Nuts & Bolts: Useful resources for grammar, usage, and MLA Style.
PurdueOwl will help you figure out MLA format.
FIU’s Center For Excellence in Writing is a place close to home where you can go for help with planning, drafting, revising, and editing both written work and work in other modes. The center is dedicated to helping writers at all levels and stages of the writing process. You can even make an appointment!
The Digital Writing Studio is a media lab meant to support digital writing projects. Our consultants can offer design guidance for the creation of multimedia texts like websites, e-Portfolios, presentations, blogs, wikis, posters, photo essays, smartphone apps, and more. Both students and faculty in the English Department can use the Digital Writing Studio to support their multimedia work. One-on-one or small group tutoring appointments are also available.
Understanding Plagiarism & Avoiding It.
Kenneth Petress states in his article “Academic Dishonesty: A Plague on our Profession” that:
“Plagiarism is intellectual theft, no less a moral offense than would the theft of a car, money, or jewels would be. While intellectual theft is less tangible than other theft forms and other species of academic dishonesty, it is nonetheless very real. Many plagiarizers claim, when caught, that “everyone is doing it,” “it’s not a big deal” or “I didn’t mean to cheat.” Such statements suggest that too few people know exactly what plagiarism is; they are unaware of rules against plagiarism; and/or they have learned through benign neglect from teachers, school administrators school boards, and parents that plagiarism is not a big deal.”
Avoiding plagiarism is in everyone’s best interests and it is crucial in establishing credibility, giving credit to others’ ideas, and becoming a responsible member of a discourse community. Click the link to review FIU’s plagiarism and academic dishonesty policies.
View this Plagiarism article by Richard L. Saunders for a thorough detailing of the types of plagiarism and how to avoid them in your writing.
Resources For the 1101/1102 Classroom:
FIU’s First Year Writing Program has a web page where you can familiarize yourself with course outcomes, reach the program’s administrators, and more. You can also explore more advanced and specialized writing courses to further and expand your learning goals.
Rhetoric is all around us. But do we really know what it is? Look at In Defense of Rhetoric to clarify, confirm, or challenge your current notions about this mysterious word.
A primary component of First Year Writing courses at FIU is peer review. Writing is often a collaborative act, and we learn how to write not only by writing ourselves but reviewing the writing of others and receiving effective feed back from our peers. Watch No One Writes Alone to better understand the benefits of peer review, and how to engage in peer review effectively.
It will be hard for students to avoid a trip to the library if they are conducting research for a paper. Visit FIU’s library web site to get familiar with all the library has to offer. You are able to meet with a reference librarian to help you navigate the library system and databases. You can also reserve a private study room and even check-out a laptop.
Adjusting to the demands of college can be difficult for many students. In my experience as a teacher, one of the biggest challenges, particularly for first year students, is time management. Many students tend to think they have more time than they do, and procrastination is common. As well, many students tend to underestimate the amount of time that completing an assignment will take. Review and print out this handy PDF on Time Management For College Students to get ahead of the game. Basic Time Management Tips for College Students
Other Resources
If you need special accommodations, please visit FIU’s Disability Resource Center, one of the university’s many resources available so that students with disabilities can thrive and take full advantage of all that FIU has to offer.
Health & Fitness
Attending college can be a stressful and trying time for many students at all levels. If students need help with depression, stress, anxiety, or other mental health issues, there is help. Visit CAPS (Counseling & Psychological services) to get help when you need it.
Robert's Teaching Portfolio 