Writing Wiki

The writing wiki is here: http://writcom.wetpaint.com

College Writer Chapter Summaries -- David C.

http://www.freemindshare.com/map/fmnr8ACSUW/

ePortfolio

from http://academic.sfsu.edu/ar/at/otl/port_think.php
Integrating Learning Theories, "Portfolio Thinking"
The portfolio development process covers the following learning theory stages:
Collection: saving artifacts that represent the day-to-day results of teaching and learning;
Selection: reviewing and evaluating the artifacts saved, and identifying those that demonstrate achievement of specific standards or goals;
Reflection: reflecting on the significance of the artifacts chosen for the portfolio in relationship to specific learning goals;
Projection (or Direction): comparing the reflections to the standards/goals and performance indicators, and setting learning goals for the future;
Presentation: sharing the portfolio with instructors, peers, or potential employers and receiving feedback
(Danielson & Abrutyn, 1997)
To learn more please read, "Demonstrating and Assessing Student Learning with E-Portfolios" , 2005 by George Lorenzo and John Ittelson.:
E-portfolios allow students to demonstrate competencies and reflect upon experiences, documenting academic preparation and career readiness. Creating e-portfolios enables students to enhance their learning by giving them a better understanding of their skills, as well as where and how they need to improve to meet academic and career goals. Additionally, the digital artifacts that students accumulate can be used to assess learning at the course, program, department, and institutional level. This report reviews how selected higher education institutions have implemented assessment e-portfolio systems that demonstrate and assess learning.

Unit 5: Weather vocabulary

Link: http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/weather-vocabulary.htm

6.26.2007Unit 5: Weather Vocabulary from http://www.bom.gov.au/info/wwords/
Description of Phenomena

Fog: Suspension of very small water droplets in the air, reducing visibility at ground level to less than a kilometer.

Smog: Smog ( contraction for 'smoke fog') is a fog in which smoke or other forms of atmospheric pollutant have an important part in causing the fog to thicken, and have unpleasant and dangerous physiological effects.

Mist: Similar to fog, but visibility remains more than a kilometre.

Frost: Deposit of soft white ice crystals or frozen dew drops on objects near the ground; formed when surface temperature falls below freezing point.

Precipitation: Any or all of the forms of water particles, whether liquid (e.g. rain, drizzle) or solid (e.g. hail, snow), that fall from a cloud or group of clouds and reach the ground. (See Drizzle, Rain)

Drizzle: Fairly uniform precipitation composed exclusively of very small water droplets (less than 0.5 mm in diameter) very close to one another.

Rain: Precipitation of liquid water drops greater than 0.5 mm in diameter. In contrast to showers, it is steadier and normally falls from stratiform (layer) cloud.

Showers: Usually begin and end suddenly. Relatively short-lived, but may last half an hour. Often, but not always, separated by blue sky.

Blizzard: Violent and very cold wind which is laden with snow, some part, at least, of which has been raised from snow covered ground.

Thunderstorms: Thunderstorms are one or more convective clouds in which electrical discharge can be seen as lightning and heard as thunder by a person on the earth's surface. A severe thunderstorm produces one or more of hail at the ground with diameter of 2 cm or more; wind gusts at the ground of 90 km/h or more; tornadoes; or very heavy rain likely to cause flash flooding.

Tornado: A tall, rapidly rotating column of air between 5 and 1000 metres in diameter which is attached to the base of a cumulonimbus or large cumulus cloud and which is capable of producing damage at the earth's surface.

Freemindshare Maps

Carmen's map of Chapter 10:
http://www.freemindshare.com/map/lmvw146EIX/

Unit 3: Workaholics

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workaholic

Workaholic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •Jump to: navigation, search
Colloquially, a workaholic is a person who is addicted to work. This phrase does not always imply that the person actually enjoys their work, but rather simply feels compelled to do it. There is no generally accepted medical definition of such a condition, although some forms of stress, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder can be work-related. Although the term "workaholic" usually has a negative connotation, it is sometimes used by people wishing to express their devotion to one's career in positive terms. The "work" in question is usually associated with a paying job, but it may also refer to independent pursuits such as sports, music, art, or blogging.

A "workaholic" in the negative sense is popularly characterized by a neglect of family and other social relations. The term has no clinical definition, however.

Workaholism in Japan is considered a serious social problem leading to early death, often on the job, a phenomenon dubbed karōshi. Overwork was popularly blamed for the fatal stroke of Prime Minister of Japan Keizo Obuchi, in the year 2000.[1]

The name itself is a play on "alcoholic". The term was coined in 1968 by psychologist Wayne Oates and popularized by his 1971 book Confessions of a Workaholic (Oates's coinage also prompted the widespread use of the -holism suffix for popular compulsions).[2] It gained more widespread use in the 1990s, as the result of a wave of the self-help movement that centered on addiction, forming an analogy between harmful social behaviors such as over-work and drug addiction, including addiction to alcohol. Although "workaholic" is not an official medical or psychological term, it remains in widespread usage to refer to those whose expenditure of time on work and work-related issues leads to the detriment of their bodily health, social lives, family and domestic life, or leisure time.


See also
Work-life balance

[edit] Further reading
Bryan Robinson (2007). Chained to the Desk: A Guidebook for Workaholics, Their Partners and Children, and the Clinicians Who Treat Them. New York University Press. ISBN 0814775977.
Barbara Killinger (2004). Workaholics: the Respectable Addicts. Key Porter Books Ltd. ISBN 1552635856.
Beth Sawi (2000). Coming Up for Air: How to Build A Balanced Life in A Workaholic World. Hyperion Books. ISBN 0786865490.
Jonathon Lazear (2001). The Man Who Mistook His Job for a Life: A Chronic Overachiever Finds the Way Home. Crown Books. ISBN 0609608460.

References
^ Daniel Griffiths. "Japan's workaholic culture", BBC News Online, 4 April 2000. Retrieved on 2007-10-12.
^ America in So Many Words. Houghton Mifflin (1997). Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Original publication in "On Being a 'Workaholic' (A Serious Jest)" in the journal Pastoral Psychology.

