Our first task for today will be signing up for article dates. A calendar will be passed around today and then I’ll transfer names to a digital version that will be posted on this blog.
Next we’re going to talk about bias.
| Does Grammar Matter?
All right, so that comma error probably wouldn’t cost your grandmother her life, because people would know what you meant. That’s usually the case with spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, depending on the audience and context of your writing. But what if you got a handout from your university professor that was full of spelling and grammar mistakes? How seriously would you take that person? What if you were in the position to hire someone and there were errors all through the person’s cover letter? Errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation can make your writing confusing, but more importantly, it shows a lack of care for your audience. While that may be acceptable between friends, it’s not when you’re writing for your teacher or employer. |
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Required Reading
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In the following article: 10 grammar rules you can forget: how to stop worrying and write proper (Yes, the title contains an intentional grammatical error. Can you spot it?), the author contends that there are certain rules that you can ignore. He also begins by discussing the importance of context when using proper grammar. Before reading, think about the different contexts in which you think grammar may or may not matter. Also consider the reasons the author provides for breaking these rules. Do you agree with him? |
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While the above article does not imply that grammar does not matter, it certainly takes the position that some grammatical rules don’t matter. The next article provides a different perspective. What does it suggest about the importance of grammar?
Required Reading
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Read the following article: Does Grammar Really Matter? |
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There are some errors that appear frequently in student writing that you should be on the lookout for in your own writing. Review the following types of errors below, and as you do, think about your own strengths and weaknesses in terms of spelling, grammar, and punctuation?
Common Types of Errors
- Using the Wrong Words
It’s very common to mix up words that sound the same, but when we do this in our writing we are changing the meaning of writing which can lead to confusion.
there = indicating a place. “The house is there.”
their = possessive pronoun. “That is their father”
they’re = contraction of “they” and “are”= “They’re going to the fair.”
woman=singular—one woman
women=plural—two women
it’s = contraction of “it” and “is”. “It’s not very far to Port Stanley.”
its = possessive pronoun. “The dog lost its collar.”
- Comma splices
When you join two sentences with a comma and you don’t use a conjunction, it’s a comma splice (cs). Comma splices can make it difficult for your reader to see the beginning and end of a complete thought.
Example of comma splices: “It was dark outside, I was so scared, I couldn’t find my children anywhere.”
How to fix it: “It was dark outside. I was so scared. I couldn’t find my children anywhere.”
Or: “It was so dark outside, and I was so scared. I couldn’t find my children anywhere.”
Or: “I was so scared because it was dark outside, and I couldn’t find my children anywhere.”
- Apostrophes
Misusing apostrophes can also lead to confusion. While I don’t think you need me to explain that “I went for a walk to my friend Marys store” is incorrect, I think sometimes students are unsure when and how to use an apostrophe so they just avoid using them at all. Here are two reasons why you use an apostrophe:
1. To show possession. The store belongs to Mary. So you should write “Mary’s store.”
2. To show that you’ve left out letters. (ie/ a contraction) “I couldn’t eat another bite” actually means “I could not eat another bite.” You’ve left out the “o” so the apostrophe takes its place.
NEVER use an apostrophe if you just mean there’s more than one. eg/ I like reading book’s about sparkly vampire’s. (WRONG! … for so many reasons.)
- Passive Voice
Most of the time when we are writing, we want to ensure we are writing in the clearest, most direct way possible. Writing in active voice is one way to help make sure our writing is clear. Writing in passive voice can obscure meaning. See the example below:
Active voice: John hit the ball.
Passive voice: The ball was hit by John.
Now it’s possible that the idea you want to emphasize in that sentence is the ball. Maybe John is not important. But if John is the subject of the sentence—not the ball—then you should use active voice. You’ll notice that passive voice requires you to use more words tends to obscure meaning when we’re striving for clarity. Please note: This doesn’t mean that passive voice is always bad! If you’re going to use it though, you need to know why and you need to make sure your writing is still clear. Also note: In other subject areas you may be required to write in passive voice to maintain a sense of objectivity e.g./ lab reports.