts (5)
- Lords of Language (7)
- Neologisms (1)
- Sociology of Writing (21)
- style (52)
- Uncategorized (11)
- Websites (13)
- Writing Centre (61)