External links
Workaholics Anonymous - self-help organization
This psychology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

General Sports Vocabulary

Vocabulary: Sport
General

applause
beginner
centre-forward (Fußball: striker)
champion
championship
competition
contestant
defeat
defender
disqualify
entry fee
fan
final
finish
finish line
football field
forward (Fußball: striker)
free kick
free ticket
game, match
goal
goalkeeper
golf course
gymnasium
Olympic Games
penalty
Penalty
player
pool
prize
prize
Ready, steady, go!
On your marks, get set, go!
record (world record)
referee, umpire
result
rider
rule
score
set
spectator
sportsman (Pl. sportsmen)
sportwoman (Pl. sportswomen)
stadium
start
stopwatch
success
supporter
ticket
to beat (a team)
to commit a foul
to lose
to take a break
to take part
to take place
to win
to win a medal
tournament
track
trainer, coach
trainers
victory
whistle
winner
world record

Unit 4: Sports

Do, Play, or Go Sports Vocabulary:

http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blsport_doplaygo1.htm

word form link

http://www.athabascau.ca/courses/engl/155/support/word_forms.htm

Organization Pattern s

Two Types of Analytical Papers

	Scientific	Humanistic
Epistemology	Discover the truth	Create meaning
Human Nature	Determinism	Free will
Value Priority	Objectivity	Emancipation
Purpose of Theory	Give universal laws	Give rules for interpretation
Research Methods	Experiment and Survey	Textual analysis and ethnography
Standards for Evaluation	Explanation of data Prediction of future Relative simplicity Testable hypotheses Practical utility	Understanding of people Clarification of values Aesthetic appeal Community of agreement Reform society

Writing Skills -- ISTEP

Writing Skills and the ISTEP+ Test (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress)

In its listing of writing skills the ISTEP+ test focuses on the writer's ability to:
(words in parentheses indicate highest level of proficiency)
a) stay (completely) focused on topic and task
b) organize ideas (logically)
c) exhibit (exceptional) word usage
d) demonstrate (exceptional) writing technique
e) (effectively) adjust language and tone to task and reader


More specifically, the good writer must:
Ideas
a) unify theme or main idea
b) not go off on tangents
c) fully accomplish the task (summary, essay, article...)
d) fully explore many facets of the topic

Organization
a) create a cohesive, meaningful whole (i.e. introduction, body, and conclusion)
b) progress in an order that enhances meaning
c) make smooth transitions between ideas, sentences and paragraphs to enhance meaning of text

Style
a) choose vocabulary to make explanations detailed and precise, descriptions rich, and actions clear and vivid
b) demonstrate control of a challenging vocabulary
c) use varied sentence patterns and complex sentences (yet fluent and easy to read)
d) uses writer's techniques (i.e. literary conventions such as imagery, humor etc.)

Voice
a) choose appropriate register (i.e. formal, personal, or dialect) to suit task
b) display a strong sense of audience (the readers)
c) have a unique perspective; may be original, authoritative, lively and/or exciting

Mechanics
a)words should have no or few capitalization errors
b) sentences should have no or few punctuation errors
c) words should have no or few spelling errors
d) sentences should have no or few grammar or word usage errors
e) good writing has no or few paragraphing errors
f) good writing has no or few run-on sentences or sentence fragments

Important Work Vocabulary Words

Important Work Vocabulary Words
From: http://www.mtstcil.org/skills/job-6.html
An easy way to be better prepared for a job is to understand many of the common words people use when discussing jobs. Below are some words that you may come across when searching for a job, interviewing, or on the job and examples of how they may be used.

Application
Attitude
Benefits
Career
Classifieds
Deductions
Experience
Goal
Gross Wages
Interest
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Job
Net Wages
Network/Networking
Occupation
Opportunity
Qualifications
Reference
Resume
Skill
Tax/Taxes
Value
Application
A form used to apply for a job

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Attitude
A feeling or opinion about something or someone; a mental position with regard to a state (a "negative" or "positive" attitude)

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
What is your attitude toward working in large groups? (feeling/opinion)
You are more likely to succeed if you have a positive attitude. (mental position)
Benefits
Things that employers may offer you in addition to your wages; for example, health insurance, annual or sick leave, holidays, paid vacation, parking space or monthly reimbursement for parking space area, mileage for travel, and tuition reimbursement

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Although the salary was less than I wanted, I took the job because it had excellent benefits.
Career
A profession for which one trains; a job or series of job that you do during your working life He wants a career in social work.

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Her career as a computer technician is very rewarding.
What are your career goals?
Classified Ads/Classified Section/Classifieds
Advertisements in a newspaper, magazine, or online, regarding job opportunities; the section of a newspaper, magazine or Web site devoted to advertisements about job opportunities

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
The job will be listed in this Sunday's Classified Section.
I saw your advertisement for an assistant in the classifieds.
Deductions
An amount of money taken from your paycheck every payday (usually for things such as federal and state income taxes, employment taxes, social security taxes, workers compensation coverage, and health insurance payments)

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Her paycheck was $178 after deductions.
Experience
Knowledge or skill that one gets from doing, seeing or feeling something; the experience a person already has of working

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Do you have any experience working in a restaurant or serving food?
I have experience working in an office, filing, typing, and answering phones.
Goal
Aim or purpose; the end toward which effort is directed

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
The department's goal is to provide better customer service.
My goal is to find a job where I can work with children.
Gross Wages
The total amount of your pay or wages before any deductions are taken out of your paycheck

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Your gross wages are $200, but your net wages are $150.
Interest
The desire to learn about and/or be involved in a particular field or topic; activities that you enjoy doing or subjects that you like to learn about and spend time studying

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
She has always had an interest in healthcare.
His interests include politics, computers, and exercise.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
A department of the U.S. government that collects taxes

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
You must file your taxes with the IRS by April 15.
Job
Employment; the regular work a person does to earn money; a specific task or piece of work; a specific task or project that is one's responsibility

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
I am looking for a job as a teacher's aide. (employment)
We hope to have the job done by next week. (piece of work)
It will be your job to answer the phone and file papers. (responsibility)
Net Wages
The amount of pay or wages you take home after all your deductions are taken out of your paycheck

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Your gross wages are $200, but your net wages are $150.
Network/Networking
Using friends, family, and people in organizations that you know to help you find a job

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
One of the most successful ways to find a job is through networking.
Occupation
A person's job

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
The application asks you to list your occupation.
He answered "teacher" when they asked his occupation.
Opportunity
The chance to do something you want to do, advance, or progress; the chance to get a job

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
I had the opportunity to learn computer skills at my last job. (chance)
Will there be the opportunity to advance in this job? (advance/progress)
There are many opportunities for people who have gone to technical school. (job)
Qualifications
An ability, characteristic or experience that makes you suitable for a particular job or activity

