As I was reading journalist Sally Turner’s insightful interview with biology professor Ann Fritz, I was struck once again by what successful writing teachers have in common: they have students write frequently; they emphasize the importance of audience awareness; and they communicate what makes writing good in their particular discipline. I find this last issue of interdisciplinary conventions especially interesting. For students in the sciences, effective communication of research results is a fundamental writing goal. English majors often spend much time on the thesis, sometimes to their detriment, as when they force their arguments to fit the initial statement. Conciseness is a hallmark of the journalist.

Some standards, of course, remain consistent across the board, for example, sentence structure, grammar, and spelling. Or do they? I found myself defaulting to Ms. Grundy mode by mentally red-penciling the “Buts” that begin several of Turner’s sentences, momentarily forgetting that this kind of informality is common journalistic practice in interviews. (And perhaps accounts for the reason why people enjoy reading them so much.)

Speaking of grammar, last issue’s Grammar Babe has been supplanted by the more youthful Grammar Stud, Jonathan Cook, the Presidential GA in the English Department. Jonathan’s review of Eats, Shoots, and Leaves also appears in this issue. Another of our bright stars, Amanda Bright, is responsible for the layout of this newsletter and for getting it onto the web. -- Daiva Markelis, Director of WAC

Important EWP Reminder
Please remind your students that the Electronic Writing Portfolio (EWP) is a graduation requirement at Eastern Illinois University. Students who have not submitted a document by the time they complete a level will have a hold placed on their records. Students have until one semester after taking a writing-intensive or writing-centered course to submit an essay. The Center for Academic Support and Student Achievement (CASA) accepts submissions all semester. Keep in mind, however, that for graduating seniors, April 8th is the last day to submit for a Spring 2005 submission.

Documentation Workshops
Do your students have problems writing research papers? Do they know when to summarize material and when to quote directly? Do they understand when and how to cite sources? Or do they confuse “paraphrase” with “plagiarize”? Do they think that MLA stands for Midwest League of Athletes and that APA is the acronym for Another Pretentious Academic? If your students need more instruction, we can help. WAC in conjunction with the Writing Center conducts documentation workshops tailored to the specific needs of your class or to the broader requirements of your department. Please contact Daiva Markelis at cfdmm@eiu.edu or 581-5614 for more information or to set up a workshop.