Spoonfulls of writing sugar

"In every task that must be done, there is an element of fun," sings Mary Poppins and, for the most part, that's true.  Writing can and should be fun, and, even when it might seem a chore, if you can find that spoonful of sugar, it can be a real joy. 

Please read sections 23 and 24 of Part IV of the Zinnser book and any other section that looks interesting to you.  Comment here on anything you found here that will help you make that already-great chapter of your book even better--and any attitudes toward writing that will make writing more fun for you.

 

The Form of the Good Book Chapter (Zinnser--Part III)

Plato argued that the material world was only a reflection of the "real" world, the world of ideas or forms.  Whether or not his view of reality is right, there is something to the idea that there is some sort of ideal we should aspire to, an ideal we often fall short of.  But was in the the "form" of a book chapter, an ideal which we should aspire to?   

Your Zinnser book has some great suggestions as to what what might be ideal in various types of writing.  Please take a look at Part III of Zinnser.  Read Section 1, Section 19, and any other section that looks appropriate to your book chapter.  

What did you learn from this chapter that you might apply to your book and help you make your good chapter (it is good, right?) even better--closer to the ideal.

  

Old Grandpa Interviews

 

We haven't finished our discussion of Part I of the Zinsser book, so I don't want to assign new readings just yet.  Instead, I'd like you to do a couple of what Ric referred to (I think) as Old Grandpa Interviews.  

Please find time this week to talk to at least two people who have been around NSU for ten years or more and who have some connection to the subject matter of the chapter you are going to write for the book.  Ask them about highlights of their time here at NSU, what things they'd like to see addressed in an updated history of Northern, and what they think are the most significant changes (positive and negative) of the last 10-20 years.  

Add comments below about what they told you.  Did you get any additional ideas for what you want to include in your chapter?  

How not to write like a stuffy professor

We're still slightly behind the syllabus schedule.  I'd planned to take two class sessions for discussion of Part I of Zinsser, but we didn't even get started with that material on Tuesday.  The plan for Thursday, March 2, is to cover *all* or Part I.

If you haven't done so already, please read the first half of Part I and do the previous blog post (It Takes Two).  Then, please read the remainder of Part I (pp. 24-48), and, in the comments section below, comment on the additional material you read. What additional ideas making writing fun and for becoming a better write do you see in these pages?

It takes two: writer and reader

In any job that must be done there is an element of fun--you find the fun and *snap* the job's a game, sings Mary Poppins.  That's really true of writing.  For many, maybe most, students writing is just a chore, as it was at one time for William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well.  Zinsser was lucky enough to have people introduce him to the joy of writing, and his On Writing Well book is, among other things, a great book for introducing others to the fun/joy of writing--though Zinsser insists that good writing still is a lot of hard work, and there are times it won't always seem like fun.  

For Tuesday, February 28, please read pp. 1-24 of Part I of the Zinsser book.  In the comments section below, add your thoughts on that portion of the book.  What do you see here that you think is particularly good advice for making writing fun and for becoming a better writer?

   

 

Citing Sources

 For Thursday, February 16, please read Chapter VII of the Rampolla "Pocket Guide to Writing History" (pp. 111-154).  This is a long chapter, and I don't need you to read the whole thing right now.  You WILL be using this a reference for the rest of the semester.

For now, just add to your comments one thing Rampolla says in this chapter that you didn't know before and one thing you already knew but think is particularly important.

Note that the format you will be learning from Rampolla is from the "Chicago Manual of Style."  This is almost identical to what's called "Turabian," the style I used during my own university days.  Both are close to MLA, another style frequently used in the humanities.  

When you end up writing your chapter, it would be best if we could standardize with all students using the Chicago Manual of Style.  If you use Turabian or MLA, though, I probably won't notice the difference.

What I *will* notice (and won't accept) is APA citation style.  If you've done most of your papers in psychology or sociology, that's probably the format you are used to, and you will need to read the Rampolla chapter a bit more carefully.

A capital offense and how to avoid it

 For Tuesday, February 14, please read Chapter VI of the Rampolla "Pocket Guide to Writing History" (pp. 103-110).  his is a short chapter, but very important. Rampolla talks about what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.  Note that plagiarism has serious consequences: one might become president someday or have a national holiday named for you.

Please comment here on Rampolla's advice: what do you see here that is particularly worth remembering?

  

Writing Nuts and Bolts--Rampolla Chapter V

For Thursday, February 8, please read Chapter V of the Rampolla "Pocket Guide to Writing History" (pp. 82-102).  Rampolla offers some solid advice on writing a research paper.  Please comment here on her advice: what do you see here that is particularly worth remembering as you start on your chapter of the updated history of NSU book? 

How do a put this?

Please read Chapter IV of Rampolla's Pocket Guide to Writing In History (pp. 51-89).  Comment here on that fourth chapter.  What here strikes you as particularly important?  Is there anything you hadn't thought of before?  Anything you disagree with?

 

Read Before You Write

 Please read Chapter III of Rampolla's Pocket Guide to Writing In History (pp. 24-50).  Comment here on that third chapter.  What here strikes you as particularly important?  Is there anything you hadn't thought of before?  Anything you disagree with?

Please also note at least one historian or historical work that you think is a particular good example of a historian going about their task well.

 

Mastering Sourcery

No historian is any better than their sources, and finding the right sources is an essential step in writing good history. 

Please read Chapter II of Rampolla's Pocket Guide to Writing In History (pp. 8-23).  Comment here on that second chapter.  What here strikes you as particularly important?  Is there anything you hadn't thought of before?  Anything you disagree with?

Does Anybody Care?

History majors all have at least a general sense of what history is all about and why one should study history.  It helps a lot, though, to clarify one's thoughts, to be prepared to be precise about what our profession is really all about.

Please read the first chapter of Rampolla's Pocket Guide to Writing History.  Comment here on that first chapter.  What here strikes you as particularly important?  Is there anything you hadn't thought of before?  Anything you disagree with?  

 

Welcome!

Welcome to Scribes and Pharisees, the official class blog of History 480, Historical Research and Writing. This blog is the place to record your reflections on the class and to exchange ideas on making your history papers what they should be, the most interesting, most exciting, most important essays your professors and fellow students will ever read.

To get us off to a good start, please share here one of things you remember best/enjoyed most in any of the historical books and essays you have ever read. Anything that particularly helped you to want to be a historian yourself?  Anyone historical writer you particular admire and would like to imitate?

By the way, it would be a good idea for you to become a "follower" of this blog so that you are alerted to new posts as soon as they appear.