• 1.  ON THE WRITING CENTER:
    
    PETER J. SCHMITT
    Use the Writing Center for all of your papers.  It helped me.
    
    REBECCA B. BERGNER
    I am almost done with my EngC course 1013 about the environment.  I learned
    a lot in the class and have some advice for future students.  I think it is
    very important that students understand the value of the writing center as
    soon as class starts.  Without the writing center I would have been
    completely lost.  I learned more from the writing center than I ever
    learned throughout my four years of high school.  Some students think it
    would be a waste of time to go, but honestly they just do not understand
    how much help the writing center has to offer.  Please let students know
    the value and importance of at least trying out the writing center.
    
    SCOTT L. DOLE
    The best piece of advice I could give any student taking a EngC class would
     be to go to the writing center early and often.  There are some English
    geniuses that work there and it is completely free.  They will work with
    you  on any stage in your writing.  It is great because you actually do all
    of  the work and you think completely on your own.  They just face you in
    directions that you might not have considered otherwise.
    
    ERIN B. PARRISH
    The best piece of advice I could give would be to go to the writing center
    for your papers.  Be sure to go with plenty of time to spare though.
    
    ROB RIEHM
    My advice to incoming students for composition classes would be to  manage
    their time well.  Just because a class meets two times a week doesn't mean
    two days of homework a week.  There is A LOT of outside class research and
    study to be done.  The writing for college composition courses involves a
    lot of critical thinking and the thought process may take longer than a
    High School Paper.  Also tell the new students to use the Lind Hall writing
    center.  It is very useful in making final editing to a paper because new
    students don't know all the techniques on creating smooth, flowing,
    sophisticated sentences.  That is my advice.
    
    PATRICK BARRY
    The best advice I could give to students taking English comp next semester
    is...
        -be prepared to write a lot;
        -know that writing is a process and takes time and effort;
        -make use of your professor and the writing center, they have valuable
    info and can help a lot.
    
    ADAM J. LAYBOURN
    The writing center is unreal.
    
    
    2.  ON WRITING DRAFTS
    
    ERIK JOHNSON
    Advice:  Start your paper early enough before the rough draft due
    date--EngC  papers are demanding and take A LOT of time!  Also, write with
    a blend of  facts/support and personal experience to make the essay effective.
    
    GRETCHEN LARSON
    Best piece of advice is to proof read all material.
    
    JAKE HIPSMAN
     Write the rough draft at first notice.  I sometimes didn't.  Many times I
    would wait to hours before due dates.  Never pretty.
    
    KARA COPELAND  
    -Write your rough draft right away; don't put it off until the night before
    -Write at least two "rough copies" before handing the final paper in
    -Have another person or the writing center read over your paper; get lots
    of feedback
    
    LINDSEY L. ANDERSON
    All I can say is.... when a paper is assigned, do the rough draft! I didn't
    realize how much easier the final draft was after writing a rough draft
    until I blew it off. That was something I will never forget.
    
    TU YANG
    Revise...revise....revise.  The most important information needed to be a
    successful writer.  Plus, believe in your work and always write on
    something interesting.
    
    3.  ON TIME MANAGEMENT
    
    ELISABETH PETERS
    I would advise anyone taking a composition course to not take it at 8 in
    the morning. 
    
    KATHARINE M. NALEPKA
    Some advice that I wish I would have had been given, is to take a
    composition class with a theme so you are fulfilling some requirement
    while taking the class instead of just an English comp course.  Another
    piece of advice is, English comp is more writing than my other writing
    intensive classes put together...so don't take 3 writing intensive classes
    and English composition in one semester, you may go crazy.
    
    GEORGIA E. SILER
    The best piece of advice I would give is to not wait until the last minute
    on any of the papers that are due, especially the 10 page papers. And that
    all of the papers are important even the ones that are only a page and
    seemingly unimportant.
    
    JENNIFER A. WISEMAN
    The only advice that I could give would be to stay on top of your
    assignments. Students should start homework when they get so as not to
    forget and then do 40 pages of reading in 15 min. or a 5 page paper in one
    night. Generally if you stay on top of your work, it won't come back to
    haunt you! This semester has been great. In highschool, writing was my
    least favorite class and my grades reflected that. Here, at the U, my fear
    of writing has subsided thanks to in class peer revision and all the time
    to work on individual papers.
    
    
    4.  ON BEING IN CLASS
    
    AMANDA L. TURITTO
    My advice to anyone taking EngC classes next semester would be to pay a lot
    of attention to what the emphasis of the class is. My class is EngC 1013,
    Emphasis on Environment. The thing I didn't know going into it was that
    every single paper and assignment we did would be somehow connected to
    environmental topics that are currently being debated. I wish I would have
    known this going into the class. Other than that, just be prepared to write
    a lot, and read a lot!
    
    
    LAURA WULFF
    My advice:  Never feel intimidated to ask questions or venture a wrong
    answer - simply participate.
    
    
    CARRIE J. BUFFORD
    Someone probably did give me this advice at the beginning of the semester,
    but I really think it's important to keep in touch with your prof.  If
    you're having difficulty with the class due to the material or outside
    situations, let them know.  They're people too, and they're probably going
    to be more then happy to help you out.  Boring, I know... But it got me
    through this semester.  
    
    
    JENNIFER K. PUNDT
    Prior to taking English comp, I wish someone had told me that the
    instructors are actually very reasonable people and it is okay if you go
    over the page limit if you need to.
    
    
    5.  ON ATTITUDE
    
    NHIA XIONG
    I believe one of the best advice that I can give is that English is the
    main structure towards any educational major so enjoy English composition
    because it's a key element to a successful educational background.  
    
    MICHELLE L. FOX
    My advice to new students taking an EngC class would be to go in ready to
    better their writing skills.  No matter how good of a writer you are, you
    can always improve.  I think this is a great class and I learned a lot.  My
    teacher was very helpful and I feel more prepared to write in college
    now that I've taken it.  I would recommend my class to anyone.  
    
    
    MELISSA J. KRAMER
    I don't really have a piece of advice as much as I have something I would
    like to have known.  I wish I had known that, yes, it's going to be hard
    and you have to take a completely different approach to the way you think
    about  a lot of the topics and papers the course covers.  I think maybe if
    I had known that, I wouldn't have been so surprised at how much deep and
    critical thinking there is in this course.  
    
    
    JESS NOVY
    My advice would be to keep an open mind and read all the text assigned
    prior to going to class. That is super good advice...use it well my friend.
    
    

  •  

    Email: Kevin L. Callahan


     

    Disclaimers and Other stuff: The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author.The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota or the English Department.The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Last major revision: August 28,2000. This website is a totally private and personal website designed to educationally assist students and any members of the public interested in the subject of English Composition and Writing. It is solely operated by Kevin L. Callahan. Certain materials are included under the fair use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law and have been prepared according to the educational multimedia fair use guidelines and are restricted from further use. Credit and copyright information can also usually be obtained simply by clicking on the image, reference, or credit. All artwork is by Kevin L. Callahan.

    All graphics and this website are (c) 2000 Kevin L. Callahan. My text may be freely reproduced for non-profit educational purposes by students and other teachers (unless it was included under the fair use exemption and is restricted from further use as stated above).


     

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