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Nursing experience is a necessary qualification for this job.
Reference
A person who knows you and is willing to describe and usually praise you to support you when you are trying to get a job; a statement as to a person's character or ability

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
She used her computer teacher as a reference for the job.
Resume
A short written description of your education, qualifications, and previous employment, which you send to an employer when you are trying to get a job; also sometimes called a curriculum vitae or CV

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
People interested in applying for the job should send their resume by mail.
Skill
The ability to do an activity or job well, especially because you have practiced it

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Helping raise my younger brothers gave me great skills with children.
I learned my office skills while volunteering in the school office.
What skills does the job require?
Tax/Taxes
An amount of money that is paid to the government, which is based on your income

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
Every person in the United States is required to pay state, federal, and social security tax.
Value
How important or useful something is; "value" can be used to describe something's basic worth (how important or useful people find it) or monetary worth (how much something costs)

Have you answered all the questions on the application form?
The company places a lot of value on honesty. (basic worth)
What is the value of the prize? (monetary worth)

Unit 3: Work Vocabulary

Work - What do they do? Where do they work?
from: http://www.learnenglish.de/vocabulary/jobs.htm
Job What do they do? Where do they work?
Accountants Look after the finances in an organisastion. They work in an office.
Bakers Bake bread. They work in a bakery.
Barbers Shave men's beards and cut men's hair. They work in a barbers.
Barmen/women Serve drinks. They work in a bar, pub or restaurant.
Butchers Prepare and sell meat. They work in a butchers.
Chambermaids Clean and tidy rooms. They work in a hotel.
Chefs Prepare and cook food. They work in a kitchen.
Dentists Look after people's teeth. They work in a dentists.
Doctors Look after people's health. They work in a hospital or surgery.
Fishmongers Prepare and sell fish. They work in a fishmongers.
Flight attendants Look after passengers. They work in an airplane.
Hair dressers Cut and style people's hair. They work in a hair salon.
Judges Judge and sentence people. They work in a law court.
Lawyers Defend and prosecute people. They work in a law court and in a lawyers office.
Nurses Look after patients . They work in a hospital or doctor's surgery.
Opticians Look after people's eye sight. They work in an opticians.
Porters Carry other people's bags and luggage. They work in a hotel or train station.
Receptionists Meet and greet visitors. They work in reception.
Sales Assistants Sell goods and look after customers. They work in a shop.
Secretaries Arrange appointments, type letters and organise meetings. They work in an office.
Surgeons Operate on people who are sick. They work in a hospital.
Vets Look after people's animals. They work in a veterinary surgery or vets.
Waiters/Waitresses Serve people food and drink. They work in a restaurant.

Leaving or Losing your job
There are many different ways to express leaving or losing a job.

To Leave Your Job:-
To resign | To quit | To leave your job = to give up a job or position by telling your employer that you are leaving.

To retire = to leave your job or stop working because of old age or ill health.

To Lose Your Job:-
To be dismissed | To be fired | To get fired | To be sacked | To get the sack | To get the chop | To get your P45 | To lose your job = to be asked to leave a job, usually because you have done something wrong or badly, or sometimes as a way of saving the cost of employing you.

To be made redundant = to lose your job because your employer no longer needs you.

Dialogue - Naturally Speaking
The job interview
John has a job interview for a Saturday job
Interviewer: So, you've applied for the Saturday position, right?
John: Yes, I have.
Interviewer: Can you tell me what made you reply to our advertisement?
John: Well, I was looking for a part-time job to help me through college. And I think that I'd be really good at this kind of work.
Interviewer: Do you know exactly what you would be doing as a shop assistant?
John: Well I imagine I would be helping customers, keeping a check on the supplies in the store, and preparing the shop for business.
Interviewer: That about covers it, you would also be responsible for keeping the front of the store tidy. What sort of student do you regard yourself as . . . did you enjoy studying while you were at school?
John: I suppose I'm a reasonable student. I passed all my exams and I enjoy studying subjects that interest me.
Interviewer: Have you any previous work experience?
John: Yes. I worked part-time at a take-away in the summer holidays.
Interviewer: Now, do you have any questions you'd like to ask me about the position?
John: Yes. Could you tell me what hours I'd have to work?
Interviewer: We open at 9.00, but you would be expected to arrive at 8.30 and we close at 6.00 pm. You would be able to leave then.

I think I have asked you everything I wanted to. Thank you for coming along to the interview.


John: Thank you. When will I know if I have been successful?
Interviewer: We'll be making our decision next Monday, we'll give you a call.

Process Topics

How to care for a cat (or any animal).
How to spend a holiday.
How to develop self-control.
How to find happiness.
How to keep your girl (boy) friend.
How to track a wild animal.
How to prepare my favorite dish.
How to cure a cold.
How to take good snapshots.
How to take notes.
How to criticize music.
How to make an ice cream soda.
How to keep friends.
How to spend a weekend.
How to take it easy intelligently.
How to plan a garden.
How to entertain the family.
How to paper a room.
How to be popular.
How to grow tomatoes (or any vegetable, grain, or flower).
How to choose a friend.
How to solve the housing problem.
How to make cheese.
How to make coffee.
How to write a good essay.
How to be a nonchalant when embarrassed.
How to study systematically.
How to prepare for an examination.
How to plan a meal.
How to cure insomnia.
How to get along with a brother (or sister).
How to enjoy music.
How a band moves into a formation.
How to give a gentle hint.
How to leave a party.
How to make an impression on a girl (or a boy).
How to learn a part in a play.
How to administer artificial respiration.
How (not) to prepare for a journey.
How to caddy.
How to review a book.
How to develop film.
How to spend your time profitably while standing in line.
How to clean a rifle.
How to enjoy a vacation.
How to hunt with a camera.
How to sleep in class.
How to approach Dad.
How I would change Present (traffic, food, education) laws.
Learning to ride a course.
Do's and don'ts for basketball fans.
Tinkering with machinery.
Steps in making a garden.
A good party game.
In case of fire . . .
Making something out of nothing.
A complicated play in basketball or football (use diagrams).
Helps for puzzle friends.
How to "psych out" a teacher.
How to play a game.
How to spend an enjoyable evening in . . .
Plan for a garden.
Where automobiles are likely to break down.
The serve in tennis.
Choosing a wardrobe.
Earning one's way.
The best scheme I ever heard of to make money.
Making a hobby profitable.
Miracles nature never thought of.
A good floor plan.
How books are classified in a library.
A chairman's (or speaker's) duties in a group discussion.
How to enjoy literature.
How to converse.
How to tie a shoe.
How to take care of a computer.
How to say "no".

