COLLEGE LIFE
LOGIC AND REASONING
COMMUNICATING WITH STYLE
THE WRITING PROCESS
WORDS WORDS WORDS!
LINKS, ETC.
Note: Links to websites will open in a new window. Media links are best viewed in Google Chrome. If you have trouble viewing media, try switching to different browser.
Apostrophe Protection Society “Started in 2001 by John Richards with the specific aim of preserving the correct use of this currently much abused punctuation mark in all forms of text written in the English language.”
Crazy English, by Richard Lederer. For more fun stuff from Richard Lederer (aka the “Verbivore”), visit his home page here.
The Inky Fool, by Mark Forsyth.
Clichés Avoid them like the plague?
Ladle Rat Rotten Hut Fun ice breaker. You’ll need Real Audio to listen to the audio.
Thanks, Textbooks! “A Collection of the World’s Finest Academic Writing”
The History of English in Ten Minutes Kind of silly, in a punny sort of way. But fun. There are ten “chapters.”
English is Tricky (Just Ask Ricky): Pronunciation of OUGH
The Chaos of English Pronunciation Listen to the poem read aloud here.
VIDEOS
(Note: some videos may be watched in YouTube for full-screen)
POETRY SLAM VIDEOS
“Like, You Know,” performed by Taylor Mali
“I’ll Fight You for the Library,” performed by Taylor Mali.
“Any Language, Much Less English,” performed by Taylor Mali
“What Teachers Make,” performed by Taylor Mali (language warning!)
TED TALKS
Metaphorically Speaking. Presented by aphorist and author James Geary.
Words, Words, Words (playlist). Includes 12 Ted Talks by “linguists, data analysts, and word nerds.”
OTHER VIDEOS
Word Crimes, performed by Weird Al Yankovic
Not This, But . . . (not so helpful critique?)
The Apostrophe Song Cool Rules (sort of cheesy, but hey)
If Shakespearean Insults Were Used Today (Siobhan Thompson)
COMMENTING ON STUDENT WRITING
GRADING STUDENT WRITING?
GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION
ADVICE
50 Little Social Etiquette Rules Everyone Should Follow
Irony: The use of words that mean the opposite of what you really think especially in order to be funny; a situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that seems to be the opposite of what you expected.
Do these examples qualify?
“Girls Don’t Poop” (commercial)
Note: I haven’t decided if the above commercial is for real. You can go to their website (Girls Don’t Poop) and buy their products, if you want. Or not….
Is paper dead? On its way out, maybe. But surely not dead!
BEHOLD, THE MILLENNIAL!