BE: Composing the Digital Self

We covered a number of items during last Thursday’s class discussion that spoke directly to your writing. I thought I’d post a number of them here as a reminder and as an assistance to those working to improve their writing. Here are some of the highlights:

• PROOFREAD by reading aloud. Many errors left on a page can be found by the writing when the “distance” created with voice is added.
• CAPITALIZATION can be a problem for those of us writing in an age of IM. Check sentences (of course) for a capital letter at the start, and check names of people groups in particular.
• ONLINE: Insert an image on the front page of your Blogger writing space, edit any links there that still read “edit me,” add an email link to the front page of your Blogger writing space, and, when composing your post, incorporate links to external sources as part of the text.
• PARAGRAPHING = “doing your laundry”
• HARVARD COMMA is still standard: __________, _________, and _________ .
• TITLES: Underline (italicize) all titles unless the title is “inside” an already titled work – then use quotes: the title of the CD is underlined, but the title of the song is in quotes; the title of the book is underlined, but the title of the chapter is in quotes; or, the title of the conference is underlined, but the title of a particular presentation is placed in quotes. Gettit?
• APPOSITIVES: … a new word for you? The word doesn’t matter as much as the function in writing. It works like this: I had a date with Harry, the rat-fink, and it stood me up once again. Or… The State of the Union Address, President Bush’s sixth, left the majority of Americans with a large number of questions. … The “rule” directs along these lines: when a noun or noun phrase is place as an explanatory equivalent (a restated equal), the restated noun or noun phrase is set off by commas. See how it goes?

I’ll try to put notes up here from time to time that will help you in composing your “lists of ten.” Be watching for updates.

technorati tags: Purdue English 106, list of ten