Unit 2: Lottery Winners Links

http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/20/magazines/fortune/lottery_winnings.fortune/index.htm

http://lottoreport.com/sadbuttrue19.htm

Reading Unit: Millionaire -- Wiki Link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millionaire

Questioning Strategies

Questioning Strategies
Developed by Karen Kimmel for the Gallaudet University English Department from Dr. Gerald Begy, SUNY College at Brockport
from: http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/reading/queststrategy.html
Memory Questions:
Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?


Definitions of Terms:
What is the author's meaning of the term?
What is your meaning of the term?
Does the term change meaning in the article?


Generalizations:
What events led to this situation?
In what three ways does this situation resemble . . . ?
How do these events cause change?


Values:
What is said about this topic? Do you agree?
What kind of person supports this topic?
Did anyone say or do something that you wouldn't do?


Translations:
Retell this situation in your own words.
What kind of diagram could you use to illustrate this concept?
How could we restate these ideas for a person from another culture?


Comparisons:
How is this idea like . . . ?
How does this idea today compare with ideas of 20 years ago?
How does this idea in the U.W. compare with ideas in another country?
Which three ideas are most alike?


Implications:
What will these ideas lead to . . . ?
What justification does the author give for these ideas?
If these ideas or events continue to happen, what will result?


Applications:
How can these ideas be applied to life here in school?
How can we show from this story that we need . . . ?
What would be necessary if we wanted to . . . ?


Analyses:
Discuss the statement, "ASL is not a language."
Some people think that English skills deteriorate when Sign is used, on what do they base this assumption? What do you think?


Evaluation:
What do you think of the person or situation; why do you feel this way?
Find the opinions; find the facts. Are the supporting reasons logical? emotional? ethical?

Reading Links

Reading Links List from TESOL:
http://iteslj.org/links/ESL/Reading/

Takako's Great Adventure

http://international.ouc.bc.ca/takako/

Voice of America:

Chimp http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2007-11-19-voa1.cfm

Parts of speech

n. (noun) - a name word; name of a person, place, thing, or idea
pn. (pronoun) - a word used in place of a noun
vb.(verb) - word for an action or state of being
adj. (adjective) - a describing word
adv. (adverb) - aa modigying word
prep. (preposition) - a word used to show a relation
intj. (interjection) - an interrupting word
conj. (conjunction) - a combining word

HAVE you ever heard anyone say, “I feel badly”? Of course you have, because almost everyone seems to have the mistaken idea that “I feel bad” is awkward and inelegant. In order to understand why “I feel bad” is correct, we must understand the difference between adjectives and adverbs.

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

As you recall, an adjective can modify either a noun or a pronoun; whereas an adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. The following chart of a sentence will enable you to fix these facts in mind. As you study the plan, remember that the subject and the object must always be nouns or other parts of speech used as nouns.

THE SENTENCE PLAN
Subject	Verb	Object
Adjective	Adverb	Adjective
Adverb	Adverb	Adverb

Two Positions of the Adjective

Few of us have any difficulty in identifying an adjective when it is close to the noun it modifies. In each of the four sentences at the top of Page 4, the adjective immediately precedes the noun it modifies.

Freemind tutorial link

http://www.geocities.com/shaila_kishore/Freemind

Freemind tutorial link

http://www.geocities.com/shaila_kishore/Freemind

SQ3R Reading System

SQ3R - A Reading and Study Skill System
Classic system presented by way of Virginia Tech: http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/sq3r.html

SURVEY - gather the information necessary to focus and formulate goals.
Read the title - help your mind prepare to receive the subject at hand.
Read the introduction and/or summary - orient yourself to how this chapter fits the author's purposes, and focus on the author's statement of most important points.
Notice each boldface heading and subheading - organize your mind before you begin to read - build a structure for the thoughts and details to come.
Notice any graphics - charts, maps, diagrams, etc. are there to make a point - don't miss them.
Notice reading aids - italics, bold face print, chapter objective, end-of -chapter questions are all included to help you sort, comprehend, and remember.
QUESTION - help your mind engage and concentrate.
One section at a time, turn the boldface heading into as many questions as you think will be answered in that section. The better the questions, the better your comprehension is likely to be. You may always add further questions as you proceed. When your mind is actively searching for answers to questions it becomes engaged in learning.

READ - fill in the information around the mental structures you've been building.
Read each section (one at a time) with your questions in mind. Look for the answers, and notice if you need to make up some new questions.

RECITE - retrain your mind to concentrate and learn as it reads.
After each section - stop, recall your questions, and see if you can answer them from memory. If not, look back again (as often as necessary) but don't go on to the next section until you can recite.

REVIEW - refine your mental organization and begin building memory.
Once you've finished the entire chapter using the preceding steps, go back over all the questions from all the headings. See if you can still answer them. If not, look back and refresh your memory, then continue.

REMEMBER: THE INFORMATION YOU GAIN FROM READING IS IMPORTANT. IF YOU JUST "DO IT" WITHOUT LEARNING SOMETHING. YOU'RE WASTING A LOT OF TIME. TRAIN YOUR MIND TO LEARN!!!

Student Photos

Bloom's Taxonomy of Skills (Revised)

Reading Vowels

On Narrative and Descriptive Writing

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/narrative.htm

Rhetorical Modes

As a writer, you can begin by asking yourself questions and then answering them. Your answers will bring your subject into focus and provide,you with the material to develop your topic. Here are twenty questions or “thought starters” that present ways of observing or thinking about your topic. Each question generates the type of essay listed in parentheses after the question.

