WORD OF THE DAY: Burnish

burnish (transitive verb): polish, make shiny by rubbing

Examples:

The hotel staff burnished the wooden floor in the lobby until it shone under guests' shoes.

Alice asked the jeweler to burnish her silver bracelet.

WORD OF THE DAY: Alacrity

alacrity (noun): readiness to do something quickly and with a cheerful attitude

Examples:

The alacrity with which Jane completed her tasks at work impressed her boss so much that he gave her a promotion.

Bobby's unusual alacrity for doing his weekly chores made his mother suspicious.

WORD OF THE DAY: Totter

totter (intransitive verb): to walk slowly and unsteadily

Example:

The happy parents took a video of their baby's first steps as he tottered across the carpet.

WORD OF THE DAY: Rife

rife (adjective): very common (and often unpleasant)

Examples:

Winter storms are often rife with school closings, power outages, and snow ball fights!

"...when suspicion and cruelty were rife, and gaunt Hunger wept beside Bereavement, - in such a case, the work of any instrument of social regeneration was in large part foredoomed to failure."
W.E.B. Dubois, The Souls of Black Folk

THE END IS NEAR!

We are fast approaching the end of the semester!  The WRMC would like to wish you the best of luck on your final exams, papers, and projects!  It has been an amazing semester getting to know your writing and interests through our coaching sessions. 

There is still time to meet with one of our writing coaches before your papers are submitted.  Consider making an appointment with us: http://www.viu.edu/wrmc/services/writing-services/?id=1523.

Please enjoy a few pictures of our snow/ice covered campus!

WORD OF THE DAY: Poseur

poseur (noun): a person who pretends to be someone or something he is not; an insincere person

Example:

The woman's insincere appreciation of the artwork  made it clear she was a poseur and not a true admirer of the artist's paintings.

WORD OF THE DAY: Obtuse

obtuse (adjective): stupid; unintelligent; unable to think clearly

Examples:

1. Jenny felt obtuse when the she didn't know the answer to the professor's question.

2. He became obtuse and grumpy from lack of sleep.

WORD OF THE DAY: Laud

laud (noun): praise

Example:

He received much laud and congratulations upon completing his master's program.

WORD OF THE DAY: Hinder

hinder (verb): to make a process slow or difficult; to hold something back

Examples:

My inability to communicate in French hindered my interaction with locals during my trip to France.

Don't let fear hinder your dreams!

WORD OF THE DAY: Equivocate

equivocate (intransitive verb): to use vague or unclear language in order to deceive or mislead someone

Examples:

1. Analysts accused the president of using equivocation when he was asked tough questions regarding foreign policy.

2. Don't equivocate or make excuses when you turn in an assignment after the deadline.

WORD OF THE DAY: Debunk

debunk (transitive verb): to show that something is not true; to prove something is false

Examples:

1. The show MythBusters tries to debunk theories that have no scientific basis.

2. The witness debunked the defendant's story and opened the jury's eyes to the truth of the situation.

WORD OF THE DAY: Bourgeois

bourgeois (adjective): of or relating to the middle class of society; also could describe someone who is overly concerned with wealth, possessions, and respectable behavior

Examples:

In his work The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx addressed the tensions between the bourgeois class, (middle-class and affluent members of society) and the proletariat class (working-class members of society).

Jane's friends teased her for being so bourgeois when she showed up to the party wearing expensive jewelry and furs.

WORD OF THE DAY: Acrid

acrid (adjective): violently unpleasant in taste or smell

Examples:

1. His least favorite thing about living in the city was the acrid smell of car exhaust fumes filling the air.

2. She left her bread in the toaster for too long, and the black, burned edges left an acrid taste in her mouth.

WORD OF THE DAY: Tenuous

tenuous (adjective): uncertain; not strong; flimsy; thin

Examples:

1. The student's poor test scores showed she had a tenuous understanding of the chapter.

2. The higher we hiked on Mount Everest the more tenuous the air became.

WORD OF THE DAY: Resolution

resolution (noun): determination, a quality that makes you keep trying to do or achieve something

Examples:

1. I worked hard and saved my paychecks with great resolution until I had enough money to buy a plane ticket.

2. Whenever the team started to lose hope their coach pushed them to maintain their resolution.

FRIDAY WACKY WORD OF THE DAY: Madeupical

The word of the day today comes from an article on "Using Undicitonaried Words".

