The Write Stuff with Dr. Mark Howell: Recent Episodes
Dr. Mark Howell
Insights and information related to courses I teach at Northwestern Michigan College. Subjects may include research and writing, film as literature, popular culture studies, and public speaking. Content will pertain to specific materials and/or assignments relevant to courses taught during any given semester.
An overview of ENG 112, a quick review of Chapters One and Two in How Scholars Write, and some thoughts regarding the nature of academic writing methods and scholarly conversations.
Our final English 112 podcast for Spring Semester 2022. This week provides an overview of Chapter 16 in How Scholars Write and the idea of taking your writing public. Every writer discovers a community that will/should benefit from their rhetorical efforts, and your work will find the same like-minded audience. Some reminders about Project #4 are also included.
A close look at Chapter 15 in How Scholars Write and the subject of writing style. Your style can make or break your essay's success because your goal is to get and keep an audience. Some particulars about end of the semester business are also discussed.
A close look at Chapter 14 in How Scholars Write and the notion of authority -- the ethos you project when explaining or responding to ongoing scholarly conversations. Some discussion regarding Project #3 and rewrites of previous projects that may have received less than a 2.0 is included, as well.
A close look at Chapter 13 in How Scholars Write and the particulars of citation and documentation. Using your research as supporting evidence means treating it openly and honestly. We'll also address several helpful additions to Moodle that should make your work go a bit more smoothly.
A close look at Chapter 12 in How Scholars Write and techniques for analyzing sources, how that relates to Project #3, and the importance of moving beyond a surface-level interpretation of the research you've compiled.
A quick overview of Chapter 11 in How Scholars Write and a look at the notion of integrating sources. Being able to integrate sources effectively allows you to better support your own reasoning, logic, and observations. Some brief mention of Project #3 is also provided.
A detailed look at Chapter 10 in How Scholars Write and the topic of structure -- the ways in which a writer organizes and strategizes their approach to an essay or project. Some very general information is shared regarding Project #3, as well.
A look at Chapter Nine in How Scholars Write and the importance of useful and relevant feedback. Writers need readers, and readers have the ability to make writers better at their work. Some handy information heading into posting drafts of Project #2.
An overview of Chapter Eight in How Scholars Write and the basics of how to get things written. Your early writing should be awkward and sloppy, kind of like this week's podcast....
An overview of Chapter Seven in How Scholars Write and the concepts of reading and note-taking -- important techniques to understand when compiling research and following academic discussions about assorted topics.
A closer look at Chapter Six in How Scholars Write and the secrets of selecting optimal sources. Some materials related to an example presented in the chapter will be discussed, along with various resources tied closely to Project #2. Hopefully, all this will help you better plan your approach to the literature review you'll be compiling.
Roses are red; violets are blue; this week's Chapter 5; and guidelines for Project #2. Happy Valentine's Day! Chapter 5 in How Scholars Write is all about managing the sources you gather during the research process. A little time and energy now will save a lot of frustration later. Project #2 gets some detailed explanation, as well.
A look at the concept of claims as addressed in Chapter Four of How Scholars Write. Some discussion of wrapping up Project #1 is also included. Remember that your formal rhetorical analysis must be posted to Moodle by no later than midnight on Sunday, February 13th.
An overview of Chapter Three in How Scholars Write and the topic of projects. The projects we create allow us to assess an existing scholarly conversation and, through our original thinking, research, and writing, make a valuable contribution to the ongoing academic discussion. Some mention of the peer review forum on Moodle this week is also provided.
A look at Chapter Two in How Scholars Write and the concept of "scholarly conversations" -- those academic discussions that explore new aspects of existing problems or topics and push our understanding of them in relevant new directions. Some time is given to the week's "homework", as well.
A welcome to English 112 for Spring 2022 and an overview of course introductory materials. The basic concepts in Chapter One of How Scholars Write are also reviewed and discussed briefly.