1. What does X mean? (Definition)

2. What are the various features of X? (Description)

3. What are the component parts of X? (Simple Analysis)

4. How is X made or done? (Process Analysis)

5. How should X be made or done? (Directional Analysis)

6. What is the essential function of X? (Functional Analysis)

7. What are the causes of X? (Causal Analysis)

8. What are the consequences of X? (Causal Analysis)

9. What are the types of X? (Classification)

10. How is X like or unlike Y? (Comparison)

11. What is the present status of X? (Comparison)

12. What is the significance of X? (Interpretation)

13. What are the facts about X? (Reportage)

14. How did X happen? (Narration)

15. What kind of person is X? (Characterization/Profile)

16. What is my personal response to X? (Reflection)

17. What is my memory ofX? (Reminiscence)

18. What is the value of X? (Evaluation)

19. What are the essential major points or features of X? (summary)

20. What case can be made for or against X? (Persuasion)

Reading Unit 1, Chapter 1: On Music

Link to vocabulary of music: http://www.eslgold.com/vocabulary/musical_instruments.html

Student Blogs

Alex's blog: http://ozaytsev.blogspot.com/
Patricia's blog: http://onebamamoma.blogspot.com/
Carmen's blog: http://carmen2007ca.blogspot.com/
Deann's blog: http://studywcom.blogspot.com/
David's blog: http://www.flyboymusings.blogspot.com/
Bhim's blog: http://sanubhai2006.blogspot.com/
Shreeshesh's blog: http://www.shreeshesh.blogspot.com/
Kalpana's blog: http://ghl_kalpana.blog.com/
Freddie's blog: http://freddielovesenglish.blogspot.com/
Pratik's blog: http://www.pratikhadka.blogspot.com/
Shreeeshesh's blog: www.shreeshesh.blogspot.com

On Mind Mapping

Wikipedia

Freemind Link

http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Freemind

Week / Dates

Week	Sun	Mon	Tu	W	Th	Fri	Sat
1	26-Aug-07	27-Aug-07	28-Aug-07	29-Aug-07	30-Aug-07	31-Aug-07	1-Sep-07
2	2-Sep-07	3-Sep-07	4-Sep-07	5-Sep-07	6-Sep-07	7-Sep-07	8-Sep-07	Labor day 9/3
3	9-Sep-07	10-Sep-07	11-Sep-07	12-Sep-07	13-Sep-07	14-Sep-07	15-Sep-07	Last add/drop day 9/14
4	16-Sep-07	17-Sep-07	18-Sep-07	19-Sep-07	20-Sep-07	21-Sep-07	22-Sep-07
5	23-Sep-07	24-Sep-07	25-Sep-07	26-Sep-07	27-Sep-07	28-Sep-07	29-Sep-07
6	30-Sep-07	1-Oct-07	2-Oct-07	3-Oct-07	4-Oct-07	5-Oct-07	6-Oct-07
7	7-Oct-07	8-Oct-07	9-Oct-07	10-Oct-07	11-Oct-07	12-Oct-07	13-Oct-07
8	14-Oct-07	15-Oct-07	16-Oct-07	17-Oct-07	18-Oct-07	19-Oct-07	20-Oct-07	Midterms
9	21-Oct-07	22-Oct-07	23-Oct-07	24-Oct-07	25-Oct-07	26-Oct-07	27-Oct-07
10	28-Oct-07	29-Oct-07	30-Oct-07	31-Oct-07	1-Nov-07	2-Nov-07	3-Nov-07
11	4-Nov-07	5-Nov-07	6-Nov-07	7-Nov-07	8-Nov-07	9-Nov-07	10-Nov-07
12	11-Nov-07	12-Nov-07	13-Nov-07	14-Nov-07	15-Nov-07	16-Nov-07	17-Nov-07	Verteran's day holiday 11/12
13	18-Nov-07	19-Nov-07	20-Nov-07	21-Nov-07	22-Nov-07	23-Nov-07	24-Nov-07	Thanksgiving recess 21-25
14	25-Nov-07	26-Nov-07	27-Nov-07	28-Nov-07	29-Nov-07	30-Nov-07	1-Dec-07
15	2-Dec-07	3-Dec-07	4-Dec-07	5-Dec-07	6-Dec-07	7-Dec-07	8-Dec-07
16	9-Dec-07	10-Dec-07	11-Dec-07	12-Dec-07	13-Dec-07	14-Dec-07	15-Dec-07	Finals
17	16-Dec-07	17-Dec-07	18-Dec-07	19-Dec-07	20-Dec-07	21-Dec-07	22-Dec-07	Semester ends

Week / Dates

Week	Sun	Mon	Tu	W	Th	Fri	Sat
1	26-Aug-07	27-Aug-07	28-Aug-07	29-Aug-07	30-Aug-07	31-Aug-07	1-Sep-07
2	2-Sep-07	3-Sep-07	4-Sep-07	5-Sep-07	6-Sep-07	7-Sep-07	8-Sep-07	Labor day 9/3
3	9-Sep-07	10-Sep-07	11-Sep-07	12-Sep-07	13-Sep-07	14-Sep-07	15-Sep-07	Last add/drop day 9/14
4	16-Sep-07	17-Sep-07	18-Sep-07	19-Sep-07	20-Sep-07	21-Sep-07	22-Sep-07
5	23-Sep-07	24-Sep-07	25-Sep-07	26-Sep-07	27-Sep-07	28-Sep-07	29-Sep-07
6	30-Sep-07	1-Oct-07	2-Oct-07	3-Oct-07	4-Oct-07	5-Oct-07	6-Oct-07
7	7-Oct-07	8-Oct-07	9-Oct-07	10-Oct-07	11-Oct-07	12-Oct-07	13-Oct-07
8	14-Oct-07	15-Oct-07	16-Oct-07	17-Oct-07	18-Oct-07	19-Oct-07	20-Oct-07	Midterms
9	21-Oct-07	22-Oct-07	23-Oct-07	24-Oct-07	25-Oct-07	26-Oct-07	27-Oct-07
10	28-Oct-07	29-Oct-07	30-Oct-07	31-Oct-07	1-Nov-07	2-Nov-07	3-Nov-07
11	4-Nov-07	5-Nov-07	6-Nov-07	7-Nov-07	8-Nov-07	9-Nov-07	10-Nov-07
12	11-Nov-07	12-Nov-07	13-Nov-07	14-Nov-07	15-Nov-07	16-Nov-07	17-Nov-07	Verteran's day holiday 11/12
13	18-Nov-07	19-Nov-07	20-Nov-07	21-Nov-07	22-Nov-07	23-Nov-07	24-Nov-07	Thanksgiving recess 21-25
14	25-Nov-07	26-Nov-07	27-Nov-07	28-Nov-07	29-Nov-07	30-Nov-07	1-Dec-07
15	2-Dec-07	3-Dec-07	4-Dec-07	5-Dec-07	6-Dec-07	7-Dec-07	8-Dec-07
16	9-Dec-07	10-Dec-07	11-Dec-07	12-Dec-07	13-Dec-07	14-Dec-07	15-Dec-07	Finals
17	16-Dec-07	17-Dec-07	18-Dec-07	19-Dec-07	20-Dec-07	21-Dec-07	22-Dec-07	Semester ends