Madeupical (N as an ADJ) -related to being made up.

• Example: Do you use madeupical words in your daily vocabulary?
• Example: Crafty writers like words that are madeupical in their creative writing.
• Example: Don't use madeupical words on your exams! (Your teachers might be mad).

Check out the article that inspired this "madeupical" word of the day!  http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/using-undictionaried-words/?_r=1

APA STYLE WORKSHOP 11/21/2013 2PM to 3PM

APA style can seem like a daunting task for the uninitiated!  This is especially true if you are used to other formats (Chicago Style, MLA, etc.).  APA takes practice (and patience) to master.  In order to provide you with support and advice, the WRMC is organizing its first APA Style Workshop.  Join the WRMC in conjunction with the School of Education for our workshop on in-text citations and reference list formatting.

Join us on November 21, 2013 from 2pm-3pm in the Student Center on campus at VIU.  Space is very limited and we expect high demand, so you are strongly encouraged to sign up/RSVP with the WRMC well in advance.  You can email wrmc@viu.edu to sign up.  We encourage you to register by at November 20th.

We hope to see you there!

WORD OF THE DAY: Plumage

plumage (noun): the feathers of a bird

Example:

A male cardinal can be identified by its bright red plumage.

APA FORMATTING MARGINS

The APA manual suggests that you use 1 inch spacing on all sides.  However, the manual also says that you can use the default settings on your word processor (which might not always be set to one inch margins).  We suggest adjusting the margins to meet the 1 inch requirement (unless otherwise specified).

WORD OF THE DAY: Objective

objective (adjective): based on facts, not opinions or feelings; unbiased

Examples:

1. The professor asked the group to be objective when reviewing data from the survey.

2. Although she had strong political views, the professor was objective when giving lectures to the class.

IMPROVING POWERPOINTS

I'm sure that we have all been through presentations that we just wished would end.  We've also been in presentations that were incredibly engaging and fun!  What makes the difference between a glowing presentation and one that is dull?  There are many factors that make a presentation good or bad including the preparation of the speaker, his or her knowledge of the subject, the research that the presenter put in to make the presentation, and the PowerPoint itself.  You read that right!  A quality and well executed PowerPoint can help make the difference between a good presentation and an amazing presentation.

Here are some general tips to help you with your presentation:

• Don't feel like you have to put every word on the slide! -Your purpose is to deliver a good presentation, not to deliver a good reading!
• Limit the amount of images on the slides.  -You don't want to have images that overcrowd your text.  Images should be used sparingly, and only to make a point in your presentation.
• Limit fonts, sounds and animations to one or two per presentation. -You may be tempted to add in funny sounds, animations, or fonts, but remember that these can sometimes detract from the professional quality of your presentation. 
• The slides don't tell the story, you do.  -The presenter is YOU, not the slides.  Make sure that you are the one telling the story.  Don't leave it up to your slides to do all of the work.

Need some help with your next presentation?  Stop by the WRMC for assistance.  Yes, we even help  with your presentations! Make an appointment today: http://www.viu.edu/wrmc/services/writing-services/?id=1523.

WORD OF THE DAY: Lachrymose

lachrymose (adjective): tending to cause tears, or easily made to cry

Examples:

1. I became lachrymose after the death of my grandfather, and it seemed that even the littlest of things could make me weep.

2. The professor showed clips from a lachrymose film which illustrated the heartbreaking effects of the war.

FALL 2013 "WRITE ON" CONTEST

The WRMC is pleased to announce our Fall "Write On" Contest!

