Grammar-Usage Wiki


English 403
Dr. Willerton
Fall 2008

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Updated 10-13-08

Due Date

11-5-08

Purpose

The first goal for this assignment is to learn how to use certain word pairs/groups correctly, and to convey this useful information to your classmates in a handout.

The second goal is to give you experience using a wiki to create and disseminate knowledge and to collaborate with group members online.

Assignment

Each person will be a member of two groups. Each group will use a wiki page to create a "virtual handout" that teaches us how to correctly use two of the word pairs/groups. See the list at the bottom of the page for your words, which were not assigned in any particular order.

Each group's "virtual handout" will receive a grade, and all members of that group will receive that same grade.

Points to Cover

  • Describe the nature of the difficulty involving each word pair/group.
  • Show how to use each word correctly.
  • Provide enough example sentences to illustrate problems and solutions.

Plan on devoting around one page to each word pair/group assigned to you; you may use more space if needed. Use a minimum of 300 words; this excludes the Works Cited/References.

Add your names to the handout to identify yourselves.

Cite your sources using MLA or APA style. This includes using parenthetical citations in the text and providing a comprehensive list of sources at the end.

Here is a sample handout on our class wiki. It uses MLA style to cite sources.

Here is half of a sample handout. Note that it does not meet the grading criteria for this assignment very well.

Potential Resources

For this assignment, you should consult at least four resources beyond our textbook—style guides, popular books on grammar/style/usage, and so on (Eats, Shoots & Leaves, Woe is I, The Elements of Style, Grammatically Correct, The Gregg Reference Manual, Microsoft Manual of Style, etc.). At least four sources should be books; you may use a dictionary, but it doesn't count as a source. Online sources may be used to supplement the printed ones.

Several reference books (Chicago Manual, MLA and APA handbooks, The Gregg Reference Manual, etc.) are available in short shelves near the reference desk in the Albertsons Library. You can also try an advanced search in the library catalog for "grammar and usage" or "usage and handbook."

Don't cite Rude as one of your book sources.

One online source that might be helpful is www.bartleby.com. It allows you to search a variety of reference books from a single portal.

What is Due

You will complete your two handouts on our class wiki by November 5.

Grading Checklist

Guideline Possible Points Your Score
The handout contains accurate information with helpful examples.

The page history for your handout shows that your group has used the wiki as a composing space and that each group member has contributed to the handout. [This sample history page shows that all of the major work was done outside the wiki; the content was just pasted in. Do not simply copy and paste into the wiki, but work within the wiki.]

70  
You properly cite at least four sources for each word pair/group you discuss; at least four in each group are non-dictionary books. The sources you cite are helpful, substantive, and appropriate. 15  
The handout is free of typographical and other errors. 15  

Comments:

 

 

Assigned Words

Katherine; Maria

attain/obtain

 

Emily B; Angie

if/whether/whether or not

 

Sarah; James

and; or; neither; nor

 

Emily C; Don

that/which

 

Maria; Carley

That as an expletive (e.g., I think that this is my favorite class of all time.)

 

Bernadene; Amy

assure/insure/ensure

 

Leah; Chris

I think/I feel

 

Devin; Mike

lay/lie

 

Mike; Jenny

me/myself/oneself

 

Jenny; Devin

farther/further

 

Chris; Bernadene

may/might/can/could

 

Amy; Leah

affect/effect

 

Carley; Emily C

infer/imply

 

Don; Sarah

comprise/compose

 

James; Emily B

fewer/less than; more than/over

 

Angie; Katherine

using dashes and hyphens appropriately

 
 

 

 

 

 


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Last updated: 09/23/08.
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