Writing links

Forming Your Thesis Statement
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Thesis.html

Opening Your Draft
http://www.nutsandboltsguide.com/beginning.html

Developing the Middle
http://www.nutsandboltsguide.com/middle.htm

Ending Your Draft
http://www.nutsandboltsguide.com/ending.html

Revising Your Voice and Style
http://www.nutsandboltsguide.com/plainstyle.htm

Revising Collaboratively
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/PeerReviews.html

Using the Writing Center
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~riceowl/

Avoiding Imprecise, Misleading, and Biased Words
http://www.bartleby.com/62/

Also, for help with specific word-choice challenges like wordiness, take this quiz.
http://college.hmco.com/cgi-bin/SaCGI.cgi/ace1app.cgi?FNC=AcePresent__Apresent_html___eng_elibrary49

E82 Textbook Online

For English 82A -- Written Communication -- our course textbook, The College Writer, has the following excellent web site:

http://college.hmco.com/english/vandermey/college_writer/1e/students/

E82A Syllabus Fall 2007

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION I

ENGLISH 82A

Units: 3

Prerequisite/Co-requisite Courses: None

Instructor: Dr. Sylvia Y. R. Schoemaker

Phone: 510.628.8036

E-mail: drsylvia2007@gmail.com

Office Hours: T-Th 9-9:30, 12; 15-1 and by arrangement

Required Text:

VanderMey et al. The College Writer. 2nd Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007.

Recommended Texts:

Clouse, Barbara Fine. A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers: Strategies & Process.4th Ed. Boston: Mc-Graw-Hill, 2005.

Adams, Katherine H. and Michael L. Keene, Research and Writing across the Disciples 2nd Ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2000.

Dictionary, thesaurus

(Revision date:9/2007)

DESCRIPTION

English 82A covers the aspects of composing well-organized written communications. The core of the course will emphasize practice in organizing ideas in a clear, logical manner and other elements involved in writing papers in various rhetorical contexts.

COURSE DESCRIPTION (CURRENT UNIVERSITY CATALOG):

ENG 82A 82B - WRITTEN COMMUNICATION I & II

First term: A thorough study of grammar and the fundamentals of composition. Practice in writing themes, book reviews and other short papers is given. Particular attention is directed toward sentence structure, syntax, and general rhetorical principles. Second term: Critical reading and evaluation of selected texts and writings; composition of well-organized expository papers; a careful consideration of methods of research, organization in a clear, logical manner and other elements involved in writing research papers. (3 + 3 units)

OBJECTIVES

You will develop your writing skills for academic, professional, and socio-cultural purposes, in context-centered essay writing. You will learn editing, documentation skills, use of online and other resources

University learner goals 1 -6, and specifically in English:: To develop basic

academic and professional skills (1); To develop the ability to communicate

effective in English, orally and in writing, and to read with understanding

(1.1) and institutional goals , especially 1,(1.1-1.4), 2.4

FORMAT

The course sessions will include presentation, demonstration, discussion, and application modes.

POLICIES

Assignments are to be submitted in a timely manner. Late work will receive reduced points and must be accompanied with a written explanation for its tardiness. Plagiarized work will receive 0 points, and if persistent will result in course failure. All assignments must be typed, include in the top right hand corner your name, course, date submitted, assignment name and revision number.

Attendance is mandatory. Missed classes will constitute 0 points for the day’s class participation points. Excused absences are limited to serious medical or other problems, and are to be explained in writing either before or immediately after the absence. Persistent unexcused absences will result in course failure.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Students are expected to attend class, complete assignments, and to participate in individual and group work in a productive manner, and to take personal responsibility for meeting the objectives of the course.

ASSIGNMENTS

Overall Schedule:

For each chapter: summaries, maps, exercises. Three unit essays. Midterm and final with ePortfolios/blogs that include the essays for each unit, notes, reference data, in-class materials, and individual and group assignments. (See Assignments)

	Assignments
	Each chapter contains an Intro, an Overview, Guidelines, and Writing Checklist/Activities. (Summaries, map, and exercises are required for each chapter and both texts by the week scheduled)
1 Intro	I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing
Brief Overview Chapters	I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing Reading, Thinking, Viewing, and Writing 1. Critical Thinking Through Reading, Viewing, and Writing The Writing Process 2. Beginning the Writing Process 3. Planning 4. Drafting 5. Revising 6. Editing and Proofreading 7. Submitting, Writing, and Creating Portfolios The College Essay 8. One Writer's Process
Unit I Weeks 3-5	Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing
	9. Forms of College Writing Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective
	10. Narration and Description
	"Mzee Owitti" by Jacqui Nyangi Owitti
	"That Morning on the Prairie" by James C. Schaap
	"A Hanging" by George Orwell
	"Sunday in the Park" by Bel Kaufman
	"Northing" by Annie Dillard
	11. Description and Reflection
	"The Stream in the Ravine" by Nicole Suurdt
	"Call Me Crazy But I Have to Be Myself" by Mary Seymour
	"None of This Is Fair" by Richard Rodriguez
	"Who Shot Johnny?" by Debra Dickerson
Week 5	Unit I (Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing) Paper Due
Unit II Weeks 6-10	Unit II -- Analytical Writing
	12. Cause and Effect
	"Adrenaline Junkies" by Sarah Hanley
	"The Legacy of Generation N" by Christy Haubegger
	"Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids" by Anna Quindlen
	13. Comparison and Contrast
	"A Fear Born of Sorrow" by Anita Brinkman
	"Two Views of the River" by Mark Twain
	"Shrouded in Contradiction" by Gelareh Asayesh
	"Like Mexicans" by Gary Soto
	14. Classification
	"Three Family Cancers" by Kim Brouwer
	"Four Ways to Talk About Literature" by John Van Rys
	"No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch" by Ann Hodgman
	15. Process Writing
	"Wayward Cells" by Kerri Mertz
	"Downloading Photographs from the MC-150 Digital Camera" (from WFB)
	"Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow" by Verne Meyer
	"Campus Racism 101" by Nikki Giovonni
	16. Definition
	"The Gullible Family" by Mary Beth Bruins
	"Understanding Dementia" by Sarah Anne Morelos
	"Deft or Daft" by David Schelhaas
	On Excellence by Cynthia Ozick
Week 10	Unit II (Analytical Writing) Paper Due
Unit III Weeks 11-15	Persuasive Writing
	17. Strategies for Argumentation and Persuasion
	18. Taking a Position
	"An Apology for Ms. Barbie D. Doll" by Rita Isakson
	"In Defense of the Animals" by Meg Greenfield
	"Apostles of Hatred Find It Easy to Spread Their Message" by Leonard Pitts Jr.
	"Pornography" by Margaret Atwood
	"Demystifying Multiculturalism" by Linda Chavez
	19. Persuading Readers to Act
	"To Drill or Not to Drill" by Rebecca Pasok
	"Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time" by Paul Rogat Loeb
	"I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
	"The Media's Image of Arabs" by Jack G. Shaheen
	20. Proposing a Solution
	"Preparing for Agroterror" by Brian Ley
	"Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha" by Anna Quindlen
	"The Media and the Ethics of Cloning" by Leigh Turner
Week 15	Unit III (Persuasive Writing) Paper Due