To enter, submit an essay or poetry entry of 250-1000 words in response to this prompt:


"Write on how to innovate the political, social, or economic systems of your country."


Entries should be emailed to wrmc@viu.edu with your entry in a Word of PDF format. Please be sure to include your full name and email address with your submission.

CA$H PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED! 

1st Prize - $100
2nd Prize - $50
3rd Prize - $25  

Deadline to submit is December 6, 2013. 

We look forward to reading your submissions!

WORD OF THE DAY: Hasten

hasten (verb): to move or act quickly or to cause something to move quickly

Examples:

1. I should hasten to finish my homework so I can go to the party.

2. Some would argue that the instant popularity of Facebook hastened the death of other social networking sites like MySpace.

THE SERIAL COMMA

Just like your elementary school teacher reminded you, "Don't forget your punctuation marks!"  However, she might not have let you know that some rules for punctuation are not very cut and dry.  One example of an instance where the punctuation police might differ is the comma.

What do you think about the following examples?  Which one is correct?

• Example A: Italy, Ireland, and France are in the European Union.
• Example B: Italy, Ireland and France are in the European Union.

Actually, both are acceptable, depending upon which rule you subscribe!  Example A uses a "serial comma" (aka "Oxford comma"); whereas, Example B uses no comma.

If you need to know whether to use the serial comma or not, you should refer to which style of writing you choose (or are required to use for a publication or for class).  The American Psychological Association (APA) subscribes to the serial comma (as do The Chicago Manual of Style, The Oxford Style Manual, and the Modern Language Association -MLA).

The general rule for the serial comma is that when you are using items in a series of three or more, place a comma before the coordinating conjunction (and/or).

WORD OF THE DAY: Enigma

enigma (noun): something hard to understand or explain

Examples:

1. The professor's lecture was an enigma to the class.

2. I always feel very sleepy in my 6:20pm class, but then I go home and play video games for hours afterward. It's the greatest enigma of my life!

WORD OF THE DAY: Cower

cower (intransitive verb):  to shrink away or crouch down because you are scared

Examples:

1. I cowered away when I saw the man was carrying a knife.

2. When you have a big exam, don't cower in fear; instead, study hard and face it with courage!

WORKING IN GROUPS (Tips and Strategies)

If you are not experienced with group work it can be difficult and frustrating.  Our advice for working in groups is to start off on the right foot!  Being organized is key to working with others, especially if you are going to depend on them to do their part in the group work.

We have given you some helpful tips to getting organized and getting off to the right start: http://viu.edu/wrmc/writing-lab/tips-and-strategies/tips-for-working-in-a-group.html

MEET ONE OF OUR COACHES -EMILY

The Writing, Research, and Media Center has coaches who are here to help you through the perils of dreaded papers, citations, APA formatting, and many other things! 

Emily Leighty has extensive experiences as a Writing Coach from her time working in Susquehanna University’s Writing Center.  She served as a peer tutor and helped in the training and development of other tutors in the Center.  The WRMC is proud to have Emily as one of our valued Writing Coaches!

Meet one of our Coaches, Emily.

Come stop by the WRMC to visit Emily!

WORD OF THE DAY: Bilk

bilk (transitive verb): to cheat or trick, often in terms of money

Examples:

1. The jeweler bilked the couple into paying thousands of dollars for a cheap gemstone.

2. The mechanic often bilks customers into paying for unnecessary repairs.

WORD OF THE DAY: Abhor

abhor (transient verb): to strongly dislike or hate someone or something


Examples:

I abhor getting out of my bed on Monday mornings!

My mother abhorred the traffic on her commute to work.

WRITER'S BLOCK? The WRMC's got the solutions!!

Are you stuck on getting started with your paper?  Need some advice on getting over your Writer's Block?  Brainstorming is a good way for you to get started with your paper.

Brainstorming is the process whereby you begin just thinking about what your topic is about.  One good way to get started with brainstorming is to think of all of the things that come to mind about the topic.  This is called "free writing."  During this process, you just write as many things as possible without deleting anything.  This is not a time for your to evaluate your writing or your ideas.  Get them on paper and then evaluate them.

