Candler Writing and Academic Skills Center Orientation 23 August 2012

1. Candler Writing and Academic Skills CenterOrientation23 August 2012 “Precision is a function of concentration. Concentration is a function of care.” ~John Updike

2. I. Why writing matters • For classes…. • For future vocations… Real Life Bulletin Misprints -Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 pm in the recreation hall.  Come on out and watch us kill Christ the King. -The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict. -Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help. -The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir. -Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. -Our next song is “Angels We Have Heard Get High.” -For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs. Source: www.evanwiggs.com/.../funny/Church%20Bulletin%20Typos.htm

3. II. What types of writing can I expect to do at Candler? A. Précis Description: A précis is a concise summary of a selection of reading. Purpose: To get at the central claim(s), to elaborate the ways the author justifies these claims, and to explain what significance attaches to them. Keys to success: 1. Identify the author’s argument and reduce it to its bare essentials. 2. Use the “anatomy” of the essay to help you follow the argument. 3. Be proportional in your representation: distinguish minor and major steps in the argument, and don’t focus on issues that don’t occupy the author. 4. Put the argument in your own words; use the author’s words sparingly. 5. Where possible, try to understand what the author’s voice contributes to the larger conversation.

4. II. What types of writing can I expect to do at Candler? B. Position Paper (Short Essay) Keys to success: 1. Don’t beat around the bush. Come right out with your argument, and present your arguments clearly and concisely. 2. Be familiar with both sides of the evidence. Show that your critical perspective can explain or accommodate contrary evidence. 3. There are many ways to argue a point. Proceed in a way that is best suited to the claim you wish to make. 4. Explain the consequences and ramifications of your position.

5. II. What types of writing can I expect to do at Candler? C. Book Review Keys to success: 1. Identify the author’s argument and reduce it to its bare essentials. 2. Use the “anatomy” of the book to help you follow the argument. 3. Consider what evidence the author uses, and how the author interprets that evidence to arrive at his conclusions. Are there important alternative interpretations of the evidence? Do the author’s interpretations yield the desired conclusions, or something else? 4. Where possible, try to understand what the author’s voice contributes to the larger conversation.

6. II. What types of writing can I expect to do at Candler? D. Reflection Essay/Journal Keys to success: 1. Recount your experiences. You will have to be selective and specific in this recollection. Choose specific details, concrete illustrations, or revealing anecdotes and discuss them. 2. Put these experiences into context. Consider how your own personal identity and formation influence your experience. Think also about how what you are learning in class might help you interpret, understand, and respond to these phenomena. 3. Evaluate these experiences and consider their significance for your growth and personal formation. What do they mean? What have you learned from them? How will you respond to similar circumstances in a future vocation?

7. II. What types of writing can I expect to do at Candler? • Research Essay/Thesis 1. Be clear about what argument you wish to make, how you will make it, why this mode of argumentation is appropriate to the evidence under consideration, and what your claim proves and does not prove. 2. Understand what your interpretation contributes to the critical discussion of the texts, circumstances, or issues under consideration. 3. Show that you are familiar with different interpretations of the evidence. Demonstrate that your critical perspective can explain or accommodate contrary evidence. 4. There are many ways to argue a point. Proceed in a way that is best suited to the claim you wish to make. 5. Explain the consequences and ramifications of your position. 6. Be thorough. Don’t neglect major details or important sources of evidence. 7. Be concise. Don’t elaborate beyond necessity. Use your argument to condense and organize all the information your are encountering. 8. Be flexible. Don’t make your thesis a Procrustean bed into which all evidence must fit! Be willing to challenge and revise your conclusions as the facts come in.

8. II. What types of writing can I expect to do at Candler? F. Exegetical Paper Keys to Success A. Identify major interpretive issues, and treat them as thoroughly as necessary. B. Decide what interpretive methods are best suited to treating these issues (linguistic, historical, ideological, structural, theological, etc.) C. Use commentaries and articles to surface alternative interpretations. Decide which interpretation is best supported by conducting your own analysis of the text. Locate your own interpretation among those of other commentators. D. Formulate a thesis that holds together all your interpretive engagements. What does the passage mean? How does the text’s rhetoric and the historical context support this interpretation? E. Cover all verses in your text. Show how they develop the author’s perspective.

