Week 7: paragraph focus for coffee cup memo
UPDATE: Wednesday + FRIDAY, OHitS/AMA (No questions for Wednesday, so we will meet in the same document) We will look at paragraph size and think of how cognitive wedge strategies help you in this memo. Here is your NEW Eli task on a pretty darn good draft, due October 19.
Here is Monday's OHitS/AMA. Inside, I will share free paragraphs that you can use in your coffee cup memo. Do not forget that you post your arrangment+content tonight on Eli Review
Paragraphs! Sentences live in paragraphs. Please keep your sentence strategies in place and consider NOT using empty subjects. Remember the cognitive wedge? You can apply that thinking at the beginning of each paragraph (also, simutaneously balancing the topic sentence value with a sense of transition from the earlier paragraph).
Generally, short paragraphs are evidence that you, the writer, does the heavy lifting for the reader. Why? Please consider paragraphing as an ethical duty to your reader. At the very least, think about manners and consideration.
Those two handouts linked just above are MS Word short docs to help you review paragraph essentials.
Grammar/Punctuation/Conventions advice
Check out this set of links (on the navigation bar to right but linked for your ease). What skill are you weak on? Semi-colons v colons? Using that v. which? Take a lock.
Linked there are my short memes (I made them) on common points.
Posted today as a follow-up is an exhbit/lesson on the Oxford comma, which I want you to use in this memo.
See you in the OHitSky/AMA place for more on paragraphs, as well as your questions on content for the task due this evening.
Marybeth Shea
OXFORD COMMA review
To my parents, Ayn Rand and God.
To my parents, J.K. Rowling and God.
To my parents, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart.
OR
In a newspaper account of a documentary about Merle Haggard:
Among those interviewed were his two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall.
These two preceding examples are from Theresa Hayden. Here is another doosie that cries out for a serial or Oxford comma.
Here is another doosie that cries out for a serial or Oxford comma.
The Times once published an unintentionally humorous description of a Peter Ustinov documentary, noting that
"highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector."
Now, to be clear, the serial comma does not always solve ambiguity problems:
They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid and a cook –
- They went to Oregon with Betty, who was a maid and a cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, both a maid and a cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid and cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty (a maid) and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid, and with a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty – a maid – and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with the maid Betty and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with a cook and Betty, a maid. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty as well as a maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty and a maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, one maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with a maid, a cook, and Betty. (Three people)
We can also look at the grocery list problem:
buying bread, jam, coffee, cream, juice, eggs, and bacon. VS
eating toast and jam, coffee and cream, juice, and bacon and eggs
Finally, we have a theme song to remember this punctuation convention.
And, this from S.C.
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/fo5d9i/the-colbert-report-vampire-weekend
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