An example of how to get started is found here.

Good luck with your writing!  If you need help, please consult our Writing Center coaches.  You can make an appointment at wrmc@viu or here.

WHAT IS APA STYLE?

There are many different styles of writing just as there are many fields of study/industry.  Many industries choose to adopt certain styles across the field in order to standardize the way in which articles and research papers are formatted.  This makes it easier to read and understand the structure and flow of a paper.

There are many different style formats that exist.  A few are listed below:
American Psychological Association (APA) Style
Chicago Manual Style
Modern Language Association (MLA) Style
Many institutions adopt one style as a preference over others to standardize the way in which writing is formatted across the institution.  Virginia International University has chosen to follow the American Psychological Association Style (commonly called “APA”).

The current version of APA style is based upon the sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.  There are many resources available to learn how to use APA style.  One excellent resources is managed by the American Psychological Association itself.  Therefore, you don’t need to worry if the information is the most accurate, because it comes directly from the APA.  Check out the “APA Style” website: http://apastyle.org/

For help with APA, please come visit us in the WRMC!  We are here to help.  Visit our website for more resources and to schedule an appointment: http://viu.edu/wrmc.

ARE HANDWRITTEN NOTES SOON TO BE EXTINCT?

Think about the last time that you received a handwritten message from someone.  When was it?  It might be hard to actually think of a recent instance when your received one.  We use so many digital tools these days to communicate.  Whether you use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or another resource, you are probably writing less and less than you used to.  Do you think that handwritten letters are soon going to be extinct?  I certainly hope not!

I fondly remember opening the mailbox to find a letter from my grandmother.  No matter how many times we would talk on the phone or see each other in person, she would always send me a monthly update.  There’s something to be said for holding a piece of paper in hand with handwritten messages!  Now that she’s gone, I miss getting these letters.  Sometimes I pick up old letters that she wrote me and it has much more power than reading an email or thinking of a memory.

Tell us your story!  Who do/did you correspond with via written messages (letters, notes, etc.)? 

WHAT IS A COACHING SESSION?

Coaching sessions are designed to provide students with support for their written language and are limited to thirty minutes. The actual coaching sessions vary from session to session based upon need and the assignment. Coaches do not edit or revise your work for you; rather, Coaches will help identify areas to address in your paper and tips for your future writing.

You may email your assignment to a Coach before you come for your session, but the coach will not make any recommendations or changes before the actual coaching session. 

HOW DO I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE WRMC?

To make an appointment, simply email our WRMC Coaches at wrmc@viu.edu. One of our coaches will reach out to you to confirm your session. It is recommended that you provide both a day and two times that would work best for you and a phone number where you can be reached. Coaches will try their best to work around your schedule, but they may suggest other times if the schedule requires it.
It also helps if you specify your program and any major issues or questions that you have about your assignment/paper before coming.  This way, your Coach can try to find you potential resources before your session.

Students are strongly encouraged to make appointments for coaching sessions before the actual due date of the assignment. 

WELCOME TO VIU’S WRITING RESEARCH AND MEDIA CENTER

Welcome to the Writing, Research and Media Center (WRMC) at VIU!  VIU’s commitment to improving the success of its students is evident in the launch of the Writing, Research and Media Center (WRMC).  The goals of the center are to promote and foster professional level communication in support of students’ academic preparation.

The WRMC is located in the Student Affairs Building.  WRMC hours for the Fall 2013 semester will be from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday. Virtual sessions are available for VIU Online students.  Students can meet with a Writing Center Coach in thirty minute blocks to discuss any problems or questions that they might have.  Students should bring a printed copy of the writing for review and should have reviewed their paper before coming to their coaching session. The WRMC can provide proof that a student has visited the Center if requested.

Students are strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment in advance as students who have scheduled appointments will receive priority over walk-ins. Appointments can be scheduled at wrmc@viu.edu.