9. II. What types of writing can I expect to do at Candler? • Sermon Keys to Success A. Identify the major interpretive issue, and treat it. B. Formulate a thesis that summarizes this treatment. What does the passage mean? And how does it apply to your audience? C. Use the structure and features of the passage to help organize your own exposition. Use repetition and clear transitions where appropriate. D. Make sure your sermon reads well. Read it aloud, and focus on how you unfold your argument. Like a good short story, a good sermon ought to have some suspense, some drama, some human interest in the way it progresses. E. Be selective about your interpretive engagements. Unlike an exegetical paper, your goal is not to furnish an exhaustive record of your interpretive decisions, but to explain what the passage means for your audience today. F. Explore relevant implications and applications of your text to your audience. G. Write in clear, direct prose.

10. II. What types of writing can I expect to do at Candler? Conclusion: You will be writing in many different genres. Despite this generic diversity, there are some universal characteristics of good writing to remember: 1. All good writing makes some kind of claim. This claim helps to orient and to organize the writing assignment. 2. All good writing supports its claims with evidence. The evidence differs from claim to claim, and from genre to genre, but there must be evidence. 3. All good writing explores the ramifications of its claims. It explains what they mean, why they matter, and what limitations they have. 4. All good writing is organized effectively. Each thought follows on the next, and transitions help to guide the reader to the conclusion. 5. All good writing is aware of the expectations of its reading audience.

11. III. What resources are available through the Writing Center? • Writing Workshops (CST 322) Critical Reading Skills for the Seminarian Friday, 14 September 2012 As you begin your studies this autumn, you may be noticing the volume of reading required for your classes.  This workshop will focus on developing reading strategies appropriate to the writing required of seminarians.  Preparing for a Multiple Choice Examination Monday, 1 October 2012 Studying for an “objective” multiple choice examination looks quite different from preparing for another type of assessment.  If the idea of such “standardized” testing conjures up memories of sweaty palms and second-guessing, then consider joining us for a candid discussion of the challenges posed by this format, and the study and test-taking strategies that you can use to surmount them. Graduate School Admissions Monday, 8 October 2012 Considering further study after graduating Candler?  A panel of graduate students and professors will guide you through the application process, leaving time for questions and discussion. Taking the Essay Exam Friday, 2 November 2012 How do you prepare for an essay exam if you don’t know the topic beforehand?  What organizational strategies can you exploit to ensure that your essay answers the question without exhausting your time?  Finally, how in the world does your professor mark your essay?  This workshop will explore all these mysteries and more. 

12. III. What resources are available through the Writing Center? B. Writing Tutoring: Tuesday 10.30am – 12.30pm Wednesday 10.30am – 1.30pm By appointment. Sign up in CST 311, where the meetings are also held. You don’t necessarily have to bring a completed paper or a work in progress. You might come by to discuss ideas for a paper, or for help brainstorming. In any case, we will talk about articulating and organizing an argument. I do not proofread papers. Meetings last a maximum of thirty minutes each. Generally, I do not meet with individuals more than once a week.

13. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 10. I’m just not naturally gifted at writing. Reality: No one is. But anyone can learn to write well. It takes effort, dedication, and attention to detail. It is true that some catch on more intuitively than others. But good writing is not a matter of inclination; it is a matter of hard work.

14. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 9. Writing is an expression of self. It is private. Criticism of my writing is criticism of me. Reality: Writing is a public act–at least in most of its forms. Any writing you do for class is intended for a reading audience larger than yourself. Criticism of your writing is therefore not criticism of you, but criticism of how effectively you are communicating your points. This criticism is directed toward you becoming more capable of expressing yourself. Think of so many other forms of expression: jazz, or baking, for example. There are many ways of expressing oneself in these media, but practice is required for skillful self-expression.

15. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 8. Criticism of writing is subjective. Tastes differ, and my professor or TA just doesn’t seem to have developed a taste for my writing. Reality: There is some room for disagreement over what constitutes good writing, but this generally takes place at a high level. Your professors and teaching assistants agree on all the essentials: strong thesis, persuasive use of evidence, thoughtful organization. This is what they evaluate. They may disagree a little in some particulars, but you will rarely find one professor lauding what another has found wanting.

16. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 7. I never edit my writing. It always sounds better if I don’t second-guess myself. Reality: This is rarely true. Done well, editing will make your writing better in every circumstance. This takes practice, and mistakes can be made. But as with almost anything else, practice makes perfect. Rarely is there just one “take” in making movies or music; you work on something until it looks and sounds just right.

17. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 6. I’m making a general point, so I can use general language. Reality: Good writing is specific. It is acceptable to make general points, but support these points with specific illustrations and evidence. This is what keeps your writing from becoming nebulous.

18. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 5: I just write as the ideas flow. What comes out is bound to be organized. Reality: Organization is usually the hardest part of writing for most of my students. But how you go about advancing your argument matters a lot. As you edit and revise an essay, think about how each paragraph builds on another, and how your argument progresses. Be prepared to move things around, and to eliminate whole paragraphs to achieve better “flow”.

19. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 4: This essay needs to be 2500 words, so I’ll just stretch out what I have to say. No one will notice if I repeat myself. Reality: Any attentive reader with a decent intellect will be able to tell if you repeat yourself or are trying to fulfill your word count with periphrasis. Good writing is clear, direct, and succinct. Try to say what you need to say in as few words as possible. There is an obvious difference between ten pages that makes one dull point or repeats the same thing over and over and ten pages that develops a point of view thoughtfully and sequentially, with each paragraph advancing the thesis.

20. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 3: My professor likes to use big words. So I’ll write my paper, and use the thesaurus to help me “beef up” my writing. The more complex words I have, the better I’ll do! Reality: Knowing more words gives you more choices in your communication. Sometimes, a fancy word can communicate an idea more directly. But many times, these words obscure the meaning–especially if you are using them for the first time and don’t grasp their connotations. Don’t ever use big words just to impress; use a big word if it most clearly communicates what you need to say.

21. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 2. I’ll just wait until the last night to start this exegetical paper. I can pull it off. Reality: We all need to pull the occasional all-nighter. It is hard to keep up with our demanding workloads sometimes. But under most circumstances, the more time you spend on a paper, the better the final product. Give yourself time to read the material, to think about it, and to organize your response. Take time to draft your essay. For many, it is important to have some time away from a paper, and then to return to it, writing in stages. If you can’t begin drafting until the night before, do all necessary preliminary work to ensure that your essay does not represent a hasty, half- baked interpretation of the material.

22. IV. Top Ten Myths about Writing: How to (really) make your writing better Myth 1. There are no good ways to teach writing. You either get it or you don’t. Reality: If this were true, I’d be out of a job! As I’ve mentioned earlier, it takes dedication and effort to become a good writer. In my experience, a few elements are significant in this process. First, find literary models and mentors whose writing style you admire. Don’t just read and marvel; try to identify what makes that writing so effective. Try some of those techniques out in your own writing. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t immediately sound like that mentor; your apprenticeship will take time. Second, good writers are good editors. We tend to see others’ mistakes more clearly than our own. So, offer to edit your peers’ papers. You will probably find some things that they do better than you, other things that need to be improved. Apply this to your own writing as you revise and edit. Third, seek out further comments from a trusted professor or TA. Give them a generous timeline for returning comments. Actually read and try to apply their feedback once you get it. Finally, read all your papers aloud, or have someone else read them to you. When I studied in England, I had to read all my essays aloud to my tutor. Nothing helped me catch my mistakes and refine my style more than this practice.

23. V. What are some other resources I should consult? A. Books The best guides I have encountered include the following:   Booth, Wayne et. al. The Craft of Research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008. Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference, 6 ed. New York: Bedford St. Martin, 2006. (See also the website featuring much of this material: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersref6e/Player/Pages/Main.aspx) Strunk, William, and E.B. White. The Elements of Style, 4 ed. New York: Longman, 1999. Turabian, Kate L. et al. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7 ed. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2007. Weston, Anthony. A Rulebook for Arguments, 4ed. Indianapolis: Hackett, 2008. Williams, Joseph M. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1995. Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York: Harper, 2006.

24. V. What are some other resources I should consult? B. Pitts Library Pitts (the theology library at Emory, where you will be spending many hours over the next few years!) maintains a very helpful research site. Because writing and research are often intertwined, it is helpful to consult their resources both in person and online: http://www.pitts.emory.edu/services/tools/index.cfm

25. V. What are some other resources I should consult? C. Websites Many colleges have writing centers that maintain very useful websites. Emory is no exception. I recommend also those at Purdue, Indiana, Chicago, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Hamilton. Emory: http://www.writingcenter.emory.edu/writingresources.html Purdue: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ Indiana: http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml Chicago: http://writing-program.uchicago.edu/ UNC: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/ Hamilton: http://www.hamilton.edu/writing/home

26. Candler Writing Center Ryan T. Woods Office of Student Programming CST 311 rtwoods@emory.edu 404.727.1062 Tuesday 8am-11.30pm Wednesday 11am-12.30pm