Reading and Writing Crash Course

Reading and Writing Crash Course

•Read Like a PRO•10 Deadly Sins of Writing•Proofreading

04/22/23 1Offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning

04/22/23 Offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning

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Read Like a PRO!

Critical Reading Strategies


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What is PRO? Prepare to read (pre-reading) Read Actively Organize to Learn

Hey – Am I a PRO?


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Part 1: Pre-reading Strategies Concentrate Preview Use Prior Knowledge Ask pre-reading questions and make

predictions Choose a reading strategy


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Concentrate When is the best time during the day

for you to read and study? Where is the best place for you to

read and study?This is what

happens to me when I study at

night!


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Preview Title

What does each word in the title mean? What does the phrase mean as a whole?

Author information Who is the author ? When did s/he write the piece?

Headings, Notes, Pictures, or Side Panels


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Use Prior Knowledge How do you relate to the piece you’ve

previewed? Are there any similarities between

you and the author or any of the characters?

Have you read or heard any of the information elsewhere before?


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Ask Questions/Predict What do you want to learn? What can you predict the author will

discuss?Hum…I’m

guessing the author will

discuss something

about how cute babies are!


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Choose a Reading Strategy What is the purpose in reading this

text? What is the level of difficulty? How will I actively read the text?


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Part 2: Reading ActivelyReading Actively means…

annotating and making connections

between the material and what you already

know or have experienced


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Becoming an Active Reader Devote time to fully focus on

comprehending the text Apply strategies that will swiftly

engage you with a text and keep your concentration


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Preparing to Become an Active Reader

Be aware of the environmental factors that enhance and hurt concentration

Be realistic about how long reading certain texts will take and set aside time for that reading

Plan to keep a Reading Log for every difficult text/document you are required to read


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Strategies for Reading Actively

Keep a Reading Log Orient yourself to the text Create a Discussion Web


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What Are You Looking For? Note the subject matter and author’s

purpose Recognize the organization of the text,

structure and genre Determine the context of the text Find the connections to the course Decide your purpose and goal


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Remaining Active Interact with the author as you read Try to figure out the author’s stance Monitor your comprehension and act

when your concentration flags


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Dealing with Demanding Texts Identify the major problem and

resolution Research the subject matter Look up unknown words Ask your peers, family, and friends for

help


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Part 3: Organizing to Learn Apply Post-Reading tips Create a Semantic Map Form a Discussion Group Mark Your Text Outline Chart


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Apply Post-Reading Tips Decide if you achieved your goals for

reading Discuss the accuracy of your predictions Summarize major ideas Research additional information Distinguish between relevant and

irrelevant ideas Paraphrase relevant details Reflect and personalize the text


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Create a Semantic Map (SM) Helps the reader to identify important

ideas Shows how the ideas fit together Uses comprehension/concentration

skills and evolves in a note taking form

Represents visually the content of your reading


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Three Components of SM Core question or concept Strands Supports


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SM - Spider Map Example


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SM – Fishbone Map Example


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Form a Discussion Group Brings out new ideas you’d previously

not considered Takes existing ideas or concepts about

the reading and expands upon them Allows your interpretations to be

challenged and will fill in some of your “blind spots” regarding what you just read


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Mark Your Text Read first and then mark selectively Box transitions and number important

ideas Circle specialized vocabulary Jot down main ideas in the margin Write questions as you read Make brief summaries at the end of

each section


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Outline What You Read Place major/general points to the left Indent each more specific point to the

right


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Chart What You Read Organize categories into columns Record information into the

appropriate category Tracks conversations and dialogues Reduces amount of writing Provides easy review


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PracticeTHEME FOR ENGLISH B - By Langston

HughesThe instructor said, Go home and write

a page tonight. And let that page come out of you--- Then, it will be true. I wonder if it's that simple? I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.


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Cont…I went to school there, then Durham, then here

to this college on the hill above Harlem. I am the only colored student in my class. The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas, Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y, the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator up to my room, sit down, and write this page: It's not easy to know what is true for you or me at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you: hear you, hear me---we two---you, me, talk on this page.


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Cont…(I hear New York too.) Me---who?

Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life. I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records---Bessie, bop, or Bach. I guess being colored doesn't make me NOT like the same things other folks like who are other races. So will my page be colored that I write? Being me, it will not be white. But it will be a part of you, instructor.


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Cont…You are white---

yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. That's American. Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me. Nor do I often want to be a part of you. But we are, that's true! As I learn from you,I guess you learn from me--- although you're older---and white--- and somewhat more free.

