Close reading is when you slowly and deliberately take apart a text, word by word, sentence by sentence. This is especially helpful for things you may interpret—poetry, short fiction, etc. However, it is also helpful for essays in which you may struggle to understand the meaning. For my class, the first close-reading exercise we did was with a literary piece, the second was with a theoretical.

For literary pieces, I suggest using a few different colored items for annotating your text. One color may be for “loaded” words (i.e. words that may have alternate meanings). For example, the word “costumed” may mean to wear a costume, but there is also an element of disguising or hiding something. Interpretive words can be key to understanding alternate meanings to a text. Interesting phrases or sentence structure may go in another color. Ask yourself, “What makes this different? Why did this stand out to me?”  Lastly, any structural, point of view, or larger schemes of patterning could go in a different color.  Of course, you don’t HAVE to use different colors, but it tends to be helpful for us “visual learners” out there. Once you compile this information—of words, sentences, and structure—start thinking about the implications those three things could have.  If you have a word that has multiple meanings, how do the alternate meanings alter the text? If there’s a sentence that sticks out to you, how does that sentence emphasize the text? Lastly, how does the structure of the text support the point the author is trying to make?

For theoretical pieces, I again suggest different colors. However, this type of close-reading is less about reading for interpretation, and more about reading for comprehension and deep understanding. Words you don’t know should be defined. Sentences that are key points should be underlined in one color and supporting points should be underlined in another color. This helps you fully understand a text. Once you understand what the author is claiming, you can pull out more material to help you write an essay.

Close-reading is probably the best first-approach you can take to better understanding a text. If you take the time to define, analyze, and really think about the text in front of you, this can certainly give you more material with which to write papers. Of course, this method does have its drawbacks: since it tends to be time consuming, you cannot really perform a true close-reading with longer texts. Good luck!

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Assume

To assume is to essentially presuppose something without actually having proof of it. For example, “I assume you’ll attend the party next week.” There’s no proof that you WILL go to the party next week, but maybe you like parties or something, so I would assume that you would come.

Presume

Presume is essentially assuming something, but in a way that takes something for granted. For example “Since you’re an English major, I presumeyou know what a preposition is.” Again, you don’t have PROOF that I know what a preposition is, but you’re taking for granted the fact that I’m an English major. It’s somewhat presumptuous and basically indicates that one thing MUST lead to another, whereas assume is basically guessing.

Final Thoughts

Although the saying goes “If you assume, you make an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me,’” it’s really probably worse to presume something. You end up taking for granted an aspect of the person you’re presuming about. Try to remember that it is “presumptuous to presume” and you should be on the right track. Good luck!

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(un)Enlightened English is moving to a new hosting provider, so please be aware that if you comment on the blog over the next couple of days, it’s very possible your comment won’t show up. I’ll try to make sure everything goes over smoothly, but during the process, some things may be amiss. Thanks for your patience and we should be up to full functionality in a couple of days. Thanks and good luck!

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Who

You use “who” when referring to a single person: “Kelly, who likes ice cream, went to the store.” Notice that the dependent clause (“who likes ice cream”) can be removed from the sentence without changing the meaning.

That

You use “that” when referring to a group or an inanimate object (such as a desk). For example, “I do not like that book.” Or, using a group of people: “I do not like that football team.” Those of you who have read my that vs. which post will notice “that” is not like “who” and you cannot remove it from the sentence without damaging the intent of the sentence.

Note: If you want to add additional information that CAN be removed, you use “which”: “The team, which is currently in first place, is very talented.”

Trouble Spots

So there is a bit of a gray area when it comes to non-human animate objects, particularly our pets. Some people say, “I have a cat that has gray fur.” Other people say, “I have a cat who has gray fur.” Although, technically, it should probably be “that,” many people use “who” and it’s generally accepted.

Final Thoughts

If you remember that “who” is with people and “that” is with objects, you should be–for the most part–fine. Good luck!

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Sit

Sit is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not need an object. I can tell a dog “Sit down” and it is a complete sentence. As such, when you say it–hopefully–the dog will plop its little booty down. You don’t need to say “I sit my butt on the floor” (in which case, “butt” would be the object). The definition of “sit” basically means that–put your butt down. The object is built in the definition. Kind of a crude definition, but definitely the most simple.

Set

Set, on the other hand, is a transitive verb, meaning it needs an object. “I set the plate down.” “I” is the subject, “set” is the verb, and “plate” is the object that you are enacting upon. “Set” always needs an object. The object is not built into the word as it is with “sit.” An additional note: “Set” is an irregular verb form, and as such, “set” is both the present and past tenses.

Final Thoughts

The important thing to remember with these two words is that “set” always needs an object. You cannot just “set down,” you need to “set SOMETHING down.” As long as you can remember that, you should be good to go! Good luck!

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NOTE: The picture is of a see-saw! Get it?

Saw

“Saw” is the simple past tense form of “see.” It is something that happened in the past and is over and done with. For example, “I saw the movie yesterday.” We know that you’re referring to the past–yesterday, to be exact–and that you’re referring to a particular moment in the past.