STUDENT EVALUATION

Students are evaluated on the basis of class work, written assignments, quizzes, midterm and final exams, with grades proportionate to the following values:

Content	Points	Percent
Attendance & Class Participation	35	15%
Research Journal/Portfolio	50	22%
Quizzes /tests /exercises	50	22%
Papers	60	26%
Presentations	35	15%
Totals	230	100%

Percent	Letter Grade
90-100	A
80-89	B
70-79	C
60-69	D
Below 60	F

Assignments

Each chapter contains an introduction, an overview, guidelines, and writing checklist/activities. For each chapter, write a summary, draw a map of main ideas, subtopics, and significant details, and complete an exercise. You also need to create your own course blog with the following among items to be included on the blog:
1. Summaries for each chapter
2. Maps for each chapter
3. A minimum of one sentence for your thoughts of each day during the semester.

Note: Although you will place these items on your blog, you also need to email all your work to me at-- drsylvia2007@blogspot.com

Unit topics should be selected and outlined for possible development into the unit paper for each of the three units (I: Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing; II: Analytical; and III: Persuasive).

1 Intro 8-28-9-3	I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing
Brief Overview Chapters	Reading, Thinking, Viewing, and Writing 1. Critical Thinking Through Reading, Viewing, and Writing The Writing Process 2. Beginning the Writing Process 3. Planning 4. Drafting 5. Revising 6. Editing and Proofreading 7. Submitting, Writing, and Creating Portfolios The College Essay 8. One Writer's Process
-------------- Unit I Weeks 3-5	Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing
9-10-9-24	9. Forms of College Writing Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective
	10. Narration and Description
	"Mzee Owitti" by Jacqui Nyangi Owitti
	"That Morning on the Prairie" by James C. Schaap
	"A Hanging" by George Orwell
	"Sunday in the Park" by Bel Kaufman
	"Northing" by Annie Dillard
	11. Description and Reflection
	"The Stream in the Ravine" by Nicole Suurdt
	"Call Me Crazy But I Have to Be Myself" by Mary Seymour
	"None of This Is Fair" by Richard Rodriguez
	"Who Shot Johnny?" by Debra Dickerson
Week 5 9-24	Unit I (Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing) Paper Due
-------------- Unit II Weeks 6-10 10-2-10-30	Unit II -- Analytical Writing
	12. Cause and Effect
	"Adrenaline Junkies" by Sarah Hanley
	"The Legacy of Generation N" by Christy Haubegger
	"Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids" by Anna Quindlen
	13. Comparison and Contrast
	"A Fear Born of Sorrow" by Anita Brinkman
	"Two Views of the River" by Mark Twain
	"Shrouded in Contradiction" by Gelareh Asayesh
	"Like Mexicans" by Gary Soto
	14. Classification
	"Three Family Cancers" by Kim Brouwer
	"Four Ways to Talk About Literature" by John Van Rys
	"No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch" by Ann Hodgman
	15. Process Writing
	"Wayward Cells" by Kerri Mertz
	"Downloading Photographs from the MC-150 Digital Camera" (from WFB)
	"Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow" by Verne Meyer
	"Campus Racism 101" by Nikki Giovonni
	16. Definition
	"The Gullible Family" by Mary Beth Bruins
	"Understanding Dementia" by Sarah Anne Morelos
	"Deft or Daft" by David Schelhaas
	On Excellence by Cynthia Ozick
Week 10 10-30	Unit II (Analytical Writing) Paper Due
-------------- Unit III Weeks 11-15	Persuasive Writing
11-6- 12-4	17. Strategies for Argumentation and Persuasion
	18. Taking a Position
	"An Apology for Ms. Barbie D. Doll" by Rita Isakson
	"In Defense of the Animals" by Meg Greenfield
	"Apostles of Hatred Find It Easy to Spread Their Message" by Leonard Pitts Jr.
	"Pornography" by Margaret Atwood
	"Demystifying Multiculturalism" by Linda Chavez
	19. Persuading Readers to Act
	"To Drill or Not to Drill" by Rebecca Pasok
	"Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time" by Paul Rogat Loeb
	"I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
	"The Media's Image of Arabs" by Jack G. Shaheen
	20. Proposing a Solution
	"Preparing for Agroterror" by Brian Ley
	"Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha" by Anna Quindlen
	"The Media and the Ethics of Cloning" by Leigh Turner
Week 15 12-4	Unit III (Persuasive Writing) Paper Due

Fall 2007 Calendar

Fall 2007 Calendar

Required and Recommeded Texts

Required Text
Title: Strategic Reading 1 Building Effective Reading Skills 2003
Author: Richards, Jack C and Samuela Eckstut-Didier
Publisher: Cambridge
ISBN: 0521555809

Recommended Text:

Title: Interactions 1 -- Reading (Silver Edition) 2007
Author: Kirn, Elaine and Pamela Hartmann
Publisher: McGraw Hill
ISBN-13: 9780073138114

Welcome

Welcome to rcomp2007.blogspot.com

Introductory Interview

Introductory Interview (Groups 1 - 4):

Pick a group reporter to introduce and present the information for the group

3 things that are interesting and true about each member of the group

1 thing that is interesting and false about each member of the group

Summary information:

Demographics

Who, what, when, where, why, how

Required Text

The College Writer
VanderMey
Second Edition
ISBN-13:9780618642052
ISBN-10:061874252056

Houghton Mifflin, 2007

Where do you stand?

