Writing Center Archives Vol. 1, Issue 2 at
Please note that this is an archival copy. It has not been changed from the original; as such, not all links will work properly! For the most up-to-date information, check out the Writing Center web site or associated Evergreen web sites.
Write On
Weekly writing information and resources from the Evergreen Writing Center
Vol. 1, Issue 2 [View Other Issues]
Visit the Writing Center's brand new Web site at www.evergreen.edu/writingcenter
This week’s theme: Journalism
Quote of the Week
"Most writers regard truth as their most valuable possession, and
therefore are most economical in its use."
-- Mark Twain
Tip of the Week: Paraphrasing
Most journalism pieces rely heavily on quotations from interviewees or other sources. But too many quotations make for thick reading and can drown out the author's voice. One way to get around the problem of overquoting is to use the technique of paraphrasing.
When you use evidence or ideas from a source, but do not directly quote the original, you are paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is important because it forces you to put information and ideas into your own words. The process of paraphrasing demonstrates a deeper understanding of the material because it requires the writer to synthesize the information in the original source.
To demonstrate your mastery of the material, paraphrase instead of quote. Also, paraphrase when a summary of the source’s information would be more powerful in your piece than the full quote. Most importantly, you should paraphrase because you do not want your writing to rely heavily on another person’s words.
Although this week's theme is journalism and paraphrasing is common in journalistic pieces, paraphrasing can also greatly enhance academic essays.
Example
Original Source
When the 200th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party was celebrated in Boston, an enormous crowd turned out, not for the official celebration, but for the "People’s Bi-Centennial" countercelebration, where packages marked "Gulf Oil" and "Exxon" were dumped into the Boston Harbor, to symbolize opposition to corporate power in America. --Howard Zinn, People’s History, page 550
Paraphrase
A large crowd threw boxes labeled "Gulf Oil" and "Exxon" into Boston Harbor during the 1976 bicentennial celebration of the Boston Tea Party. This unofficial event represented public discontent with the power of corporations in America (Zinn 550).
Strategies for Paraphrasing: All paraphrasing is putting the source’s information into your own words. The following strategies can make the process more comfortable:
- Imagine you are explaining the idea to a friend.
- Avoid using the same sentence structure as the original source.
- Do not use the original source's wording or phrases.
- Resist the desire to look at the original source when paraphrasing.
- If you do use any of the original source’s language, put it in quotation marks.
For more information on paraphrasing, as well as on many other writing topics, visit the Handout section of our brand new Web site.
Web Site Review – www.poynter.org
Poynter Online claims to contain "everything you need to be a better journalist." This claim is well founded as the site contains extensive resources for journalism, beyond hints and tips for writing and style. That is not to say, however, that you can’t find help with other styles of writing at Poynter Online.
On the home page there is a menu that includes links to subjects such as "ethics", "photojournalism", and, of course, "writing/editing". The "writing/editing" page consists of articles addressing issues such as strong opinion writing, topics to discuss in writing groups, and effective storytelling.
This month’s featured article was "Rejecting Our First Draft Culture" by Chip Scanlan. The article identifies nine "strategies to become a better writer by becoming a reviser."
Poynter Online is a comprehensive resource for journalists of any level of experience. The writing resources are clear and helpful, written by journalists for journalists, making them accessible and rife with applicable strategies and tips.
Writing Center News
Contract Student Writing Support Group
Mondays 3:00 - 5:00 in Library 2221
Contract students: you're not alone! Bring your works-in-progress to a writing support group and get feedback galore. You can:
- Receive peer feedback on current writing endeavors
- Participate in a writing community for independent writers
- Learn how to listen and respond effectively to your peers' writing
"Thesis Statements: Recognition and Development" Open Workshop
Wednesday, April 16th, 4:30-6:00pm, Library 3500
Come check out our second open workshop of the quarter! This workshop will introduce thesis statements. You can learn to identify a thesis and formulate your own. We will demonstrate the characteristics of effective and ineffective theses. We will also discuss how thesis sentences affect the organization of academic essays.
This spring the Writing Center will present an entire series of open workshops, from "Outlines and Organization" to "Writing Evaluations." For a complete list of workshops, check out the Workshop section of our Web site.
Stump the Tutors
Each week in this section, we'll answer questions on various writing-related issues submitted by our readers. Our first question:
Q: I just got a paper back and my professor commented that I used "less" and "fewer" incorrectly. I don't really understand what I'm doing wrong. What is the difference between the two, and how can I keep them straight?
A: We're glad you asked. In general, you just have to remember that fewer applies to things that can be counted, and less applies to everything else.
Examples:
To prevent jitters, I'm drinking lesscoffee.
Apples have fewer calories than candy bars.
This quarter, I made fewer Writing Center appointments than I
usually do, and my papers were less organized!
It's not always that simple though --sometimes less is used idiomatically where fewer would seem more appropriate. This usually happens in expressions of time, money, or distance in the phrases less than, no less than, and, to a lesser extent, or less.
I saw him less than a week ago.
I spent less than $5.
This shirt costs $2 less (than that one).
I ran less than 2 miles.
No less than 20,000 people showed up for the concert.
Finally, the grammatically-incorrect-but-often-accepted or less:
Tell me about yourself in 25 words or less.
Express lane: 10 items or less.
The correct versions of the above two sentences would be:
Tell me about yourself in 25 words or fewer.
Express lane: 10 items or fewer.