Seen

“Seen” is the past participle of “see.” Past participles cannot be used on their own in a sentence; they need what we call an auxiliary, or “helper,” verb. In this case, “seen” would be connected to the “has” words–”has,” “have,” or “had.” The participle verb form connects the past to the present. For example, saying “I have seen the movie yesterday” would be incorrect. The verb form is being used correctly (“have seen”), but the word “yesterday” refers to a specific moment in the past–it does not connect the past to the present, right? So let’s take out “yesterday” and replace it with something else: “I have seen the movie before.” This means that somewhere in the past up through the present, you saw the movie. It could be when you were one year old or yesterday, but you have seen the movie before. Also, please note that “has” follows the same structure, but is used with the third person point of view (he/she).

In conclusion

That’s the basic gist of “saw” and “seen.” If you want to use “seen,” you need to use a helper verb with it–”I seen” is incorrect. If you want to understand verb forms better, check out my grammar guide on Verb Tenses. Good luck!

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One Job, One Cover Letter.

Each job you apply to will have different requirements. Even if you’re applying for the same TYPE of job (e.g. teaching), the nuances of each job will differ. When I was applying for publishing gigs, they may have been essentially the same job, but some would require Microsoft Excel experience, others would not, etc. As such, my cover letter would be tailored to those nuances. Each job should have its own cover letter, noting things particular to that position. Which brings me to my next point:

This is YOUR Cover Letter.

Meaning, don’t just copy-paste some cover letter form you found via google. This isn’t Mad Libs. If you want to do well and–I dunno–get a job, you need to put in some time and effort. No excuses. Your potential employer will inevitably get a “sense” if your cover letter is just some staple copy. How do I know? I’ve worked with students who needed help with cover letters, and I could tell. And if I can tell, other people can tell!

So how can you personalize your cover letter? Well first of all, make sure it’s tailored to your strengths. A lot of those form letters use vague terms–”organized,” “leader,” whatever. They don’t show the specifics of you. As such, write your own cover letter–with the One Job, One Letter rule–and make sure that you make it specifically attached to you. Vague terminology and fill in the blank responses won’t cut it.

Being a Good Fit

This is one section that people usually miss the mark on–at least slightly. Being a good fit for a company doesn’t just mean what you can bring to their table, but what THEY can bring to you as well. Think of it this way–if you’re a round peg, and they’re a round hole, well, that’s a good fit. But how do you think the company would feel if you spent your entire cover letter saying “I’m a good fit because I’m a round peg!” That kind of neglects their side of the fit. It’s a good fit because THEY’RE a round hole as well. So in your cover letter, dedicate a couple of sentences to how the company is good for you. For example, when I was applying for TOR publishing company, I mentioned my love of the fantasy genre, and how I would love working with the renowned fantasy authors that TOR has published. Why would a particular company or a particular school be good for you? This shows that you want a job with THEM and not just any joe schmoe who’s offering a job.

Format

This is one of the most popular questions. Here’s my general guideline:

• 12 pt. Times New Roman Font
• Single spaced, with additional spacing between paragraphs
• Name, address, phone number, email–top center or top right
• Date–top left, below name and all that.
• No more than one page
• Typically 4 paragraphs (1st for introducing yourself and stating the position you’re applying for, 2nd for how you fit the company, 3rd for how they fit you, and 4th to thank them)
• Thank them for their time and consideration!

Last Words

Again, cover letters do not have a standard format–we’re not talking about an MLA essay here. However, if you spend the time writing out essentially individual letters to each of your prospective employers, you will be in much better standing than those who only use cookie cutter letters. Again, if you have any individual questions, feel free to ask. Good luck!

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How to Improve your Vocabulary

The phrase, “The pen is mightier than the sword” has many interpretations. The correct usage of words in communication can help you get your point across more effectively and improve your communication skills dramatically. In this article, I will discuss ways that you can improve your vocabulary and its affect on your every day communication, whether it be during friendly family debates or at your next big school presentation.

Key Points

• Reading novels, the news and using the dictionary can improve your vocabulary significantly
• A good vocabulary is essential in conversing with colleagues, friends and family
• Always keep on the lookout for new words (industry or colleague specific) and incorporate them into your vocabulary

Improving your Vocabulary

When I first graduated college (undergraduate), I quickly found out that my tech-centric education left me with great analytical skills, but little in the way of linguistic adeptness. In today’s world, both in business and online, communication is absolutely essential. The last thing you want to do is type an important email to your boss using outdated high-school level vocabulary or jump into a debate on Facebook and accidentally use the wrong word to highlight your argument. So how do you improve your vocabulary? I had a personal coach (Kelly) to help me, but for those of you who don’t have an English graduate student as a wife, let me give you some tips.

1. Novels

One of the most important thing you can do to improve your vocabulary is to read novels. Almost as important, however, is choosing the right novel. Harry Potter, while I enjoy it, isn’t going to help me improve my vocabulary. Go with a book that is aimed towards adults, not kids. My recommendation is to go to the local book store and look through the books until you find one that interests you. You can also read the classics (Dracula; 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, etc), which are for the most part pretty good and easy to read. Reading novels also has the added bonus of giving you talking points when interviewing for a job or conversing with friends. Many phrases we use today came out of those books and having that insight not only makes you look smart, but also helps you better develop analogies to get your points across in communication.