Where do you stand?
FEET: What do I stand for as a foundation of writing?
STOMACH: What upsets me about writing?
HEART: What do I love about writing?
HANDS: What do I feel about writing?
EARS: What do I hear about writing?
EYES: What do I see about writing?
BRAIN: What do I think about writing?

Welcome

Welcome to wcom2007.blogspot.com, the blog for Written Communication I, fall 2007.

"Is of Identity" and E-prime

TOWARD UNDERSTANDING E -PRIME
Robert Anton Wilson

E-PRIME, abolishing all forms of the verb "to be," has its roots in the field of general semantics, as presented by Alfred Korzybski in his 1933 book, Science and Sanity. Korzybski pointed out the pitfalls associated with, and produced by, two usages of "to be": identity and predication. His student D. David Bourland, Jr., observed that even linguistically sensitive people do not seem able to avoid identity and predication uses of "to be" if they continue to use the verb at all.

Bourland pioneered in demonstrating that one can indeed write and speak without using any form of "to be," calling this subset of the English language "E-Prime." Many have urged the use of E-Prime in writing scientific and technical papers.

Korzybski felt that all humans should receive training in general semantics from grade school on, as "semantic hygiene" against the most prevalent forms of logical error, emotional distortion, and "demonological thinking." E-Prime provides a straightforward training technique for acquiring such semantic hygiene.

To understand E-Prime, consider the human brain as a computer. (Note that I did not say the brain "is" a computer.) As the Prime Law of Computers tells us, GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT (GIGO, for short). The wrong software guarantees wrong answers. Conversely, finding the right software can "miraculously" solve problems that previously appeared intractable.
It seems likely that the principal software used in the human brain consists of words, metaphors, disguised metaphors, and linguistic structures in general.

The Sapir-Whorf-Korzybski Hypothesis, in anthropology, holds that a change in language can alter our perception of the cosmos. A revision of language structure, in particular, can alter the brain as dramatically as a psychedelic. In our metaphor, if we change the software, the computer operates in a new way.

Consider the following paired sets of propositions, in which Standard English alternates with English-Prime (E-Prime):

lA. The electron is a wave.
lB. The electron appears as a wave when measured with instrument-l.

2A. The electron is a particle.
2B. The electron appears as a particle when measured with instrument-2.

3A. John is lethargic and unhappy.
3B. John appears lethargic and unhappy in the office.

4A. John is bright and cheerful.
4B. John appears bright and cheerful on holiday at the beach.

5A. This is the knife the first man used to stab the second man.
5B. The first man appeared to stab the second man with what looked like a knife to me.

6A. The car involved in the hit-and-run accident was a blue Ford.
6B. In memory, I think I recall the car involved in the hit-and-run accident as a blue Ford.

7A. This is a fascist idea.
7B. This seems like a fascist idea to me.

8A. Beethoven is better than Mozart.
8B. In my present mixed state of musical education and ignorance, Beethoven seems better to me than Mozart.

9A. That is a sexist movie.
9B. That seems like a sexist movie to me.

10A. The fetus is a person.
10B. In my system of metaphysics, I classify the fetus as a person.

The "A"-type statements (Standard English) all implicitly or explicitly assume the medieval view called "Aristotelian essentialism" or "naive realism." In other words, they assume a world made up of block-like entities with indwelling "essences" or spooks- "ghosts in the machine."

The "B"-type statements (E-Prime) recast these sentences into a form isomorphic to modern science by first abolishing the "is" of Aristotelian essence and then reformulating each observation in terms of signals received and interpreted by a body (or instrument) moving in space-time.

Relativity, quantum mechanics, large sections of general physics, perception psychology, sociology, linguistics, modern math, anthropology, ethology, and several other sciences make perfect sense when put into the software of E-Prime. Each of these sciences generates paradoxes, some bordering on "nonsense" or "gibberish," if you try to translate them back into the software of Standard English.

Concretely, "The electron is a wave" employs the Aristotelian "is" and thereby introduces us to the false-to-experience notion that we can know the indwelling "essence" of the electron. "The electron appears as a wave when measured by instrument-1" reports what actually occurred in space-time, namely that the electron when constrained by a certain instrument behaved in a certain way.

Similarly, "The electron is a particle" contains medieval Aristotelian software, but "The electron appears as a particle when measured by instrument-2" contains modern scientific software. Once again, the software determines whether we impose a medieval or modern grid upon our reality-tunnel.

Note that "the electron is a wave" and "the electron is a particle" contradict each other and begin the insidious process by which we move gradually from paradox to nonsense to total gibberish. On the other hand, the modern scientific statements "the electron appears as a wave when measured one way" and "the electron appears as a particle measured another way" do not contradict, but rather complement each other. (Bohr's Principle of Complementarity, which explained this and revolutionized physics, would have appeared obvious to all, and not just to a person of his genius, if physicists had written in E-Prime all along. . . .)

Looking at our next pair, "John is lethargic and unhappy" vs. "John is bright and cheerful,' we see again how medieval software creates metaphysical puzzles and totally imaginary contradictions. Operationalizing the statements, as physicists since Bohr have learned to operationalize, we find that the E-Prime translations do not contain any contradiction, and even give us a clue as to causes of John's changing moods. (Look back if you forgot the translations.)

"The first man stabbed the second man with a knife" lacks the overt "is" of identity but contains Aristotelian software nonetheless. The E-Prime translation not only operationalizes the data, but may fit the facts better-if the incident occurred in a psychology class, which often conduct this experiment. (The first man "stabs," or makes stabbing gestures at, the second man, with a banana, but many students, conditioned by Aristotelian software, nonetheless "see" a knife. You don't need to take drugs to hallucinate; improper language can fill your world with phantoms and spooks of many kinds.)

The reader may employ his or her own ingenuity in analyzing how "is-ness" creates false-to-facts reality-tunnels in the remaining examples, and how E-Prime brings us back to the scientific, the operational, the existential, the phenomenological--to what humans and their instruments actually do in space-time as they create observations, perceptions, thoughts, deductions, and General Theories.

I have found repeatedly that when baffled by a problem in science, in "philosophy," or in daily life, I gain immediate insight by writing down what I know about the enigma in strict E-Prime. Often, solutions appear immediately-just as happens when you throw out the "wrong" software and put the "right" software into your PC. In other cases, I at least get an insight into why the problem remains intractable and where and how future science might go about finding an answer.


This text comes from:
D. David Bourland, Jr. & Paul Dennithorne Johnston, "To Be or Not: An E-Prime Anthology," International Society for General Semantics, 1991, pp. 23-26