This is my page for English B.

Grammar Mechanics: The 10 Deadly Sins of Writing


A Quick Note

Don’t worry! This workshop was designed to address the most common grammatical and compositional errors in writing. That’s why we’re here; to make all of us, including myself, better writers.


SIN #1: The Sentence Fragment A sentence fragment is a partial or

incomplete thought that is used as a complete sentence. In most writing, sentence fragments are the result of a less formal, more conversational tone. Ex: When I tripped on the curb. Re: When I tripped on the curb, I split my

pants right down the middle. TIP: Look at your writing. Do you have any sentences

that cannot stand alone?


Sin #2: The Run -On The run-on occurs when two (or more)

complete thoughts or phrases are written as a single sentence without separation. Run-ons are generally a result of simple carelessness. Ex: Dave went to the store to buy some beer

he forgot his wallet. Re: Dave went to the store to buy some

beer, but he forgot his wallet. Tip: Run-ons are not confined to longer sentences;

check the structure of short sentences, too.04/22/23 34Offered by the Center for Teaching

and Learning

Sin #3: The Comma Splice & Fused Sentences

This is a type of run-on sentence in which two (or more) complete sentences are connected with only a comma. These types of fused sentences are usually the result of the writer trying to tie a complex thought together. Ex: Collin works out, he is the strongest guy in the

class. Re: Because Collin works out, he is the strongest guy

in the class. TIP: Review your work. If one sentence can easily be read as

two complete sentences, it is probably a comma splice or fused sentence.


Sin #4: Lack of Agreement

A lack of agreement occurs when the subject does not agree with the verb (both are not singular or both are not plural). Ex: The girl run fast down the street. Re: The girl runs fast down the street

TIP: Try to pay close attention to the verb and its subject(s) or a pronoun and its antecedent(s). Do they agree?


SIN #5: Inconsistent Tense You can have inconsistent tense when the

tense of two (or more) verbs in a sentence do not agree. Ex: She forgot that she needs to do some homework

for her math class. Re: She forgot that she needed to do some

homework for her math class. Tip: When you have multiple verbs in one sentence, pay close

attention to the tense.


SIN #6: Poor Parallelism Poor parallelism is a grammatical

mistake whereby there is an awkward lack of balance in the creation of lists and series. Ex: I glanced out the window and saw an

elm tree, a tree with bright red fruit, and a large bush.

Re: I glanced out the window and saw an elm tree, an apple tree, and a large bush.

TIP: When making a list or series, pay close attention to the grammatical structure of the nouns.


Sin #7: Dangling Modifiers

Simply put, dangling modifiers describe or reference words that never actually appear in a sentence. Ex: Driving down the street, the weather

seemed to be changing rather quickly. Re: Driving down the street, I noticed the

weather seemed to be changing rather quickly.

Tip: Try not to carelessly add descriptive phrases to a sentence. Pay attention to the phrases in a sentence and what they modify.


Sin #8: Passive Voice

With passive voice, the subject of a sentence becomes the receiver of the action. Basically, nothing or no one is performing the action. Ex: The haunted house at the top of the hill

was greatly feared by us. Re: We feared the haunted house at the top

of the hill. Tip: Unless you absolutely need a passive verb,

change it to the active voice.


SIN #9: Redundancy

As the term implies, redundancy is the overuse or needless use of words. Ex: She was totally the tallest girl in the classroom. Re: She was the tallest girl in the classroom. Ex: To fix the car, you will need both a wrench and a

screwdriver. Re: To fix the car, you will need a wrench and a

screwdriver. Tip: Go through your work and look for descriptive words you

often use when speaking; these tend to be redundant in writing.


Sin #10: Inexactness/Imprecision

When writing, make sure you use words and phrases which correctly convey your meaning. Ex: In an attempt to levitate the situation,

the police officer backed off a few steps. Re: In an attempt to alleviate the situation,

the police officer backed off a few steps. Tip: Don’t try and stretch your vocabulary. If needed,

grab a dictionary to find the best word. Also, try and avoid extremely pretentious wording.


Additional Resources CTL -

http://www.uis.edu/ctl/writing/tutorials.html Grammar Punctuation and Spelling -

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/

Grammar and Punctuation – http://www.grammarbook.com/

Writing World Grammar Resources - http://www.writing-world.com/links/grammar.shtml


http://www.uis.edu/ctl/writing/tutorials.html



http://www.grammarbook.com/

http://www.writing-world.com/links/grammar.shtml

http://www.writing-world.com/links/grammar.shtml

Reading and Writing Crash Course

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