For example, did you know that Frankenstein is not the name of the monster? It’s the name of the scientist who created the monster!

2. Newspapers/Recent News

No, I don’t mean tabloids or Cosmopolitan. I mean real news, like the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC (online), CNN (online), etc. Reading this stuff will help you two-fold.

Staying up to date on things related to your industry is key, especially in this economy. It also gives you “big picture” prospective when thinking and conversing about certain issues. For example, if there was just a big security leak at a defense contractor and you work in security, it might be good for you to know the details of how the hacker broke in, what tools they used, etc. In terms of vocabulary, you want to stay up on the latest “lingo”. If someone starts talking to you about “texting” or “twittering” you don’t want to have no idea what he or she is talking about. Words are constantly absorbed into the English language. Make sure you keep up with them.

Tip: I always have the latest news synched to my Blackberry so I can scroll through and read it when I have time. If you don’t have this luxury, try to read through the latest news online when you get a chance.

3. Dictionary

It is very important to use the dictionary when you don’t understand a word that someone uses. You don’t want to make the mistake of responding to an email because you decided to ignore a word that may be essential to the communication. Don’t be afraid to open up Dictionary.com and look up the word, or, for further clarification, utilize Wikipedia. Using the dictionary to clarify confusing words you hear or read can improve your vocabulary dramatically. It also has the added benefit of allowing you to mimic your boss’s and client’s word choices, which can help you in conversing and communicating with them better.

Summary

Vocabulary is essential to good communication skills. Dedicate some time to reading novels, the news, and to using the dictionary, and you will see a great improvement in yourself. Not only will you forget words less in a conversation, you will also know and understand a lot more words to help you communicate with others.

Picture source: Artsjournal

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So why am I talking about this on (un)Enlightened English? Well, some of you may know I’m a gamer and a mild techie. But the implications of a game like this are tremendous. There is a mode in Scribblenauts where you cannot use words to complete the level that you used in previous levels. That means you have to think. “Chainsaw” won’t work for everything. Each puzzle is different and you’ll have to think of a new tool to help you beat the new obstacles you face. It’s a great tool for kids to play a game and expand their vocabulary. Heck, even adults may expand their vocabulary. You will always have to think of something new.

Plus there’s the innate desire we all have to “beat the system.” You want to come up with that one word that the game doesn’t have. It may not have every internet meme or anything and you could probably confuse it if you put “Level 80 Tauren Shaman,” but I challenge you to think of an average, run-of-the-mill word that this game doesn’t have. Nothing like dusting off those unused vocabulary words from the back of your brain.

I always tell my students that there are ways they can learn while having fun. For my English as Second Language students, I suggest to read Mangas in English and read popular novels like Twilight or The DaVinci Code. They CAN enjoy this game while practicing their vocabulary. Not only is it cute and fun, this game opens up yet another realm and can show so many of the nay-sayers that not ALL video games are violent, not ALL video games make you stupid. This is an educational game–even though it isn’t termed “educational,” much like “Civilization IV” isn’t coined “educational.” Which is kind of a good thing in my opinion. The “mass market” won’t even look at a game that’s filed under the education section.

I would love to see a game like this used in a classroom environment, particularly with children. The graphics are cartoon-y and cute and–much like children’s imaginations–the possibilities here are endless. Imagine a classroom where a teacher assigns their students to complete a puzzle with a word starting with “b,” or with a word that has three vowels (oranges, anyone?). Children will think of every word they can meeting that criteria, and anything that gets children excited about words and vocabulary is a winner in my book.

Scribblenauts is the future of educational gaming. Now we–the educators, the parents, the older siblings, whatever–need to embrace this type of word-building game and share it with our future generations.

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First of all, my proposal for the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) has been accepted. So what does this mean? This means that in March, I will be flying to Louisville in order to give a 30 minute presentation on the complications of unaccredited educational sites, particularly on how it challenges the conventional sense of authority that is apparent in a classroom environment. CCCC is the world’s largest conference about research and composition. So what does THAT mean? I’ll be presenting with Professors, Ph.D.s, and many other truly awesome people. For those of you who are curious, I plan on exploring pedagogical authority and how it functions in the blogosphere. I don’t want to give too much away before the presentation, but yeah–awesome stuff.

Also, Rudolph from the gaming blog Grinding to Valhalla has been interviewing bloggers who are also “gamers,” and recently interviewed me. There’s some pretty fun stuff in there and you’ll be able to see a side of me that you don’t normally get to see on (un)Enlightened English–my inner-gamer girl! I’ll be sure to post a link when the interview goes up, but you should definitely check out some of the other great interviews that are there.

I’m terribly sorry about the lack of blogging as of late. I’ll be honest–I’m uninspired. Sometimes you just hit this little “funk” that’s hard to get out of. Feel free to give me post suggestions–you never know, maybe your idea will be the one to get me out of my funk!

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