MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Before Thanksgiving, we need to work and complete two assignments that rely on document design.  Some of the i- class work will overlap:

• place the review into a designed MS Word doc with visuals and hyperlinks (bring your digital text of this assignment to class or have available in a google doc or some sort of access)
• Write a set of directions for a procedure (Typically 1-3 pages of designed information.

We also need to start the small steps toward a final project.  I am revising the schedule to increase the number of peer review days.  Will post on Wednesday.  However, the final project and folder is due Monday, December 18 at noon.  I will hold office hours every day during finals so you may consult with me about your work.

You will need to propose your final project by next Wednesday, November 15.  Email me with questions.  Let's look at what people did last year. Next up is an annotated bibliography: Due on Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Nov 21.  Seven sources, with notes on how you will use the information.

for article review work here in Google Doc. Build a checklist in this Google sheet here.

Think about how the human voice (first person and second person voice) can both bind your document into coherence and also transition through the complex volume of material:

• Before we look at Guerro's work, let's review a few key definitions....
• Now, let's turn to selected findings in this review article...
• I have selected four important elements in Kaspari's work for your consideration...
• I suggest for further reading...

Also, think about counting out, as a transition element:

• Three aspects of Kirschenbaum's research are important for orthopedic surgeons:
• First,
• Next,
• Second,
• Finally. . .

And, what does this remind you of?  We will work through this handout on the "witch topic.".

Articles have beginnings, middles, and ends. Think Lemon-shaped. Interestingly, beginnings and ends have similarlties. We have a number of options; look at these seven strategies for opening. Some rough thoughts about formality and audience type:

News article openings are good for the lay audience.  Why?  Several strategies:

• highly visual
• interesting case
• hook with tidbit of interesting information
• topic (timely)

For technical audiences, open with

• review of logos (detail of costs, population size, enormity of problem)
• controversy
• new application or breaking news

Let's look at this recent article in PloS One about writing scientific prose. In Science, two scientists talk about how they read articles. Ruben writes with a somewhat lighthearted approach while Pain responds to his piece with her approach. Read the comments.

We will talk about what type of article you have:  research article, literature review, meta-analysis, proof, proof-of-concept, specialized application, method, opinion or memoir.

Here is the "bible" of writing (and reading) scientific prose:  Mayfield. Now, let's look/review at the basic parts of the IMRAD article using this guide.

(In-class, brief discussion about the ETHOS paragraph.  Think platform or journal as carrying the ethos of peer review. USE ITALICS! Do NOT put the long title of this article in your paragraph.)

Finally, little mini lesson on dangling modifiers (while walking down the street a piano fell on me) from former student Hannah S circa 2008.

Piano. from Paul Rayment on Vimeo.

Thank you for good class discussion today, Monday.  I revised the popplet here (best viewing if you open in another tab on your browser or download the PNG image.

Start writing!  You should be able to write your three-seven definitions now, in a paragraph or two.  Using bullets can work as can bolding.  Keep in mind that you may deploy them in the Cool Things paragraphs of your MIDDLE or body section.

Do you have a list of your Cool Things items, say three to five?

Upcoming: 

• beginnings and endings
• metadiscourse to bind your review (examples)
  • Before we turn to the key poultry capture findings in Mozafari and Shea, let's review a few definitions...
  • Reviewing these important background concepts here will make for easier reading of Jones' essential findings on gamma ray detection....
• what do do in the Critical Analysis?  Look at methods, experiment design, or sample sizes?  Ask if this work is theoretical (thought experiment) or either an experimental study or an observational study.
• Stat analysis?  Know what stats are being used.  Fisherian inference?  Multivariate?  Bayesian? Refresh yourself on those items.  Wikipedia is a good place to start. Many of you will need to know these two:
  
  • ANOVA (see cautions about imbalance; try to learn about one-way and two-way choices)
  • P-value

See if this help you see how to arrange your review. Open the image in a new tab to see all of this information. What other fruit or vegetable shapes help you?  Hint:  we talked about them in class.  Finally, I will make the due date on this Friday, November 3.  How is that?  You will need to help me make a checklist on Monday Oct 31 and Wednesday  November 1.